Brady Ridenour, New Catoctin High Football Coach

April 5, 2025 Graham Cullen

Almost two months into his new job as Catoctin High School's varsity football coach, former Cougar Brady Ridenour is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Ridenour tells host Greg Swatek how he got the job at his alma mater. Why did he want the job? What was the interview process like? Did he think he would get the job?

He talks about being a lifelong member of the Thurmont community and what makes that place so special, as well as playing for former Catoctin football coach Doug Williams and the impact he had on his life.

Ridenour discusses winning a state title as a player at Catoctin in 2009 and his fondest memories of that experience. And he shares his feelings about the program he would like to build for the school and the style of play he would like to implement. Plus, he discusses what life is like being a new father.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss his weekend in Boston at the world figure skating championships and all of the star power on the Frederick County softball scene.

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Donny Lind, Arlandus Keyes Mount St. Mary's Basketball

March 30, 2025 Graham Cullen

After making a thrilling run to the NCAA Tournament and winning a First Four game, Mount St. Mary's men's basketball coach Donny Lind and junior guard Arlandus Keyes are this week's guests on The FInal Score podcast.

Lind and Keyes reflect on their terrific run to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship and through their first two games of the NCAA Tournament, which included a victory over American in the First Four and a loss to top-seeded Duke in first round game last week in Raleigh, North Carolina.

They tell host Greg Swatek why the team was able to play its best basketball at the most critical time of the season and what they will remember the most about the journey. They also talk about their futures with the Mount program and where the teams goes from here. Who will be back next season? And who has already decided to enter the transfer portal?

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about one of the best times on the sports calendar with March Madness in full swing and opening day for the Major League Basketball season, as well as the start of high spring sports in Frederick County.

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Josh Arthur, State Champion Wrestler, Linganore High School

March 18, 2025 Graham Cullen

After achieving his life-long dream of winning a state title, senior wrestler Josh Arthur of Linganore High School is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Arthur chats with host Greg Swatek about his 9-3 double-overtime victory over Seneca Valley's Isaiah Brewster in the Class 4A-3A state final at 113 pounds. What were his nerves like going into that match? After beating Brewster a week earlier in a regional final, how much did that match help him going into the state final? And what were his emotions like after the final buzzer sounded in double overtime with him ahead by six points?

Growing up in a wrestling family, Arthur talks about why he was so instantly drawn to the sport. He discusses Linganore's team season and how close the Lancers came to winning three consecutive 3A duals titles in a row. And he talks about his future and how wrestling might fit into that.

Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to chat about March Madness and the latest runs to the NCAA Tournament by Mount St. Mary's and Maryland. They also discuss the start of spring sports in Frederick County and some storylines to follow and whether Urbana High graduate Trey Lipscomb will be on the Washington Nationals' Opening Day roster.

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Kate Virgilio, State Champion Wrestler, Brunswick High School

March 14, 2025 Graham Cullen

After winning the girls 115-pound weight class last weekend at the state wrestling tournament, Brunswick High freshman Kate Virgilio is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Virgilio chats with host Greg Swatek about her championship victory — she pinned Liberty's Aubrey Ohler in 5 minutes, 55 seconds after being pinned by Ohler earlier in the season — and the road that led up to it.

She talks about how she got her start in wrestling and what it's been like wrestling and beating boys for most of her young career to this point. She chats about the difference when it comes to wrestling girls. And she talks about the legacy she'd like the leave and the opportunity she hopes to create for other girls in wrestling across the county.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the end of the winter sports season after the Middletown boys and the Oakdale girls lost in the state basketball semifinals. They talk about the Knights' loss to New Town and the Bears setback against South River and how both teams acquitted themselves well against high-powered opponents.

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Zach Shoemaker, New Urbana High Football Coach

March 7, 2025 Graham Cullen

After accepting his first head coaching job in early February, new Urbana High School varsity football coach Zach Shoemaker is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Shoemaker tells host Greg Swatek why high school football has always been such a big part of his life. He talks about witnessing the birth of the Urbana football dynasty in 1998 at Byrd Stadium. He was 10 years old at the time, alongside his father, Roy, a football coach himself. He talks about why the Urbana program always appealed to him so much.

He also chats about playing quarterback and safety for Boonsboro High School and later safety for Shepherd University. He talks about why defense and playing physical football is such a big part of his philosophy. And he discusses being deployed in Afghanistan in 2012 as part of the U.S. Marine Corps and how that shaped him both as a person and a coach.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy stops in to discuss the state basketball quarterfinals, featuring the Frederick and Middletown boys and the Oakdale girls, as well as Oakdale's second straight championship Maryland Student Hockey League championship.

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Nick Rhodes, New Brunswick High Football Coach

February 27, 2025 Graham Cullen

After accepting his first head-coaching job last month, new Brunswick High School football coach Nick Rhodes is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Rhodes, 28, chats with host Greg Swatek about why he wanted the Brunswick job after serving as an assistant for the last five years at his alma mater, Boonsboro High School. He served as the Warriors' defensive coordinator last season.

He talks about meeting the players for the first time and laying out his expectations for them and what his first month on the job has been like so far.

Rhodes also discusses how he got into coaching, who influenced his coaching style and the type of program he expects to lead at Brunswick.

Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to chat about the Central Maryland Conference championship games for boys as girls basketball and what's ahead for these teams in the regional playoffs. They also talk about the Maryland Student Hockey League semifinals, which feature three Frederick County teams, Oakdale, Urbana and Middletown Valley.

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Vince Ahearn, New Thomas Johnson High Football Coach

February 20, 2025 Graham Cullen

As he steps back into a head coaching job on familiar terrain, new Thomas Johnson High football coach Vince Ahearn is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Ahearn was hired back in late January to take over the Patriots' program, which has fallen on hard times over the last decade. Previously, he was the longtime football coach at rival Frederick High, but had not had a head-coaching position since he left Smithsburg High School in 2021.

He tells host Greg Swatek why he decided to be a head coach again and why the TJ job was such a good fit for him.

What are some of the biggest challenges he faces? What is the state of TJ's feeder program, which folded and is in the process of being restored? What is he most excited about?

Ahearn answers all of these questions and more over the course of the conversation.

Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about another buzzer beater, the upcoming high school boys and girls basketball playoffs, the state indoor track meet and the state wrestling duals.

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Mike Franklin, Former Catoctin Baseball Coach

February 13, 2025 Graham Cullen

After recently stepping down as Catoctin High's baseball coach, stunning many around the Frederick County sports community, Mike Franklin is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Franklin reflects on his 28 years as a baseball coach at Catoctin, including 25 spent as a head coach, with host Greg Swatek. He talks about why he made his decision, the difficulty that was involved in making it and what reaction he has gotten from others across the county since making it.

He also talks about why he loved coaching at Catoctin so much and stayed with the school for so long, even when he had opportunities to go elsewhere.

Franklin discusses the impact his family had on his decision and some of his initial plans for the next phase of his life. Can he see himself getting back into coaching one day?

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to review the Frederick County Public Schools swimming and diving championships from last weekend and the Monocacy Valley Hockey League championship game between Middletown Valley and Oakdale.

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J.R. Pinnock, Frederick High Girls Basketball Coach

February 7, 2025 Graham Cullen

In his first season covering the Frederick High girls basketball team, J.R. Pinnock is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Pinnock chats with host Greg Swatek about his team, the successful season its having, why he wanted the job and his adjustment to coaching girls when his background is working with boys.

He also talks about his extensive playing career and how that shaped him as a person and a coach. Pinnock grew up in a military family, played college basketball at George Washington University, where he was the team's leading scorer for the 2006-2006 season and led the team to the NCAA tournament out of the Atlantic 10.

Pinnock was drafted into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks with the 58th overall (second round) selection of the 2006 draft and then later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was very briefly teammates with Kobe Bryant. After his very short NBA stint ended, he went on to have a long and expansive professional playing career internationally.

He talks about all of this and more.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about a buzzer beater involving the Mount St. Mary's men and look ahead to the high school basketball playoffs here in Frederick County for boys and girls teams.

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Oakdale High Girls Basketball

February 2, 2025 Graham Cullen

Fresh off another win over their chief regional rival, Linganore, longtime Oakdale High girls basketball coach Rob Healy, senior forward Jane Rape and junior forward Layla McFarland are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.

The win over Linganore this week improved the Bears record to 15-1 this season. Healy and his players chat with host Greg Swatek, not just about the big win over the Lancers and why they seem to have their number in big games, but why they have played so well this season in general.

The Oakdale girls are coming off an appearance in the Class 3A state championship game last March. Healy and his players talked about having that experience and how it could pay dividends for them later this season.

Jane Rape talks about her four years at Oakdale and her decision to play for Army, West Point in college as the Bears' first Division I girls basketball player. McFarland talks about her 30 points against Linganore, which matched a single-game school record, and how she has developed as a player over the course of her winding basketball journey. And Healy talks about how he motivates the team, often through the use of impactful quotes, and keeps it sharp and playing well throughout the season.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the high school basketball scene in Frederick County and how the tragic plane crash in Washington hit close to home.

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Bill Swaney, Linganore Wrestling Coach

January 26, 2025 Graham Cullen

With his team bidding to win a third consecutive state duals championship, Linganore High wrestling coach Bill Swaney is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Swaney talks with host Greg Swatek about his long career as a wrestling coach in Frederick County that has almost spanned almost two decades. He discusses taking over the head coaching job at Linganore this season from longtime friend and colleague Ben Arneson and some of the challenges the Lancers have faced as they go after another state title.

He also talks about how the sport has changed over the years and the need to evolve with the times and adapt to what's happening now. And he talks about his beloved Washington Commanders and Capitals having terrific seasons and being squarely in a championship chase.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss a Frederick County girls flag football commitment at Mount St. Mary's, a profile he is working on about longtime Tuscarora coach Mike O'Brien and the local high school basketball scene.

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Dean Swink, Former Urbana High Football Coach

January 17, 2025 Graham Cullen

A few days after officially stepping down as the varsity football coach at Urbana High School, Dean Swink is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Swink explains in detail his decision to step down to host Greg Swatek. What were the biggest factors that drove it? How long had he been wrestling with it? And why was now the right time?

He was the head coach at Urbana for two seasons, going 10-13 overall over that span. Previously, he was the head coach at Tuscorora High School from 2009-11. Is there a future for him coaching football in some capacity, even if he is not the head coach? And what will he miss the most about the job.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the boys and girls basketball pecking order this season in Frederick County.

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Jordan Addison's Mother, Keisha Jackson

January 11, 2025 Graham Cullen

With her son having another terrific season and set to play in his first playoff game for the Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Addison's mother, Keisha Jackson, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Jackson chats with host Greg Swatek about watching her son develop into one of the best young receivers in the NFL in his second season with the Vikings. She talks about how she feels when she watches him play and the reactions she gets from fans who may or may not realize that she is Addison's mother.

She also addresses some of the off-the-field challenges her son has faced, including an excessive speeding charge and DUI, how she reacted to those incidents and how Jordan has learned and grown from them.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the local sports scene in a week plagued by weather postponements and how sports are impacted by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and the role they play as the city tries to recover.

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Linganore High Girls Basketball

January 3, 2025 Graham Cullen

After taking down reigning Class 4A state champion Clarksburg on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win the holiday tournament at Thomas Johnson High School last week, coach Rachael Easterday, senior forward Kayleigh Lake and senior guard Taylor Moran of the Linganore High girls basketball team are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.

The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the Lancers' 6-1 start to the season despite coming into it with a largely new cast of players. The big win over Clarksburg is discussed at length, and Taylor Moran shares what it was like to make the game-winning 3 to win that game at the buzzer. Did the sequence unfold in slow motion for her and the team, like it was a movie?

Meanwhile, Kayleigh Lake talks about being the only returning starter on the team and the challenges and rewards that has presented.

The group also talks about why the Lancers have exceeded expectations so far this season and how the fast start might have changed the outlook for the rest of this season. How far do they think the team can go?

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about his holiday travel and holiday-tournament basketball. What teams looked the best and have the best outlook going forward?

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Andre Jackson, Walkersville High Wrestling Coach

December 26, 2024 Graham Cullen

With his team off to its best start in more than a decade, Walkersville High School wrestling coach Andre Jackson is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

After years of futility, the Lions came into the week with a 14-1 record and thoughts of contending for the Class 2A state duals championship this season.

Jackson talks with host Greg Swatek about why his team is wrestling so well, what has fueled the turnaround and realistic expectations for a team and group of wrestlers that seems to improve by the match.

He talks about coaching wrestling for almost 40 years in Frederick County after wrestling for Frederick High. How did he come into the job? Why does he enjoy the job so much? What keeps him going? And how much longer might he do it?

Jackson discusses what coaching Frederick High to a state team championship in 1996 was like and what this season's Walkersville team must do to achieve it's ultimate goals.

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Chris Jenkins, General Manager, The Frederick Flying Cows Professional Basketball Team

December 20, 2024 Graham Cullen

As the Frederick Flying Cows prepare for their second season of professional basketball in The Basketball League (TBL), the team's general manager, Chris Jenkins, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Jenkins, a Frederick native, chats with host Greg Swatek about the remarkable amount of success the Flying Cows experienced in their first season of existence. The team went 20-6, playing before good crowds on the campus of Hood College, and was the top seed in the Atlantic Northeastern conference playoffs.

Jenkins tells the story of how the team came to be, the sort of happenstance way of how they landed the winningest coach in TBL history, how they acquire players and the type of living they are able to make, the role it seeks to play in the Frederick County sports community and expectations for Season 2 from an operational and basketball standpoint.

For the last seven years, Jenkins has run the largest high school basketball tournament in the country, the Governor's Challenge, at this time of year in Salisbury. He talks about the rewards and logistical challenges of staging such a tournament, which will feature 144 teams this year.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the upcoming holidays and the overall basketball scene in Frederick County, including the Flying Cows and the top boys and girls high school teams.

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John Manley, Thomas Johnson Boys Basketball Coach

December 13, 2024 Graham Cullen

As a new boys basketball season begins across Frederick County, Thomas Johnson head coach John Manley is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Manley is the longest-tenured boys basketball coach in the county, having been the head coach at TJ for 17 years and on staff there for 22. He chats with host Greg Swatek about his longevity, what keeps him going in the job, how he has evolved and become a better coach over the years and how much longer he might keep doing it.

He also talks about his team at TJ this season and whether he feels it can make a run deep into the playoffs. The Patriots share the same region (Class 4A West, Section I) with the reigning state champs in 4A, Frederick High. TJ nearly ended the Cadets' quest for a state title last season. The Patriots led by 14 points early in the fourth quarter before eventually falling in a regional final, 49-45.

Plus, with the holidays approaching, how does a veteran coach handle all of interruptions of routine and habits that this time of year typically presents.

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Linganore's 35-7 loss to Arundel in the Class 3A football state final last Saturday in Annapolis and offer a bit of a winter sports preview for county teams, particularly when it comes to boys and girls basketball.

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Scott Willett and Herman King, Longtime Linganore Football Assistants

December 7, 2024 Graham Cullen

With the Linganore High football team preparing to play in another state final, assistant coaches Scott Willett and Herman King are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.

Willett and King chat with host Greg Swatek about their own experiences with Linganore football, but also the remarkable career of head coach Rick Conner, who is wrapping up his 23rd season as the Lancers' head coach with yet another appearance in a state title game, his sixth in the last eight years and 15th overall as a coach.

Linganore faces Arundel High School at for the Class 3A state championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

What makes Conner the coach and the person that he is? How has he been able to have this much success?

Willett has been with Conner for more than 20 years at Linganore, while King has coached with him for more than 30, dating back to their time together on the coaching staff at Thomas Johnson High School.

Not only did Willett play for Linganore and win a state title in 1989, he and his wife, Susie, have raised three sons who have played football and appeared in a state final for the Lancers. What were the odds?

King, meanwhile, shares Conner's passion for football, physicality and weight lifting. Why did he decide to leave TJ to join Conner's staff at Linganore?

The Lancers are trying to snap a four-game slide in state championship games. What would it mean to Willett and King if they were able to claim a seventh state championship to extend their Frederick County record?

Prior to this conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to look at the Linganore-Arundel state final and what some of the keys to the game might be.

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Collin Delauter, Middletown High Football Coach

November 27, 2024 Graham Cullen

With his team set to play in a Class 2A-1A state semifinal, Middletown High Football coach Collin Delauter is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Delauter chats with host Greg Swatek about the Knights season so far and the formidable challenge that lies ahead. They are 10-2 and will travel to southern Maryland to unbeaten Patuxent (12-0), which knocked them out in the state quarterfinal round last season, 42-7. How is Middletown approaching this year's game, and what will it need to do to win and advance to its first state final since its 2A championship season in 2019?

This is Delauter's eighth season on the job. He previously played for and won a state title at Middletown. How has he grown both as a coach and as a person over that time period? What has he learned? And how much fun is it to still be practicing football on Thanksgiving?

Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Thanksgiving traditions, favorite foods and, yes, the state football semifinals featuring Linganore and Middletown this week.

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Rick Conner, Linganore High Football Coach

November 22, 2024 Graham Cullen

As his team prepares to host Bel Air in a Class 3A state quarterfinal, longtime Linganore High football coach is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.

Conner chats with host Greg Swatek about a season that has exceeded just about everyone's expectations around the program. The Lancers graduated more than 30 seniors from last year's team that faced Oakdale for the Class 3A state championship. The group includes Frederick County's all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns, Ethan Arneson, and a Division I college quarterback, Christian Petruzzello (Bucknell). Only six starters returned out of 22 on both sides of the ball.

How have the Lancers maintained such a high level with so many new players in key positions? Who or what has been the biggest surprise? What is the team's outlook heading into Friday's state quarterfinal against Bel Air? Conner answers all of those questions and more.

Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Brunswick's state final in boys soccer last Saturday and to preview the Frederick County state quarterfinal football matchups, which also involve Frederick High, Middletown and Walkersville.

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