Last year, when the Clarksburg girls basketball team walked into North Point for a state semifinal game, the players weren’t mentally ready for the scene that awaited them in the packed gym, their coach said.

“I’m like, OK, we could be in trouble here,” Clarksburg coach Sissy Natoli said.

The Coyotes were the 4A Division county and regional champions. But North Point outmatched them, winning that semifinal game by 17 points before capturing the state championship.

“I’m so proud of the kids to get as far as they did last year,” Natoli said.

But that experience, they think, will only help them as they head into the new season, which begins Friday for Montgomery County Public Schools teams. Clarksburg will travel to Sherwood at 7:15 p.m for its first game.

Clarksburg returns three starters — junior captains Destiny Turner, Rianna Prather and Aysia Jones-Robinson. It is adding a trio of freshmen to the mix — Ava Ojo and twins Jhovi and Jhena Palmer.

“When you have freshmen on varsity, everything is new to them,” Natoli said. “So learning plays, learning fresh breaks, learning presses. Their heads have been swimming a little bit, but it’ll challenge them and we’ll see how they adjust. They’ve got veteran players that have already shown leadership guiding them, which is nice.”

To be the best in the county again, Natoli expects they’ll have to run through Churchill, Whitman, Walter Johnson, Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Richard Montgomery.

On the boys side, Whitman (4A) and Sherwood (3A) enter the season as state runners-up in their classes. Whitman will open the season at Blair, which includes University of Maryland recruit Baba Oladotun, while Sherwood will travel to Clarksburg. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. Richard Montgomery and Kennedy are also expected to have strong seasons.

High school football: State championship

Quince Orchard faces Wise in the 4A state championship at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. If the Cougars win, it’ll be their second straight title.

The Cougars (13-0) advanced to the final after beating Broadneck 35-0 in the semifinals.

College basketball: Conference play begins

The Big Ten schedule begins this week for the Maryland men’s and women’s basketball teams. The men’s team (6-3) starts its conference slate Saturday at Iowa at 4 p.m. The game will be on FS1.

The women’s team (10-0) travels to Minnesota at 4 p.m. Sunday. It’ll be shown on the Big Ten Network.

NCAA soccer: College Cup national semifinal

Nyanya Touray, a freshman from Silver Spring, and Florida State’s women’s soccer team will take on TCU in the NCAA College Cup national semifinal at 6 p.m. Friday. Touray has two goals and two assists this season, including an assist in the Seminoles’ quarterfinal win.

Touray also played on the United States U17 national team.

Swimming: Toyota U.S. Open Championship

Erin Gemmel and Phoebe Bacon, Stone Ridge alums and members of the 2024 U.S. Olympic team, will compete at the Toyota U.S. Open Championship in Austin, Texas, this weekend. Gemmel is scheduled for four events — the 50-, 100-, 200- and 400-meter freestyle. Bacon is slated for six — the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley.

The meet is the final major event of 2025. It will be streamed on Peacock and the USA Swimming Network at 7 p.m. Friday. CNBC will air a delayed broadcast at noon Sunday.