Cougars Ready for Season Opener Against Sherwood in 4A Showdown

School has been in session in Montgomery County less than a week, but the hype surrounding Friday's season-opening football contest between the Quince Orchard Cougars and the Sherwood Warriors began last spring.

"Since the schedule came out in March, all our kids have been talking about is getting a crack at Sherwood right out of the gate," Quince Orchard coach Dave Mencarini said. "That's all we've been focused on. What better way to start the season than against one of the best teams in the state and against one of your biggest rivals?"

After a six-month wait, the county's two most recent 4A state champions – Quince Orchard in 2007 and Sherwood in 2008 – will finally get the opportunity to play when the 2011 season kicks off at the "Cougar Dome" tonight, Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

Mencarini is ready. So is the student body and staff, the eighth-year Quince Orchard coach believes.

"Let's put it this way, our principal [Carole Working], who is our biggest fan, came up to me several times this week to tell me how excited she is for this game," Mencarini said. "So, if the principal is this jacked up about the game, I have a sneaking suspicion so are the kids."

Mencarini said that he is trying to add to the hype via social networking sites such as Twitter by using hash tags such as "#beatsherwood" to recent tweets.

"I've been trying to create an atmosphere for these kids that they'll never forget," he said. "We're opening against a big rival with what's going to be a great atmosphere. It's what high school football is all about."

Sherwood, along with Quince Orchard, has historically been one of the county's top programs over the last decade. But the Warriors will have a new look this season as first-year coach Mike Bonavia takes the helm after spending the last four years as head coach at Einstein.

To prepare, Mencarini said he has been keeping his team focused on the details this week, noting that the distractions that come with the new school year are inevitable.

"In a big game like this, my experience is that it is the little things that determine the outcome," Mencarini said. "What we're trying to do this week in practice is create those different situations that could happen during a game."

For example, Mencarini said, he had all of his quarterbacks practicing a "bad snap drill," where he purposely had them try to catch errant snaps.

"A lot of people don't practice that stuff. But that could be the difference between winning and losing," Mencarini said. "How you handle those unexpected situations can make all the difference."

In addition to what happens on the field Friday, this game carries with it some extra meaning for Mencarini and the Quince Orchard community as the game has been dubbed "The Battle for the Cure," a fundraiser in support of juvenile diabetes. Mencarini, who has a daughter with diabetes, said that both teams have been selling T-shirts all week with proceeds going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The football team and marching band also partnered with the Quince Orchard High School Diabetes Awareness Club and the community at-large to host a "community dinner" on Wednesday at participating restaurants such as South Street Steaks, Yogi Castle, and California Tortilla with proceeds going to the charity.

"Not only are we battling on the field," Mencarini said, "but we're battling for a bigger cause off the field too."