Countdown to Kickoff: Churchill Bulldogs

POTOMAC, Md. (DC News Now) — The Churchill football program has improved significantly in the last five years.

Entering his fifth season leading the program, head coach Joe Rydzewski has taken the Bulldogs from a 1-8 team the year before he took over, to a team that’s won at least games each of the last three seasons.

In 2023 under Rydzewski, Churchill made it all the way to the Maryland 4A state semifinals for the first time since 1995.

Repeating that success in 2024 won’t be easy for Churchill. The Bulldogs have lost 14 of 22 starters from last season, including touchdown machine running back David Avit, moving on to play college football at Villanova.

“I’m not sure this group quite understands the amount of step up that is going to have to happen for us to be a decent football team,” Rydzewski said. “The goal for us is to keep playing the exact same way, exact same style we play here at Churchill. If that means we win one playoff game, if that means we win four or five playoff games, we’ll take it.”

This season, Churchill will be led by seniors quarterback Vasi Hallas and linebacker and wide receiver Drew Menick.

“As we step into those positions, I think all of the guys just have to acknowledge the fact that we need to relish the moment that we’re going to be in,” Hallas said. “Take full advantage of the situation that we’re going to be in and all of the guys that we’re going to be leading and put our best foot forward and be able to do the best that we can do.”

The new leaders of the Bulldogs tell DC News Now that they’re ready for the challenge.

“We definitely have some big shoes to fill losing all of our seniors,” Menick said. “I think we have a lot of people that are ready to step in to their positions. I think that we have a good chance of filling in these roles and becoming a better team.”

Churchill will open its season on Friday, September 6 at home against Seneca Valley. They’ll visit rival Bethesda-Chevy Chase in week two.

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