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Basketball on grass.
That is what the Northwood football team hopes to look like this fall. The Gladiators have a plethora of talented athletes and fourth-year coach Dennis Harris' approach is simple: "Get the ball in their hands and let them run."
They will rely mostly on their dynamic passing attack, helmed by three-year starting quarterback Jimmy Hessler. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior was the county's second-leading passer last fall with 2,582 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Though his two main targets from last year graduated, Hessler has options downfield in senior Anatoly Moschkin (6-2, 180) and juniors Jabari Francis and Gary Vaughn. The latter two will also see action at running back.
"It is hard for teams to simulate what we are going to do in practice," Harris said. "When teams try and prepare for us, they are not going to be as sharp, not going to be able to do things like we do Friday night and I think that will play to our advantage. …
"We throw it a lot. There is maybe one other team who throws it like we do."
Offense was not the problem at Northwood last year, with its 18.4 point-per-game average. On the flip side, its defense gave up an average of 29.5 points per game.
Senior linebacker Malik Sapp (6-2, 245), Tristan Pomeroy (6-3, 210) and Ian Leach (5-11, 240) lead an experienced and deeper defensive front seven that should be much better than it was a year ago.
"We will be a smaller, quicker unit up front," Harris said. "We're going to get after people with the blitz. We are going to look to make things happen on defense."
The Gladiators moved up to Class 3A this year and will play some of the county's toughest teams: Clarksburg, Damascus, Seneca Valley and Quince Orchard. But it kicks off its season Friday with a winnable game against Watkins Mill.
"We always say we play against ourselves," said Harris. "Whether we are playing the Redskins or Quince Orchard, we still have to execute and run. … We are going to come with something every Friday night."
Northwood
Head coach: Dennis Harris, 4th year (9-21)
League affiliation: Montgomery 3A
Last year's record: 3-7
Last playoff appearance: 1982 (3rd)
Last state title: None
Players to watch: QB Jimmy Hessler, WR Anatoly Moschkin, LB/OL Malik Sapp
2008 results
Sept. 5 — Rockville (L), 40-18
Sept. 12 — Blair (L), 41-12
Sept. 19 — Clarksburg (L), 48-6
Sept. 28 — Poolesville (W), 29-19
Oct. 3 — Wicomico (L), 21-8
Oct. 10 — Einstein (L), 22-18
Oct. 17 — St. George's Tech (L), 48-14
Oct. 25 — Wheaton (L), 18-16
Oct. 31 — Walter Johnson (W), 28-23
Nov. 7 — Kennedy (W), 26-15
2009 schedule
Sept. 4 — at Watkins Mill, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 11 — Clarksburg, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 17 — Rockville, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 — at Blake, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 — Quince Orchard, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 — at Einstein, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 16 — Wheaton, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 23 — at Damascus, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 30 — Kennedy, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 6 — at Blair, 6:30 p.m.