Standing in the shadow of its more successful siblings, the Warriors, Marine Corps Base Quantico’s Middle/High School varsity football team, has yearned to match the almost flawless performance of the school’s female volleyball team season record or the award-winning discipline of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Program which has held the record of Honor School for the last eight years.

Losing to Roanoke Catholic School on Oct. 11, added another link to the chain of mediocrity that has held the team back from the success they all desired. However, Oct. 18, brought a new game and a new chance for victory as the team traveled to Panther Stadium in Washington, Va., to challenge Rappahannock County High School.

“We have worked on a lot,” said Mike Green, Warriors head coach. “We set a game plan, and everybody knew what our priority was for the game.”

Quantico focused on that priority and pounded their opponent 64-35, for their second win of the season.

“There was success all over the field,” said Green. “Alec [the quarterback] passed well to multiple receivers; we had several people running the ball and our blocking went well. There were a lot of things to be happy about.”

The players agreed with their coach.

“Our defense was on lock down,” said Anthony, running back and senior. “Our opponent didn’t get a single yard on our starting defense.”

“It was a fun game.”

The seniors who played their last high school football game on Friday, beating Hampton Christian School 35-26, had some words of encouragement for the players returning for the 2014-2015 season.

We didn’t win any games when I was a sophomore or junior, said Alec, quarterback and senior.  “So the team has to keep going.  It gets rough, so you have got to keep going.”

Although the Warriors have hung up their helmets on a 3-6 season, they can hold their heads high knowing they posted the best season since 2010.

Correspondent: samuel.l.ellis@usmc.mil