B-CC Football’s Cinderella Story

B-CC Football made a comeback despite a disappointing start to the season

David LeCours, staff

Although their heartbreaking loss to Northwest in the playoffs ended the Barons’ football season early, an interesting story has emerged from a long season under the lights. That story is revealed through their 4-5 record. When the season started 0-3, panic spread throughout the program. However, the team was not phased, ignored the naysayers, and held a 4-2 record in their last six regular season games.
Starting with three losses to Poolesville, Richard Montgomery, and Churchill, the razor-thin margins of loss revealed a silver lining. After a forfeit win from Gaithersburg and a 42-0 demolition of Wooton, the team was hungry for more. Their next game was against Walter Johnson, and they were determined to end in victory.
As a longtime rival, this game had a different energy than the others. With the crowd in full swing, drenched in neon and chanting “Here we go Barons, here we go,” this game meant more to the players and fans. The two programs went toe to toe with defense reigning supreme that night. In the last few minutes, a costly false start by the Barons allowed Walter Johnson to get the ball back. At the last minute, the Wildcats pounced on the opportunity and threw a touchdown to win the game. Even though a loss was not what the team wanted, there was hope. Staying competitive with one of the better teams in Montgomery County made the Barons more confident about their chances of ending the season strong and succeeding in the postseason. “Our mindset had changed after the WJ game,” says a source on the team, “there was a belief that we could make something happen this season.”
With two easier games ahead, the team focused on finishing strong. The Barons took some of the frustrations of losing the close games out on Clarksburg, with an offense firing on all cylinders scoring 40 points in a blowout win. On senior night, amid time change controversy, they put up another 40-point game against the Whitman Vikings. When your offense scores 40 points two weeks in a row, there is a clear sense of energy and excitement among the athletes.The team believed every game was winnable, which carried the Barons’ thirst for postseason success.
Although the season ended at the hands of Northwest in the first round of Montgomery County’s 4A playoffs, there is hope for the future. With 14 starting juniors returning for the 2023-2024 season, the Barons are poised for another victorious season.