<body><div>Montgomery County is home to 25 public high schools, each with its own athletic facilities and playing fields. While some schools have newer artificial turf fields, others continue to play on natural grass. After seeing and playing on fields throughout the county as a member of the varsity soccer team, I have ranked all 25, from worst to best.These rankings are based on the overall appearance, playing conditions, field quality and personal experiences at each school. While some fields stand out immediately as excellent, others have room for improvement.25. Rockville High School — GrassRockville comes in last on my list because no matter how deep into the season it is, the field is always choppy and full of bumps. When comparing it to other fields in the county, the grass is always dead, and the dirt is hard and unsmooth making the soccer ball bounce in wild ways, therefore making this the worst field of MCPS high schools.24. Damascus High School — GrassDamascus ranks near the bottom because, similarly to Rockville, the grass is dead and the field is full of bumps. One thing that stands out about the field is that Damascus is a football-dominated school so their field gets cut up and leaves soccer quite literally in the dust.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3F85Pq_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3F85Pq_1H6I5SzO00" width="1266" height="1188" ><figcaption>Covered in yellow, light green, brown and bumps is #24 Damascus’ field. The dead grass and misplaced dirt make playing here frustrating because of the bad bounces. Photo by Annalise Yi</figcaption></figure>23. Col. Zadok Magruder High School — GrassSimilar to the last two, Magruder ranks 23rd because of the bumps and dead grass, even if summer just ended. Compared to other fields, the grass has fewer bumps and the football and other fall sports don’t worsen the quality.22. Quince Orchard High School — GrassQuince Orchard comes in at 22 because of its heavy football team usage and large bumps and divots. Although the quality of the grass is not terrible and stays alive deep into the season, the field has terribly placed drains that are poorly covered and are large injury risks. “The drains are so dangerous, I was scared when we played there,” junior soccer player Matthew Caban said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2w0Ej1_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2w0Ej1_1H6I5SzO00" width="1250" height="828" ><figcaption>While most of #22 Quince Orchard’s field is a new green, the patches of light green and brown show the dead grass area, which keeps QO out of top 20. Photo by Jamyl Sarmiento</figcaption></figure>21. Watkins Mill High School — GrassWatkins Mill comes in at 21 because the grass is messed up but the worst part is the drainage system, which slants the field and makes the sidelines dangerously steep.20. Springbrook High School — GrassSpringbrook ranks 20th because the grass stays relatively smooth and, while it has the bumps, there are fewer and the field is better than the other grass fields. My experience playing games there has been fine, the field is OK but there are better.19. Wheaton High School — TurfDespite having turf, Wheaton ranks 19th because of the quality of that turf. When playing on the field, the studs of my cleats did not sink into the turf because of the lack of pellets. This made it very solid and hard to turn sharply without risking falling or even injury.18. Richard Montgomery High School — TurfRichard Montgomery ranks 18th because they also have terrible turf. While the field is wider than usual for soccer, giving the games more space, the surface is the same as Wheaton and is hard, slippery, and dangerous. “I don’t understand how having that bad of a field is still legal,” senior soccer player Haim Mikowski said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4cus8R_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4cus8R_1H6I5SzO00" width="1250" height="1178" ><figcaption>Looking directly at the turf at #18 Richard Montgomery’s field, there are no pellets to be found, making this surface visibly hard. This keeps RM at 18. Photo by Annalise Yi</figcaption></figure>17. Northwest High School — GrassNorthwest comes in at 17th because its grass field lacks the smoothness and consistency of some of the better natural surfaces in the county. The playing surface is not as even as it could be, making it harder for players to maintain control of the ball.16. Poolesville High School — GrassPoolesville ranks 16th because its field does not have much that separates it from the average grass facilities around Montgomery County. While it avoids some of the more noticeable problems found at the bottom of the rankings, the overall appearance and playing conditions are not enough to move it higher. The field does have a direct view of the Poolesville city water tower, which makes the experience more enjoyable with a cool sight.15. Clarksburg High School — GrassClarksburg takes 15th place because its field is relatively ordinary. One of the biggest factors separating the better fields from the rest is how consistently the surface holds up throughout a game. Clarksburg does not stand out in that category, but it remains ahead of other grass fields.14. James Hubert Blake High School — GrassBlake comes in at 14th because its field offers a decent playing surface but lacks some of the quality found at the higher-ranked schools. The overall condition is not particularly poor, although the field could benefit from improvements to its grass and maintenance. It is an average facility that does enough to stay out of the bottom 10.13. Walter Johnson High School — TurfWalter Johnson ranks 13th with an ACT Global synthetic surface installed in 2020, according to MCPS. Its BrockFILL infill also separates it from the more traditional crumb rubber fields around the county. While its artificial surface provides a more consistent playing area than grass fields, the field’s overall condition does not put it among the county’s best.12. Walt Whitman High School — TurfWhitman takes 12th place with an ACT Global field installed in 2018, according to MCPS. Its Zeofill infill gives it a different setup from the crumb rubber surfaces found at other schools. However, after years of use, the field is not as new as facilities like Wootton, Paint Branch and Gaithersburg. Its age and the little to no pellets make it similar to Richard Montgomery and Wheaton and keeps it outside the top 10.11. Sherwood High School — GrassSherwood finishes 11th and is one of the highest-ranked natural grass fields in the county. What separates it from some of the lower-ranked schools is its overall playing condition. Rather than dealing with the severe bumps and dead patches found at Rockville and Damascus, Sherwood offers a more manageable surface. The field is relatively smooth all around and keeps the rolls and bounces pure.10. Paint Branch High School — TurfPaint Branch enters the top 10 with a relatively new FieldTurf installation from 2024, according to MCPS. Its recent upgrade gives it an advantage over older artificial surfaces throughout the county. However, having newer turf does not automatically make it one of the best fields. The turf is a nice vibrant dark green and cleat studs sink right in, making this a comfortable field to play on.9. Albert Einstein High School — TurfEinstein earns ninth place with a Sprinturf installation from 2019, according to MCPS. Its Zeofill and sand infill combination is different from the crumb rubber setups found at other schools. While the field offers the advantages of an artificial surface, its age and sand coming off the ground and getting everywhere sand should not prevent it from competing with the county’s top facilities.8. John F. Kennedy High School — TurfKennedy comes in eighth with a synthetic turf field installed in 2023, according to MCPS. Although the manufacturer and infill materials are unconfirmed, its relatively recent installation is a major advantage. The field’s overall appearance and playing conditions make it a strong facility, and its newer surface helps it stand above older turf fields. This field is also used for high-level youth soccer leagues like MLS Next, so the field meets their standards and is a great field to play on.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1Nrrqj_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1Nrrqj_1H6I5SzO00" width="1270" height="917" ><figcaption>#8 Kennedy’s turf is a fresh and vibrant green that plays soft and smooth making it the right spot at eight. Photo by Anton Obolensky</figcaption></figure>7. Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School — TurfB-CC earns seventh place with an ACT Global field installed in 2019, according to MCPS. Its Zeofill and sand infill combination is also found at other schools, including Einstein and Richard Montgomery. However, the playing experience is not identical across those facilities. Mikowski compares Richard Montgomery’s to playing directly on concrete but still an easy play. Its overall quality earns it a spot near the top of the rankings.6. Thomas S. Wootton High School — TurfWootton narrowly misses the top five with its FieldTurf installation from 2024, according to MCPS. Its recent upgrade makes it one of the newer artificial surfaces in the county. As someone who has spent plenty of time around the field, I have seen both its strengths and weaknesses. Before the turf change, this field would have been top two; Since the change, the turf is rougher and less enjoyable to play on.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Xh4ol_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Xh4ol_1H6I5SzO00" width="1252" height="1174" ><figcaption>#6 Wootton’s field drops at six, because, despite being new, the turf is still hard, yet the field still plays cleanly.</figcaption></figure>5. Gaithersburg High School — TurfGaithersburg comes in fifth with a FieldTurf installation from 2024, according to MCPS. Its newer surface gives it an advantage over older facilities throughout the county. The field’s overall condition and relatively recent upgrade make it one of the stronger playing surfaces in Montgomery County. I have played here for years and the soft and absorbing turf and pellets make it smooth and easy to play on.4. Northwood High School — TurfNorthwood takes fourth place as one of the strongest artificial turf facilities in the county. The field is the youngest in the county and plays like it. The turf is soft but still sturdy to avoid injury and is a top tier playing experience. Although it does not have the same reputation or advantages as some of the top three, its overall playing conditions make it deserving of a spot near the top. Give it time, and this will be top two.3. Seneca Valley High School — TurfSeneca Valley earns third place because of its strong overall playing surface. The field offers a nice big, soft turf field that is pure to its rolls and bounces and allows for big games to be played such as the county championships, which makes it stand out from other facilities in the county. Its combination of appearance and playing quality puts it in the top three.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3j9kbT_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3j9kbT_1H6I5SzO00" width="1178" height="1258" ><figcaption>#3 Seneca Valley’s field is a crisp turf field that is high-end. The school hosted big games such as the boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer county championships due to the field. Photo by Gabby Becker</figcaption></figure>2. Winston Churchill High School — GrassChurchill comes in second, proving that a field does not need artificial turf to be one of the best in Montgomery County. Its natural grass surface stands out for being compared to golf course-level grass. Compared with other grass fields around the county, Churchill offers a much stronger playing experience. Its overall quality is impressive enough to rank ahead of nearly every turf facility.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4X0Xmg_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4X0Xmg_1H6I5SzO00" width="1256" height="1176" ><figcaption>#2 Churchill’s field has grass that stay a soft green color deep into the season. The grass is nice and fresh, putting it ahead of turf fields at number two. Photo by Annalise Yi</figcaption></figure>1. Montgomery Blair High School — TurfTaking the top spot is Montgomery Blair, which earns first place because it offers the best overall playing experience of any high school field in the county. Its turf surface provides a safer environment because, according to https://silverchips.mbhs.edu/content/blairs-turf-field-makeover-30883/, a shock-absorption pad is installed under the carpet to minimize player injury and adheres to shock absorbency standards.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=45YFfC_1H6I5SzO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=45YFfC_1H6I5SzO00" width="1258" height="842" ><figcaption>#1 Montgomery Blair has a crisp turf field with nice pellets. Playing there gives the truest a game could play. Montgomery Blair High School Commencement” by MDGovpics is licensed under CC BY 2.0.</figcaption></figure>At the end of the day, these rankings are based on my personal experiences and opinions as a soccer player; other students may have completely different lists. Every school has something different to offer, but some fields stand out more than others. Whether it is the playing surface, overall appearance or atmosphere on game day, each field brings something unique to Montgomery County athletics.</div></body>

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Montgomery County is home to 25 public high schools, each with its own athletic facilities and playing fields. While some schools have newer artificial turf fields, others continue to play on natural grass. After seeing and playing on fields throughout the county as a member of the varsity soccer team, I have ranked all 25, from worst to best.

Ranking MoCo high school fields

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Montgomery County is home to 25 public high schools, each with its own athletic facilities and playing fields. While some schools have newer artificial tur

Ranking MoCo high school fields

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