While Dunbar and Mervo brought home state titles to Baltimore City, Baltimore County’s Dundalk and Milford Mill both fell just short in their respective titles games.
Dundalk, like a handful of other teams in the MPSSAA last season, registered the best season in their program’s history since the state association began in 1974. The Owls went 12-0, before losing to Mervo in the 4/3A state title game, 22-13. The Owls finished with an undefeated regular season in the MPSSAA for the first time, highlighted by a 27-13 win over Franklin. Matt Banta stepped down after four full seasons and a four game spring season in 2021, going 37-13 with the Owls during his tenure. Tom Abel, Banta’s Defensive Coordinator, takes the helm, in his first season as a head coach.
Jordan Fiorenza returns at running back for the Owls after earning All-State honorable mention honors last season. Fiorenza (5’10 200) rushed for 1,494 yards and 18 touchdowns on 177 carries, averaging 8.4 yards per carry. In front of him will be 6’6 260 Chimdy Owoh, a rising prospect at tackle, who holds a handful of offers. Senior transfer Ja Bonner (6’3 202), who transferred in from Wilde Lake, takes over at quarterback. Senior Kamari Brathwaite (6’1 160) will be Bonner’s top aerial weapon, but the senior will be as much a weapon, if not more, in the defensive backfield, after making 22 tackles and grabbing two interceptions last season, including one in the Owls 20-15 win over Urbana in a 4/3A state quarterfinal.
While the Owls top five defense suffered a number of losses to graduation, they do return several key pieces from a unit that allowed just 6.8 points per game, tops in the MPSSAA last season. Senior inside linebacker Kevaun Briscoe (5’10 215) registered 78 tackles last season – third on the team, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. Senior outside linebacker Dale Martin (6’0 220) recorded 70 tackles – fourth on the team, including ten tackles for loss, and adding seven receptions and two touchdowns at tight end. A pair of transfers will bolster the defensive unit, with senior defensive lineman DeJuan Jones (6’1 260) coming in from Landsdowne, and linebacker Dawson Ethington (5’10 205) from Perry Hall.
Milford Mill (12-2) advanced to the 2A state championship game, before getting turned back by Douglass in the title game, 29-14. Nonetheless, it was another successful year for longtime coach Reggie White and his Millers. After suffering a tough 19-14 defeat to league rival Franklin in the opener, the Millers reeled off 12 straight wins leading to the state championship game, including a dominating 35-3 win over Glenelg in a 2A state quarterfinal, and a gritty 14-7 affair over Huntingtown in the state semifinal. The Millers lost the ‘all-everything’ Tahseen Howard, who accounted for 39 touchdowns last season – throwing for 18, running for 15, returning five punts for scores, and a fumble, too. The Millers also lost their other 1,000 yard rusher, Chris Butler, and his 18 touchdowns to graduation.
Coach White has some reinforcements coming in at quarterback and running back, with 6’4 205 DeShawn Purdie taking over at quarterback, and Sean ‘Pup’ Williams (5’10 190) at running back. Both transferred in from Mt St Joe. Purdie garnered an offer from Maryland in July, and Williams has two years of varsity experience, one with Poly in 2019, and last season with the Gaels. The Millers playmaker Daysen Shell (6’0 154) returns for his senior season, after taking in 36 receptions for 720 yards (20.0 ypr) and six touchdowns. Shell added 69 yards on seven carries, totaled 202 return yards, and returned both a punt and a fumble for touchdowns. Montae Royster (5’8 N/A) rushed for 415 yards and five touchdowns on 90 carries as a freshman last season, finishing third on the Millers in rushing, behind Howard and Butler. The Millers picked up two senior transfers at receiver, with Corey Jones (5’11 170) coming over from Perry Hall, and Marquis Edmond II coming from Concordia Prep. Rising junior Damien Cameron (6’1 251) transfers over from Perry Hall, after starting at right tackle for the Gators as a sophomore.
Senior lineman Rashard Herring (6’1 260), who earned All-State second team honors last season as an offensive lineman, tallied 19 tackles for loss and eight sacks on the defensive line. Joining Herring on both sides of the line is 6’3 280 Emmanuel Gee, who added 17 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles at defensive tackle. Junior strong safety Cameron Jefferson (6’0 170) put up nice numbers as a sophomore, with 41 tackles, six for loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. Coach White is entering his 22nd season as head coach at his alma mater, amassing a 155-74 record, and has led the Millers to a state championship game in two of the last four post-seasons. Of the Millers 23 post-season victories, White has been a part of 20 of them, as a player and coach
Though Franklin won the opener over their arch rival, the Millers, the Indians 9-3 season was below standard for Coach Anthony Burgos and the program he built into a three-time state championship program. Their 47-6 loss to St Frances could be expected, as the Panthers finished ranked #4 in the country. But, the 27-13 loss to Dundalk in the regular season, and the season-ending 49-38 shootout loss to Frederick in a 3A state quarterfinal, kept the juggernaut out of the state semifinals for a second post-season in a row, after advancing to the 3A ‘Final Four’ in four of the previous seasons. The Indians graduated their quarterback, Quentin Demery, who threw 28 touchdowns, their top running back, Rodney Nelson, who rushed for 1,178 yards and 14 touchdowns, and their top receiver, Gavin Nelson, who caught 44 passes for 953 yards and 11 touchdowns. In all, more than 80% of the Indians rushing yards matriculated, and 78% of their receding yardage in 2021 is no longer with them.
The Tribe also lost Mekhi Workman, who was the Indians top projected returning player in ‘22, after the rising senior transferred to St Frances. Workman caught 20 passes for 371 yards and six touchdowns last season, and took six carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Workman picked off a pass and recovered a fumble. Workman would have been the Indians best athlete and player. Workman scored the game-winning touchdown on a 59 yard reception in St Frances opener in Canton with 1:27 to play. The Indians strength will be with their two way tackles – 6’5 310 senior Bryce Ellison, and 6’2 287 senior Naji Gregg. Tyler Richardson (5’10 185) got a little time at quarterback last season as a freshman, and he showed flashes of his takents, completing five of seven passes for a score, rushing for 75 yards and three touchdowns, and returning a punt 52 yards for a score.
Without Workman, senior Justin Sellers (5’10 170) and junior Khalil Bilal (6’2 N/A) will be counted on to make plays even more than they were expected to. Sellers, who lined up at both running back and receiver, is a target that turns into a dangerous weapon in space. Bilal is a big target that will go over the top of the defense. The pair combined for 18 receptions and six touchdowns last year, while Sellers also rushed for 94 yards and a score on just four carries. The Indians will have strength in their defensive backfield in senior Jamari Lewis (6’1 170), senior Jayden McClung (6’0 170), and junior Kyran Harry (6’0 155). Lewis will arguably be the Indians best all-around player, and led the Tribe with four interceptions last season. Harry registered 35 solo tackles, two interceptions, and four pass break-ups. Senior linebacker Gary Sullivan (6’0 N/A) ranked second on the team in both tackles, with 66, and solo tackles, with 42. Senior linebacker Devin Rollins (6’0 190) recorded 14 tackles, and four tackles for loss in his junior campaign.
Coach Burgos is entering his twentieth season at Franklin, and holds an impressive 155-56 record, including a 27-11 post-season record. Burgos built a nondescript program into a three-time state champion. Franklin had won just one playoff game before Burgos arrived, and now have won 27 since, leading the Tribe to five state title games. Coach Burgos and Coach White enter the season tied for second all-time in Baltimore County public school history in coaching wins, with 155, trailing former Hereford coach Steve Turnbaugh’s mark of 187 by 32 games.
Owings Mills put together their best season in 30 years last season, going 10-2 and advancing to a 2A state quarterfinal, before falling to Oakland Mills, 22-14. Coach Travis Hall led the Eagles to a 3-0 record in the spring of 2021, and holds a 13-2 record heading into his third season. The Eagles beat three second tier county teams last fall, including Hereford 34-16, Kenwood 28-24, and New Town twice, including a 28-25 win in the ‘Round of 16’. The Eagles graduated their biggest force, 5’11 223 Wesley Beckett, quarterback Kamar Cosby, two-way player, Amari Nnamdi-Hale, and lineman Keon Massey, but do return senior Zaire Smith (5’9 195), who will play at running back and linebacker, junior running back D’vonte Simpson (5’9 170), as well as 6’4 350 left tackle Mikail Warren.
Parkville (6-5) and Coach Justin Payne look to bounce back from a 6-5 season, which followed an 11-1 season and a 4A state quarterfinal finish in 2019, but the Knights will do so dressing just 24 varsity players. Junior Rene Nieba (5’10 200) is a strong runner, who will also play linebacker. Senior Engeka Erondu (6’2 280) will headline both lines, at guard and defensive tackle. Coach Payne is entering his sixth season at Parkville, and holds a 33-18 record with the Knights.
Kenwood (7-5) won its first two playoff games in their program’s history last season, but graduated Troy Dukes, who rushed for 1,459 yards at 9.5 yards per carry last fall. The Bluebirds beat Hereford, 26-14, and lost to both Owings Mills and New Town by four points. The Jays do return quarterback Kyree Myles (5’9 150), who accounted for 684 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, as well as senior two-way star Quantez Day-Barnes (6’0 185) and junior receiver Tyler Green (5’8 145). Day-Barnes recorded 53 tackles – 32 solo, four sacks, five tackles for loss, and an interception at linebacker in ‘21. Clarence Swain begins his first season as head coach of the Blue Jays, replacing Derrick Krumholtz, who is now an assistant at Fallston.
Hereford (7-4) beat New Town, but lost to Owings Mills and Kenwood last season, before being eliminated by Milford Mill in the second round of the post-season in 2021. The Bulls haven’t reached the state semifinal round since making their 11th ‘Final Four’ appearance in 14 seasons in 2009. The Bulls played in five state title games during that run, winning three state championships. Bulls senior Ryder Walter (6’4 197), Coach John Walter’s son, will be one of the best tight ends in the area. Senior quarterback Grayson Ayres (6’5 180) returns at quarterback for the Bulls. Coach Walter is entering his third season as head coach at Hereford, where he served 16 years as an assistant under Baltimore County’s all-time winningest coach, Steve Turnbaugh. Turnbaugh, who won 187 games and three state titles at Hereford, was Walter’s coach at Towson in the late 80s when he played, as an assistant under Bob Davis.
Coach Mike Savage returns for his fifth season at New Town (7-4), holding a 28-11 record, including a 6-3 mark in the post-season. The Titans lost their their quarterback Jah’Kem Allen and his top target Akeem Wright, but return senior Jaden Gordon, a 6’0 170 athlete selected to the BTC Super 22 team, who is one of the best receivers and playmakers in the county, with top-notch speed. The Titans picked up junior transfer Thomas Green II from Woodlawn, a 6’2 250 two-way lineman. Gordon came from Woodlawn as a rising junior last year. The Titans lost two tight games with border rival Owings Mills last season, including a 28-24 defeat in the ‘Round of 16’.
Woodlawn (1-8) senior defensive lineman Oluwademilade Omopariola (6’4 245) will be a force on the defensive line for the Warriors. Overlea (4-6) offers up a pair of talented senior defensive ends in Kasim Washington (6’3 220) and 6’3 275 Luis Hernandez. Catonsville (5-5) features senior inside linebacker Karon Pearson (5’11 190), who will also serve as running back.
Aside from Franklin’s three titles, Eastern Tech is the only other Baltimore County school to win a state championship since Hereford won their third in six seasons in 2002. Overall, Baltimore County schools have won a total of ten state championships on the gridiron, with Franklin winning three over the last decade, Hereford winning three from ‘97 through ‘02, Randallstown winning 4A state titles in ‘84 and ‘90, Milford Mill, with White, winning a 1A crown in ‘87, and Eastern Tech winning the 2A state championship in ‘09.
HS Sports Analyst
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.