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Nearly 3,500 fans packed the Sherwood stadium stands Saturday night for the game of the year, featuring two unbeaten teams among the very best in the state. Quince Orchard fans in red, Warrior backers in white and blue, preparing for battle.

There was something so American about it, like Civil War-era American. Except instead of North versus South, it was east (Sherwood) versus west (Quince Orchard) for Montgomery 4A supremacy.

Maybe it was more like the Cold War.

Whatever it was like, the Warriors (7-0 overall, 4-0 4A East) shocked the world — or at least the unbeaten 2007 state champions — by scoring two touchdowns in the game's first six minutes, then holding on for a 14-6 victory.

"About two weeks ago, I went to church," said Sherwood coach Al Thomas, "and they told a story of David and Goliath. And I didn't believe it. But now I do."

Thomas' Goliath was Quince Orchard (6-1, 3-0 4A West), which came in riding a 20-game winning streak prior to Saturday's matchup. He was referring to the several Division I college recruits the Cougars feature on their roster, including Stanford (Calif.) University commit Terrence Stephens, Delaware-bound Cody Magill, and Jason Ankrah (scholarship offers from Penn State, Tennessee, Illinois and Michigan, amongst others).

He was also referring to the one player who might have been just as big a story as his team's upset win. Cougars senior Travis Hawkins, who is listed as one of the top-200 recruits in the nation by rivals.com, laid shaking on the ground for over a half-hour after being tackled on the goal line on the second play of the fourth quarter.

He was filling at quarterback for senior Kevin Adams, who broke his collarbone on Quince Orchard's last offensive play of the first half. Quince Orchard coach Mencarini said Monday that Adams was out for an estimated six weeks.

Hawkins then had his left leg rolled up on while plunging into the end zone on a sneak. The bad news was twofold for the red and black; the touchdown was disallowed because of a false start, and Hawkins had to be carted off on a stretcher.

Hawkins had an MRI Monday, and the results were not available at press time. Mencarini said the ankle was not broken, as initially feared, but that Hawkins "will miss the rest of the regular season at least."

After Hawkins left pumping his fist to his school's contingent, the Cougars inserted emergency quarterback Cody Schecter into the game for the fourth-and-goal play at the Sherwood 5-yard line. The Warriors defense forced him into a hurried incompletion.

It was the third time in the game Quince Orchard was stopped inside the red zone. Halfback Dawuan Genies (24 carries, 133 yards) rushed for a 6-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 55 seconds to play, but Sherwood's Steven Gamble fell on the ensuing onside kick to ice the game.

"It's not the end of the world," said Mencarini. "I just told them, ‘It's not your final game, you don't hand your stuff in tomorrow.' You know, it happens. In hindsight, maybe this will be a good thing."

It was simply the Warriors' night, right from the game's opening play, when defensive tackle Nick Roeder sacked Adams for a 7-yard loss. Sherwood got all the points it needed on its first possession; on a third-and-14 play from the Cougars 37, quarterback Zack Splain scooped up a bad snap and improvised, rolling right and firing a pass toward wide receiver Ralph George.

The pass sailed past his intended target, but Gamble was Johnny-on-the-spot, crossing into the path of the pass at the 25 and running down the right sidelines for the score. Andy Estrain's extra point provided the seventh point at the 7:12 mark of the quarter.

Sherwood's second touchdown came just 48 seconds later, when senior Sosthene Kapepula recovered a Genies fumble and scampered 45 yards to pay dirt.

While the victory gave the Warriors temporary bragging rights and their most important win of the season, players were already thinking about a possible, even probable, rematch in the 4A playoffs.

"I think the biggest thing is this: if we win out the rest of the way, we get home-field advantage when we play again," said Gamble. "Last year, they had home-field advantage both games and they won both. I think home-field advantage has a big thing in this kind of game."