Gaithersburg Sports: GHS Soccer, QO Tennis, WM Football Make Headlines

Gaithersburg athletes and coaches are making headlines this week for their success on the field and tennis court.

Gaithersburg High School Soccer

Gaithersburg High School's girls' soccer team was expected to show improvement in its second year under coach Greg Kenel, but not to the tune of a 7-0 start, The Washington Post reported.

Kenel's squad is one of four remaining area public schools with a perfect record and the lone team in Montgomery County.

“I knew we could get [to seven wins]", Kenel told The Washington Post. “It just happened a whole lot faster than I thought.”

The Trojans have never appeared in the state playoffs, but as of Wednesday they are tied atop the division standings with four-time defending state champ Bethesda-Chevy Chase, while Churchill, which beat Gaithersburg 6-1 in last season’s playoffs, was slotted fifth, according to the report.

Read the full story on Gaithersburg High School's girls' soccer team on The Washington Post.

Quince Orchard High School Tennis

A year after finishing 2-10 and being dropped to Division III — the lowest in Montgomery County — Quince Orchard High School's girls' varsity tennis team is on the up and up.

The Cougars entered the week with an 8-1 win streak and an opportunity to clinch the Division III title without a loss against Watkins Mill, according to a report by The Gazette.

Team ace Angela Kuriacose told The Gazette much of the team's success can be attributed to new coach Jana McDanald, "a professional tennis instructor who brings a plethora of playing and coaching experience to the program," according to the report.

"We learn more and we do play a lot more tennis than we did in previous years,” Kuriacose told The Gazette. “It’s fun to be good at something. I have had a different coach every year on the tennis team and she is the only one focusing on fitness and teaching us skills."

McDanald previously competed as a professional in Europe and played collegiate tennis at both Eastern Illinois University and Hampton (Va.) University.

Read the full story on Quince Orchard's girls' varsity tennis team on The Gazette.

Watkins Mill High School Football

Another Gaithersburg-area coach is turning around a team in his first year that has historically struggled. But new Watkins Mill head varsity fooball coach Kevin Watson has had some help from his senior quarterback.

“My philosophy is to take the best athlete I have and put him at quarterback,” Watson told The Gazette. “And Patrick [Schlosser] was it. It was an easy choice.”

Schlosser has completed 55-of-91 passes for 763 yards and eight touchdowns with just four interceptions thus far in 2012, The Gazette reported, while also being a constant threat to score on the ground.

“Coach just gives me the opportunities to do a lot of things,” Schlosser, who also kicks for the Wolverines, told The Gazette. “When I was a sophomore, all I did was kick and punt. ... Then I was able to get moved up to quarterback last year.”

The Wolverines (4-2) have won three consecutive games and are in contention for a 3A West Region playoff berth.

Read the full story on Watkins Mill football on The Gazette.