For the Whitman football team, another win in another close game meant the Vikings were postseason bound. For Churchill, a third consecutive loss meant winning its first seven games wasn’t enough.

With their seasons hanging in the balance, Whitman defeated Churchill 28-24 Friday at Churchill High School. The win secured Whitman (8-2) the No. 2 seed in the 4A West playoffs. The loss left Churchill (7-3) on the outside as the fifth-place team in the division standings.

The Vikings will host No. 3 Paint Branch (8-2) a 6:30 p.m. Friday.

"It’s great," Whitman head coach Jim Kuhn said of making the playoffs. "It was one of our goals. … It’s a good accomplishment."

Whitman running back Kevin Cecala scored the game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 6:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Vikings forced a Churchill punt on the ensuing possession and ran out the clock.

A 25-yard field goal by Bryan Crutchfield put Churchill ahead 17-7 late in the second quarter, but Whitman’s Rico Djidotor returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yard for a touchdown to pull the Vikings within three with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. Whitman opened the second half with a drive consuming more than six minutes, and took the lead on a 1-yard Cecala touchdown run.

Churchill grabbed the lead back on a touchdown pass from Alex Kantor to Brandon Swepson, but Cecala’s fourth-quarter touchdown was the difference.

Cecala rushed for two touchdowns and more than 100 yards.
"We did a good job of blocking up front," Kuhn said.

Whitman’s first touchdown came on an 8-yard pass from quarterback Henry Kuhn to Michael Flack in the opening quarter.
Seven of Whitman’s 10 regular season games — including the final five — were decided by six points or less. The Vikings went 5-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less, winning four of the final five.
"It’s good experience for our kids," Jim Kuhn said. "We’ve been in those pressure situations."

Churchill started the season 7-0 before being shut out by eventual top-seed Sherwood on Oct. 23. The Bulldogs were upset by Bethesda-Chevy Chase the following week before closing their season with Friday’s loss to Whitman.

Kantor completed 14 of 24 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns against the Vikings. He also rushed eight times for 27 yards a touchdown.

Swepson caught six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, and Matt Risk caught three passes for 34 yards and a score. Ryan Quinn rushed nine times for 31 yards.
Brett Schweitzer led Churchill with nine tackles.

Potomac Native Mason
Awaits Opportunity
Marcus Mason is waiting for another chance to play in the NFL.

The Potomac native and former Georgetown Prep running back was released by the Washington Redskins on Oct. 20. He worked out for the New England Patriots on Nov. 2, but was not offered a contract. Mason said he is working out and staying prepared in case a team needs his services.

Mason has been through this before. He has been signed and released by the Redskins, New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens during his three-year NFL career. The experience is helping him stay in the right frame of mind while waiting for an opportunity.

"At first it was tough and now it’s like, ‘OK, it’s just another week,’" Mason said Sunday. I used to think "Man, I wish I was on a team. I need to hurry up and do something. Now, it’s just another week and I keep working out and [think] something’s going to happen. … It’s happened to me before. … You don’t want to say you’re used to something like this, but I’m kind of immune to it. ... The NFL’s a business."

Mason said he won’t start to worry unless week 12 or 13 comes around and he hasn’t signed with a team.

"I’ll play for anybody," he said.

Mason rushed six times for 19 yards while with the Redskins this season.

Mason grew up in Potomac’s Scotland neighborhood off Seven Locks Road. He rushed for a Maryland prep record 5,700 yards while at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda.

Wootton Football Loses
The Wootton football team wrapped up its 2009 season with a 22-9 loss to Clarksburg. The Patriots finished 2-8, with wins over Springbrook and Bethesda-Chevy Chase.

Bullis Football Loses
The Bullis football team lost to Episcopal 34-7 on Friday. The Bulldogs wrap up the regular season at home against St. Mary’s Ryken on Friday.