by Willie Sean Coughlan | Sep 19, 2022 | High School
The St Frances Panthers won their third straight game versus one of the nation’s top sixty ranked teams with a 34-17 win over Venice in Florida’s panhandle on Thursday night. The Panthers ESPN 2 televised win was riddled with penalties, but also spans of dominance, as the East Baltimore program produced more than 500 yards of offense, while limiting the three-time defending state champion Indians to only 189.
The Indians drove down the field on their first possession and took a 3-0 lead on a field goal, in what would be the only score in the first stanza. Early in the second quarter, Boston College commit Durrell Robinson broke through the gates and put the Panthers ahead 7-3. On the Panthers following possession, junior quarterback Michael Van Buren found tight end Chase Wilkens across the middle for a score to put the Panthers up, 14-3, where it would stay until intermission.
Junior Dejuan Williams broke off an 80 yard run for a score to begin the second half, and the Panthers never looked back. On the ensuing possession, Panthers linemen Sam Greene and Isaiah Neal produced two tackles behind the line of scrimmage on back-to-back plays, and had the hosts looking at 3rd and 18. After failing on third down and punting, Panthers sophomore Blake Woodby took a jet sweep 63 yards to ‘the house’ and the outcome was all but academic.
Robinson and Williams both produced 100 yard games for the second consecutive game, with the future BC Eagle rushing for 123 yards on 17 carries, and the junior gaining 154 yards on the ground on 14 attempts. In all, the Panthers rushed for 423 yards, yet also netted 13 penalties, taking an ‘ugly dub’ from the ‘Sunshine State’ to move to 3-0. At halftime, Greene committed to USC.
This week, the Panthers head to Dutch Fork, South Carolina, to take on the six-time state champion Silver Foxes, who come into the showdown having won 66 of their last 67 games. That loss came in the South Carolina AAAAA title game last season, with the Silver Foxes falling short of 18-time state champion Gaffney, 22-19. The Silver Foxes hope to have their star running back Jarvis Green, a James Madison commit, back from a hamstring injury, after the top prospect sat out the last two games. The senior averaged 183 rushing yards in the Silver Foxes first three games, before tweaking a hamstring. Maurice McGuire stepped into Green’s role last week in the Foxes 49-7 victory over North Augusta, and responded by rushing for 191 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries.
For the third week in a row, Spalding produced an impressive victory, and for the third week in a row, sophomore quarterback Malik Washington and senior receiver Max Moss played the two starring roles in the Cavaliers victory. The Cavaliers followed a 48-28 opening week loss to Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey, with a 38-3 win over Broadneck, where Washington connected on 18 of 28 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns, while Moss caught six of those passes for 159 yards and both scores. Ten days ago, tied late in the fourth quarter with the #2 ranked team in Pennsylvania, Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia, Washington hooked up with Moss for an 83 yard game-winning touchdown with just more than a minute remaining in regulation time to top the Panthers.
Friday night at Gonzaga, in Sirsum Corda, the dynamic pair hooked up for four touchdowns in the Cavaliers very impressive 41-21 win over the Eagles. Washington and Moss connected twice for scores on the Cavaliers first two possessions, one to the corner, the other on an 11 yard touchdown pass. Spalding coach Kyle Schmitt says flatly, “Malik and Max are special right now.” The two would connect again for a touchdown midway through the second quarter to give the Cavaliers a 21-0 lead in which they’d carry into halftime. The Cavaliers held a 35-7 lead after three quarters, before coasting for the win. The Cavaliers topped the Eagles in overtime in Severn last season.
Washington completed 20 of 28 attempts for 314 yards and five touchdowns, against one interception, and added 33 yards on the ground, including gaining a first down on a 4th and 13 in the second quarter. Moss caught eight passes for 196 yards and four touchdowns. Hakim Simms rushed for 132 yards on 24 carries. Washington leads the state of Maryland in passing yards, with 972, and passing yards per game, at 244 per contest, and is second in touchdown passes, with ten. Moss, for his part, leads the state in receiving yards, totaling 627 through four games, and receiving yards per game, at 156.8, and is tied for first in touchdown receptions, with eight. The Cavaliers head to Calvert Hall on Friday.
The lines between the MIAA A division and the MIAA B division have been blurry quite a few times over the last two seasons, with Concordia Prep knocking off Gilman last season, the then ‘B’ Loyola Dons knocking off the newly minted MIAA A champion Calvert Hall Cardinals in last year’s ‘Turkey Bowl’, and Concordia’s 26-7 win over McDonogh in week two of this season. Saturday, St Mary’s shocked the now ‘A’ Dons, 36-30, in overtime, handing the hosts their second defeat in extra sessions in as many weeks. This one, however, wasn’t your ordinary overtime thriller, it had more high drama than your run-of-the-mill walk-off classic.
The Saints would close out the second, third, and fourth quarters with scores, then hold the Dons scoreless in overtime, before scoring on the second play of their extra possession to take a 36-30 win. The Dons led 16-7 late in the first half, when the Saints quarterback Carson Petibon ran it in from 29 yards on a 4th and 9 with :16 remaining in the first half to cut their deficit to two, 16-14, as they went into intermission. After the Dons added a touchdown to their lead, Shane Toal returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to cut the Dons lead to 23-20 on the last play of the third quarter. After the Saints gained their first lead of the game, the Dons countered with a touchdown with 1:19 remaining in the game to take a 30-27 lead.
After starting on their own 41 yard line and moving to midfield, the Saints’ Petibon connected with Wyatt Cotton for a 35 yard reception to put the ball at the Dons 15 yard line. With five seconds remaining, Petibon lost the ball after a pump-fake, picked it up and appeared to throw the game-winning touchdown in regulation as time expired, but Petibon was ruled to be in the throwing motion, and the play was ruled an incomplete pass. Two seconds were put back on the clock, and the Saints Andrew Marshall nailed a 32 yard field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime. After stopping the Dons on four downs, Cotton took the Saints first down for a five yard carry, before Petibon took in the game-winner on the following play, to give the Saints the victory over their MIAA A foe. Petibon rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. Petibon also threw for 110 yards and a score.
Calvert Hall pushed to 2-2 with a 21-6 win over Mt Zion, while Mt St Joe fell to 2-2 with a 52-13 loss to Good Counsel. The Cards host Spalding this week, while the Gaels head to Loyola as league play begins. Gilman picked up another victory over a MIAA B foe, pulling out a 20-10 win over Boys Latin, three weeks after edging Concordia Prep, 27-21, and two weeks after a 21-3 win over Curley. The Hounds trailed the Lakers, 10-0, before scoring twenty unanswered points. The Hounds open league play with Pallotti, who is coming off a 10-7 loss to Clarkson of Arkansas. Concordia Prep, the top ranked team in the MIAA B division, posted a 43-18 win over St Paul’s, and hosts Mt Zion this week.
While Westminster garnered the early season headlines with the Owls 33-0 opening week win over South River, followed by a 16 point win over Linganore, South Carroll, the defending 2A state finalists, had mixed reviews in their 2-0 start. While they too pitched an opening week shutout, a 35-0 win over Brunswick, the Cavaliers came out with a 15-9 win over Northeast, who certainly haven’t been on par with the likes of a Linganore, or a South River, for that matter.
Week three and a meeting with a top league rival seemed to motivate the defending county champions, as the Cavaliers went to Westminster’s Ruby Field and came away with a 24-21 victory, highlighted by a game-winning drive in the final minutes. AJ Rodrigues put the Cavaliers on the board in the opening moments, as he took the first play from scrimmage 63 yards for a touchdown. On their next possession, Carter Mazalewski found Drake Hebron for a 41 yard touchdown to put the Cavs up 14-0, early. The Owls evened things, before the Cavaliers Jackson Strzelczyk banged through a 29 yard field goal with 3.2 seconds left in the first half to give the visitors a 17-14 lead.
Late in the third quarter, the Owls quarterback Kyrece Walker, who accounted for six touchdowns in the win over Linganore, found Mason Fisher down the middle and the All-County receiver produced a 63 yard touchdown that gave the Owls a 21-17 lead with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter. Midway through the fourth, on a fourth and nine, Mazalewski took the ball 40 yards down the sideline to the Owls two yard line, before punching the eventual game-winner two plays later.
Liberty moved to 2-1 with a 42-14 win over Manchester Valley, propelled by a 29-7 margin after intermission. Jack Pellicciotti threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding two rushing touchdowns in the Lions win. Through three games, Pellicciotti has thrown for five touchdowns, and rushed for five touchdowns. Winters Mill, who had won just two of their last 19 games coming into last weekend, recorded their first shutout win in 11 years in their 20-0 victory over Francis Scott Key.
Arundel and Old Mill met in the top Anne Arundel County clash last Friday, pitting two of the best three teams in the county, along with Broadneck. This was a one-way affair for Arundel, as the Wildcats handed the Patriots their second largest home loss in ten years, 32-6. The Cats led 6-0 at halftime, before pulling away in the second half with four touchdowns after intermission. Gavin Kamachi completed 13 of 18 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns for the Wildcats, while Ahmad Taylor rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Miles Gilmore nabbed six receptions for 107 yards and a score, while Chris Downs caught five passes for 66 yards and three touchdowns. The Wildcats defense held the Pats scoreless for three quarters, and limited the hosts to 74 rushing yards on 30 carries.
The last opponent to win in Millersville by a margin of more than 26 points was Broadneck in 2017, when the Bruins put away the Pats, 55-28. Before that was 2012, when the Wildcats ran away in a shootout, 66-34, in Millersville. The Wildcats lost to the Patriots at home in ‘21, 48-3.
Broadneck won its second in a row, throttling Bullis, 44-7, as Camrin Catterton threw for four scores for the Bruins. Catterton completed 19 of 30 passes for 280 yards. Eli Harris returned after missing last week with an injury, and checked in with ten receptions for 108 yards and a score, while Machi Evans caught four passes, and matched Harris in receiving yards, with 108, two going for scores. Broadneck hosts Meade on Friday. Crofton moved to 3-0 with a 40-0 shutout win at Annapolis, as Brayden Shaw returned both an interception and a blocked punt for touchdowns. Abraham Sani rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns on ten carries for the Cardinals. The Cards are the only undefeated team remaining in Anne Arundel County.
Chesapeake fell to 2-1 after a 30-16 loss to DCIAA defending champion Theodore Roosevelt, 30-16. The Cougars look to bounce back from the loss to the Roughriders when they travel to Severna Park on Friday night. The Falcons were 31-24 winners over North County on Friday. Meade pushed to 2-1 with a 20-8 victory over Century, a year after a winless season. South River, who suffered shutout losses in each of their first two games versus Westminster and Broadneck, handed Glen Burnie their first loss, 20-14, to get in the win column. Friday, the Mustangs head to Broadneck.
Dunbar and Mervo are seemingly diverging on a path to a Week five showdown between a pair of undefeated defending state champions. Dunbar moved to 3-0 with a 54-6 rout of Lake Clifton, their third straight win to begin the season scoring eight touchdowns or more. The Poets host a game Dunbar Crimson Tide of DC on Friday night, before their highly anticipated affair with the Mustangs. The Mustangs buried their teammate Jeremiah Brogden on Saturday, a day after shutting out Forest Park, 44-0. Brogden, who laid in his casket with his Mustangs #30 jersey on, holding a football, was gunned down just outside of Mervo just hours before kickoff of their opening game.
Poly moved to 3-0 with a 50-0 win over Edmondson, with Tavon McGee Jr rushing for 214 yards and three touchdowns on only seven carries. McGee, who rushed for 1,063 yards in ten games last season as a junior, has 415 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns through three games this season.
Milford Mill and Dundalk are both boasting 3-0 records, but the Baltimore County powers and defending state finalists don’t meet this year, therefore could conceivably head into the post-season unbeaten, as the Owls did a year ago. Milford Mill will be heavy favorites in each of their final six games, including Saturday at Owings Mills. Dundalk will be heavy favorites in four of their six remaining games, a favorite over Franklin, and a slight favorite when they head to Westminster on Friday. The Westminster Owls dropped their first game of the season last Friday, 24-21, to South Carroll, on the Owls Ruby Field.
Last Friday, Milford Mill trounced Overlea, 42-7, as the Millers offense passed for three touchdowns, and rushed for three touchdowns. Sean Williams rushed for 147 yards and three scores on 11 carries, and Deshawn Purdie completed 12 of 17 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Daysen Shell caught a touchdown reception, and produced 244 all-purpose yards. Dundalk turned it on in the second half at Perry Hall on Friday, scoring three second half touchdowns to extend a 7-6 halftime lead into a 27-6 win over the then 2-0 Gators. Jordan Fiorenza rushed for 144 yards and a score on 11 carries, and Joey Kasprzak rushed five times for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
Franklin found their first victory, after opening up with Milford Mill and Mt St Joe in weeks one and two. Friday night, the Indians scored four second quarter touchdowns to take a 28-7 halftime lead over Dulaney, leading to a 54-18 victory. The Indians head to Perry Hall on Friday night. Hereford pushed to 2-1 with a 21-0 shutout win over Owings Mills. The Bulls host Kenwood on Friday, following the Bluebirds 19-8 loss to New Town in week three. The Titans, now 2-1, host Walbrook on Saturday.
Atholton and River Hill were the only Howard County teams to reach 2-0 through the first two weeks of league play, and both the Raiders and Hawks put together convincing wins on Friday night to remain undefeated. The Raiders jumped out to a 28-0 first quarter lead over Centennial and came away with a 37-7 win. Raiders quarterback Miles Scott threw for two touchdowns and ran for two touchdowns, while the Raiders defense limited the Eagles to four first downs. River Hill routed Marriotts Ridge, 42-0, after the Mustangs suffered one score losses to Howard and Mt Hebron in weeks one and two. The Hawks go to Reservoir on Friday, while the Raiders host Oakland Mills.
Glenelg held off Wilde Lake, 28-21, after the Wildecats fumbled on a potential game-tying or winning drive in the final minute. Glenelg hosts Centennial on Friday. Shane King rushed for three touchdowns in Oakland Mills 43-6 win over Hammond. The Scorpions head to Atholton on Friday, a year after handing the Raiders their only league loss. Long Reach shut out Mt Hebron, 21-0, as Brice Koontz completed five passes of 35 yards or more. The Lightning host their arch rival, Howard, on Friday, in a meeting of a pair of 2-1 teams. Last Friday, the Lions scored late in what was a scoreless game with Reservoir and pulled out a 7-0 victory.
Five teams remain 3-0 in the two UCBAC divisions, with Bel Air, Fallston, Edgewood, Harford Tech, and Bohemia Manor, all unbeaten through the first three weeks of the season. Bel Air blanked North Harford, 42-0, Friday night, with Nate Furrow rushing for 150 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, and Jay Perez throwing for two scores. Edgewood registered a shutout too, as the Rams held C. Milton Wright scoreless in a 36-0 win. Junior quarterback Caesar Travers threw a pair of touchdown passes to Isaiah Migginson for the Rams. The Rams host Harford Tech, in a battle of UCBAC Chesapeake division unbeatens on Friday. The Cobras overcame three turnovers and just 24 rushing yards in their 14-8 victory over Green Street Academy last Friday. Junior Aderomilehin shined for the Cobras, with six receptions for 140 yards, scoring both of the Cobras touchdowns.
Fallston posted an impressive 41-11 win over then 2-0 Perryville, with Aiden Dixon throwing for two touchdowns and running for another, and Evan Bradley-Dozier rushing for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries for the Cougars. Bohemia Manor joins Fallston as the two 3-0 teams in the Susquehanna division, following the Eagles 28-0 win over Havre de Grace. The Cougars and Eagles meet in week eight in Chesapeake City. Joppatowne moved to 2-1 with their 46-21 win over North East. Mariners running back Steven Robinson rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries. Robinson leads the MPSSAA in rushing yards, with 625, and second in rushing yards per game, at 208.3 yards per game.
Willie, a native of Chicago, and now a resident of Columbia for 40 years, is an educator at Homewood Center in Howard County, after spending 12 years as a real estate agent, following 10 years of running a small men’s retail company. Willie has contributed to Max Preps, Digital Sports, and Varsity Sports Network. Willie has produced MPSSAA top 25 rankings for both football and basketball for 15 years, across various platforms. From a large ‘sports family’, Willie’s brother Mike led Reservoir High to the 3A basketball state title game in 2018, while his nephew Anthony serves as the Indianapolis Colts College Scouting Coordinator.
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