ANNAPOLIS — Northern’s Cinderella run came to an end on Saturday, falling 35-0 to Fort Hill in the Class 1A state title game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Regardless of how Saturday’s game went, the season will go down as the greatest in program history.
The Huskies (8-6) played for a state title for the first time in school history and reached the state tournament for the first time since 2000.
“It’s awesome, it’s something you’ll never forget,” Northern head coach Phil Carr said. “I know for Fort Hill, it’s old news to them. They’ve done it four times in a row and several times before that. But for us, it’s a experience we’ll never forget.”
Six weeks ago, Northern fell to Allegany 34-23, dropping the Huskies record to 3-5.
Northern lost to Frankfort (45-14), Hampshire (37-15) and Mountain Ridge (21-20) in overtime during this stretch.
Entering the final week of the regular season against Southern, Northern was hoping to host a playoff game and reach the second round.
“There were definitely some times where it was pretty tough, pretty dark,” Northern senior Wally Brands said. “We had some good fortune, we got hot at the right time and I was just happy I was able to be part of this team.”
After beating Southern in consecutive weeks by a combined 86-0, Northern completed a 13-0 comeback to upset Mountain Ridge.
In its first quarterfinal game since 2000, the Huskies faced the No. 2 seed Boonsboro.
On a field that was 90% mud, Luke Ross rushed for 225 yards and five touchdowns in the first half.
Northern won 49-0, then defeated the SEED School in the semifinals 41-27.
“The schedule we play for a school our size, no one can say we don’t play a tough schedule,” Carr said. “I think that helped us in the playoffs to make this run.”
On Saturday, the Huskies arrived to Annapolis as heavy underdogs.
After losing the season opener 42-7 to the Sentinels, Northern kept it a 7-0 game at halftime.
At the half, the Huskies controlled time of possession 14:21 to 9:39 and held Fort Hill to five first downs.
In the second half, everything seemed to go the Sentinels’ way, leading to 28 unanswered points.
Saturday’s matchup extended a streak of four consecutive seasons that a pair of Western Maryland Athletic Conference teams played for the state title.
Mountain Ridge earned trips to Annapolis the last three seasons.
“I’ve done this for 36 years, I’ve always said that Western Maryland football is the toughest in the state.” Carr said. “I think it’s proof in the pudding every time. It’s tough to get through up our way with the schedule we have to play. It’s more smash mouth football, not a lot of spread offense. It’s like you saw today, here we come, you gotta stop it.”
Not only was it a season to remember for Northern football, but it was a fall season to remember in Accident.
The volleyball and girl’s soccer teams won the area title.
The soccer team reached the state semifinals for the first time since 2007 while volleyball went five sets against Clear Spring, the two-time defending state champion who finished as the runner-up.
“A school our size to be able to compete at this level and do well at other sports, it says a lot about the kids we have.” Carr said of the fall sports. “We got a special group of seniors, not only in the boys but the girls side too. Hopefully there’s more winning to do.”
Northern graduates nine seniors who accomplished something no prior class could.
Devin McKenzie, Ross, Liam Stewart, Austin Ross, Robert Deatelhauser, Cole Folk, Nick Riley, Brands and Brycen Hook played their final game as a Husky.
“There’s no other group of people I’d rather get to do this with,” Riley said. “Some of us have been playing together since we were six. We’re gonna remember this forever.”