This season the Division I private-school state football playoffs will not include the Flint Hill Huskies or Potomac School Panthers.
The overall records of the high-school teams were not good enough to earn one of the four berths. Potomac School finished 5-4 and Flint Hill 1-8.
Each team lost its final regular-season game Nov.2, both on the road. Potomac School was blanked by the state’s defending Division II champion North Cross Raiders (8-1) by a 47-0 score. Flint Hill fell to the St. James Saints in Maryland, 40-30.
Flint Hill earned a state-playoff berth last season and Potomac School in 2022. Each lost semifinal games in those campaigns. The last time both missed the state tournament in the same season was 2021.
For Potomac School in the loss to North Cross, the Panthers had just 68 total yards and were hurt by four turnovers. North Cross gained 366 total yards. Potomac School quarterback Sean Sutherland completed multiple passes to speedy wide receiver Akim Iscandari, but none for big plays. On defense for the Panthers, Christian Lam recovered a fumble.
North Cross also defeated Potomac School by a lopsided margin last season.
“They are a very tough opponent, but our team has battled hard all season and has had a good season,” Potomac School coach Dan Wolff said.
In Flint Hill’s loss to St. James, the lead seesawed. The Huskies led 30-19 in the third period, but didn’t score again.
Flint Hill senior quarterback Caleb West threw two touchdown passes each to Ty Harris and Victor McNeal. West passed for 223 yards. The Huskies were hurt by three turnovers — something that has been a problem for the squad all season.
Flint Hill also was slowed and limited by multiple injuries to key players, especially along both lines.
In addition, the Huskies played a difficult schedule, facing four teams, all losses by competitive scores, that have qualified for the Division I or II state playoffs.
“It was one injury after another, but we still had to play,” Flint Hill coach Kirk Peterson said. “We’ll regroup in the off-season and put it back together for next year.”
