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The Oakdale Bears football program has endured its share of lumps since breaking ground in 2011. Now, with five years of experience under their belts, the Bears face their newest and perhaps toughest task in all of Maryland — executing a plan to survive the stiff Class 3A West playoff race.
“You can’t have a bad Friday,” Stein said. “If you have a bad Friday, you’re not going to escape. You’re going to get beat.”
After competing in Class 2A for the first four years, Oakdale jumped to Class 3A last season and had their first taste on how tough it is in Maryland high school football’s version of the SEC. Even though eight regular season wins will lock up a top seed or home playoff game in other regions, it was only good enough for the final and fourth seed in the Class 3A West.
Oakdale’s season ended in a 44-21 first round playoff loss to Damascus, the eventual Class 3A state champions. The 21 points were the most scored against Damascus all season long, and even that wasn’t close enough. Stein said Damascus was “one of the best high school football teams” he’s seen in a long time.
“They were a good team, a sound team all around,” said Oakdale senior quarterback Cory Schlee. “They were really good. I thought we gave it our best shot. I mean, we put up those most points against any team they faced.”
After starting last season 5-0, miscues and mental lapses faltered the Bears down the stretch.
In Week 6, Oakdale held a 13-point fourth quarter lead against Linganore. Three turnovers later, the commanding lead was wiped away and flipped to a 21-20 loss on their home turf. In Week 10, the Bears sputtered against Tuscarora, dropping the final regular season game, 30-19, before getting bounced in the playoffs the following week.
“We didn’t come mentally prepared some games,” Schlee said. “Like the Tuscarora game, we already knew we were in the playoffs. We didn’t take that game seriously. This year, we’re focused on taking everything more seriously and fixing the little things that costed us last season.”
Since the beginning of January, Oakdale has approached every moment as a make or break scenario with a ramped-up level of energy. Outside of the football stadium hangs a quote from Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, one of the most revered football individuals in the country. Overlooking the parking lot, it says, “Attack each day with enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
And that’s the exact modus operandi Oakdale has followed over the offseason.
“The only way we’re going to win them all is if we win today,” Stein said. “If we want to win a game in November, we need to win in August.”
After a rigorous offseason workout schedule, Oakdale returns a handful of household names while new faces are ready to fill the voids that are left behind by 16 starters from the Class of 2016.
Schlee, who played wide receiver last season, moves back to his regular position at quarterback. Standing at 6-foot-5, Schlee is a natural athlete who stars in basketball and track. Under center, he’s a duel-threat gunslinger with the ability to carry Oakdale to the program’s first playoff win, and possibly beyond.
“He’s ready to take the reins,” Stein said of Schlee.
Oakdale returns its biggest piece in James Madison University commit, Percy Agyei-Obese, who is expected to inherit a hefty workload as the primary running back. Last season, Agyei-Obese was limited in his touches on offense due in large part to starting on the defensive end and senior tailback Malik Boyd. When Agyei-Obese touched the ball, however, he made the most of it — averaging 10.3 yards per carry and totaling 950 all-purpose yards.
“I’m ready for the workload,” Agyei-Obese said, who is expected to start at running back, defensive end and kick returner. “I’m not afraid of it, I’m up to it. I’m excited because I know there’s people counting on me and I have to live up to expectations.”
Agyei-Obese has come a long way since he discovered football as a freshman. In an eighth grade gym class, his classmates took notice of his raw athleticism during flag football games and suggested Agyei-Obese to tryout for the high school team.
For the first two years, Agyei-Obese played at the junior varsity level, where his coaching staff told him to run the ball forward when in doubt.
“Freshman year, I was literally clueless,” Agyei-Obese said. “I just took the ball and ran straight.”
The Agyei-Obese and Schlee duo lay a solid foundation for inexperienced players to fit smoothly and make an impact from the onset with the up-tempo spread offense. Rising seniors like Schlee also want to carry on what the Class of 2016 left behind.
“They taught us to not take things for granted,” Schlee said. “As a senior, you only have 10 high school games left until you’re done. You have to take every single (game) like it’s your last.”
Chase De Maille, who played fullback last year, is expected to rotate between fullback, slot back and tight end. In 2015, he rushed for 251 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries. Stein said the senior is “super strong”, and has speed of a track runner.
His younger brother, Bryce De Maille, is a 6-foot-3 215 pound junior. He’s expected to serve as the Bears top receiving threat.
The Sabvute brothers, senior Samuel and sophomore Simeon, will see time in the slot as shifty playmakers. Ritchie Case and Logan Carey round out the receiving corps, while pole vault state champion George Stultz and Logan McCoy are set to have roles in the backfield.
“We have tons of skill guys,” Stein said. “They’ve just been waiting. When you have a (Matt) Beveridge and (Ben) Simonica, Schlee at receiver, Percy (Agyei-Obese) and Malik (Boyd) and (Tyler) McGraw, they just had to wait their turn. And it’s their turn now.”
Up front, Oakdale only returns one starting lineman — senior guard Anthony Cunha (6-foot-2, 271 pounds).
Andrew Przybocki (6-foot-3, 235 pounds) will start at guard, while junior Dustin Wheadon (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) is expected to start at left tackle. Maurio Goings (6-foot, 186 pounds) and Jake Piccioni (5-foot-10, 195 pounds) are converted fullbacks learning to play guard. Colby Johnson (6-foot-4, 230 pounds), Matt Warner (6-foot, 230 pounds), and Chris Yacoubian (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) will also compete for spots on the offensive line.
“They’re coming,” Stein said of his offensive line. “They’re getting a little bit better every day. … I think the line will be fine. They’re just taking some time to gel right now.”
Defensively, Oakdale only returns two starters — Case at outside linebacker and Agyei-Obese at defensive end.
Case recorded a team runner-up 91 tackles last season and will be a bedrock once again in the front seven. Agyei-Obese brings overwhelming speed as an edge rusher, where he racked up a team-high 7.5 sacks and 62 total tackles at the position last year.
Cunha, Bryce De Maille, Przybocki and Wheadon will rotate around on the defensive line, giving Oakdale a complimentary bag of speed and size. Piccioni will man the inside linebacker position, where he will succeed The Frederick News-Post Defensive Player of the Year, Brendan Carlson. Carey will join Case as an outside linebacker.
Travis Dover, Kyle Geffen, Samuel Sabvute and Stultz will patrol the secondary.
Overall, Stein expects another fast and physical Oakdale defense that mirrors the unit from a season ago. In 2015, the Bears only surrendered 3.5 yards per carry to opposing ball carriers.
“I’m excited about the defense,” Stein said. “I like our style. Our personnel fits it pretty darn good this year.”
Though Oakdale lost majority of its senior leadership, the same faces who are expected to fill the holes led the Bears JV team to undefeated seasons in 2014 and 2015.
As the Bears head into Week 1, reloaded and mentally prepared for the grueling trek ahead, refinement in the inexperienced areas will be needed if they want to get off on the right foot and make a push to capture the program’s first playoff win.
“We have the components to (get back in the playoffs),” Schlee. “We’re developing our skill players and offensive line. That’ll be crucial for us.”
Oakdale plays host to Washington (West Virginia) in their first game of the season on Friday, September 2.
“To win states, you have to win the region; to win the region, you have to make the playoffs; to make the playoffs in the 3A West, you might have to go 10-0,” Stein said. “That means you have to win every single week. So, how are you going to do that? Well, then we’re going to need to win every single day.”
Pivotal matchups
Week 4, at Urbana
Week 6, at Linganore
Week 7, Walkersville
Week 8, Thomas Johnson
Week 9, at Middletown
Week 10, Tuscarora
Page 1: Introduction | Next: Numbers and statistics | Page 4: Schedule | Page 5: Roster
