A New Outlook for the Winston Churchill Bulldogs
Returning are several key players that have gained valuable experience in the 2008 near playoff run including quarterback Alex Kantor.
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POTOMAC, MD - New first-year Head Coach Joe Allen, formerly head coach at nearby B-CC, will take the helm at Churchill High School in 2009. Returning are several key players that have gained valuable experience in the 2008 near playoff run including quarterback Alex Kantor, running back Ryan Quinn, and wide receiver Matt Cole.
Gone is Head Coach Greg Neuendorf, last year's quarterback Curran Chabra, along with a core group of other graduating seniors. Last year's Coach Greg Neuendorf has moved on to a brand new high school Cox Mill in Charlotte, North Carolina, but his triple option offense out of the shotgun formation will remain.
Coach Allen believes it is more important for him to make the adjustment to a new offense, rather than a veteran squad who has had success with the system under the old regime, that led to a 6-4 record in 2008. Allen was responsible for teaching a spread attack while on staff at B-CC.
"They ran a triple option out of the gun last year and we're going to run that again this year. I figured it was easier for me to learn than for me to teach them the spread concepts," Coach Allen told the Bethesda Gazette earlier this summer.
Only a heartbreaking loss to Churchill's heated rival, the Wootton Patriots, in the 2008 season's final regular season game kept last year's squad from reaching a much coveted playoff spot. Coach Allen will have the opportunity to face his old team this season, as BCC has now moved into the 4A West division alongside Churchill, which should make for an interesting matchup in late October.
Leading Allen's offense will be last year's all purpose play maker turned full time quarterback Alex Kantor. Kantor last year was able to provide big plays from all over the field, as evidenced in the season finale against Wootton.
Kantor on a fourth down conversion took a sweep 60 yards for a touchdown to pull the Bulldogs back to within two points deep into the second half. In 2009, Kantor will be looked at to be a stabilizer at the quarterback position contributing with his legs as well as his arm.
Providing stability in the backfield is senior running back Ryan Quinn. A model of consistency, Quinn rushed for 1,073 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. Even as a marked man as a junior, Quinn was able to reach the 100 yard rushing mark in eight of the teams ten games.
A workhorse running back, his leadership and toughness has helped shape the Churchill team and will be a key to a 2009 playoff run. Quinn's production should benefit as much as anyone from spending another year in the triple option system due to is quickness and vision hitting holes. Balancing the offense will be Matt Cole the team's main receiving threat entering 2009.
Cole will take the place of last year's impact receiver Danny Holzman, who led the way with 32 catches for 689 yards and 5 touchdowns as a senior in 2008.
Defensively, Churchill will have to play well as a team as they do not have the size that some other Montgomery County schools will display, but this group plays hard and physical. Several new comers will be expected to contribute right away. The defense plays well as a unit and will need to swarm to ball carriers as they did in 2008 to be successful.
Keys to the 2009 Season:
Can Ryan Quinn and the offensive line duplicate the success of the 2008 running game?
A veteran group of offensive lineman departs due to graduation and the Bulldogs will look for key contributions from a less experienced bunch. The line will try to protect Kantor using technique as well as teamwork when facing some larger defensive fronts from around the county. Ryan Quinn will need to build on last year's success to push the team into the postseason.
Coaching Change
With the same offensive and defensive systems in place as last year the transition to new Head Coach Joe Allen should in theory become much simpler for the team; however change can always be difficult. How smooth a transition is made will be seen in the early stages of the season.
Motivation or Discouragement
Last year's team was so close to making its first postseason in quite some time and losing to a rival in a virtual play-in game to end the season is even tougher to take. A key group returns that will need to motivate and lead this team if they plan on getting to the postseason and making some noise. Churchill has the talent and leadership to accomplish such a goal in 2009.
