Atholton registered an historic season in 2022, finishing with an undefeated league record for the first time in the program’s history, and winning just the second outright county title in their program’s history. It appeared to be a two-team battle for the county crown, and that’s what it came down to, with the Raiders using a 14-7 win over in week six over River Hill that kept their winning streak alive, and provide the one game differential they held over the Hawks in the final standings.
Coach Eric Woodson enters his fourth season with the Raiders, and his 18th overall, after stops at Northwestern at Glen Burnie. Woodson holds a 94-85 career mark, including a 23-5 mark with the Raiders. After a 3-2 record in the spring of ‘21, the Raiders finished 10-2 in 2021, before last season’s 10-1 mark. The Raiders defensive unit led the way to the county title and allowed only six points per game in ten league games. Then, in the second round of the playoffs, St Charles traveled to Atholton and shocked the Raiders, 22-6, scoring all 22 points in the second quarter.
The Raiders lost a handful of leaders and key components from that county championship team, but return as many proven quality players, if not more, than any other team in the county. Miles Scott and Dillan Watkins will be sorely missed, with Scott having commandeered the Raiders to a 20-3 record in ‘21 and ‘22, and Watkins starting two years at running back and linebacker, and rushing for 1,278 yards and 15 touchdowns in ‘22. The Raiders will also miss Watkins’ brother Deacon, who served as fullback and defensive tackle, as well as All-County linebacker Jabriel Moody.
While much of the ‘22 Raiders offensive production is gone, and the losses of the Watkins brothers and Moody on defense, the Raiders return nine of their top 15 defensive players from a year ago. Senior Daniel Ogordi (6’0 185), an Army commit, returns after earning All-County first team honors at safety, producing 55 tackles, eight pass break-ups, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. On offense, Ogordi caught 17 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Joining Ogordi in the defensive backfield is fellow senior safety Elijah Nyorkor (5’10 170), who made 15 solo tackles, and provided five pass break-ups.
The Raiders ‘front 7’ returns a trio of key contributors from last year’s team in senior lineman Anthony Ngasni (6’5 238), who earned All-County second team honors last season, and senior linebackers Khalil Johnson (5’8 175) and Zee Abejon (5’9 174). Johnson finished fourth on the team last season in solo tackles, with 36, adding two sacks, two tackles for loss, two pass break-ups, and blocked a kick. Abejon recorded four interceptions, two tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery in ‘22. The Raiders have put together back-to-back 10-win seasons for just the second time in their program’s history, and first since Kyle Schmitt led the Raiders to two 10-win seasons in 2011 and 2012.
The Raiders go on the road in week one to Glenelg. This season’s clash with River Hill comes in the regular season finale in week nine.
River Hill put together its best season since 2013, going 10-2 and reaching the 3A state semifinals. It was the first semifinal appearance for the Hawks since ‘13, when they were making their eighth ‘Final Four’ trip in nine seasons. The Hawks went 8-1 in league play, with their lone loss coming to Atholton, 14-7. The Hawks were led by their defense, who allowed just 8.6 points per game, and outside of their 42-7 loss to eventual state champion Damascus in the semifinals, had allowed just nine touchdowns in their 11 games.
Hawks coach Brian Van Deusen is now one of the senior ‘Dean’s’ of coaching in the public sector, and one of the most winningest coaches in MPSSAA history. Van Deusen will be entering his 24th season with the Hawks, and is the third longest tenured coach in the MPSSAA. The four-time state champion coach has produced an overall record of 212-52, and ranks second among active coaches in wins. Van Deusen’s .803 win percentage ranks third among active MPSSAA coaches, while his 32 post-season victories rank fifth all-time among all MPSSAA coaches, and second among active coaches.
Talk to coaches around the county, and they like the Hawks this season. This has to have to do with Van Deusen, as his Hawks were a senior laden, senior led team last year. The Hawks graduated their top three running backs, and two All-County first team selections on the line. The defense lost HoCo DPOY Dylan McCullough and All-County first team defensive back Matthew Behrmann, as well. Van Deusen does have his senior All-County quarterback returning, Omar Hassan (5’11 180), who mastered running the Hawks system as a junior. Hassan rushed for 852 yards and nine touchdowns, and threw for 452 yards and five touchdowns.
Seniors Wesley Weinberg and Matthew Martin (6’2 215) return to the offensive line, with Wineberg playing linebacker on defense, and Martin on the line. Junior Shane Schrecengost (6’2 190) and senior Jett Born will serve on the running back committee, as will newcomers Nicklaus Gibbs and Yusuf Shabazz, both juniors. Sophomore Jonathan Norwood looks to contribute at tight end and defensive end, and senior transfer Kaden Lee (5’11 205) will be a big part of the Hawks linebacking corps. The Hawks open at Hammond, but could get a test in week two at Howard.
Howard rebounded with a 7-4 record in 2022, after losing records in their last two full seasons in ‘19 (4-6) and ‘21 (4-7). Prior to that, the Lions boasted a 66-10 record from ‘13-18, including a 56-4 mark in league play. Last season, Ross Hannon’s Lions finished 6-3 in league play, finishing fourth among the twelve county teams. The Lions did beat the third place Long Reach Lightning, their arch rivals, 13-6. The Lions were smoked in the second round of the 4/3A playoffs by Urbana, 40-0.
The Lions graduated their starting quarterback, Tyler Sabatini, and their ‘RB1’, Travis Thompson, but do return their top receiving threat, and one of the biggest threats in the county in senior Zamir Herald, who earned All-County first team honors after taking 24 receptions for 511 yards, averaging 21.3 yards per catch, and scoring four touchdowns. Senior Nick Formica will join Herald at receiver, after earning All-County second team honors in ‘22. Sophomore Darius Moore will step in as the starting running back, after earning All-County second team honors as a freshman. The defense returns All-County linebacker Dylan Treese, a year after recording 79 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Treese finished fifth in the county in total tackles in ‘22. Junior Matt Smith returns to the defensive line after earning All-County second team honors.
Reservoir gets a new coach in Matt Banta, who served as an assistant to Gators head coach Brian Cole, who served the role for 14 seasons, highlighted by a 3A state semifinal appearance in 2015. Banta took Dundalk to the 2021 4/3A state title game before stepping down after five seasons with the Owls. Banta, a Marriotts Ridge graduate, posted a 39-12 record with the Owls, and won two league championships. Last season, the Gators rose to 5-5, following a 5-16 record from ‘19-21. The Gators were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs by Mt Hebron, 29-21.
The Gators return senior quarterback Jordan Tate (5’11 180), who threw for 719 yards and six touchdowns (7 int), and rushed for 281 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Adrian Alvarado (5’8 160) returns in the backfield and in the secondary, after rushing for 443 yards and three touchdowns on offense, and earning All-County honorable mention honors at defensive back, recording 65 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three fumble recoveries. Senior Destin Hill (6’3 175) should serve as a top target for Tate. The Gators feature two quality defensive linemen in junior Mouses Bailey (6’2 225) and senior Jeffrey Afedi (6’0 230). Bailey registered nine tackles for loss in ‘22, adding four sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception, and a blocked kick. Afedi totaled four tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Resi’ hosts Centennial in Week One, then goes to Kilimanjaro to meet Oakland Mills in Week Two.
Glenelg finished 4-6 last season, just their second losing season in this century. A year after Howard County Offensive Player of the Year Bisi Owens moved on, the Gladiators struggled. Especially on offense, where Owens ran the show. The Gladiators scoring dropped from 32.2 points per game with Owens in ‘21, to 16.2 points per game without him in ‘22.
Tim Cullen stepped down after four seasons with the Gladiators, and a 24-12 overall record. Will Bell takes over, after stops at Severna Park and Hammond. Senior Christian Chen (6’0 175) will be a standout two-way player for the Gladiators, following his second season with All-County honors at linebacker. Senior Connor Reaves (5’11 210) will return to both the offensive and defensive lines, after earning All-County second team honors on offense. Senior Will Piwowarski returns at receiver and defensive back, after earning All-County second team honors.
Mt Hebron finished 5-6 in 2022, winning a post-season game in back-to-back seasons for the first time in the program’s history. Coach Shawn Frederick’s Vikings had lost six of seven games before a 42-21 win over Glenelg in the regular season finale, then a 29-21 win over Reservoir in the opening round of the pist-season. The Vikings lost to Urbana, 40-6, in the second round. Gone is running back Drew Peperone, who had one of the three best seasons by a running back in the program’s history, rushing for 1,351 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns.
The Vikings do return senior Aidan Huff to the backfield, after he took a backseat to Peperone last year. But did rush for 905 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore in ‘21. Senior Tobin Lewis (6’1 185) returns at quarterback. On defense, the Vikings return three key components from last season’s unit. Senior safety Cooper Stockenberg co-led the Vikings in tackles, picked off four interceptions, and forced two fumbles. Senior lineman Myon Davis (5’11 226) earned All-County honorable mention honors last season, and senior Tarek Lewis (6’2 200) was a co-leader in tackles.
Long Reach won nine games for the first time since 2005 last season, finishing 9-3, losing to Damascus in the 3A quarterfinals. 47-12. Coach Willis’ Lightning went 7-2 in league play for a second year in a row, after finishing 8-3 overall in ‘21. The Lightning lost to River Hill, 16-6, and didn’t play county champ Atholton. The 2022 Lightning were a senior laden team, and Coach Willis’ will be calling on a number of newcomers this season. One player the Lightning will have back is Jaylen Etheridge (6’1 170), who led the county in receiving yards, touchdown receptions, and yards per reception. Etheridge registered 30 receptions for 697 yards and eight touchdowns last season, averaging 23.2 yards per reception. Senior Jayden Thompson (5’9 150) returns in the secondary after totaling 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, four interceptions, and a forced fumble.
Wilde Lake finished 5-6 last season, but it appeared that they could push for their first 8-win season since winning the 3A state title in 2010 in 2023. Then, their best player, and one of the highest rated players in the program’s history, Xavier Gilliam, took his talents to Quince Orchard, home of the 4A state champion Cougars. Together with Chris Martin (6’1 220), they were to form one of the best edge tandems in the MPSSAA. Still, Martin does return, after leading the county in sacks, with 13.5 (one more than Gilliam), and adding two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. On offense, senior Ethan Jackson (5’8 150) returns, after earning an All-County first team selection at wide receiver, and leading the county in receptions, with 39. Jackson finished third in the county in receiving yards, with 575, and second in touchdown receptions, with seven.
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.