Yaw Aidoo, Northwest’s interim football coach, looked up at the clock as it hit zero on a 47-6 win Friday over Whitman and then headed to midfield with his hands in his pockets. Behind him, dozens on black-clad Jaguars formed a line.
But the win did mark the end of a tumultuous regular season for the Jaguars, and that alone was something to celebrate.
By all measures, this has not been a normal season for the Jaguars. A much-publicized brawl with Gaithersburg in September knocked the program into a state of frenzied change: Coach Travis Hawkins was fired, the team was forced to forfeit two games, and the players have been asked to play amid a swirl of debate about topics tangential to football.
“There’s been so many things going on this season,” sophomore wide receiver Anthony Gengarella said. “Even still, we have to keep our eyes on the prize, and that’s a state championship.”
At 4-5, this is Northwest’s worst regular season since 2010. In the future that record will stand as a reminder of the drama that came to define this fall. Even after Hawkins, in his second year leading the program, saw his weeks-long suspension elevated to a termination, the emotion surrounding the incident with Gaithersburg and its handling did not dissipate.
An online petition calling for Hawkins, 31, to be reinstated has garnered nearly 5,000 signatures. On social media, Hawkins received support from a range of football voices, including former NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith and former Northwest coach Mike Neubeiser. A video of Northwest players speaking about Hawkins’ impact has racked up thousands of views.
Former Gaithersburg athletic director William Gant, who was also involved in the fight, had brought an assault charge against Hawkins, but that was dropped this week.
All the while, Aidoo and the remaining Jaguars staff have worked to keep the team afloat. Instead of asking players to drown out the noise, Aidoo tried to give them an outlet for whatever they feel.
“As young men, they’re told to put their emotions in their back pocket,” said Aidoo, formerly the defensive coordinator. “We told them to let it out. … We wanted them to be able to express their emotions and deal with any grief instead of trying to push it away to play.”
On Friday night, the Jaguars looked every bit like a powerhouse as they handled business against the Vikings. Sophomore quarterback Nicky Holloway put Northwest up by seven with a short run a minute into the game, and the score kept spouting from there. By halftime, Northwest led 47-0.
After the game, Aidoo ended his postgame address by stating the team’s postseason goal.
“What did we say we want to do by the end of the season, remember?” Aidoo asked. “We want to get that championship trophy and drop it off on Coach [Hawkins’s] front porch.”
With enthusiasm, his team agreed to the plan.
