Moving into 2026, the teams saw great leaps forward and quite a few steps back. The JV team left the break with a three-to-two record and finished this stretch with a record of six-to-three. The team overall had a lot of improvements, with only one loss in this four-game grouping. That loss was to Seneca Valley, a team they play later on in the season and they’re using the loss to fuel themselves moving forward. JV was strong, both at home and away, something we hadn’t seen in the first five games. 

Varsity, on the other hand, had a rough four-game. Starting the season off four-to-one and falling to five-to-four after these four games, the team is looking shaky. The one game they won was at home against Watkins Mill, while the other three losses were against two divisional opponents and a strong Magruder. When things were good, the team looked like they could take on anyone but when things were bad, they were really bad. The boys have a chance to redeem themselves with those two divisional losses later on in the season. 

The games they played in this stretch were Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill, Northwest and Magruder. Here’s how everything played out. 

Seneca Valley on Jan. 6

JV:

The first game after returning from winter break wasn’t how the team wanted to start the second half of the season. Losing away at Seneca Valley, 52-41, the team showed they still have a lot to work on. This makes their record three-to-three. 

As everyone hit the floor, ready to play again after having some time off, the JV team was missing someone. Head coach Jim Lutz wasn’t at the game, and the assistant coach James Schneider had to step it up. The starting five was strong as ever, with Jacobi Wilson, Marco Pomegne, Jasola Ladipo, Nate Kellner and Caden Shiflett taking the court. Kellner lined up for the jump ball, and they were off. 

It took the team a while to find its groove as they struggled throughout the first quarter. The team only scored six points this quarter, and although they had a lot of rebounds, their defense wasn’t the best. Three faces entered the court off the bench: Owen Hawkins, Julio Emprado and Chance Richards. Emperado had the largest impact, with three rebounds. Ending the quarter, the score was ten to six, Hornets down. 

The second quarter was more entertaining, as both teams settled in and got to work. Richards had a layup this quarter, Pomegne had a rebound as well as a drive to the basket, getting the layup and making his “and one” shot. Ladipo had one rebound, as did Kellner, and Wilson had a layup assisted by Shiflett. Shiflett was the strongest of the team this quarter, with two rebounds and four out of six free-throw shots made. The team ended the quarter still trailing 25-17 going into halftime. 

Exiting halftime, the team needed to bounce back if they wanted to take the win. The energy was there from the start, with Kellner getting a layup right off the bat and Wilson and Shiflett getting rebounds. Later in the quarter, Kellner had another layup, Wilson had a layup, and Hawkins had one of his signature threes to finish it off. Entering the fourth quarter, the team was still trailing 36-29. 

The fourth quarter saw all of the faces from the bench hit the court. Clive Mallari, Kenneth Ansah, Jayden Fernando, Joey Giove and Connor Gittins all made their way onto the court. They cycled in at the end of the game, getting some more playing time under their belt. Kellner had a strong quarter, with a steal, a layup and a rebound. Hawkins had a clean jumpshot and Ladipo had a rebound. Shiflett was also strong this quarter, with a layup and a three. Fernando had a three-pointer late in the game, and the game clock continued to wind down. 

The team lost the game, 52-41, and the team that was showing towards the beginning of the season made a reappearance. The rough game could have been due to Lutz’s absences, but the defense is still something the team needs to improve on. 

Varsity:

After a tough and close game, the Hornets ultimately lost on the road against the Eagles after heading to overtime, 58-55. It was a strong first-half performance that just didn’t get followed up after halftime. This makes their record four-to-two. 

Similar to JV, the starting five is as strong as ever. Avery Richardson, Jayden Thompson, EJ Simpson, Ethan Ray and Tony DeStefano took the court against a higher-ranked Seneca Valley. Ray took the jump ball, getting it to Richardson. Ray had a rebound, and Thompson had a steal and a rebound. Simpson had the first points for the team, hitting a three-pointer, which he followed up with a rebound. DeStefano had a rebound, Ray hit a three, and had two rebounds before the first sub hit the court. Dorian Green checked in for DeStefano, getting a rebound quickly. Ray finished it up with a layup, and Simpson had a final rebound. The Hornets ended the quarter trailing 13-8. 

Just like the second quarter of the JV game, the second quarter of varsity brought the heat. Damascus was on fire, with everyone hitting the floor making an impact. Simpson had two rebounds and made two out of four free throws. Ray hit two jump shots and had one layup. Devin Quarles hit the floor and hit one three-pointer, and had one rebound. Thompson had a strong quarter, with three rebounds, two free throws made, a steal and a layup. The Hornets ended the quarter ahead by ten, holding Seneca to only four points. The score going into halftime was 27-17, Damascus. 

Exiting halftime, the boys were ready to go. Ray had three rebounds, one of them leading to a layup from Simpson, as well as a jumpshot. DeStefano had a rebound, and Simpson had a rebound and an assist to Richardson, who got a layup. Richardson also had a rebound that Thompson converted to a layup. Thompson had a three-pointer this quarter as well, and Quarles had a jumpshot. 

As the time was winding down on the clock, Simpson went to bring the ball down the court. After passing the three-point line on the opposite side of the floor, Simpson chucks the ball towards the rim, the clock hitting zero. In a long-shot miracle, the ball swishes through the net, sending the gym into a frenzy. Damascus remained ahead entering the final quarter, 43-35. 

As the fourth quarter began, Simpson hit yet another three-pointer to get the team rolling. Green had two rebounds, and Ray had a layup. Quarles had a stunning block, and Ray followed it up with another in-game dunk. DeStefano had a rebound, and as the time in regulation ticked down, the score evened out. The clock hit zero, and the teams were tied at 50.

We were going overtime. 

Ray took the jumpball, and overtime was underway. Richardson had a layup, and Ray and Green had rebounds to keep it moving. Thompson hit a three-pointer, but that was the end of scoring for the team. Defence was tough, as they allowed eight points as opposed to the five scored.

The game ultimately played out very similarly to the Wootton game prior to the break, although the Wootton game went in the Hornets’ favor. If this becomes a theme for the rest of the season, the boys are going to be in trouble.

Watkins Mill on Jan. 9

JV: 

In a dominant home win against Watkins Mill, JV had a tied season high of 60 points to WM’s 42. The team at home is the team to watch. This makes their record four-to-three.

The starting five changed for the first time in 2026, with Kellner, Shiflett and Pomegne joined by Hawkins and Emperado. Ladipo and Wilson both came off the bench later in the first quarter. Kellner took the jump ball and had a stellar quarter, with one block, two free throws, three layups and an assist on an Emperado layup. Emperado had a steal that resulted in a layup for Kellner; the pair was on fire. Pomegne had three blocks, two layups and one rebound, being a menace on defense. Shiflett was a bit slower this game, with only one rebound and one assist to a Kellner layup this quarter. Wilson and Ladipo both had one rebound, and four more faces made their way onto the court. Richards, Fernando, Ansah and Mallari all took the court, and Mallari had a jump shot late in the quarter. It was fully electric, with the team scoring 16 and holding WM to only five. 

The second quarter saw the Hornets score the same as the first quarter, but allow 14 from WM. Wilson had a three-pointer after checking in this quarter, as well as a layup. Kellner had a rebound and a jumpshot and Pomegne had one free throw and another steal. Hawkins made his mark this quarter, with two signature threes and a steal. Ladipo ended the quarter off with a jumpshot, and the boys led 32-20 going into halftime.

Hawkins started the third quarter off strong, with a three-pointer followed by another one later on. He also had one free throw this quarter. Ladipo had a free throw and rebound this quarter, Emperado had a jumpshot, and Pomegne had a layup. Kellner had another strong quarter, with two layups, two free throws and a steal. The defense this quarter was back on top, with the team holding WM to only eight points, making the score going into the final quarter 50-28.

The final quarter was a little slower for the team, as they had put in the hard work before. Head coach Jim Lutz was back and used the lead they had created to give some players who were coming off the bench more experience. Gittins got in this quarter, having two rebounds and a layup, and Giove also saw his way off the bench and onto the court. Richards had the strongest quarter of the bunch, with a rebound, a layup and a jumpshot. Wilson also played a bit this quarter, having a layup and rebound. Mallari made his way back in, having a rebound. Ansah had a layup as well. 

The final score was 60-42, with almost a shift in team dynamics. Normally, it’s Shiflett holding the fort down, but Kellner stepped it up this game. He and Emperado worked well together, bouncing off each other and creating opportunities for the other. Seeing the whole team come off the bench and get in on the action was amazing, and the team chemistry has continued to grow. The team is going to need all of the energy they can get as they take on Northwest on the road. 

Varstity:

The Hornets sure know how to put on a show at home and send the crowd into a frenzy. With a divisional win over Watkins Mill and having a season-high final score of 80-51, the boys showed they know how to bring it. This makes their record five-to-two.

The starting five is something that shouldn’t be messed with, as Richardson, Thompson, Simpson, Ray and DeStefano took the court ready to go. Ray took the jumpball, getting it to Richardson, and the game was off. This quarter, DeStefano and Richardson had one rebound apiece, while Ray had one layup, two rebounds and three free throws. Simpson had a layup and a rebound and Thompson had a three-pointer and a jumpshot. The team saw the usual first three guys off the bench hit the floor; Green, Quarles and Kyree Jackson made their mark as well. Quarles showed off this shooting with a three-pointer and got fouled, making the free throw. Green had a block and Jackson made a free throw. The boys ended the first quarter with 17 points while being strong on defense to hold WM to only eight. 

The second quarter was electric, with both teams going off. Thompson had a rebound and a free throw this quarter and Simpson had three layups, a three and a rebound. Ray had a strong quarter, with two layups, two free throws, one three-pointer, and two rebounds. Jackson also had a strong quarter, with two rebounds and a layup. Green also had a layup and a rebound this quarter, and Quarles had one free throw. The Hornets saw someone come off the bench at the end of this quarter who hadn’t played all season, Senior Ellis Brown. E. Brown didn’t have any points this quarter, but the home crowd was excited to see him. The boys went into halftime, leading 41-23. 

The third quarter was Thompson’s from the start. He had a jumpshot, a three, a layup, and a rebound. DeStefano had a layup, and Richardson had two rebounds and three free throws. Simpson had one layup and a free throw as well. Green had one free throw, Quarles had one layup, Jackson had one rebound, and another new face hit the court. Senior Issac Brown, twin to E. Brown, hit the court. I. Brown had a layup this quarter, while his twin remained without a point. Ray had an electric quarter in the air, with a dunk and an alley oop from Simpson. This was the pair’s first time completing it, as they had never even done it in practice. The gym was ecstatic, cheering the pair on as they finished the quarter leading 65-43.  

The fourth quarter saw the starting five and Quarles get some rest, but not before they made their impact. Thompson had a rebound, Ray had one rebound, one layup and one free throw. Quarles had a jumpshot, and Simpson had a rebound. Jackson had a free throw, followed by his first in-game dunk! The whole team was pumped up as the sophomore slammed it in. The fourth quarter also saw I. Brown, and E. Brown joined by Kasai Hiev-Maddison, and the final new face off the bench. Junior, Cole Birch, made his way onto the court after the crowd was chanting for him. Birch had a rebound and a jumpshot, scoring the first varsity points of his career. I. Brown had one free throw, a rebound and a layup, showing his stuff while E. Brown had a layup at the end of the quarter. Hiev-Maddison had a rebound and was the only player not to score in this game. 

The boys won this game in the only way they know how, with flash and team chemistry off the charts. Ray finished with 23 points, making him the player of the game yet again. The whole team is looking happy and healthy in 2026, and with the triple header in the following week, they need to keep the momentum moving forward.

Northwest on Jan. 12

JV:

With a great on-the-road victory, the team takes down Northwest 49-44 with some more of that home court magic shining through. This makes their record five-to-three. 

The starting five for this game shifted again, with Ladipo making a return alongside Pomegne, Shiflett, Kellner and Emperado. Kellner took the jump ball per usual and the team was off. Shiflett had a layup to start the game for the Hornets, as well as two rebounds and a jumpshot this quarter. Kellner had a rebound and a layup in the quarter, getting fouled on the layup but missing the free throw. Hawkins came in about halfway through the quarter, having one of this three-pointers and a block. Richards also made his way onto the court this quarter, with two rebounds. Ladipo had a steal, resulting in a jumpshot for Pomegne. The Hornets ended the quarter leading with 11 points to Northwest’s seven. 

The second quarter was when Kellner took off. He had four rebounds, two free throws and a layup. Ladipo had a jumpshot and a rebound, while Pomegne also had a strong quarter with two rebounds, a three-pointer, and one jumpshot. Shiflett had a rebound and a block and Richards had a rebound and a layup. Hawkins had a steal that helped Richards get that layup and the defense was working hard. The Hornets led at halftime, 24-13.

The third quarter saw Northwest making a comeback. Pomegne had a steal resulting in a layup and a rebound this quarter. Ladipo made both free throws after being fouled and had two rebounds. Kellner had a rebound and two layups, Hawkins had a steal, Shiflett had a block and Richards had a rebound and a layup. The score was getting closer, with the Hornets barely leading 36-31. 

The final quarter saw some action from most of the old starting five. Shiflett had a jumpshot and an assist to a Kellner layup. Kellner had another layup later on, as well as a rebound. Ladipo had a jumpshot and a steal while Pomegne had a rebound, free throw and layup. Wilson had a layup and as the time ran down, the scores got closer and closer. The boys were able to hold off Northwest for the victory, but it got tight. 

This game stayed true to the momentum shift that was felt during the Watkins Mills game. Kellner consistently dominated and helped this game, with Shiflett being his right-hand man. The two did play together in middle school, so that could be one of the reasons they work like a well-oiled machine. Emerado didn’t see the court as much, leaving lots of rebounds for the other team. Lutz had to remind the boys to keep the energy up on the bench, and they cheered each other on more and more as the game went on. 

Varsity:

Losing on the road is no fun, and the way the boys played was a hard watch. Another divisional loss on the road, 46-34, moves the team lower and lower inside the division. This makes their record five-to-three. 

The starting five remains the same as ever, Richardson, Thompson, Simpson, Ray and DeStefano, with Ray taking the jump ball. This quarter, Ray had a rebound, three layups, a jumpshot, two free throws and was involved in a double technical foul impacting both teams. Simpson had the first points of the game with two made free throws, also having a block and a steal later in the quarter. Richardson had two rebounds and a block, Thompson had a steal, a layup and a rebound and DeStefano had two rebounds. Green, Quarles and Jackson all got off the bench this quarter, with Green having a rebound late in the quarter. The Hornets led exiting the first quarter with 14 points, holding Northwest to eight points. 

This, however, would be the only time Damascus would end a quarter leading for the rest of the game. With the technical and two other personal fouls in the first quarter, Ray sat out most of the second quarter, meaning Jackson played a lot more. He stepped it up, having four rebounds and helping move everything around. Quarles had a rebound, Simpson had a free throw and Thompson had two layups, a jumpshot and one rebound. The Jaguars were leading going into halftime by one point, 22-21. 

The third quarter was close as well, with the teams staying within one point of each other the entire time. DeStefano had a rebound and made two free throws, Thompson had four rebounds and a layup and Simpson had one layup. Richardson had one rebound and Jackson had one free throw and one layup. Overall, it was a slow quarter for the team, with the score being 33-32 heading into the final quarter. 

The final quarter was brutal for Damascus. Only scoring two points while allowing 14 from Northwest, only three players had any impact. Thompson had a rebound and the only layup, Richardson had a rebound and a steal and Jackson had a rebound. The team quickly left the court once the game was over, having a lot to discuss. 

This game saw Jackson really step it up, as this is the most playing time the sophomore has gotten all season. He showed his ability to work under pressure and get the ball back for the team. This week is particularly hard for Varsity, as they have two more tough games against higher ranked team ahead of them.

Magruder on Jan. 14

JV:

Another day, another win for JV! Taking on Magruder at home, they showed up and showed out in another dominant win, 55-43. This makes their record six-to-three. 

The starting five remains the same as the last game, Pomegne, Ladipo, Kellner, Shiflett and Emperado took the court. Kellner took the jump ball, as well as control of the quarter. He had ten points, with three layups and two free throws. Shiflett also had a strong quarter with a jumpshot, rebound and three free throws. The only other scorer this quarter was Pomegne with a layup. Wilson, Hawkins and Richards saw this floor this quarter. Richards and Ladipo were rebounding this quarter, with them having one and two, respectively. The team started off strong but allowed Magruder to catch up at the end, making the score 15-15 going into the second quarter. 

Kellner had another six points in the second quarter, with three layups as well as a block. Pomegne assisted on one of those layups, in addition to having a jump shot and a rebound. Hawkins had a steal this quarter, Shiflett had a layup, free throw and rebound and Richards had a rebound and a layup. The defense was much better this quarter, with Damascus scoring 15 and holding Magruder to only nine. The score going into halftime was 30-24. 

The third quarter was strong defensively for the Hornets, as they held Magruder to only five points. Kellner did not play much this quarter, but Emperado stepped it up with a jumpshot, two free throws, a steal and a layup. Ladipo had a jumpshot, Wilson had two rebounds and Shiflett and jumpshot and a rebound to end the quarter. The score going into the final quarter was 44-31, Damascus. 

Kellner was back for more in the fourth, with two layups and three rebounds. Richards had a layup, Emperado had a layup and a rebound, Pomegne had a three and Shiflett had a rebound. This quarter also saw the bench get some action, with Gittins, Ansah, Fernando, Mallari and Frehsman Muhammad Fofana get into the game. They kept the defense strong and held Magruder off for the rest of the game. 

The shift has been made, with Kellner having a career-high 20 points this game. He’s now had four games with ten plus points and his second double-double in a row. The team seems to have found its stride this week, showing up even when they aren’t at home and playing to their strengths. 

Varsity:

Losing at home for the first time to an impressive Magruder team, 73 to 58, the Hornets have been going through it this week. This makes their record five-to-four. 

The starting five stayed the same, per usual, as Thompson led Richardson, Simpson, Ray and DeStefano. Ray took the jump ball and had it immediately converted to a layup by Richardson. He and DeStefano controlled the first quarter, with Richardson having an additional layup, a jumpshot and a steal. DeStefano was the lead scorer this quarter, having three layups and one rebound. Simpson assisted on one of those layups and had two rebounds and a steal, which Thompson converted to a layup. Thompson also had a rebound and two free throws. Ray had a slow quarter, with two rebounds and two free throws. The boys trailed by four points at the end of the first, 20-16

Jackson and Quarles both got in the second quarter; neither of them scored. Simpson had one jumpshot, two rebounds and a layup this quarter, DeStefano had a rebound and a jumpshot and Ray had a layup. Thompson had a strong quarter, especially defensively, with three steals. He also shot well this quarter, making two three-pointers and having a layup as well.  The boys were still relatively close to Magruder this quarter, with them only trailing by five points, 37-32. 

Exiting halftime, it was a slow quarter for the boys and a weak defensive effort. Simpson had three rebounds, Richardson had a layup, Thompson had a layup, rebound and three, DeStefano had a layup and Ray had a jumpshot and one free throw. Magruder scored 21 points this quarter, extending their lead to 58-43. 

Damascus caught up to Magruder’s 58 points, but Magruder had an additional 15 points this quarter. Ray had a layup and rebound before being subbed out and exiting the court. DeStefano had a layup, Thompson had two layups and a three-pointer, Richardson had a rebound and a layup and Quarles had a jumpshot. 

This team has struggled exponentially so far this week. Ray hasn’t been playing like himself, while Thompson has been the consistent high scorer, having 12 against Northwest and 21 against Magruder. DeStefano was the second lead scorer in this game, with 12 points. Richardson was right behind him with 10 points. 

The boys will take on Walter Johnson, Northwood, Rockville and Poolesville for the second time later this month. Tune in to see how it all goes down.