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Reservoir Football
Jason Belt, Sept. 27, 2017
Reservoir Football is off to an underwhelming 1-2 start to the 2017 season. After a disappointing 2016 season in which the Gators went 4-6, they are looking to turn it around for this campaign. The Gators opened up the season on the road at Mt. Hebron, where a pair of late touchdowns by the Vikings propelled them to a 35-21 win. The team had to use this Week 1 defeat as a learning point to help them understand what it takes to win. After a Week 2 bye, Reservoir hosted Hammond on September 15, looking for their first win of the season. They started out early with a quick touchdown from RiKye Torres, after the Golden Bears fumbled quickly into their first drive. He ended up with 2 touchdowns on the night, as well as breaking the century mark in yards. Two touchdowns from wide receiver Justin Green, one rushing and one back-shoulder fade in the corner of the endzone, as well as a 15-yard plunge from running back Brendon Peters engineered the Gators to a convincing 42-6 win. Reservoir would go on to lose in Week 4 in a hostile environment against Howard, but seem to have found a recipe for success in 2017.
2017-2018 NFL Record Predictions
Jason Belt, Sept. 12, 2017
The NFL season is just around the corner and fans everywhere are excited to see how their favorite team will do. The New England Patriots are favorites to win Super Bowl 52, coming off of the incredible comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51. Here is my prediction for how each division will turn out this upcoming season.
NFC East:
The Cowboys return, after winning the NFC East in 2016, with the spectacular duo of quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott leading the way. The Giants have arguably the best defense in the division, with stars such as cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who has a breakout year after signing with New York last offseason. The Giants made a big splash in this offseason by signing former Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who will line up alongside Odell Beckham Jr. and stud rookie Sterling Shepard, and this combination could be very lethal for New York. Washington is coming into 2017 without two of their top receivers from the last 3 years in Pierre Garcon and Desean Jackson, but have also added former quarterback turned receiver Terrelle Pryor Sr. to boost the receiving corps.The Eagles have had a solid offseason, signing receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, as well as trading Jordan Matthews to the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Ronald Darby. Will this be enough to take the next step in the division?
Standings: Cowboys (10-6)
Giants (9-7)
Redskins (7-9)
Eagles (7-9)
NFC North:
The Green Bay Packers are coming off a 10-6 season that got off to an underwhelming start. Detroit had a very solid season in 2016, making the Wild Card round and eventually falling short to the Seattle Seahawks. Matthew Stafford, the Lions’ quarterback, signed a 5 year, $135 million dollar contract extension, so a lot of pressure is on him to succeed. The Minnesota Vikings are looking to bounce back from a somewhat disappointing season. The Vikings started off 2016 with a bang, going 5-0 in their first 5 games, but fell short of their postseason goal and finished 8-8. And lastly, the Chicago Bears, who had a 3-13 record last season and have a new quarterback in Mike Glennon, look to rebuild and contend in the future.
Standings: Packers (11-5)
Lions (10-6)
Vikings (8-8)
Bears (4-12)
NFC South:
The reigning NFC champion Atlanta Falcons look to repeat and head back to the Super Bowl. Although they lost their offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to a head coaching job in San Francisco, the reigning MVP Matt Ryan has plenty of weapons to duplicate his impressive season. The Carolina Panthers are coming off of a Super Bowl hangover and an unexpected 6-10 season, and have added key pieces in the draft, including Stanford star Christian McCaffrey, and look to bounce back. A surprise team that could enter the 2017 playoff race is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Former number one pick Jameis Winston has added receiver Desean Jackson to an already impressive core of young receivers and is looking to make the next step. Drew Brees and the aging New Orleans Saints are looking to improve from an unusual down year. Breakout receiver Michael Thomas is ready to take the next step in his career and provide a spark for the Saints’ offense.
Standings: Falcons (12-4)
Panthers (9-7)
Buccaneers (9-7)
Saints (7-9)
NFC West:
The Super Bowl 48 champion Seattle Seahawks are at full strength defensively, which is the anchor of their team. Safety Earl Thomas III is back from a season-ending injury that occurred against New England in 2016, and is the backbone of one of the most impressive secondaries in the NFL. Arizona, who had a very lackluster 2016, will try and duplicate their 2015 season in which they made the NFC championship game. Their window, however, seems to be closing fast. San Francisco has completely rebuilt itself, starting with the new general manager John Lynch. They have also implemented head coach Kyle Shanahan to begin a new culture. The Rams relocated to Los Angeles last season and have a new head coach as well in Sean McVay. Second-year quarterback Jared Goff has to perform well for the Rams to be successful this season.
Standings: Seahawks (11-5)
Rams (9-7)
Cardinals (7-9)
49ers (5-11)
AFC East:
New England is coming off of the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, but Tom Brady isn’t getting any younger. It seems as if nothing fazes him, including his age, but father time could begin to take it’s toll this season. Jay Cutler has come out of retirement to quarterback the Dolphins after Ryan Tannehill injured his leg and is out for the season. Buffalo and New York are two teams that are in rebuild mode and are not expected to contend anytime soon.
Standings: Patriots (13-3)
Dolphins (7-9)
Bills (6-10)
Jets (2-14)
AFC North:
The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off of an 11-5 season in which they made the AFC championship game, ultimately losing to New England. The Steelers have arguably the best running back/ wide receiver combination in the NFL with Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell mixed with an aging but still dangerous quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. This very talented team has yet to make a Super Bowl since the 2010-2011 season, in which they lost to the Green Bay Packers, but many fans believe that this could be the year. The Baltimore Ravens have improved tremendously on the defensive side of the ball, adding safety Tony Jefferson to an already impressive secondary. Joe Flacco is coming off of an injury but is planning to start Week 1 in Cincinnati, possibly propelling them to a 1-0 start. The Bengals and Browns have both made strides in the right direction, but it is going to take a lot of luck for them to make the playoffs.
Standings: Steelers (11-5)
Ravens (9-7)
Bengals (6-10)
Browns (4-12)
AFC South:
Houston, the division winners in 2016, is going to have a difficult time repeating this feat this season. Quarterback Deshaun Watson will more than likely end up taking the starting role over Tom Savage, which many Texans fans would like to see. If this is the case, Houston could enter rebuilding mode. Tennessee has many fans excited for this upcoming season with its young talent and improved defense. Look for this team to take the next step and make the playoffs this season. Jacksonville and Indianapolis are two teams dealing with injuries and are in rebuild mode, allowing the window to open for the Titans to win the division.
Standings: Titans (10-6)
Texans (8-8)
Jaguars (5-11)
Colts (5-11)
AFC West:
The Oakland Raiders have taken the next step in their process with Derek Carr and Amari Cooper and made the playoffs in 2016. This season, the Raiders are expected to contend again and possibly be Super Bowl bound. Denver and San Diego are two teams that are make or break in 2017 and could either contend or be in the cellar. Kansas City has always contended in recent years, and this could be the season in which they win a playoff game or two and push for a ring.
Standings: Chiefs: (11-5)
Raiders: (10-6)
Broncos: (8-8)
Chargers: (7-9)
Will Desean Jackson Resign in DC?
Travis Ponton -- Jan. 4th, 2017
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Desean Jackson is now a free agent following the conclusion of the Redskins disappointing 2016 season, in which they failed to secure a playoff berth in their season finale against the Giants. The Redskins would certainly like to have Jackson back, but there are some concerns. He will be turning 31 and has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. If Jackson were not to return to the Redskins, where could he end up? The Philadelphia Eagles would be the obvious fit. Jackson was drafted by the Eagles in 2008 and spent the first 6 years of his career there. The Eagles have struggled at the wide receiver position and could use a true deep threat to help quarterback Carson Wentz. Jackson would fill that void. Jackson is not being used as much as he should be. In Washington, quarterback Kirk Cousins likes to spread the ball around to different receivers. Jackson could be a number one receiver on a lot of teams. Unless the Redskins break the bank for Jackson, expect him to walk this offseason
Craig Sager Gone at 65
Ali Zaidi -- Dec.16, 2016
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Craig Sager has died at the age of 65. He was battling acute myeloid leukemia. The longtime Turner Sports reporter enjoyed wearing fluorescent suits and ties, which we all loved. Craig Sager always said, “time is simply how you live your life”, and that is exactly what he did. He had a great passion for basketball. Sager will be known for his suits, but there is much more than that. He showed what grace, determination, and the will to living life was all about. His career lasted for more than 40 years. He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and was admitted back into the hospital in late November 2016. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that teams will hold a moment of silence in Sager’s memory. Sager worked his very first NBA Finals game in June on the sideline with ESPN’s Doris Burke for Game 6 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, which the Cavaliers won. He underwent three bone marrow transplants, the most recent in August 2016, and more than 20 chemotherapy cycles. Sager had a total of 5 kids. Two with his wife, and three from a previous relationship. Craig Sager will be dearly missed.
Auston Matthews' Historical Night
Cameron Hyder -- Oct. 13, 2016
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The 2016-17 NHL regular season officially began. During the offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected 19 year old Auston Matthews first overall in the NHL Draft. Matthews was born September 17, 1997 in San Ramon, California. His family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona when Matthews was still an infant. Matthews started his hockey career in his hometown, and eventually represented his country winning a U17 WHC gold medal, two U18 WJC gold medals, and had two appearances IIHF World U20 Championships. Matthews began his professional career by signing a one year contract to play in the Swiss National League for the ZSC Lions. Matthews was quickly approached after the U18 Championships by Marc Crawford, formerly the head coach of ZSC Lions. Matthews quickly opened the eyes of NHL scouts by scoring a goal in his first game with ZSC. He did not slow down after that, finishing the year second on the team in points along with winning the NLA Rising Star Award, and coming in second in the MVP voting. In late June of 2016 Matthews became the first American to be selected first overall in the NHL draft since Patrick Kane was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007. Matthews made his NHL debut on October 12, 2016 against the Ottawa Senators. Matthews started the game playing with his pre-season linemates William Nylander and Zach Hyman. With only a few minutes gone by in the first period, Matthews netted his first NHL goal on his very first shot. He became the twelfth played selected first overall to score in their first game. About six minutes later, Matthews tallied again on a highlight reel play. After about a minute of play in the second period Matthews potted another goal becoming the fifth player ever to record a hat-trick in their NHL debut. The magical night did not stop there, with Matthews recording his fourth goal of the game with three seconds left in the second period. This made him the first ever rookie to score four goals in their debut. Despite Matthews’ four goals, the Maple Leafs lost to the Senators 5-4 in overtime.
Arena Football Returns to D.C.
Brandon Mangum -- Oct. 10, 2016
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Arena Football is finding its way to the District of Columbia once more. Ted Leonsis, owner of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, announced that his company has brought an expansion Arena Football League team to the District and the Verizon Center. In the initial announcement, Monumental owner Ted Leonsis told the press "We're extremely excited to acquire an AFL team for Washington, adding arena football to the mix of the best sports teams in town. D.C. is a `Super City' with a fan base that spans across the DMV region, and being able to provide another family-centric sports option to our community is an important endeavor." The Valor will be the first Arena Football team to grace the field since the Washington Commandos, who folded after the 1990 season.
A Look at Girls Varsity Soccer
Ellen Campbell -- Sep. 27, 2016
School has only been back in session for a couple of weeks now, but the Reservoir Girls Varsity Soccer team has been practicing since August 10th. The girls have been practicing hard in order to live up to the high expectations set for them this season. Sophomore Maya Budszinski says that the team wants “to finish higher [in rank] than we did last year and we want to do our best to make it to states.” It’s still early in the season, but so far, the team is off to a good start.
In their first in county game, the Gators met up with the Marriotts Ridge Mustangs on their home field. The Gators started off the first half strong with a goal early on. About ten minutes in, a pass was sent down the right flank to Cassidy Pham. Cassidy then passed the ball to striker Blair Van’t Hoff, who cut it back and laid it off to Kylie Toler. Kylie Toler took a small touch just past her defender and shot bottom left corner. The goal was beautiful, but the Gators didn’t stop there. With eleven minutes remaining in the half,Van’t Hoff took a shot on Marriotts Ridge goalie Emma Meininger. The ball sailed right over her head and gave the Gators a two-point lead going into halftime. The Mustangs came out hard in the second half and had several shots on goal. RHS goalie Janie Romer had several good saves, including one off a corner kick early in the second half. Despite their efforts, the Gators managed to stop the mustangs to zero points. The final score was 2-0; a solid first game win for the Reservoir Gators.
The girls traveled to Mount Hebron for their second game of the season. Hebron proved to be a tougher opponent for the Gators. The Gators came out slow and flat-footed in the first fifteen minutes of the first half. They struggled to connect their passes and their play was slow, frustrating the team Soon, the Gators turned it around. They possessed the ball and made beautiful crosses and runs. Cassidy Pham and Bri Bonilla had several strong crosses that landed within the six-yard box. Unfortunately, they were unable to capitalize on these scoring opportunities. Midway through the 1st half, Maya Budszinski was called for a foul in the box, leading to a penalty kick against Reservoir goalie Janie Romer. Mount Hebron’s Bri Tabaneske shot a low ball into the left corner, rolling right past Janie’s hands. The Gators were discouraged, but that soon faded when Kennedy Hawkins beat her defender and scored a goal. The girls continued to play hard, possessing the ball for the majority of the game, but with only four minutes remaining in the game, the Vikings scored off a corner kick. The Gators continued to play with all they had for the several minutes remaining and they even got several shots on goal. Unfortunately, that was not enough and the Gators went home with a two-to-one loss.
The Gators next opponent was the Wilde Lake Wildcats. The girls traveled to Wilde Lake with one thing in mind. Victory. The Gators were coming off a loss, and knew they needed a win to get back on track for the season. They were extremely focused and came out hard. Both teams played well, but the Gators controlled the ball for the majority of the game. The Gators had many shots on goal and out shot Wilde Lake twenty to three. But, the Gators struggled to put one in the net. One opportunity came from a corner from Cassidy Pham. The ball fell perfectly within the six-yard box, but a header from Blair Van’t Hoff hit the crossbar and bounced out. After eighty minutes of play, the Wildcats and the Gators were still tied at 0-0. Only a couple of minutes into overtime, Kylie Toler took a penalty kick and passed it to Kennedy Hawkins. Hawkins touched it past the goalie into the close side of the net for the Gators win. After the game when asked about how it felt to score that winning goal for the Gators, Kennedy said “It just felt really good and we all gave 110%, and if we do that every game, I think we can go all the way.” The girls were ecstatic and Sophomore Kate Hyde said “Not to say that [the loss to] Hebron was a good thing, but it pumped us up and got us ready and showed us that we need to try and work for states.” The Gators were ready to take on whatever competition was ahead as they headed into week 3.
Week 3 began with the Gators game against Oakland Mills. The Gators came to play and quickly demonstrated that they were the dominant team. Kylie Toler had the first goal about ten minutes in. The Gators then continued to score all throughout the first half. There were goals by Kelly Sullivan, Blair Van’t Hoff, Cassidy Pham, and Bri Bonilla, making the score 5-0 going into the half. The Gators came out just as strong in the second half and Blair Van’t Hoff made her second goal early on. Then, after orders from Coach Ranker, the girls were told to stop shooting. They continued to pass the ball around and work on possession, until a perfect opportunity came for freshman, Tessa Cinotti. She touched the ball just past her defender and had a wide open shot on goal. The final score was 7-0, but the Gators had a much harder opponent to play on Saturday.
This past Saturday, the Gators hosted the Howard Lions on their home turf. The Gators knew that Howard would be their toughest opponent thus far, and came out hard. They were pressuring every 50/50 ball and they were working well together to connect passes. Several scoring opportunities came from corner kicks from Bri Bonilla and Cassidy Pham, and Senior, Leah Simmons had several hard shots on goal, but the Gators were unable to get any shots past the Howard goalie, Maya McConell. Late in the first half, Tessa Cinotti was called for a foul in the box and the Lions received a Direct Penalty kick. It was a beautiful shot and the ball landed just behind goalie, Janie Romer’s, hands. It was a discouraging for the Gators who had been controlling the ball the majority of the game, but they didn’t stay down for long. Early in the second half, the Gators got a free kick just outside the box. Cassidy Pham took the shot and it bounced of Maya McConell’s hands into the goal, tying up the game 1-1. The girls played hard for the remaining 28 minutes of regulation, but no one was able to score. The Game went into overtime with several opportunities from both sides. After 10 minutes, no one was able to score and the two teams went into double overtime. After 2 overtimes and a total of 100 minutes of play, the teams were exhausted. The game was ruled a tie. Reservoir Coach Phillip Ranker said that he was “Happy with their [the teams] play. We clearly showed that we were the dominant team.”
This week the Gators are in for some challenging competition. On Tuesday, September 27th, they play the Glenelg Gladiators and on Thursday they face off against River Hill on their home field. With their starting Goalie, Janie Romer, out for the week with a quad injury, it is Junior, Juli Hancock’s, time to shine. The Gators know this week will be tough, but they are confident in their abilities and will continue to work their way to playoffs. Be sure to come out and support your Reservoir Gators this week. The Thursday games are home. JV plays at 4 and Varsity plays at 5:30. Come watch the Gators on their quest for a state title.
Super Bowl 50
Daniel Jecty -- Feb. 11, 2016
Super Bowl 50 was full of excitement and controversy. From the halftime show to the press conference, this Super Bowl will certainly be one to remember.
The Denver Broncos’ defense won the game for them. They held the Panthers to their lowest score and yardage of the season. Cam Newton was under pressure the whole game by the Broncos’ defense. On the Panthers’ first drive, Super Bowl MVP Vonn Miller forced Newton to fumble. The loose ball was recovered by defensive end Malik Jackson for a touchdown. The Panthers never recovered. The final score was 24-10, giving the Broncos their third Super Bowl title.
The halftime show is always a part of the game people are excited for. This concert was different. It was criticized for its weak headliner, Coldplay. Beyonce's performance was the highlight of the halftime show, but was followed by controversy. Beyoncé was criticized for performing her new song Formation that was considered “anti-police”. She also showed support to the Black Panthers and the Black Lives Matter movement, which caused an uproar as well. The performance caused some people to boycott Beyoncé’s music. Former New York City mayor Rudi Giuliani said, "This is football, not Hollywood, and I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers who are the people who protect her and protect us, and keep us alive."
In the post-game press conference, Cam Newton was scrutinized for walking out of the room following his loss. While Broncos cornerback Chris Harris was talking about how the Broncos defense stopped the Panthers’ number one offense, a visibly upset Newton stood up and left the press conference. Newton was called a “sore loser” for his actions. Newton replied to this by saying, "I don't have to conform to what anybody wants. I am my own person," He also said, "I hate losing. You show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." He added "If I offended somebody, that's cool, but I know who I am and I'm not about to conform nor bend for anybody's expectations because, your or anybody's expectations, will never exceed mine."
As for the Panthers, this will not be their last ride. As Newton said, "We will be back, and I mean that, we will be back, I say that with so much emphasis."
Hispanic Games Track & Field Successes
Coach Rogers & Jasmin Diaz -- Jan. 12, 2016
This past weekend, the Reservoir Gators’ Track & Field team traveled to New York City to compete in the historic New York Armory; one of the best track & field venues in America. These Hispanic Games were created 23 years ago to honor the Hispanic heritage in the Washington Heights area.
After months of practice, the results of every competitor was highly impressive.
On Friday night, the boys’ 4 x 400m Relay team of Brandon King, Chris Reckner, Kai Muniz, and Jake Carson ran the team fastest time of the season of 3:40.67. They finished 2nd overall and each walked away with a nice medal.
Next were the girls’ team of Keviyona Davis, Katie Krutz, Madi Pepe, and Kylie Toler, who also ran the season’s fastest time of 4:24.44. They finished 3rd and walked away with some cool medals as well! The boys’ 1600m Medley Relay team (400m-200m-200m-800m) ran the 3rd fastest in the Sprint Medley relay in school history. Ayo Tunde-Ojo, Kelvyn Sosoo, DeShon Anderson Jr, and William Christian finished 7th overall!
The girls’ 1600m Sprint Medley (400m, 200m-200m-800m) ran the 4th fastest time in school history. Kayla Pindell led off with a 400m leg, with Bethany Golatt, Toni Jennings, and Julianne Knoblett following through. They finished 12th overall.
Friday was such a success and the team hoped to continue the winning streak. Saturday, they arrived bright and early and started the day off with some great races and times!
In the 55m Hurdles, Toni Jennings ran her second fastest time of the season of 9.19s, and Khalid Dunton ran a personal best time of 8.45s. In the 55m Dash, Leroy Kamau ran 6.87s and Bethany Golatt ran 7.74s. Both less than .1s off their personal best times!
Next, there were the athletes that ran a full mile. William Christian ran 4:38.89, which is more than a 7 second personal record. Ruben Rosario ran 4:53.72 which is almost a 4 second personal record.
Jake Carson ran a gutsy race, went out hard, and led for much of the race. He just missed running a personal record by one second. He ran 4:56.67. Noah Kim ran a tough race and fought hard to the end. He ran 5:08, which is impressive as a freshmen on this big stage! His personal record on the season is 4:55.
Heather Ailinger ran an indoor personal best time by almost 10 seconds. She ran 5:47.61. Kate Hyde, a freshman and first year runner, ran a modest 3:00 for the first 800m and then ran 2:50 for her last 800m in her first time running the mile. That is very hard to do. Her converted time is 5:48.67, which puts her in the top 15 in the county and the 6th fastest freshman in the county!
The next competitors were the girls’ 4 x 200m Relay team. They ran a fascinating 1:47.64, which is the 2nd fastest time in school history, only missing the school record by .35s. Toni Jennings led off with a great leg of 26.96s. Bethany Golatt ran 27.32s, Kayla Pindell ran 26.80s, and Julianne Knoblett ran 26.57s. Great job girls! The 400m runners don’t get a chance to run very many open 400m races during the indoor season. Ayo Tunde-Ojo led the Gators with a 54.82s, Brandon King ran 55.09s, Joel Annan ran 55.36s-PR, Chris Reckner ran 55.84s, and Khalid Dunton ran 57.09-PRs. All great times! The 200m runners also don’t get a chance to run an open 200m during the indoor season. However, Kevlyn Sosoo, Leroy Kamau, Brandon King, DeShon Anderson Jr, Joel Annan, and Khalid Dunton made the most of it for the guys’ team. For the girls, Kayla Pindell led the way with a 26.66s which ties her outdoor personal best time. Toni Jenning was right behind with a 27.39s, which was a personal record, and Madi Pepe ran 28.48s for a new personal best.
Then it was time for one of the hardest races of the day: the 800m. After being at the Armory for almost 12 hours, they had to run the last race of the day. And here were the results:
-William Christian: 2:07.01
-Jake Carson: 2:08.4
-Chris Reckner: 2:09.63
-Kai Muniz 2:09.71
-Ruben Rosario: 2:11.16
-Julianne Knoblett: 2:33.61
-Heather Ailinger: 2:31.81
-Kate Hyde: 2:36.37
-Kylie Toler 2:39.43
There were also some exciting performances in the Field Events. In the shot put, Lola Alli threw 30-10.5, which was good for 12th place! Mason Baker threw 41-2, and was only 8 inches off his personal best throw. In the Pole Vault, Katie Krutz tied her personal best jump of 9ft. In Triple Jump, Katie Krutz, jumped 30-8, Madi Pepe tied her personal best jump of 29-10, and Joel Annan jumped 38-9, which is a 4.5” personal best jump!
Great job to all the athletes! They represented Reservoir extremely well and Coach Rogers is very proud of all their hard work.
Are the Redskins Playoff Bound?
Brandon Mangum -- Dec. 22, 2015
For fans of the Washington Redskins, it has been a very interesting season. At the start of this season, the Redskins were predicted to place last in the NFC East. Now, with three more games to go, the burgundy and gold are in first place, and they have a chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs. For the team and fans, this season has been a bumpy ride, but the “promise land” may be just around the corner.
Let us go back to the end of the preseason. Robert Griffin III went down, and with that, fans thought the ship was sinking before it had even set sail. The player coming in for the injured RG3 was Kirk Cousins. In his three years of experience as the ‘Skins backup, Cousins had thrown 19 interceptions in the span of 14 games, averaging about 1.36 interceptions per game. But for the burgundy and gold faithful, there was still hope for a miracle… and they got it.
Week 8 of the regular season came along for the ‘Skins, as they took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At halftime of the game, the Redskins were down by 24-7. The ‘Skins picked up 14 points in the third quarter, making the score 24-21. The Bucs scored a touchdown in the 4th quarter, making it 30-21. By the end of the game, Kirk Cousins went off, and sent the ‘Skins home with a comeback victory 31-21.
The win gave ‘Skins players and fans a rallying cry. Once the game wrapped up, Kirk Cousins excitedly screamed in the locker room “you like that!” Cousins’ enthusiasm gave the ‘Skins motivation, leading them to a 4-3 record in the past seven games. Not to mention, a first place lead in the NFC East.
With “Captain Kirk’s” success, the ‘Skins have been looking at options for Robert Griffin III. SB Nation reports that RG3 will be released by the team at the end of the season. Possible interested teams include the Eagles and the Cowboys. But for the ‘Skins, the past is the past, and Kirk Cousins is the future.
The burgundy and gold have one more challenge, and that is this upcoming Saturday, when the team plays the Philadelphia Eagles. The last time these two teams met, the Redskins had a win of 23-20. If the Redskins win this game, they will automatically clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Football Playoff Game
Jaris Foreman (Guest Writer) -- Oct. 23, 2015
Starting off this season as a team, we had a goal that we set for ourselves. It was a goal never before achieved by past Reservoir football teams. The goal was to win the regional championship title. This task was not one that was going to come easy for us and we knew it. Especially due to our schedule this year, where we faced the two top opponents in the first two weeks. Week 1, we played against the Howard Lions. They were selected to run the county, they were coming off an undefeated season last year, and they were looking for another perfect one. And we were in their way. We trained hard for this game and loved the idea of taking off the Lions first. We played a hard fought battle, but came up short 14-6. That just put a drive in our hearts and minds to bounce back and get a win over the Oakland Mills Scorpions.
This next game was not that much different from the Howard game, and we knew we needed to be locked in and focused 110%. They had a pretty good team and their quarterback was their heart and soul. We came into the game and jumped off into a good start, putting up 14 points in the first half, and holding the Scorpions to only 6. Second half, we still had that fire and had a quick score on defense, putting up up 21-6. We let up on them and the game ended 21-28. Now, we were 0-2, and we were slowly being erased from the talk of the regional championship. We then played our biggest rivals, the Atholton Raiders. We were fired up about this game because we couldn’t afford to take another loss and on top of that, this was rivalry week.
The game was great. We played it perfectly, getting our first win 14-6. After this, we went on a 7 game winning streak, knocking off the River Hill Hawks, Wilde Lake Wildcats, Glenelg Gladiators, Mt. Hebron Vikings, Centennial Eagles, and the Long Reach Lightning. Our win streak was then suddenly stopped by an overlooked opponent, the Marriotts Ridge Mustangs.They needed this game to clinch a play-off berth and in the end, they wanted in more than we did because we already clinched the number 1 seed. The game ended 7-6, ending our regular season record with 7-3. We were set to face a team all the way in Eastern Maryland, the JM Bennett Clippers. We had our game with them and won by 17 points, the final score was 17-3.
Now at this moment, we were in the regional championship and we were proud to make it. We had a very long season and it came down to this game to obtain what no other football team had done. We were put up against an old team that we had defeated earlier in the season. We were to step on the field again with the Glenelg Gladiators for the second time, ending in a close one; 10-7. We accomplished our goal and made history! This feeling compares to nothing. I will forever and always remember and cherish the night of November 20th, the night my family and I won the regional title for the first time in school history, the night and our names, forever etched in school history. This season meant so much to me and really took a toll on me once it was over. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to take the field with me every Friday night under the lights. As a team, no, a family, we went out and played for each other and this season will never be erased from my memory. This was truly our year and a year to remember.
Reservoir Pink Out
Jasmin Diaz -- Oct. 9, 2015
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign that increases awareness of the disease, gets Reservoir up and active! Every year, Reservoir hosts a “Pink Out” football game that over half the school attends. It’s one of the highlights of the school year for many high school students and staff members. Pink out shirts are sold at lunch for 8 dollars and are known to sell out almost every year. “The students in the crowd look like a giant pink mob” many Reservoir students say. The crowd is always energetic and comes together to support a very important cause.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women: one in every eight women in the United States develops breast cancer in her life. Sadly, it is also the second leading cause of death among women. Each year, it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. The most common treatments for breast cancer include breast conserving surgery, mastectomy, radical mastectomy, and radiation therapy. And the most common way that citizens raise awareness for the disease each year is through breast cancer walks or marathons. In Reservoir’s case, it is a football game.
“Everyone is in pink; it’s outstanding!” said Reservoir senior Joyce Lim. The cheerleaders are also allowed to wear the Pink Out shirt instead of their normal orange, white, and blue uniform. Even the football players invest in pink socks dedicated to Breast Cancer. There are posters all over the school advertising the pink out, and even commercials on the many TVs around the school. It’s impressive that the Reservoir community could gather together and increase awareness for a disease.