MIAA A Semifinals

1 Spalding (9-1) v 4 McDonogh (4-6)

2 Mt St Joseph (7-3) v Calvert Hall (5-5)

Spalding capped off their second consecutive undefeated regular season in league play with a 35-21 comeback victory over Mt St Joseph. The Cavaliers trailed 14-0, before outscoring the Gaels 35-7 over the last 39 minutes in Irvington. Hakim Simms rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns for the Cavaliers in the win. Cavs coach Kyle Schmitt was pleased with the win, as his team dealt with a bit of adversity – missing more than a dozen players during practice last week, three defensive starters in the game, and trailing 14-0. “Our team was resilient versus a very tough St Joe team. Our defense settled in and did an excellent job of stopping the run and applying pressure to their pass game. Credit to our defensive coordinator Tyrone Forby who made the adjustments despite missing three starters due to illness. Our offense overcame four turnovers, but was able to finish drives in the second half. Hakim Simms was once again a huge key to our offense carrying the load as St Joe worked to stop our passing game” 

The Cavs (9-1) were in this spot last year, finishing undefeated in league play, taking the top seed, and facing McDonogh (4-6) in the semifinals. The Cavaliers magical season came to an end, with the Eagles shutting out the then 10-0 Cavs. 7-0. Schmitt is non-plussed as to how last year’s last game will have an effect on Friday’s contest. “Overall, we are proud of the efforts of this football team. Friday night is another opportunity for us against a good Mcdonogh team. This group doesn’t carry the burden of last seasons playoff result. Most of these players were on the sideline or stands during that contest. They will be ready to play Friday night.”

Mt St Joe (7-3) hosts Calvert Hall (5-5) in the other semifinal, three weeks after the Gaels came from behind to beat the Cardinals, 33-22. The Cardinals led 14-7 at intermission, before Bryce Cox ran for three touchdowns in the second half. The Gaels lost their first league contest in the regular season finale to top seed Spalding, 35-21, after staking a 14-0 lead. Gaels junior quarterback Winston Watkins has thrown for 2,083 yards and 23 touchdowns, versus five interceptions. Senior Trey Goodridge has caught 55 passes for 716 yards and ten touchdowns. Senior quarterback Noah Brannock, a first team All-Met selection as a junior, has thrown for 1,731 yards and 18 touchdowns, with six interceptions. Senior Donnie Lewis is Brannock’s top target, with 46 receptions for 665 yards and six touchdowns. 

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MPSSAA Second Round of Playoffs 

4A

4A East

1 Broadneck (8-1) v 4 Meade (5-5)

2 Old Mill (7-3) v 3 Glen Burnie (6-4)

The top seed Bruins meet the Mustangs in a rematch of their week 4 matchup won by the Bruins, 38-6. The Bruins, who received a bye in the opening round, have won eight straight games since their opening week loss to Spalding. 

The first matchup was marred by penalties, with each team receiving 14 yellow flags. The Mustangs seven turnovers did them in, after holding the Bruins to 17 points through three quarters, and trailing, 17-6. Camrin Catterton has thrown for 1,898 yards and 21 touchdowns this season, completing 66.5% of his passes. Junior Eli Harris leads the Bruins in receiving for a third straight season, and has 49 receptions for 800 yards and nine touchdowns in eight games in ‘22. Senior Anthony Hawkins has four interceptions for the Bruins defensive unit. Meade escaped the opening round with a 27-24 win over North County, after falling to the Knights in week nine. First year coach Tanardo Sharps has turned the Mustangs program around, with a 5-5 record, after entering the season with a 13 game losing streak. 

Old Mill hosts Glen Burnie in the 2 v 3 matchup in the 4A East, after the Millers handed the Gophers a 34-13 loss in week seven. Old Mill junior running back Max Jones rushed for 276 yards and six touchdowns on 32 carries in the Patriots 57-22 win over Annapolis in the opening round. Glen Burnie won the first post-season game in their program’s history last Friday with the Gophers 39-7 win over Parkville. At 6-4, the Gophers are assured of their first winning season in the 21st century. Romeo Edmonds threw for two touchdowns and ran for another two scores. 

4/3A

4/3A West

1 Urbana (9-1) v 6 Mt Hebron (3-7)

2 Howard (7-3) v 3 Seneca Valley (7-3)

After starting 1-7, and losing three games by seven points or less, Mt Hebron has won two straight games, including just their second post-season victory in 40 years with the Vikes 29-21 at Reservoir last Friday. Senior Drew Peperone, fresh off of a 231 rushing yards, five touchdowns performance in a 21 point win over Glenelg, produced 244 yards from scrimmage, and scored three first half touchdowns to lead the Vikes to a 29-13 edge at halftime. Peperone rushed for 167 yards and two scores on 21 carries, and added a 77 yard touchdown reception. The 3-7 Vikings will be substantial underdogs when the head to Urbana to take on the top seed, 9-1 Hawks. Hawks quarterback Keegan Johnson leads the MPSSAA in touchdown passes, with 27, and ranks fifth in passing yards per game, at 184.9 per. The Hawks average 36.6 points per game, and allow just 6.3 points per contest. 

Howard (7-3) will play host to Seneca Valley (7-3) in the 2-3 matchup in the West region, but the hosts will be the underdogs to the 12-time state champion Screamin’ Eagles. While the Screamin’ Eagles have three losses like the Lions, two were to a pair of top 5 MPSSAA teams, including #1 Quince Orchard and #5 Damascus, and top 25 Northwest. Screamin’ Eagles junior quarterback Elijah Frazier ranks ninth in the MPSSAA in passing yards, with and tied for seventh in touchdown passes, with

The Lions have held seven of their last nine opponents to two touchdowns or less, and four to six points or less. Caleb Snype led the county play in sacks, with seven, while Dylan Treese, Connor Hunter, and Matt Smith, all ranked among the top ten league play in tackles. Nick Formica has caught five touchdown passes on offense, and picked off two passes on defense. 

4/3A North

1 Dundalk (8-1) v 5 Dulaney (4-6)

2 Perry Hall (7-3) v 3 Mervo (6-3)

Top seed Dundalk (8-1) meets Dulaney (4-6) for the second time in four weeks, after the Owls 35-8 win over the Lions in week 8. In the first matchup, the Owls capitalized on four Lions turnovers, and Jordan Fiorenza rushed for 210 yards and matched a season’s best by scoring four touchdowns in the win. 

The defending state champion Mervo Mustangs travel to Perry Hall for their second round matchup, as the three seed. Perry Hall (7-3) has won five straight games, following the Gators 25-0 win over Woodlawn in the first round. The Gators best effort versus a top 50 opponent was an overtime loss to Franklin, to go with a 27-6 loss to Dundalk, and a 24-6 loss to Chesapeake. Junior quarterback Da’shaun Conway has thrown for 1,314 yards, and has registered 18 touchdown passes, versus just two interceptions. 

4/3A East

1 Arundel (7-2) v 5 Leonardtown (6-4)

2 North Point (7-3) v 6 Chopticon (5-5)

Arundel (7-2) is the top seed in the 4/3A East, and the last local team remaining in the region. The Wildcats advanced out of the region and into the state semifinals last season, before a deflating 40-6 loss to Dundalk. The Cats throw the ball more than any other team in the MPSSAA, at 28 pass attempts per game. Wildcats quarterback Gavin Kamachi ranks fourth in the MPSSAA in passing yards per game, at 192.2. The Wildcats face a 6-4 Leonardtown team that is battle tested, having lost to defending state champion Northern by just three points, battling 4/3A title contender North Point to one a one possession game, and losing to 7-3 St Charles, 28-27. 

3A

3A South

1 Atholton (9-0) v 4 Marriotts Ridge (4-6)

2 River Hill (8-1) v 3 Wilde Lake (5-5) 

Atholton (9-0) finished with an undefeated regular season record for the first time in their program’s history, and after a bye week in the opening round, can match a program record for wins in a season with a victory over Marriotts Ridge. A second victory over Marriotts Ridge, as the Raiders put away the Mustangs, 42-0, in week seven. The Raiders allow just 5.9 points per game, which ranks eighth in the MPSSAA. Dillan Watkins averages 123 rushing yards per game for the Raiders, and has scored 14 touchdowns. Raiders quarterback Mike Scott throws for 130 yards per game, and boasts 12 touchdowns against just one interception. After having won just once in 16 games, the Mustangs have won three straight games, including a win over Oakland Mills, and a 22-12 victory over Digital Harbor in the opening round. 

River Hill (8-1) received a bye as well, with both Poly and City withdrawing from the playoffs. Hawks coach Brian Van Deusen is just one of seven coaches in MPSSAA history with 30 post-season wins, along with Al Thomas, Bob Milloy, Todd Appel, and three other active coaches – Dunbar’s Lawrence Smith, Wise’s DaLawn Parrish, and Linganore’s Rick Conner. The Hawks face Wilde Lake, after trouncing the Wildecats, 41-14, in week nine. The Wildecats notched their first post-season home win in 14 years in their 33-13 victory over Centennial in the first round. In 2019, the Hawks entered the playoffs 8-1 before getting bounced by a 2-7 Wilde Lake team, 14-10. The Wildecats knocked off Manchester Valley the following week, before losing 35-0 to Huntingtown in the quarterfinals. 

3A North

1 Bel Air (10-0) v 4 Franklin (7-3)

2 Westminster (9-1) v 3 Edgewood (8-2)

Bel Air (10-0) followed up an emotional 28-27 four overtime win over Edgewood in week nine with a 48-0 rout of Towson in the opening round. The Bobcats face Franklin (7-3) on Friday, a championship caliber program with an relatively inexperienced team in ‘22. The Indians have won seven of their last eight games, but escaped the opening round with a narrow 28-25 win over Manchester Valley. The Bobcats look to advance to the quarterfinal (formerly regional final) round for the first time since 2014, while the Tribe looks for their tenth win in the ‘Round of 16’ since 2009. 

Westminster (9-1) hosts Edgewood (8-2) in the 2 v 3 matchup in the 3A North, and bodes to be one of the better matchups in the second round. The 8-1 Owls only loss was a three point defeat to South Carrroll. while the 7-2 Rams only two losses came to DC’s Friendship Collegiate, by six, and a four overtime loss to undefeated Bel Air in week nine. The Owls are led by junior quarterback Kyrece Walker, who finished the regular season ranked second in the county in passing yards, with 1,505, and third in rushing yards, with 720. Senior Mason Fisher is Walker’s top target and ranked fifth in the MPSSAA regular season in receiving yards, with 705, and tied for sixth in touchdown receptions, with nine. The Rams leader is Isaiah Megginson, on both sides of the ball. Megginson has scored 15 touchdowns on 71 rushing attempts, leads the team in tackles for loss, and shares the team’s lead in solo tackles. 

Edgewood coach Keith Rawlings is an Edgewood alum’, and played on the ‘82 Rams team that went 10-0 but didn’t qualify for the playoffs when just one team in each region advanced to the state semifinals. The Owls and Rams met in the second round last year with the Owls taking a 28-14 victory. “It’s going to be a great game, they are a well coached team. Unlike last year, we are healthy going into this game. This game is going to come down to who makes less mistakes, and who controls the football.”

3A East

1 Northern – Calvert (8-1) v 4 St Charles (7-3)

2 Chesapeake – AA (8-2) v 3 Long Reach (8-2)

Chesapeake (8-2) is coming off it’s best season in their program’s history, after advancing to the 3A state semifinals and finishing 10-3 in 2021. The ‘21 Cougars were led by senior Victor Listorti, who rushed for 1,882 yards and scored 27 touchdowns. This year’s Cougars don’t have the dominant running back like Listorti, but they are just four rushing yards per game off of last year’s pace. The Cougars host Long Reach (8-2) in a rematch of last year’s second round matchup where the Cougs trounced the Lightning, 39-12, behind 148 rushing yards and four touchdowns from Listorti. Wake Forest commit Rushaun Tongue has eight touchdown receptions, four interceptions, and a blocked kick. 

Long Reach topped Chesaoeake in the 2017 ‘Round of 16’, and like Chesapeake in ‘21, went on to shutout Atholton the following week, before losing in the state semifinals. The Lightning are led by their passing attack, directed by senior Brice Koontz, and their defense. Koontz has thrown for more than 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns, while the Lightning have given up 12 or less points in eight of their ten games. Lightning coach Jamie Willis, who has both won and lost to the Cougars in the playoffs, talks about the familiarity, “The game this week with the Cougars is the third time we have played Chesapeake in the past five years.  It has turned into a mini rivalry. The Cougars are a very well coached team, and we look forward to playing them.  The key to this game is to run the ball – and, stop the run. Whichever team is able to do this without turning over the ball will win this game.  My players are excited for this match-up and opportunity to play in the second round of the playoffs, and hopefully we can win and move on.”

2A

2A West

1 Poolesville (8-1) v 4 Walkersville (5-5)

2 Middletown (7-3) v 3 Oakland Mills (5-5)

Oakland Mills (5-5) is the only area team remaining in the 2A West, and the Scorpions will be double-digit underdogs as they head to Middletown on Friday. The Scorpions posted their best season in 20 years last season, but fell to 4-5 in league play this season. The Scorpions were just one of two teams (River Hill, the other) to limit Atholton to less than 21 points this season, when the Scorps fell to the Raiders, 16-6. The Scorpions are coming off of a 35-0 victory over Century, where senior Trevin McHargh scored a season-best four touchdowns. Middletown features Army commit Carson Smith, the 6’1 220 running back who ranks seventh in the MPSSAA in rushing yards per game, at 158.4 per game, and scored 19 touchdowns in nine games. 

2A South

1 Potomac (8-1) v 4 Northeast (6-4)

2 Douglass – PG (9-1) v 3 Huntingtown (6-4)

Northeast AA (6-4) will have their hands full when they travel to Potomac to take on the top seed Wolverines. The 8-1 Wolverines rank fourth in the MPSSAA in points allowed, at a paltry 3.7 points per game. Offensively, the Wolverines average scoring 35 points per game. Wolverines quarterback Marshawn Perry has thrown for 21 touchdowns, against six interceptions. The Eagles come in 6-4, and are assured of only their third winning season in the 21st century. Two of the Eagles four losses were respectful, losing to South Carroll by six points, and Poly by a single point. 

2A North

1 Milford Mill (10-0) v 4 Owings Mills (7-3)

2 Hereford (9-1) v 3 New Town (7-3)

Milford Mill (10-0) continues to roll, with a record-setting quarterback and record-setting running back leading the Millers on a record-setting scoring pace. The Millers trounced Landsdowne 67-0 in the opening round, after staking a 55-0 lead at intermission, with a running clock. Junior quarterback Deshawn Purdie needed just three completions to throw two touchdowns, and senior running back Sean Williams needed just six carries to run for two scores in the rout, where seven different Millers scored touchdowns, not including Purdie. Purdie has set the Millers single-season passing yardage mark, and now stands at 2,208, and his next touchdown pass, his 23rd, will set the Millers mark in that category. Williams set the Millers single-season marks in both rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns, with his 26th on his second score in the win over the Vikings.

Millers coach and alum’ Reggie White, who is in his twentieth season after four years in the NFL, talks about the mindset, after falling short to Douglass in the 2A state finals last year, “The   mission this off season was to manifest this run that we are currently on now.  Last season, after losing in the state championship, it left us with a very sour feeling, and we wanted to do everything possible to avoid that feeling again. Every aspect of our program was peeled back and analyzed amongst the coaches, with the intent to apply a stronger focus on (after on emphasizing pause) – details. Everything was enhanced, starting with our offseason weight  training and conditioning,  scheme Installation , and especially game preparation. The production on the field this season including the record breaking performances are a direct reflection of emphasis put on the details and the program as a whole has drastically improved our approach to practices and games.”

The Millers are averaging a MPSSAA-best 49.5 points per game, a mark that tops the 46.7 points per game the state champion Dunbar Poets averaged last year that broke the MPSSAA record of 46.2, set by Hereford in 1997. A total of five teams currently average better than 46 points per game, including the Millers, Poets (47.1), Quince Orchard (46.7), Flowers (46.6), and Mountain Ridge (46.1). The Millers will face Owings Mills for a second time this season on Friday, after putting away the 7-3 Golden Eagles 43-6 in week four. Sophomore quarterback Navaeh Elliott rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns in the Golden Eagles 28-15 opening round win over Eastern Tech. 

2/1A

2/1A West

1 South Carroll (8-1) v 4 Boonsboro (7-3)

2 Liberty (7-3) v 3 Williamsport (7-3)

Top seed South Carroll (8-1) hosts Boonsboro (7-3) on Friday, after receiving a bye in the opening round. The Cavaliers advanced to the 2/1A state title game last season, and have won 20 of 22 games over the last two seasons. Senior AJ Rodrigues has rushed for 1,305 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Cavaliers, and has amassed 2,997 all-purpose yards and scored 39 touchdowns over the last two seasons. The Cavaliers have held seven of their nine opponents to 13 points or less. The Cavaliers and Warriors have one common opponent – Brunswick. The Cavs upended the Railroaders 35-0 in week one, while the Warriors fell to the Railroaders, 27-7, in week three. 

Liberty (7-3) hosts Williamsport (7-3) on Friday in the 2 v 3 matchup in the 2/1A West, following the Lions 43-6 victory over Francis Scott Key in the opening round. Lions quarterback Jack Pelliciotti completed all ten of his passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Eagles. Sam Evans caught seven passes for 161 yards and a score for the Lions. The Lions raced out to a 42-0 halftime lead over the Eagles, and cruised. The Lions and Wildcats have two common opponents, Manchester Valley and Winters Mill. Both produced substantial wins over the pair, with Liberty posting a 28 point win over the Mavericks and a 42 point win over the Falcons, while the Warriors registered twenty point wins over both. 

2/1A North

1 Dunbar (9-0) v 5 Fairmont Heights (3-7)

2 Largo (8-2) v 3 Sparrows Point (7-3)

Dunbar (9-0) comes into the second round riding a 22 game winning streak, after sitting idle last week. The Poets are averaging 47.1 points per game, and boast a +38.1 point differential, The Poets face 3-7 Fairmont Heights on Friday. Sparrows Point (7-3) travels to Largo to take on the 8-2 Lions. The Lions allow just 8.4 points per game, which ranks 15th in the MPSSAA, and have held six of their nine opponents to eight points or less. The Pointers overcame three turnovers to put away winless Chesapeake – B, 26-8. 

2/1A East

1 Rising Sun (6-3) v 4 Elkton (5-5)

2 Harford Tech (5-4) v 6 Parkside (4-6)

Rising Sun (6-3) hosts Elkton (5-5) in a rematch of their opening week meeting, won by the Golden Elks in a shootout, 40-38. The two produced the highest scoring game in last year’s MPSSAA’s playoffs, when the Elks outlasted the Tigers, 58-40. The top seed Tigers come in having won five of their last six games. The Golden Elks started 4-2, averaging 27.3 points per game. In their last four games, where their only victory was last week’s 7-6 win over Cambridge South Dorchester, the Golden Elks have averaged a fraction of that, at 8.9 points per game. The Tigers, as the top seed, received a bye in the opening round. Harford Tech (5-4) hosts Parkside (4-6) after the Cobras recorded their third shutout of the season with a 36-0 win over North East in the opening round. The Rams have won two straight games after losing six straight games. 

1A

1A West

1 Forest Park (6-3) v 4 Edmondson (3-6)

2 Lake Clifton (6-3) v 3 Douglass – B (6-3)

Top seed Forest Park’s three losses came to three ranked MPSSAA Baltimore City schools – Dunbar, Mervo, and Poly. The Foresters (6-3) defeated the other two Division II contenders, Lake Clifton and Douglass handily, by 30 and 32 points, respectively. The Foresters host Edmondson (3-6) on Friday, after the Red Storm’s 34-6 win over Lewis in the opening round. Lake Clifton (6-3) hosts Douglass – B (6-3) in the 2 v 3 matchup in the 1A North, in a rematch of their week seven matchup, won by the Lakers, 20-6.

1A North

1 Joppatowne (9-1) v 5 SEED (5-4)

2 Patterson Mill (8-2) v 3 Brunswick (7-3)

Joppatowne (9-1) pasted Havre de Grace in the opening round, 44-2, and will host SEED (5-4) on Friday. The Mariners come into the game averaging 39.4 points per game, yielding a +23.8 point differential. The Mariners have scored 36 points or more in eight of ten games. Patterson Mill (8-2) hosts Brunswick (7-3) in the 2 v 3 matchup in the 1A North. 

1A East

1 Colonel Richardson (7-3) v 4 Bohemia Manor (6-4)

2 Green Street Academy (6-3) v 3 Perryville (6-4)

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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