Multiple long scoring plays were a large contributor to the Potomac School Panthers’ biggest victory so far of the football season.
Under temporary lighting for a Friday night (Oct. 25) high-school game, the host Panthers topped the St. James Saints (5-4) of Frederick, Md., 33-16, to improve to 5-3.
Potomac School’s four offensive touchdowns came on plays that covered 74, 56, 52 and 31 yards. Another TD came on a 65-yard interception return by Brendan Sutherland.
“It was a huge win under the lights. We played our best game of the year,” Potomac School coach Dan Wolff said.
The Panthers lost to St. James last fall, when they won only one game. In this year’s contest, three of the Panthers’ TDs were scoring passes from Sean Sutherland to Akim Iscandari, who had four catches for 160 yards.
Sutherland completed 7 of 8 passes for 256 yards and four touchdowns. His other scoring pass went for 56 yards to Kai Jefferson (two catches, 74 yards).
Stefan Harvey booted three extra points.
The big-play scoring started early with the 74-yard pass a little more than three minutes into the game, followed by the interception return later in the first quarter. Potomac School led 13-0 at the end of the first quarter and 26-7 at halftime.
Richard Perry was the Panthers’ leading rusher with 61 yards. Gus Tierney had 19 and Sean Sutherland 10. Mack Repke had one catch for 22 yards.
On defense, Repke was a leading tackler and had an interception. Other tackling leaders were Tierney, Perry, Nathan Alexander, Jag Gioia, E.J. Schneeberg, Graham LaForce and Triston Davis.
Potomac School has one regular-season game remaining, on the road Saturday (Nov. 2) at noon in Roanoke against the North Cross Raiders (7-1), the defending Division II private-school Virginia state champion.
Potomac School needs to win that contest to have any chance of qualifying for the four-team Division I private-school state playoffs.
North Cross defeated Potomac School, 49-0, last fall.
