Guilford Park football earns first varsity win, 34-8 over Hammond

You only get one chance to make a debut. Guilford Park football didn’t squander that moment.

After an 8-1 junior varsity season last year, Friday night marked the Panthers’ first football game as a varsity program. Hosting Hammond, 2,133 people packed the stands. Guilford Park exploded for 28 second-half points to satisfy the crowd with a 34-8 win.

“I’m ecstatic about it,” Guilford Park coach Thomas Montag said. “Last year, they probably hated me because I’d tell them, ‘Hey, I don’t care who we’re playing, the success we’re seeing, this is junior varsity. This isn’t the end goal, right?’ All of the kids we have this year, a majority of them were playing last year for us. I’m just proud of them because it shows me that they’re listening, and they’re bought in. They understand that we’ve got to wake up.”

It was a long journey to get to Friday night. Both junior Khadea McDonald and sophomore Tyler Lee described a mix of excitement and nerves as the regular season moved closer. However, the Panthers underwent consistent hard practices to prepare themselves for that jump in levels.

Friday’s action wasn’t just long awaited for the football team, but the entire school community. Tickets sold out for the game shortly after 1 p.m. and the Panthers faithful showed out in full force, including the packed student section with a mix of white and neon T-shirts.

“It made me feel like I’m an NFL player,” McDonald said. “I’ve got to put on for the people.”

The capacity crowd roared on the Panthers’ opening drive after quarterback A’Yar Reed-Wright connected with McDonald on a swing pass for a 46-yard touchdown. While the play was negated due to a holding penalty, that sequence showcased the community’s passion, just waiting to erupt.

The game remained scoreless for much of the first half until Lee broke through for the program’s first varsity score. The sophomore running back sprinted in from 7 yards out and put Guilford Park on the board.

“I was hyped,” Lee said. “First touchdown, we drove all the way down the field for it. Everybody was hype, everybody was screaming.”

However, Hammond answered right back on quarterback Lazaro Ribalta’s touchdown run and took an 8-6 halftime lead after the two-point conversion. Despite fielding a roster without any seniors, the young Panthers didn’t hang their heads.

Halftime proved to be a valuable reset as Guilford Park opened the second half by recovering an onside kick. While that possession didn’t end in a touchdown, it proved to be a pivotal momentum swing. Guilford Park scored touchdowns on each of its next four possessions as McDonald and Lee both finished with two touchdowns on the ground.

“We’re competitive,” McDonald said of the running back group. “We’re brothers, but we’re working for the same spot. Even though we’re friends, it’s one spot. We’re both going to work hard for it and if you don’t get the ball, you don’t cry about it. You wait until it’s your turn and when it’s your turn, you show up.”

Following the victory, the Panthers sprinted toward the end zone with a sea of smiling faces. Montag expressed how proud he was of the group and while he recognized the magnitude of the milestone, also emphasized that there was a long season ahead. He hopes the performance builds collective confidence and also reinforces the value of responding to adversity and playing for one another.

“For us to come out with a win, it’s such a huge thing for our community,” Guilford Park athletics and activities manager Mike Lerner said. “I just couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out. We’ve got great kids. We’ve got great coaches. I’m fortunate enough to be a part of this community.

“To win the first one, you don’t ever expect that. The history in Howard County shows that it takes a long time to get that first varsity win in most sports, football even more so without seniors. It’s just a testament to our kids, our coaches and all the hard work they put in.”