If this truly was the last season for Coach Al Thomas, he ended it on a good one. Thomas became the first Maryland football head coach to win titles at three different schools.
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Montgomery County Top-15
Final 2008 Rankings

1.    Sherwood, (14-0)
State champions. Need we say anything else? OK we will. This team wasn’t full of superstars and didn’t even have much size, but it accomplished something extraordinary. The 4A state champions had a spectacular defense and an offense that could beat you via run or pass and had a knack for the big play.

2.    Seneca Valley, (12-1)
Seneca Valley ran the table until it ran into eventual 3A state champion Westlake. The Eagles had plenty of highlights though, including two wins over rival Damascus. This team certainly had the makings of a state champion.

3.    Quince Orchard, (11-2)
Quince Orchard is proof that you state titles aren’t won in the preseason. The Cougars, ranked the state’s top team at season’s beginning, came up short in their bid to defend the 4A state title, falling twice to state champion Sherwood as their only losses of the year.
Next: Friday vs. Springbrook, 6:30

4.    Damascus, (8-4)
This is going to be one heck of a team next year. The Hornets will return its two offensive sparks in running back Brian Lucas and quarterback Connor Frazier, who turned in several huge performances as just a sophomore. The regular season finale against Paint Branch was the best regular season game of the year.

5.    Clarksburg, (10-1)
The Coyotes suffered the same exact fate of last year. Clarksburg again went undefeated in the regular season only to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Next year is a move up to 3A, which should at least give the Coyotes more regular season tests.

6.    Northwest, (6-5)
Another team to watch out for next year, Northwest will bring many of its key parts back. This year’s team had a brutal schedule yet still made it to the playoffs, where it fell to Sherwood. The Jaguars showed brilliance on offense and defense at times but struggled to put it all together. Still, a very solid season.

7.    Wootton, (6-5)
Wootton’s senior class certainly went out with a fine season. The Patriots reached the playoffs for the first time in school history and had one of the most exciting offense’s in the county. Mike Mooney and his clan of receivers were on the money and the defense was ferocious at times.

8.    Churchill (6-4)
The Bulldogs simply faded down the stretch, losing three of its final four games to barely miss the playoffs. The seniors were spectacular all season long, however, and Churchill will try to find the same magic under a new head coach next year.

9.    Paint Branch, (6-4)
You have to feel a little sorry for the Panthers. For the second straight season they lost their final regular season game to Damascus, which kept them out of the playoffs. This year’s loss was especially brutal. But this team could be even better next year.

10.    Gaithersburg, (6-4)
Another season out of the playoffs must seem foreign for the once powerhouse program. Like last year, Gaithersburg put together some good wins this season but faltered against the top-notch teams. The Trojans will surely miss Sean Stanley.

11.    Springbrook (6-4)
Springbrook is another team that faded down the stretch, costing the Blue Devils a playoff appearance. Springbrook fell to Northwest and Whitman in consecutive weeks, outweighing wins over Paint Branch and Magruder. The Blue Devils game Sherwood its closest game all season.

12.    Magruder (4-6)
Magruder couldn’t pull off a complete turnaround to reach the playoffs like it did last year, but the Colonels did play the spoiler as they kept Churchill out of the playoffs with a 10-7 win. Magruder struggled against the big 4A schools.

13.    Blair (5-5)
The Blazers had a huge rebound season after going 0-10 the year before and were still in the playoff hunt heading into the final week.. A 28-26 win over defending 3A state champion Damascus was certainly the highlight of the season.

14.    Einstein (5-5)
It was quite a turnaround season for Einstein this year. With a win over Bethesda-Chevy Chase, the Titans posted their first non-losing year since 2000. Look out for running back Malcolm Crockett, who was one of the county’s leaders in yardage as just a sophomore.

15.    Rockville (5-5)
It had to be a disappointing season in Rockville. The Rams won their first three games and didn’t lose in Montgomery County until Oct. 10. Then Rockville, who had playoff hopes after reaching the postseason last year, lost four of its last five including against Blake to end the season.

Please send any concerns, comments or questions to Montgomery County Content Manager Ryan Mink at rmink@digitalsports.com