With record-breaking seasons for the past three years, the St. Mary’s Ryken football team is poised for its first season in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
After playing independently for several years, SMR officially became a full-fledged member of the WCAC, considered one of the most competitive in the country, in mid-January. There are now eight teams in the conference, and SMR will pick up an additional three non-conference games to round out the 2015 season.
“This is a great advancement for St. Mary’s Ryken athletics,” said Director of Athletics Joe Wysokinski. “We look forward to competing against the WCAC-affiliated schools across all sports. This conference shares the same direction of athletics and academic excellence. We have an athletics program at St. Mary’s Ryken that continues to be focused on our student-athletes providing them with a high-quality experience academically and athletically.”
In three seasons under Head Coach Jerry Franks, SMR has won 22 of 29 games. Franks came on board with the program for the 2012 season and was named the All-County football coach of the year by “The Enterprise” for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
“We are very excited to become a member of the WCAC in football,” said Coach Franks. “This is the strongest conference from top to bottom in the region and will provide great exposure for our school and our players. The opportunity to gain recognition will help attract colleges and universities to our campus in their search of good students and players.”
The Knights finished 7-2 overall in the 2014 season with wins against WCAC members Archbishop Carroll and Bishop McNamara and with a narrow loss to then-defending conference champion DeMatha Catholic. Six players on the 2014 squad were selected to the all-state team: offensive lineman Barnabas Baning and all-purpose selection Kyle Goddard to the second team; with honorable mentions going to defensive lineman Casey Bernard, kicker Gene Blair, offensive lineman Matthew Hunt, and running back Devin Montgomery,
In addition to the all-state accolades, Kyle Goddard has been selected by the Big 33 committee to play in the June 2015 Big 33 All Star game held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Kyle and his teammate Casey Bernard earned scholarships for and will play football at the Division I level next year at Old Dominion University.
Franks’ first season saw the first winning one in the program’s history (7-3 overall) and the obliteration of several school records: most games won (7); longest winning streak (6); most wins at home in a single season (5); and most shutout victories in a single season (4). In 2013, the team set a school record for wins in a single season with eight.
The WCAC football league is comprised of the following teams: Archbishop Carroll; Bishop McNamara; Bishop O’Connell; DeMatha Catholic; Good Counsel; Gonzaga; St. John’s; and St. Mary’s Ryken.