In the Maryland 4A State Championship at MT&T Bank Stadium, the Quince Orchard Cougars of Montgomery County faced off with the Wise Pumas of Prince Georges County. The Cougars received the opening kickoff and returned it out to their own 11. QB Tyrell Williams runs the ball 3 straight plays for short gains and the Cougars go 3 and out and punt the ball away. Wise opened their drive in the Cougars territory. On first down they handed the ball off for a 24 yard gain getting them down to the Cougars 19 yard line. Wise would hand the ball off a few more times and eventually score on a five yard TD run, extra point was blocked by the Cougars. Wise kicked the ball off and the Cougars returned it out to their own 27 yard line. On first down QB Matt Choi would be stuffed at the line of scrimmage following an incomplete pass and an 8 yard run by Choi the Cougars are 4th & 2 and punted the ball away. Wise would go on to hand the ball off 3 times and go 3 and out and punt the ball back to the Cougars.
The Cougars handed the ball off for a gain of 11 into the Pumas territory. The Cougars would get sacked and following that a short gain forcing them to punt on 4th down. After a few handoff and a couple of penalties the Pumas are 3rd & 15, end of the quarter, Wise 6 Quince Orchard 0. Wise gets a short gain with the Cougars forcing a 4th down and a punt from Wise. After a few good runs from Williams and Choi the Cougars punted the ball away to Wise, The Pumas hand the ball off to their back for a huge run all the way down to the Cougars 22. After a couple more handoff, the Pumas attempt to take it in from the 2 yard line failed after a fumble recovered in the end zone by the Cougars for a touchback. After a few good runs and a penalty by Wise the Cougars are on there on 43 yard line. Tyrell Williams of the Cougars would have a long impressive run down to the Pumas 11. After a short run and an encroachment penalty by Wise the Cougars get into the end zone on a 1 yard run, the extra point was good, 7-6 Cougars at halftime.
After a huge gain called back by a personal foul Wise punted the ball away. The Cougars got down field and didn’t convert on 4th and short turning the balk over to Wise. The Pumas would go 3 and out and punt the ball away after a few passes for short yardage. The Cougars got a few yards on a first down run and fumbled on second down turning the ball over to Wise. At the end of the third quarter the Cougars lead 7-6. At the start of the 4th quarter Wise attempts to concert on 4th down and the Cougars stopped them forcing a turnover on downs. The Cougars would go 3 and out on three straight handoff. The Cougars punted to the Pumas 33 yard line. Wise first down play is an incomplete followed by a run and a knocked down screen pass which forced Wise to punt the ball away. The Cougars make their way down field rather quickly with a few long runs by Tyrell Williams and Matt Choi.
The Cougars get stopped short at the Pumas 11 so they attempt a field goal and miss wide right, Wise takes over on downs. After two completions Wise completes a long pass across the field to their big Tight End, followed by a handoff for another first down. After a few handoff to their RB Powell the Pumas got another first down. On 1st and 10 from their own 23 they launch a pass down the sideline to their giant tight end for a touchdown giving them a late lead, 2 point conversion attempt is no good. The Cougars get the ball on their own 25 after receiving the kickoff. The Cougars completed a pass down field to their big target #81 Brown for a first down, followed by another completion down field for another first down, with about 2 minutes left in the game.
The Cougars throw a completion then ran for a short gain, then would get another first down on a 3 yard run by Tyrell Williams. Choi completes a huge pass across the middle for a pivotal first down then there was a controversial unsportsmanlike penalty called on the Cougars. The Cougars would throw an incompletion, a short screen then get intercepted on a pass down to the goal line. The Pumas went on to just kneel the ball out. The final score is 12-7 Wise, Congratulations to both teams on a great season and to Wise for winning the 4a state championship.
Final Score Wise Pumas HS 12 Quince Orchard Cougars HS 7
Story by Devaunte Morgan
Photos taken by Jeffrey Vogt of the event can be viewed and purchased at