Frederick's wait ends with MPSSAA 4A boys basketball state title

Cadets down Walt Whitman for their state championship victory since 1982

Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. E.T. the Extraterrestrial and Raiders of the Lost Ark were the two highest grossing movies. The iconic album Thriller by Michael Jackson was released.

The year was 1982. Frederick High won the Maryland Class B boys basketball title with a 70-58 win over Milford Mill at Cole Field House.

Exactly 15,345 days later, Frederick is again a champion. The Cadets defeated Whitman, 74-49, in the Class 4A final.

Frederick's four-decade long championship drought ended Saturday. The Cadets defeated Whitman at the University of Maryland for the Class 4A state boys basketball title / Photo by Derek Toney

Frederick coach Emonte Hill, a former standout, understood the gravity as he hoisted the championship trophy Saturday evening on Gary Williams Court.

“I never got this experience, and I tell them all the time, I’m living my dream day by day through these young men,” said Hill, who returned to his alma-mater in 2019 after college coaching stint at Frederick Community College (head coach) and Hood College (assistant). “They got us here, and they pulled us through.”

Trailing early, Frederick (24-4) blitzed Whitman over the final 28 minutes. Elwyne Wordlaw scored 19 points and Ivan Quijada added 17 points and four steals.

The Cadets were poised to reach College Park last year, winning their first 26 matches. Frederick lost to Damascus in the Class 3A state semifinals.

With a veteran nucleus intact and a move to Class 4A, Hill upped the ante, scheduled-wise. The Cadets played St. John’s (D.C.) of the uber-competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, Virginia Class 4A state semifinalist Varina and West Virginia Class 4A semifinalist Jefferson during the regular season.

“It feels so good just knowing all the hard work we put in, all those hours, waking up at 5 a.m. to get to practice in the middle of the summer, everything just felt great,” Wordlaw said.

Gone in 65 seconds

Frederick’s road to history Saturday got off to a rocky start as Whitman (21-6) led 10-3 with 3:15 remaining in the opening quarter.

David Dorsey dropped a 3-pointer and followed with another trifecta after a Whitman air ball. Dorsey, who will play for Susquehanna University next season, blocked a shot, and Wordlaw converted a foul line jumper, giving Frederick a 11-10 advantage with 2:05 left in the quarter.

It was 32-14 after Wordlaw’s steal and uncontested layup. The Cadets led 37-19 at halftime after hitting four-of-six from 3-point range (9-of-15 overall) in the second quarter.

Frederick shot nearly 60-percent (28-of-48) with 12 3-pointers Saturday.

“We weren’t at our best the first two nights of the playoffs. We got a little bit better against Meade. We were almost there against Wise,” said Hill. “And tonight, you saw it at its best.”