Wolverines prepare for battle against the Wheaton High School Knights tonight at Blair High School after taming the Blake Bengals 42-33 on their senior night.

Aside from last Friday being a touching moment for the seniors, the boys fought just as hard. They made every moment count for it being the last time they step on the Watkins Mill field this season. With senior captain running back Antony Zavala, junior wide receiver Daquan Wims and senior wide receiver and free safety Schezarone Carter scoring multiple touchdowns for Watkins Mill, winning this game was definitely one for the books.

Senior captain defensive linemen Geeonni Brooks felt personally excited and sad at the same time to have played his last home game on the field on Friday. Brooks said, “I always have a good game with any team I play against, but for the most part I just compete.”

As he walks off being captain of this season’s team, Brooks added, “I’m going to have to step up and lead my team.  We can’t afford to make any mistakes, and if any mistakes are done, that’s on me.”

Senior wide receiver Corey Perry agreed with Brooks that their final home game was emotional but also exciting because by winning their senior night game, they left their mark on the field as seniors.  Looking forward to tonight’s game, Perry said, “We’re just gonna have to show what we have on the field and it’s gonna show on Friday.”

“We’re actually really prepared, our practices have been really intense, plays have gotten sharper so I think we’re going to be ready for them,” Perry added.

Not only was it emotional for the players but the coaches as well. Coaching staff sent off their players to the field as boys and welcomed them back as men. Head coach Kevin Watson claims it’s a reward factor, especially for the guys who have been doing it for all four years, whom he has seen grow from freshmen to senior.  Watson said it was, “Sort of like sending your kid off into the real world; it’s a win-win.”

Senior running back Zack Ayisi thought that they were able to play the blowout against Blake because of all of the intense practices.  The team’s focus and close-knit teamwork helped them as well. Ayisi added that the great chemistry between the team is what secured the win on Friday.

Senior captain linebacker Clarence McNeary said the team will “do really well” against  Wheaton because “We did pretty good against them last year and we’ve gotten better since then.”

Athletic director Reginald Spears feels proud of this year’s seniors because he has seen this class grow and mature. He added that the football team should be pumped up because after winning last week’s game, if they beat Wheaton, ‘Rines football is in the playoffs. Spears said that which team makes the playoffs “comes down to who makes the least amount of mistakes… You have to execute, you have to limit turnovers and play all four quarters.”

Senior captain wide receiver Devonte Bruff thinks Wheaton will be an interesting game. Bruff said, “The way their defense is set up, I believe I will have many opportunities to get touchdowns and make different plays.”

As the seniors prepare to play their last regular season game, McNeary said that the thing he would miss most about Watkins Mill football was “the brotherhood. We’re a pretty close group of guys, and I’m sure we’ll be close even after football season. But once we all graduate and leave for college, we’ll have to go our separate ways.”

“I’m just going to miss the coaching staff and the relationships I had with all the players and how we were a family,” Bruff added.

Gallery • 16 Photos

Jennifer Vargas

Two seniors enjoying their senior night game.