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Sports

Gaithersburg Falls To Northwest

Gaithersburg fell to Northwest, 34-27.

The Gaithersburg Trojans suffered their third consecutive defeat Friday, a 34-27 loss to Northwest during a mistake filled game in Germantown.

Playing on a muddy field, the Trojans couldn’t overcome turnovers in a game highlighted by special teams and defense.

Gaithersburg (4-3) committed five turnovers against a hungry Northwest team that was fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive.

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The Jaguars (3-4) also wanted desperately to win the game for first-year head coach Michael Neubeiser, a 1990 Gaithersburg graduate who once donned the blue and gold school colors.

“I told the kids before the game I grew up bleeding blue and gold,” said Neubeiser. “I’ve been a Trojan my entire life but now I’m black and silver and I’ll be that for the rest of my life so I needed this win and they got it for us.”

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Moments after Gaithersburg knotted the score on a one-yard run by Trojans quarterback Lincoln Reyes, Northwest senior Stephon Thomas turned a third quarter tie into a 28-21 Jaguars lead on a 66-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

However, Gaithersburg closed to 28-27 later in the quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Reyes to Simba Gwashavanhu. Gaithersburg kicker Jorge Rivas lined up for the extra point and opted to pass for the two-point conversion but was unsuccessful in his attempt.

The touchdown was set up by the dynamic play of Gaithersburg senior Billy Brown who blocked a punt that gave the Trojans possession deep in Northwest territory.

Brown, a 6-foot-5 two-way standout who toils at wide receiver and defensive end, has been the heart and soul of the Trojans all season long and registered a blocked extra point and a pair of sacks not to mention hauling in four receptions for 170 yards.

“There is nobody better,” Gaithersburg head coach Kreg Kephart said about Brown, “He’s the Most Valuable Player in the county I don’t care what anybody says.”

Late in the fourth period, Northwest turned the ball over on downs after  Gaithersburg defensive back Kolanji Kelly batted away a pass in the end zone intended for Jaguars wide receiver Ryan Markush.

On the next play, however, Gaithersburg turned the ball over when Reyes was intercepted by Josh McDonald deep in Trojans’ territory.

Three plays later, Northwest scored on a 34-yard run by Thomas but the extra point attempt was blocked. On the ensuing kickoff, Gaithersburg drove to midfield before Thomas’s interception helped secure the Northwest victory.

The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for Gaithersburg; the Trojans face Seneca Valley, Quince Orchard and Wootton in their final regular season games. The three aforementioned teams have a combined 16-5 record this season.

“That’s a tough schedule,” said Kephart. “But you know what? They aren’t unbeatable. They’re 16, 17 year-old kids just like we are. They get up in the morning, see the sunshine and get on their Xbox, do some twitters. They aren’t indomitable. If we play good football we can beat anybody we play but we got to play good football.”

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