1 Flowers (12-0) v 5 Wise (11-1)

Coaches – Flowers Dameon Powell 14th season 120-37, 12-8 p/o; Wise DaLawn Parrish 18th season 171-51, 38-8

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Flowers 44.6 / 5.9 / +39.7; Wise 43.3 / 4.6 / +38.8

Playoff history – Flowers 16-13, 0-2 in SF round; Wise 38-8, 8-2

It’s here. The rematch. Flowers and Wise. The one local high school fans have been waiting for ever since the Jaguars snapped the Pumas 77 game win streak over Prince Georges County competition with a thrilling 16-13 overtime victory just over six weeks ago. The tale of the tape reveals two of the best three teams in the MPSSAA, joining 4A defending state champ Quince Orchard. 

The Jaguars average scoring 44.6 points per game, which ranks fourth among the 180+ teams in the MPSSAA. The Pumas average 43.3 points per game, ranking fifth in the MPSSAA. The Pumas allow a paltry 4.6 points per game, second best in the MPSSAA, while the Jags allow only 5.9 points per game, ninth best in the MPSSAA. The Jags have held 11 of their 12 opponents to 13 points or less, while the Pumas have limited 10 of their 12 opponents to eight points or less. 

The first matchup was a high intensity, penalty marred affair, played on a Saturday afternoon in early fall before a Homecoming-like, track filled crowd. Scoring was sparse, with four touchdowns scored over four quarters between the two ‘PG’ titans. Penalties and special teams proved to be the difference. After knotting the score at 13, the Pumas were assessed three 15 yard penalties on the potential go-ahead extra point attempt, rendering a kick attempt prohibitive. The two-point conversion from the Jags 48 yard line didn’t stand a chance. After stopping the Pumas on downs in the extra session, with help from additional yellow laundry, the Jags put themselves behind the chains on their possession, due to their self-afflicted penalty committed by their own ‘o-line’. Finally, looking at fourth down, Conscience Abba nailed a 39 yard game-winning field goal to give the Jags their first victory over the Pumas in 13 years. 

Both juggernauts are led by their swarming defensive units, each with athletes galore. Long sustained drives are just hopes. In the first meeting between the two, three of the four touchdowns came on big plays of 45 yards or more. The biggest score of all came from Abba and the special teams. Two of the last three meetings between the two Prince Georges powers have come down to the last play and next to last play of the games, when the Jags went for the game-winning two-point conversion with 11 seconds to play in the clash last October. Then, like this year, the two met seven weeks later in a 4A state semifinal game. The Pumas pulled out a 28-6 victory, after holding a vulnerable 7-0 lead after three quarters, and before the Pumas put three touchdowns on the scoreboard in the final stanza. 

While the Jaguars got over one hump, snapping the Pumas 77 game county win streak and topping their county foes for the first time since 2009, another two hurdles remain for this historic Jaguars team. Get past the Pumas in the post-season, and win a state championship. The five-time state champion Pumas have that championship pedigree, the Jags do not. Jaguars head coach Dameon Powell led his DuVal teams to post-season wins over the Pumas in ‘13 and ‘14, with the latter being the last time a county foe defeated the Pumas in the post-season. And while Powell’s teams have fared with a 4-9 overall record covering his eight seasons at DuVal, and his six seasons at Flowers, the former Sherwood star is the only coach to ever have beat the Pumas four times. 

Coach Powell has an overall record of 120-37 over fourteen seasons, including a 58-12 record at Flowers, which followed a 62-25 mark at DuVal. Powell’s .764 overall win percentage ranks 6th among active MPSSAA coaches that have coached at least 60 games, behind only a ‘who’s who’ list of leaders including Quince Orchard’s John Kelley, Dunbar’s Lawrence Smith, River Hill’s Brian Van Deusen, Parrish, and Linganore’s Rick Conner, who he can pass with a state crown this year. Powell has his name among elite company, but is the only one of the six seeking that very first state title. 

Parrish, for his part, is just one of two coaches in MPSSAA, along with Bob Milloy, to win five state titles in the 4A classification. In fact, Milloy and Parrish are the only coaches in MPSSAA history to win more than two state crowns in 4A. Eight have won two state titles in 4A, seven exclusively during tenures in Montgomery County – Fred Shepherd (Churchill), John Havrill (Gaithersburg), Terry Changuris (Seneca Valley), Dan ‘Moo’ Makosy (Damascus), Nick Lynch (Suitland), Al Thomas (SV, Sherwood), Mike Neubeiser (Northwest), and Kelley (Quince Orchard), who is vying for his third as the favorite. Parrish ranks second all-time in MPSSAA history in post-season wins, with 38, and his .826 post-season win percentage ranks fourth all-time, behind only Smith, Fort Hill’s Todd Appel, and Changuris. If the Pumas were to win out over the next two weeks, Parish would match both Appel and Changuris at .833, with a 40-8 playoff record. 

The Pumas offense resembles those of years past, with a strong line, and an athletic quarterback surrounded by an array of playmakers. The Pumas run it around 70% of the time, as Parrish and Offensive Coordinator Steve Rapp are wont to do. 

This season, Courtney Davis is that athletic quarterback, throwing just more than ten attempts per game, but completing 63.8% of his passes for 1,245 yards and 16 touchdowns (4 int). Davis’ talents and contributions don’t end there, as the 6’4 Poly transfer has rushed for 519 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging just short of ten yards per carry. Senior Christian Rawlings is the Pumas leading rusher, with 1,266 yards in 11 games, and has scored 21 touchdowns. Sophomore standout DeCarlos Young, who also stars at linebacker for the Pumas, has rushed for 669 yards and ten scores, and averages 11.3 yards per carry. Young rushed for 109 yards and a score in the Pumas 51-7 win over Blair in the quarterfinal round. Joseph Towler, the Pumas leading receiver, came up with two big plays in the first meeting, including a 58 yard touchdown reception that tied the score at 13. Towler has returned two punt returns for scores. Senior inside linebacker Rico Murray leads the Pumas in total tackles, with 92, while the sophomore Young leads the five-time champs in solo tackles, with 49, including 13 for loss. Junior defensive tackle Ronald Hull, a 6’2 275 force, leads the Pumas in tackles for loss, with 21, in sacks, with eight, and forced fumbles, with four. 

The Jaguars offense is directed by senior quarterback Sean Johnson, who accounted for all six of the Jaguars touchdowns in their 40-20 quarterfinal win over Eleanor Roosevelt. While the Jaguars may lack the offensive staff stuffer, that’s largely because of their quality depth. The Jaguars boast a handful of running backs, and have 12 players with receptions. In the first meeting, Matthew Ogunniyi caught three passes for 132 yards and scored both of the Jags two touchdowns. The Jaguars offer one of the best defensive lines in the MPSSAA. headlined by South Carolina commit Desmond Umeozulu, a 6’6 230 defensive end, 6’4 225 junior defensive end Obinna Oneuka, and 6’4 275 junior defensive tackle Santana Williams. 

2 Quince Orchard (12-0) v 3 Broadneck (10-1) 

Coaches – QO John Kelley 9th season 97-10, 22-5 p/o; Breakneck Rob Harris 12th season 93-30, 7-8

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – QO 42.7 / 3-4 / +39.3; Broadneck 35.0 / 9.5 / +25.5

Playoff history – QO 42-15, 8-1 in SF round; Broadneck 19-18, 1-6

Quince Orchard advanced to their eighth 4A state semifinal in their program’s history with their 21-6 win over Old Mill

in the quarterfinals. Whether the frigid elements played a part, the margin was the closest anyone has come to the defending 4A state champions this season. The Cougars, who came in averaging 44.6 points per game, didn’t find the end zone until sophomore Iverson Howard took in a seven yard run with 1:31 remaining in the first half. Evan Church hit a pair of field goals in the first quarter to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead. Senior Kendall Johnson provided extra insurance with his own seven yard run to give the Cougars a 21-0 lead midway through the third quarter. For the 11th time in 12 games, the Cougars held their opponent to one score or less. 

Broadneck has sailed majestically since an opening week loss to Spalding, winning ten straight games following their 39-7 victory over then 9-2 Churchill, with all ten wins decided by 16 or more points. The Bruins produced 30 points or more for the ninth time in ten games, while limiting the Bulldogs, who came in averaging 32.4 points over their nine game win streak, to one score. While the Bruins are traditionally known for their proficient passing attack, it was their ground game featuring sophomore Ian Mauldin that proved to be the difference for a second week in a row. A week after rushing for 155 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-13 second round win over Meade, Mauldin registered 180 rushing yards and three scores in the 32 point win over the Bulldogs. 

The Cougars have been the top ranked Maryland public school team since the pre-season, and will be considerable favorites when the Bruins visit the Cougar Dome in Gaithersburg. Coach John Kelley boasts a stellar 97-10 overall record in his ninth season with the Cougars, including a 22-5 post-season mark. Kelley’s .907 overall win percentage would rank as the top all-time win percentage in MPSSAA history if he had met the 120 game minimum I have used since I started compiling these statistics nearly twenty years ago. Though Kelley is in just his ninth season, he ranks sixth among active coaches in playoff wins. 

Bruins coach Rob Harris has kept the model of success that his predecessor Jeff Herrick brought to the program for 22 seasons from ‘89 through 2010. Herrick won 165 games over his 22 seasons at Broadneck, winning 69.7% of his games. Herrick led the Bruins to nine quarterfinal berths in his final 14 seasons with the Bruins, including seven state semifinal berths over his last 13 seasons, and a 4A state championship appearance in 2003, losing to Damascus, 13-7. Harris ranks seventh among active MPSSAA coaches in overall win percentage, at .756, with a 93-30 record over 11 seasons. All four coaches in the 4A state semifinals rank among the top seven in overall win percentage among all MPSSAA active coaches that have coached 80 or more games, with Kelley atop the list, followed by Dunbar’s Smith, Van Deusen, Parrish, Conner, Powell, then Harris. 

While the Bruins and Harris have continued the winning tradition at Broadneck, this is just the second state semifinal appearance since Herrick’s last season in 2010. Harris led the Bruins to the state semifinals in 2015, before falling to Howard, 35-24. Last season, after rolling through league play unbeaten for the second time in four full seasons, the Bruins saw a quarterfinal victory slip away to Flowers, after the Jaguars fought back from 28-12 lead to pull out a 43-36 overtime victory. While the Bruins will be making their eighth ‘Final Four’ appearance over the last 24 post-seasons, and the Cougars their ninth over that same time, this will be the first meeting between the Anne Arundel 4A power and the Montgomery County 4A juggernaut. 

The Cougars offense doesn’t feature any record breaking statistical phenomenons, but that doesn’t mean the defending state champions lack playmakers. They do, they have an array of them. That’s one reason the Cougars lack relative statistical wonders, with twelve different Cougars taking carries this year, twelve different Cougars grabbing receptions, and 14 different Cougars scoring touchdowns. Sophomore Iverson Howard is the Cougars four-star running back and leading rusher, and is ranked as the 11th top prospect at running back in his class in the country, and the #1 overall prospect from Maryland in his class. Despite averaging just more than ten carries per game, Howard has rushed for 1,140 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this season. Kendall Johnson, a three-way star for the Cougars, has scored ten touchdowns on just 20 offensive touches, including 19 receptions for 449 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior quarterback Savon Briggs combines efficiency with proficiency, completing 69.2% of his passes, and throwing for 1,326 yards and 22 touchdowns on only 104 attempts, with just one interception.

For the Bruins, senior Camrin Catterton captains the aerial attack, stepping into the four year old shoes of Joshua Erlich brilliantly. Catterton completes better than 65% of his passes, and averages 196.6 passing yards per game, slightly ahead of Erlich’s mark of 193.4 in ‘21. While Erlich threw 27 touchdown passes versus just four interceptions last season, Catterton posts an impressive 23 touchdown passes, against just five picks in this campaign. Junior Eli Harris leads the Bruins in receiving a third straight season, and has registered 57 receptions for 936 yards and ten touchdowns in ten games this season. Senior Machi Evans adds 45 receptions for 748 yards and eight touchdowns. The Bruins defense has held eight of their last ten opponents to one score or less, and all ten to 14 points or less. 

4/3A

1 Urbana (11-1) v 5 North Point (9-3)

Coaches – Urbana Brad Wilson 17th season 99-79, 10-6 p/o; North Point Billy Dodd 1st season 9-3, 3-0

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Urbana 36.5 / 6.3 / +30.2; North Point 28.8 / 7.7 / +21.2

Playoff history – Urbana 28-12, 5-2 in SF round; North Point 13-11, 1-1

It wasn’t their finest performance, but Urbana moved on to the state semifinals with a somewhat comfortable 29-6 win over Perry Hall that advanced the Hawks to the ‘Final Four’ round for the first time since 2013. After winning four straight state championships from ‘98 through ‘01, the Hawks had advanced to the ‘Final Four’ just three times over the last 19 post-seasons. The Hawks held a 16-0 lead over the Gators at halftime, before the guests got on the board and cut the margin to 16-6. After stopping the Hawks on downs on the following possession, the Gators had a chance to carve their deficit to single-digits. But a pair of sacks stymied the Gators drive, and the defensive unit would provide the only scoring the rest of the way with a pair of ‘scoop 6s’ by 300 pound lineman Jahan Gasemy and Karron Watties.

North Point earned a 68 mile trip from Waldorf to Ijamsville with their convincing 31-0 shutout victory over Sherwood on the road in Sandy Spring on Friday night. The Eagles advanced to the state semifinal round for the third time in the last five post-seasons. Kaleb Hart threw for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 7-0 halftime lead over the Warriors, then ran for two scores as the Eagles scored 24 points after intermission. After beginning the season 0-2, the Eagles enter the state semifinal round having won nine of their last ten games, including a 24-7 win over 3A state semifinalist St Charles. 

Senior quarterback Keegan Johnson directs the Hawks aerial attack, which features a pair of talented receivers in seniors Riley Smith and Yannick Siewe. Johnson has completed 62% of his passes for 2,224 yards and 32 touchdowns (5 int), matching a Frederick County single-season record. Johnson, who is also the kicker, has made 52 of 59 extra points, and 6 of 12 field goals. Smith has registered 48 receptions for 867 yards and 17 touchdowns, two short of Linganore’s CJ Turner’s county single-season mark of 19, set in 2007. Siewe has caught 43 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns. 

Urbana coach Brad Wilson is in his sixth season at Urbana, after eleven seasons at Westminster, followed by two years in the Raleigh area. Entering last year’s playoffs, the Hawks had went 16-27 in Wilson’s time there, but since, have won 13 of 15 games, including an 11-1 record this season, the Hawks best mark since going undefeated and winning their last state championship in 2010. Wilson’s Hawks have averaged scoring 36.5 points per game this season, while yielding just 6.3 points per contest. The Hawks have won 10 of their 11 victories by 15 points or more, and have held nine of their twelve opponents to seven points or less. 

Bill Condo took over the North Point job on an interim basis after Tom Petre and his wife accepted new job offers and relocated to Ohio in the summer. Petre was very successful in Waldorf, having gone 69-14 overall in his eight seasons there.  With their win over the Warriors, the Eagles notched their ninth 9-win season in twelve years, and seventh time in eight years. Petre led the Eagles to their only state championship game in 2018, losing the 4A title to Quince Orchard, 40-33. The Eagles strength has been their defense, who have held ten of their last eleven opponents to 14 points or less. Offensively, the Eagles rely on Hart and running back Tyrone Hudson. 

2 Dundalk (10-1) v 3 Arundel (10-2)

Coaches – Dundalk Tommy Abel 1st season 10-1, 2-0 p/o; Arundel Jack Walsh 5th season 36-14, 7-3

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Dundalk 29.9 / 5.3 / +24.6; Arundel 27.6 / 13.8 / +13.8

Playoff history – Dundalk 11-12, 2-0 in SF round; Arundel 20-23, 3-5

A year ago, both Dundalk and Arundel celebrated the inaugural season of the 4/3A classification by securing victories in the open, re-seeded quarterfinal round and advancing to the ‘Final Four’.  And, like a year ago, Dundalk hosts Arundel in the semifinal round, vying for a berth in the state title game. Dundalk routed the visitors last November, 40-6, before falling to Mervo in the title game, 22-13. 

The Owls advanced to the semifinal round this season with a resounding 37-0 victory over Blake, amassing 516 offensive yards, including 412 on the ground. Senior Jordan Fiorenza rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries, while junior Desmond Oxendine posted his second straight 100 yard game, totaling 101 yards and a score on 12 carries. The Owls defense produced 13 tackles for loss and four sacks in producing their fifth shutout of the season. The Owls led the MPSSAA in points allowed in 2021, at 6.8 per game, and rank sixth this season, allowing only 5.3 points per game. First year coach Tommy Abel was the Defensive Coordinator of that defensive unit a year ago. 

Fiorenza has rushed for 1,687 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 9.5 yards per carry. Senior quarterback Ja Bonner has completed 59% of his passes for 1,105 yards and ten touchdowns, against three interceptions. Bonner and Oxendine, who has rushed for 580 yards, both have five rushing touchdowns. Dale Martin, who has played tight end and running back, as well as defensive end, has scored seven touchdowns, including two on defense. Martin leads the defensive unit in total tackles (77), solo tackles (38), tackles for loss (26), sacks (6), forced fumbles (4), and fumble recoveries (3).

While the Owls like to ‘ground and pound’, the Wildcats have thrown with the best of them since coaching legend Chuck Markiewicz took over the program at the turn of the century. Markiewicz retired following the 2017 season, and his longtime assistant and former player Jack Walsh took over the program. Walsh has kept up the aerial bombardment, as the Cats came into their quarterfinal matchup with Seneca Valley leading the MPSSAA in pass attempts per game. 

But, frigid conditions Friday night had Walsh and the Cats adjust, and turn to the ground game, and it proved to be beneficial in their 21-7 win over Seneca Valley, another team that will put it in the air as much as it does anything else. Ahmad Taylor rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries to lead a rushing attack that picked up 177 yards on 34 carries. The Wildcats. who were averaging 27.7 pass attempts per game coming in, threw it just nine times Friday night. The Wildcats defense limited the Screamin’ Eagles to two rushing yards, 140 offensive yards, and just one score. The only other team to hold the 12-time state champions under 20 points this season was Quince Orchard. 

Junior Gavin Kamachi leads the Wildcats passing attack, and has completed 55% of his passes for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns, with six interceptions. Taylor is leading the Wildcats ground game again this year, rushing for 879 yards and 16 touchdowns on 203 attempts. Senior Chris Downs has registered 55 receptions for 740 yards and six touchdowns, while fellow senior Miles Gilmore boasts 46 receptions for 562 yards and five touchdowns. 

3A

2 River Hill (10-1) v 3 Damascus (11-1)

Coaches – River Hill Brian Van Deusen 23rd season 212-51, 32-13 p/o; Damascus Josh Klotz 10th season 63-38, 6-6

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – River Hill 29.8 / 5.5 / +24.3; Damascus 41.0 / 10.8 / +30.2

Playoff history – River Hill 32-13, 5-3 in SF round; Damascus 59-19, 15-3

Winning traditions, they’re here in this showdown. Damascus and River Hill have combined to win nine state championships over the last 14 post-seasons. Damascus has registered 59 post-season victories in their program’s illustrious history, and with a win, could join Dunbar and Fort Hill as the only programs in MPSSAA history to notch 60 post-season wins. Even bigger, the Swarmin’ Hornets are one state title away from matching Seneca Valley for the most state championships in MPSSAA history, with 12. River Hill won back-to-back 2A state championships in ‘07 and ‘08, then moved up to 3A, and won back-to-back 3A crowns in ‘11 and ‘12. Hawks coach Brian Van Deusen is just one of eleven coaches in MPSSAA history to win four state championships, and one of seven to win four outside of the 1A classification. 

While the Hawks had one of the most dominant nine year runs in MPSSAA history from the ‘05 season through the ‘13 season, this is their first state semifinal appearance since that ‘13 season, when their bid for a ‘three-peat’ fell short. Over their nine year run, the Hawks advanced to the state semifinal round in eight of the nine seasons, playing in five state title games, winning four. Van Deusen has amassed 212 victories in his 23 seasons in Clarksville, and ranks second among active MPSSAA coaches in career wins, two behind Linganore’s Rick Conner. 

The Swarmin’ Hornets are seeking their fifth state championship in seven post-seasons, and will be playing in their 19th state semifinal game, carrying a 15-3 record in the ‘Final Four’ round. Coach Josh Klotz is in his third season at Damascus, after seven seasons at Richard Montgomery, where he led the Rockets to a 41-16 record over his last five seasons. 

The Hawks have advanced to the state semifinal round behind a stingy defense, and a quartet of ‘Wing T’ runners who have each rushed for more than 500 yards this season, and total more than 2,500 yards in all. Ethan Burnett leads the Hawks in rushing for a second straight year, with Nico Lancashire, quarterback Omar Hassan, and Eje Okijie all joining the two-way star among Howard County’s top ten rushers. Senior linebacker Dylan McCullough led Howard County in tackles in the regular season, while Burnett ranked sixth. The Hawks have held nine of twelve opponents to seven points or less, including their 7-0 quarterfinal win over Franklin. The Hawks have held all twelve of their opponents to 14 points or less. 

Damascus is led by captain Dillon Dunathan, a three-way star that was selected to the MPSSAA All-State team as a junior. In the Swarmin’ Hornets 42-6 win over Long Reach in the quarterfinals, Dunathan rushed for 273 yards and scored four touchdowns in three quarters, adding five tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a blocked extra point. On the season, Dunathan has rushed for 1.491 yards and 18 touchdowns and caught a 73 yard touchdown reception on offense, and has recorded a team-best 39 solo tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries, six sacks, and a ‘strip 6’. The Swarmin’ Hornets defense has scored seven touchdowns this season. 

5 Oakdale (10-2) v 8 St Charles (9-3)

Coaches – Oakdale Kurt Stein 12th season 79-47, 9-6 p/o; St Charles Patrick Orndoff 4th season 31-14, 5-3

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Oakdale 31.8 / 17.7 / +14.1; St Charles 28.9 / 16.3 / +12.7

Playoff history – Oakdale 9-6, 1-0 in SF round; St Charles 5-3, 0-0

The other 3A state semifinal matchup features two of the newer programs in the MPSSAA, one in Oakdale, who won the 2A state championship in the program’s eighth year in 2018, and the other, St Charles, who seeks their first title in the ninth post-season since their program’s inception. It’s also the only state semifinal among the twelve that features two teams seeded between five and eight. 

The Bears followed their comeback road win over 3A West  top seed Frederick in the second round with a 33-14 victory over Westminster in the quarterfinals. The road warriors will host the eight seed Spartans, who have taken out 3A defending state champion Northern and 2022 3A top seed and undefeated Atholton in successive weeks. After traveling 33 miles to take on the Patriots, and 50 miles to see the Raiders, the Spartans will travel 81 miles to Ijamsville. 

After scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes to beat then undefeated Frederick, the Bears opened up a 12-7 halftime lead at Ruby Field in Westminster by scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions in the second half to take a 33-14 victory. Rory Blanchard rushed for 129 yards and scored two first half touchdowns, while quarterback Evan Austin threw for a score and ran for two others, including a 44 yard jaunt that pushed the lead back to 19 points in the fourth quarter. 

St Charles shut down Atholton, holding the hosts to just one score. Senior quarterback Kevin Taylor connected on all eight of his passes for 129 yards, and both threw and ran for a score. After the Raiders cut the Spartans margin to 14-6 midway through the second quarter, Spartans star Keyon Washington took the kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to push the Spartans lead to 16 points, and score what would be the last points of the game. The Spartans scored all 22 of their points in the second quarter. 

Coach Kurt Stein is in his twelfth season with Oakdale, having been with the Bears since the program’s infancy, and boasts a 79-47 overall record. Senior quarterback Evan Austin has led the Bears offense this season, with the dual-threat quarterback producing 1,431 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, and 1,227 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Blanchard has rushed for 765 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Hunter Thompson has nabbed 50 receptions for 843 yards and ten touchdowns, and has also returned both a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns. Junior Dominic Nichols, a three-star defensive end prospect, who caught Austin’s scoring pass Friday night, has 41 quarterback pressures this season. 

Patrick Orndoff is in his fourth season with the Spartans, and holds a 31-14 record. With the win over Atholton, the Spartans set a program record for wins in a season, with nine, after notching eight wins in ‘18 and ‘19. Offensively, the Spartans will either want to keep it in Taylor’s hands, or get it in Washington’s or Kordell Batten’s hands. The Spartans defense is led by senior Awwal Osinuga.

2A

1 Milford Mill (11-0) v 5 Decatur (10-2)

Coaches – Milford Mill Reggie White 20th season 160-62, 19-11 p/o; Decatur Jake Coleman 16th season 115-53, 13-12

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Milford Mill 47.5 / 5.2 / +42.3; Decatur 33.3 / 17.4 / +15.9

Playoff history – Milford Mill 26-20, 4-5 in SF round; Decatur 10-11, 0-2

Milford Mill’s dominance this season was put on ice in the quarterfinal round, but after a strong challenge by then 5-5 Walkersville, the Millers survived and advanced to their tenth state semifinal appearance in their program’s history with a 20-7 victory over the Lions, who led 7-6 at intermission. A year after notching their best season in 17 seasons, Decatur has outdone their ‘21 success, posting their first ten win season since 2004, following the Seahawks stunning 37-6 victory over Potomac, PG’s 3/2/1A league champs. 

The Millers entered the post-season as the 2A favorites, and came into their matchup with the Lions averaging 50 points per game, allowing just five per, and yielding a +45 point differential per game. Trailing by one with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter, Sean Williams shed a couple would-be tacklers and took the ball 30 yards to the end zone to give the hosts a 13-7 lead. The Lions mounted a drive of their own, but the Millers Emmanuel Gee stopped a Lions runner on a fourth-and-goal from the one yard line. The Millers countered with a time consuming 99 yard drive punctuated by a two yard score from Williams, who finished with 218 rushing yards. 

Decatur won their fifth straight game in their victory over Potomac, a run where the Seahawks have averaged 42 points per game. The Wolverines had knocked off defending state champion Douglass for their league crown, and were allowing only 3.3 points per game. The Seahawks scored 27 first half points and held a twenty point lead at intermission. Seahawks quarterback Brycen Coleman rushed for 108 yards and a score, and threw two touchdowns to Duke commit Luke Mergott, while the defensive unit held the Wolverines, who came in averaging 35.1 points per game, to one score. 

The Walkersville win notwithstanding, the Millers offense has run like a machine this year. While some now may have questions following their early struggles with the Lions, Williams still ran for 218 yards. The senior running back has rushed for 1,618 yards and scored a program record 33 touchdowns, averaging 10.5 yards per carry. Junior quarterback Deshawn Purdie has completed 62.7% of his passes for a MPSSAA-best 2,494 yards and program-best 26 touchdowns, versus just four interceptions. Senior Daysen Shell is Purdue’s top target, registering 38 receptions for 868 yards and 12 touchdowns, and is one of the top return men in the MPSSAA, averaging 29.2 per kickoff return, and 16.2 per punt return. Coach Reggie White is in his twentieth season as head coach at his alma mater, and his 160 wins rank seventh among active MPSSAA coaches. 

Coleman, the Seahawks junior quarterback, has been one of the more effective dual threat signal callers in the MPSSAA this season, and leads the Hawks in rushing. After earning All-Conference honors as a sophomore wide receiver last season, Coleman has thrown for 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns (6 int), and rushed for 978 yards and 13 touchdowns. Coleman has also caught two touchdown passes. Mergott has caught ten touchdown receptions, and supplied eight tackles for loss and seven sacks on defense. Junior defensive back Gabe Solito leads the Seahawks in tackles, with 82, and has two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Coach Jake Coleman is 23-8 in his third season with the Seahawks, after spending 13 seasons as the head coach at Cambridge South Dorchester from 2006 through 2018. 

2 Kent Island (11-1) v 6 Middletown (9-3)

Coaches – Kent Island Bryon Sofinowski 15th season 108-61, 9-7 p/o; Middletown Collin Delauter 6th season 47-16, 8-1

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Kent Island 37.4 / 11.0 / +26.4; Middletown 26.0 / 13.9 / +12.1

Playoff history – Kent Island 12-12, 0-3 in SF round; Middletown 41-20, 8-6

This 2A state semifinal matchup presents two of the best power backs in the MPSSAA. Best overall backs, for that matter. Kent Island, the hosts, feature 5’11 205 senior Kasey Heath, a player that seeks out hostile situations as the Buccaneers bell cow on offense, from the inside linebacker position on defense, and as an elite goalie in the goalie box in lacrosse. Middletown will bring their own bruising back, 6’1 220 senior Carson Smith, an Army commit, and a workhorse that has put together back-to-back 200 carry, 1,600 yard seasons. 

Kent Island rolls into the state semifinal matchup riding an eleven game win streak, scoring 28 points or more in all eleven, with no one coming within 14 points of the Buccaneers. Bryon Stofinowski is in his second stint with the Bucs, stepping back in after Damian Ferragamo stepped down in January. Ferragamo had replaced Stofinowski after the Queen Anne’s graduate spent 14 seasons as the Bucs coach from 2001 through 2014. The Bucs have notched 11 wins for the first time since Stofinowski’s Bucs went 11-1 in 2012. 

The Buccaneers have put together three strong playoff wins – thumping North Harford, 47-7 in the opening round, shutting out WiHi, 38-0 in round two, followed by a 34-11 win over Huntingtown in the quarterfinal round. Heath rushed for 316 yards and three touchdowns on 39 carries in the win over the Hurricanes. Heath moved into 20th place on the MPSSAA all-time single-season rushing yards list, and with 107 rushing yards this week, would become the 16th player in MPSSAA history to rush for 2,500 yards in a season. With two touchdowns, Heath would become the ninth player in MPSSAA history to score 40 touchdowns in a season, and with three rushing touchdowns, he’d become just the seventh player in MPSSAA history to run for 40 scores in a season. 

Smith has scored 52 touchdowns over the last two seasons for the Knights, scoring 25 last season, and 27 this season. Outside of a 42-0 p/o win over Hammond in the opening round, where Smith had one carry, he’s averaged 180.1 rushing yards per game, and 26 touchdowns over those ten games. Smith has also completed three halfback passes, one for a score. Smith has two interceptions at linebacker. In the spring of ‘21, Smith ranked among the top ten in the MPSSAA in receptions, with 27, at tight end. Over the last two seasons, in 23 games, Smith has rushed for 3,429 and 49 touchdowns on 465 attempts. Coach Collin Delauter is looking to lead the Knights to their second state championship in three post-seasons. Delauter in his sixth season at Middletown and holds a 47-16 record with the Knights.

2/1A

1 Dunbar (11-0) v 4 Calvert (10-2)

Coaches – Dunbar Lawrence Smith 167-24, 47-7 p/o; Calvert Rick Sneade 12th season 66-57, 7-4

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Dunbar 48.7 / 7.5 / +41.3; Calvert 37.4 / 10.1 / +27.3

Playoff history – Dunbar 68-14, 14-8 in SF round; Calvert 11-5, 1-2

Dunbar has ran roughshod over their first two playoff opponents, whalloping Fairmont Heights, 58-0, in the second round (bye in opening round), then thumping Elkton, 54-0, in the quarterfinals. The Poets rushed for 383 yards in the Hornets win, and gained 431 yards on the ground in the victory over Elkton. Friday, in the win over the Golden Elks, Devin Roche rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and Tristan Kenen rushed for 145 yards and another pair of scores. The win was the Poets fourth straight victory where they scored 50 points or more, and the eighth time in eleven games the 11-time state champs have scored 50 points or more. 

After losing their season opener to Huntingtown by a point, Calvert has won 10 of 11 games, and averaged scoring 39.7 points over this run. The Cavaliers posted a 50-0 shutout over Crossland in the opening round, followed by a 42-13 win over Lackey, before an impressive 47-6 victory over then 9-2 Largo on Friday. Domaine Wallace rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries in the win over the Lions, and added an interception on defense. 

The Poets set the MPSSAA scoring record last year, averaging 50.8 points per game. This season, the Poets are averaging 48.7 points per game, which would rank second in MPSSAA history. Kenen has rushed for 1,790 yards and 20 touchdowns, while Roche, who missed two games, has rushed for 1,370 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior Deshawn Parks has added another 911 rushing yards. Poets coach Lawrence Smith has a 46-7 post-season record with the Poets, the most post-season wins in MPSSAA history. The Poets are playing in their 23rd state semifinal game, and hold a 14-8 record in the round.

Calvert has had a good balance on offense all season, though Friday night’s frigid conditions limited the Cavaliers to ten pass attempts on Friday night. Senior quarterback Steven Oursler has thrown for 1,551 yards and 21 touchdowns (9 int) this season for the Cavs, while Wallace has rushed for 1,179 yards, and scored a total of 27 touchdowns, including returning two of his five interceptions for scores. Coach Rick Sneade is in his 12th season with the Cavaliers, and led the Cavs to the 2A state semifinals in 2016, before falling to Elkton, 21-6. The Cavaliers won the 2A state championship in 2000.

3 Patuxent (10-2) v 7 Harford Tech (8-4)

Coaches – Patuxent Steve Crounse 19th season 150-65, 16-11 p/o; Harford Tech Tim Palmer 5th season 47-11, 8-4

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Patuxent 35.1 / 14.9 / +20.2; Harford Tech 19.0 / 10.3 / +8.8

Playoff history – Patuxent 18-11, 3-0 in SF round; Harford Tech 8-4, 0-2

Coach Steve Crounse returned to Patuxent after leaving for Northern in 2017, where he spent three seasons, followed by two seasons at DeMatha. Crounse led Patuxent to the 2A state title game in 2013 with his son Tyler at quarterback, before winning it all in 2015 with his son Reece, a sophomore, serving as the Panthers signal-caller. Last season, the youngest of the three brothers, Zach, led Northern to the 3A state championship. Harford Tech has advanced to the 2A state semifinals for the third time in five post-seasons, and second second in as many seasons. Coach Tim Palmer has led the Cobras to a 47-11 record since taking over the program in 2017. 

Harford Tech advanced to the 2A state semifinals last year, before a missed extra point cost them in a 14-13 loss to South Carroll. Friday, the Cobras avenged that loss with a 14-7 win over the Cavaliers at South Carroll. Jamaal Pearl rushed for 161 yards on 31 carries for the Cobras, while the defensive unit kept the Cavaliers scoreless until the final minute of the game. The Cobras have held 8 of their 12 opponents to eight points or less

Patuxent has won 10 of 11 games since dropping their opener to defending state champ Northern, 20–3. The Panthers have scored 33 or more points in each of their three playoff wins over Southern, McDonough, and Williamsport. Sophomore quarterback Evan Blouir threw for two touchdowns and ran for a pair of scores in the win over Williamsport, with the defense supplying four sacks and two interceptions, and the special teams providing a blocked kick. 

While Crounse doesn’t have a Crounse at the quarterback position, Blouir has had an outstanding sophomore season, passing for 1,349 yards and 15 touchdowns (9 int), and rushing for 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns. Junior Daiquan Buck and senior Jedidiah Lancaster have combined for 773 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Senior Asa Locks is the Panthers best player, leading the team in receiving, interceptions, and kick return yardage. Locks has 28 receptions for 609 yards and seven touchdowns, picked off five interceptions, and has returned both a punt return and a kickoff return for scores. 

For Tech, Pearl surpassed the 1,000 rushing yard mark with his season-high performance versus South Carroll, and now has 1,039 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. Junior quarterback Thomas Smith has thrown for 1,268 yards and 13 touchdowns (7 int). Junior Aderomilehin, a junior, has 35 receptions for 659 yards and seven touchdowns, and four interceptions on defense. Senior linebacker Nate Goeller leads the Cobras in tackles, with 91, and has registered 22 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. 

1A

1 Mountain Ridge (11-0) v 4 Brunswick (9-3)

Coaches – Mountain Ridge Ryan Patterson 7th season 42-22, 6-1 p/o; Brunswick Jeremiah Smith 6th season 36-23, 5-1

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Mountain Ridge 46.7 / 9.6 / +37.1; Brunswick 22.6 / 19.0 / +3.6

Playoff history – Mountain Ridge 7-2, 1-0 in SF round; Brunswick 13-12, 1-3

Mountain Ridge continued their dominance in the quarterfinals, dispatching Bohemia Manor, 57-0, on a snow covered field in Frostburg where only the goal lines were recognizable to the television viewer. Uma Pua’auli threw touchdowns on six of his seven completions, and scored two touchdowns on his three carries, accounting for ell eight of the Miners touchdowns. The Miners will invite Brunswick to Frostburg, after the Railroaders put away Forest Park in the quarterfinals, 17-8.

Mountain Ridge is unbeaten this season, averaging 46.7 points per game, and outscoring opponents by +37.1 per game. A year ago, the Miners advanced to the 1A state championship game for the first time in their program’s history, before falling to Fort Hill a second time in ‘21, 51-31, finishing with a program-best 12-2 record. The Miners have scored 30 or more points in all eleven of their games. Pua’auli has produced 43 touchdowns this year, with 26 coming through the air, and 17 on the ground. Jaden Lee has recorded 1,209 yards from scrimmage, and scored 19 touchdowns. Coach Ryan Patterson, in his seventh season, has a 42-22 record with the Miners, including a 23-2 mark over the last two seasons. 

The Railroaders are one of four Frederick County teams that advanced to the state semifinal round, joining Urbana, Oakdale, and Middletown. The Roaders have pulled out single-digit victories in each of the last four weeks. Senior running back Ben Wells has rushed for more than 1,500 yards and scored 16 touchdowns this season. Jeremiah Smith is in his sixth season with the Raiders, and holds a 36-23 record. 

2 Fort Hill (11-1) v Joppatowne (11-1)

Coaches – Fort Hill Zach Alkire 3rd season 25-2, 8-0 p/o; Joppatowne Albert Goode III 2nd season 17-6, 5-1

Pts / Pts Allowed / Pt Differential – Fort Hill 38.8 / 7.4 / +31.3; Joppatowne 42.0 / 16.5 / +25.5

Playoff history – Fort Hill 66-27, 14-12 in SF round; Joppatowne 30-17, 7-5

Fort Hill advanced to their MPSSAA-best 28th state semifinal appearance with a 49-7 win over Perryville. The win was the Sentinels sixth straight, after falling to Mountain Ridge in week six. The Sentinels have outscored their six opponents 262-14 since their loss to the Miners. Joppatowne advanced to their 13th state semifinal after holding off Lake Clifton, 38-30. The 11-1 Mariners are having the best season they’ve seen since 2009, when they finished 13-1, losing to Catoctin in the 1A final.

The Sentinels have an array of running backs, and Friday night, it was sophomore Jabril Daniels who stole the show, rushing for 163 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries in the first half, as ‘Big Red’ took a 28-7 lead into intermission. The lone Perryville touchdown came on a kickoff return. The Sentinels rushing attack, led by seniors Tavin Willis, Tanner Wertz, and Mikey Allen, along with the sophomore Daniels, have combined to rush for more than 3,000 yards and 44 touchdowns. The Sentinels routed the Mariners in last season’s quarterfinal round, 54-0.

The Mariners offense has been explosive this season, headlined by two-way star Steven Robinson and senior quarterback AJ Wilson. Robinson, who has amassed more than 2,200 yards from scrimmage and scored a MPSSAA third-best 31 touchdowns, was ejected in the in the first quarter of the quarterfinal for a blow to the head, deeming him ineligible in their rematch with the Sentinels. Robinson has rushed for 1,824 yards, and caught 23 receptions for 385 yards. His loss is a huge loss to Coach Albert Goode III and the Mariners, who are riding a ten game winning streak. Wilson, the senior quarterback, is having an outstanding season himself, throwing for 2,046 yards and 25 touchdowns (5 int), and rushing for 477 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior Zachariah Horton is a standout two-player for the Mariners, and Coach Goode will need Wilson and Horton even more, as they head to Greenway Avenue Stadium without their best player. 

Willie Sean Coughlan
Willie Sean Coughlan

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.

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