SPORTS TALK
With Michael Betteridge
2024-2025 Season Highlights
This is the time of year when things slow down a bit. Typically, every July, we take a quick look back at the season highlights from September to June.
Next month, we’ll begin the exciting journey in this column into the new high school sports 2025-26 season.
2024-25 Season Highlights
Football
The best Cougars football game of the year.
Friday, September 27 2024: Catoctin 20 vs Tuscarora 17. Linebacker Ashton Merritt buries the Tuscarora quarterback to thwart a last ditch comeback and preserve the win for the Cougars. Brady Koenig had three touchdowns. Shaymus Stull was 6 of 13, passing for 139 yards. Jake Bell carried the load 14 times for 85 yards.
Boys Basketball
Tuesday, February 4, 2025: First year Coach Mike Wagner gets his first win of the season against Clear Spring with a hard fought three-point win, 72-69. Logan Williams sank 28 points and Cooper Wiles had 22.
Girls Basketball
Monday, March 3, 2025: Catoctin 41, South Carroll 40. Brooke Williams drains the only trey of the night with a last second three-pointer to move Catoctin on to the next round in the playoffs, earning Brooke a new nickname, “ICE.” Kelsey Troxell had 22 points and 17 rebounds.
Baseball
Thursday, May 8, 2025: New Coach Ken MacIvor and his boys get a huge win in extra innings in the opening round of the playoffs against a Boonsboro team that beat them a couple of weeks prior to this game.
Softball
Tuesday, May 20, 2025: Taylor Smith pitches a 17 strikeout two hit shutout to beat rival Boonsboro. Braelyn West homers to drive in two of the three winning runs in the game and moves Catoctin back to a 1A Maryland State final for the second time in three years.
And, finally, some thoughts about big changes that occurred this year. New Athletic Director Brett Campbell has made a big difference in Catoctin sports. His energy, family vibe, and willingness to help are undeniable. His daughter wrote our broadcast team a thank you note for covering the Cougars this season. After 17 years of broadcasting Catoctin sports, that was truly a “you’re welcome” moment. Brett Campbell is a class act!
Catoctin sports continues to make big news with Taylor Smith being selected the Gatorade Maryland softball Player of the Year. Former Catoctin baseball player Peyton Castellow being selected to the NJUA All Star team, and pitcher Joey McMannis leaving the University of Maryland to play baseball for the Oklahoma Sooners. Catoctin football has a new coach, former alum Brady Ridenour. We’ll hear more from Brady in August.
Meanwhile, enjoy the summer. Get out and have fun. We’ll see you at the beach!
