Our Playoff Preview continues with a look at the 1A & 2A Quarterfinals.
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2A
#13 Milford Mill (10-1) v #12 Potomac (10-1)
Milford Mill – Reggie White 19th season 138-72, 12-9 p/o
Potomac – Ronnie Crump 8th season 62-28, 5-6 p/o
Milford Mill O:32.0 D:9.7 PD:22.3
Potomac O:42.6 D:13.6 PD: 29.0
Since a 42-7 loss to Franklin in September, the Millers have rolled off seven straight wins, recording four shutouts in that span, and holding six of those seven opponents to 8 points or less. The Millers have posted two shutouts in the first two rounds, blanking Digital Harbor, 43-0, in the opening round, and a 26-0 win over Owings Mills on Friday.
In the win Friday night, Rishon Holmes threw for 150 yards and a pair of scores on six completions in ten attempts. Jordan Morant tallied 102 yards from scrimmage and scored twice. The Millers stout defense was led by Demetrius Price, who registered 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 6 solo tackles, and a fumble recovery. Jeremiah Green added 8 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.
The Wolverines of Potomac come in having won six straight games since a 32-19 loss to #10 Douglass, scoring 34 or more points in all six games, and 40 in five of six. The Wolverines topped Westlake 42-6 in the round of 32, then smashed Calvert, 45-6, on Friday. Dominique Anthony threw 13-20 for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Corey Dyches caught 4 receptions for 111 yards, while sophomore running back Dadrian Carter-Williams rushed for 98 yards and three touchdowns.
Holmes has thrown 76 completions in 129 attempts for the Millers this season, accumulating 1,306 yards and 15 touchdowns. Morant has rushed for 976 yards and scored 13 touchdowns in all. Jarrell Gainer has 9 interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and has also added two fumble recoveries. Keyshawn Silver has 470 return yards, and averages 32.2 yards per kickoff return, and 14.2 per punt return. The Millers defense have caused 34 turnovers.
The Wolverines quarterback Anthony ranks among the top 5 in the MPSSAA in completions, with 129, passing yards, with 2,494, and touchdowns, with 34, leading all Maryland public school players. Dyches leads all MPSSAA players with 18 touchdown receptions, and ranks second in receiving yards, with 1,008. Carter-Williams has rushed for 840 yards and 11 touchdowns in his sophomore campaign.
#9 Elkton (11-0) v Liberty (9-2)
Elkton – Matt Feeney 6th season 55-16, 8-4 p/o
Liberty – Larry Luthe 7th season 52-24, 3-4 p/o
Elkton O:46.1 D:10.2 PD:35.9
Liberty O:31.7 D:17.2 PD:14.5
The undefeated Golden Elks of Elkton have been spectacular, scoring 31 or more points in all 11 games, and 42 or more in 9 of 11 games. The Elks have won all 11 games by 17 points or more, and 10 of 11 by 29 points or more.
The Elks look to reach the semifinal round for the third time in four seasons, after reaching the state final in ‘16, and winning a regional championship last year. Friday night, the Elks found themselves trailing for the first time this season, facing a 16-13 deficit after one quarter, before rattling off 21 unanswered second quarter points, and never looking back in the 55-25 win.
Nolan Null threw for four touchdowns, and Tayshawn Watters Jr rushed for two touchdowns. Null has thrown for 1,826 yards and 23 touchdowns on the season, while Watters Hr has rushed for 1,011 yards, and recorded 21 total touchdowns. Michael Vass has 12 touchdown receptions, averaging 22.9 yards per reception. Trevin Ewing has 6 returns for touchdowns, and Ronan DePaul has led the defense with 16 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, with an interception and a fumble recovery.
The Liberty Lions have won 8 of 9 games, and have scored 28 points or more in all nine games. The Lions held off Glenelg on Friday, 35-28. Aside from an overtime loss to Westminster, Glenelg has been the only team to come within 28 points of the Lions in the nine game span. The Lions trailed 28-27 before a Nate Kent to Tommy Nelson touchdown pass turned out to be the winning score.
Nate Kent completed 12 of 19 passes for 260 yards and three touchdown in the win over the Gladiators Friday night, while rushing for 89 yards and a score. Tommy Nelson rushed for 116 yards and a score on 21 carries, adding 2 receptions for 58 yards. Peyton Scheufle caught 4 receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown, while Michael Speitz had 5 receptions for 75 yards and a score. The Lions defense held the Gladiators to a pair of 3-and-outs in the fourth quarter.
#10 Douglass (11-0) v #40 New Town (8-3)
Douglass – JC Pinkney 18th season 166-48, 23-12 p/o
New Town – Mike Savage 2nd season 18-6, 4-1 p/o
Douglass O:37.0 D:7.4 PD:30.0
New Town O30.8 D:7.5 PD:23.3
The Titans of New Town needed a fourth quarter touchdown to break a 6-6 tie with Hereford Friday night to advance to the quarterfinals. New Town has had an up and down season, starting with a 14-12 loss to Milford Mill in the opener. That same opener had its ups and downs – a respectable 2-point loss to the fellow quarterfinalists, yet a loss to the start the season. The Titans responded from that loss with three wins, where the Titans averaged 50 points, with a +34.0 point differential. Then, a 33-0 win over Sparrows Point turned into a forfeit loss, for using an ineligible player.
That was followed by the Titans recording two straight shutouts, three, if you count the Sparrows Point debacle, before an inexplicable 16-14 loss to Overlea. Again, the Titans turned stingy, with back-to-back shutouts of Eastern Tech, including a 21-0 victory in the opening round of 32. Friday, down 12-6, with less than five minutes to play, Hereford had a 1st-and-goal at the 7 yard line, before the Titans came up with a huge stop, to edge the Bulls, who they had beaten 48-28, in week 3.
Zavion Woodward rushed for 158 yards and provided the Titans with both of their scores, on 25 carries. Woodward ranks among the top 5 rushers in the MPSSAA this season, amassing 1,698 yards on the ground. On the field, the Titans have limited 6 of their last 7 opponents to 6 points or less.
Coach Pinkney’s Eagles have posted five shutouts, and have held seven of their eleven opponents to 7 points or less. The Eagles have scored 30 points in nine of eleven games, including the season opening 30-0 shutout of 4A quarterfinalist Old Mill. Friday, Douglass recorded an unremarkable 14-0 win over Patuxent.
Zavier Price rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns in Friday night’s win, and has scored 16 touchdowns this season. Nasir Jones recorded 5 tackles for loss and two sacks. The Eagles boast five wins over teams currently ranked in the MPSSAA – #30 Old Mill (30-0), #46 Dundalk (44-6), #49 Fairmont Heights (26-20), #12 Potomac (32-19), and #38 Patuxent (14-0), not including a win over Gwynn Park (30-15), who spent nine weeks in the top 50.
1A
#15 Dunbar (10-1) v Perryville (7-4)
Dunbar – Lawrence Smith 12th season 141-23, 38-6 p/o
Perryville – Chris Johnson 9th season 62-31, 8-4
Dunbar O:35.6 D:9.0 PD:26.6
Perryville O:23.9 D:17.9 PD:6.0
The 10-time state champion Poets of Dunbar survived and advanced Friday night, outlasting Lake Clifton, 42-38, and overcoming the heroics of Michael Gray, who accounted for all five of the Lakers touchdowns, with four on the ground, and one through the air. Gray, who also converted a pair of 2-point conversions, was chased down time and time again in the backfield, only to finagle himself away from the pressure to make a big play.
Nevertheless, the Poets took their second playoff game of a post-season for the 19th time in 26 seasons, in their 18th consecutive playoff appearance. Deon Crews-Harris rushed for four touchdowns in the win over the Lakers, and the Poets won their state record 60th post-season game, with Coach Lawrence Smith notching his 38th playoff win as the Poets coach, tops in MPSSAA history.
Since a 20-14 season opening loss to #6 Mervo, the Poets have reeled off 10 straight wins, allowing just 4.3 points per game over the nine victories before Friday night’s shootout. The Poets have won 108 games in this decade, more than other team in the MPSSAA in this ten year span.
Perryville finished 4th in the UCBAC Susquehanna division, the weaker of the two UCBAC divisions, with Elkton and Harford Tech headlining the Chesapeake division. The Panthers have overcome a mid-season four game losing streak, winning four straight games, including Friday night’s 33-20 win over Joppatowne, scoring 14 unanswered fourth quarter points.
In 2013, Perryville moved to 13-0 after a state semifinal overtime win against Fort Hill, before falling to the Poets in the state title game, 24-11. Tyler Nasuta leads the passing game for the Panthers, who have averaged 31.5 points per game during their four game winning streak, while Emarion Hampton leads the running attack.
#17 Fort Hill (10-1) v Randallstown (8-3)
Fort Hill – Todd Appel 12th season 141-14, 34-6 p/o
Randallstown – Marvin Davis 1st season 8-3, 2-0 p/o
Fort Hill O:49.5 D:15.7 PD:33.8
Randallstown O:23.7 D:11.0 PD:12.7
The Randallstown Rams head to the most legendary venue in Maryland high school football, Greenway Stadium, to face the regional and state powerhouse, Fort Hill Sentinels. Friday night, the Rams ran off 21 straight points on Gwynn Park, breaking open a 8-8 tie, before settling for a 29-16 win over the Yellowjackets. Mekhi Stevens threw four touchdown passes for the Rams.
The Rams, who lost their first two games, have won 8 of their last 9 games, with their only loss coming to undefeated Parkville. The Rams look to advance to their 12th state semifinal game in school history, but their first since 2003.
The 7-time state champion Sentinels have won five state titles in six years, with a 30-26 loss to Dunbar in the 2017 state championship game being the only post-season blemish for ‘Big Red’ in seven seasons.
The Sentinels have won seven straight games since a loss to the Cathedral Prep, of Erie, Pennsylvania. Friday night, the Sentinels poured it on Williamsport, winning 64-22, rushing for 389 yards, led by Carson Snyder, who rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. The Sentinels have scored 35 or more points in every contest during their seven game win streak.
#44 Edmondson (9-2) v Cambridge – SD (9-2)
Edmondson – Corey Johnson 7th season 56-26, 7-6 p/o
Cambridge – Gaven Parker 2nd season 16-6, 2-1 p/o
Edmondson O:31.3 D:11.8 PD:21.5
Cambridge O:42.8 D:20.6 PD:22.2
Daniel Frink has led the Red Storm through the first two weeks of the playoffs – a 30-16 win over Francis Scott Key, and a 26-0 shutout of Forest Park, as he has stockpiled 458 yards on the ground, scoring 7 touchdowns in two weeks, including 327 yards in the opening round win. Last Friday’s win over the Foresters was the Red Storm’s fifth shutout of the season.
Coach Johnson has led the Red Storm to seven straight playoff appearances, and the program itself has earned nine straight post-season berths. Last year, the Red Storm lost to regional champion New Town, 13-12, in the opening round.
This is the Vikings 34th all-time playoff appearance, tied with Fort Hill for the most in MPSSAA history. The Vikes have won 9 of 10 games, with it’s only defeat coming to Easton, 40-34, in double overtime. Khalik Beasley, who rushed for 159 yards and a score on the Vikings 48-14 win over Fallston on Friday, has rushed for 1,304 yards and scored a total of 19 touchdowns for the Vikings this season.
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.