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Junior Brian Lucas didn't have much time to gel with his new football teammates after his summer transfer from Sherwood to Damascus High.

"I got two weeks," Lucas said.

Now it's the seventh week of the season, and Lucas' role with the Swarmin' Hornets (5-1 overall, 4-0 in the 3A Division) is crystal clear. He's been the captain and signal-caller of the defense since day one. But after his 286-yard, four-touchdown rushing performance in Friday's 41-19 home win over Magruder, he is also officially the main man in the Damascus backfield.

"He's the guy," head coach Eric Wallich said. "The only reason he's not full-time is because he needs rest. He reminds me a little bit of [Pat] Lazear."

Lazear is the fullback/linebacker Wallich coached at Whitman, who is now playing regularly as a sophomore at West Virginia University. In pads, Lucas does resemble Lazear physically. And on scoring runs of 43, 65 and 67 yards Friday, he flashed quick feet and open-field speed belying his size.

After Friday, Lucas' emergence in the offense will be as necessary as it is welcome. Sophomore quarterback Connor Frazier broke his right (throwing) collarbone midway through the second quarter against the Colonels.

Before the injury, Frazier completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 817 yards and seven touchdowns, against just one interception. Backup Matt Abelmann threw just two passes Friday, completing one to tight end Brad Harris. Lucas ran 15 times for 238 yards following Frazier's injury, even taking two snaps at quarterback.

"Honestly, we'll have to lean more on the running game," Wallich said. "Connor's the second- or third-best quarterback in the county right now. You can't replace that. But we have some kids who are capable."

Magruder (2-4, 1-2 Montgomery 4A East Division) had a chance to put on the pressure immediately after Frazier left the game. With the score tied at 7, Lucas punted on fourth-and-8 from his own 37-yard line, but the Colonels were whistled for roughing him, giving the Swarmin' Hornets (5-1, 4-0 3A Division) fresh life.

Damascus took the first down and drove in for the go-ahead score before halftime. The play was characteristic of the mistakes that have held back Magruder this season.

A strong double-barreled ground game from junior Marquis Morgan (21 carries, 110 yards, 2 touchdowns) and senior Chris Ralli (15 carries, 99 yards) kept the Colonels within striking distance for most of Friday. But eight penalties, three interceptions and an inability to stop Lucas spelled their fourth loss.

"We've got some kids on this team who don't think about the game five minutes after it's over," Magruder coach Doug Miller said. "They've got to play with passion, and it's got to hurt. It's got to feel good when you win, and it's got to hurt when you lose. And right now, I just don't know. I'm beside myself."

The Colonels also started 2-4 last season against the same schedule, then won their final four games to reach the Class 4A West Region playoffs.

Damascus is well on its way to another berth in the 3A playoffs, which it won on its first try last season after being reclassified from 4A.

Most of the key players from that team have graduated, and most of the coaches have moved on. Paradoxically, all the changes made Lucas' arrival that much easier to absorb.

"It's a rebuilding year, so in a way I fit right in with the coaches, who are all new," Lucas said. "I'm starting to pick it up. It's going along really well. We're really coming together."