Whitman beat Walter Johnson 27-21 on homecoming night Friday, Oct. 23, snapping a losing streak and keeping the Vikings unbeaten in region play.
The win moved Whitman to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in Class 4A/3A South, good for first place in the region, according to MaxPreps. Walter Johnson dropped to 2-6.
The result was a sharp turnaround for a Whitman team that lost 41-6 to Paint Branch on Oct. 16. The Vikings leaned on their ground game against the Wildcats, piling up 186 rushing yards compared to just 48 through the air, MaxPreps data shows.
The final score only hints at the drama. The Black and White, Whitman's student newspaper, reported that the Vikings trailed 21-0 before mounting a second-half comeback. Senior Jack Cummings provided the decisive play, returning a live ball 70 yards for a touchdown after a botched Walter Johnson field goal attempt with two minutes remaining, the paper reported. Cummings then sealed the win with an interception on the Wildcats' final drive.
The Black and White credited junior Owen Greszler with two interceptions and eight tackles in the second half, and named seniors John Madikiza and Malik Shraim along with junior Caleb Merenstein as the Vikings' touchdown scorers in the comeback.
Whitman's student section turned out in force for the homecoming game, the paper reported, with the largest crowd of the season.
The Vikings close the regular season Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bethesda-Chevy Chase. The Barons enter at 6-2. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
