Baltimore Metro Top 25 October 19th

1 St Frances (5-1) – 249-94; bye week

2 Spalding (8-0); 277-73; @ Gilman 10/22

3 Mt St Joe (5-2) – 148-103; v Calvert Hall

4 Calvert Hall (6-1) – 240-110; @ Mt St Joe 10/23

5 Dundalk (7-0) – 225-46; @ Dulaney 10/23

6 Milford Mill (6-1); 251-45; @ Kenwood 10/22

7 McDonogh (2-5) – 107-126; @ Pallotti 10/22

8 Broadneck (6-1) – 268-98; v Old Mill 10/22

9 Dunbar (7-0) – 326-54; @ Carver Vo-Tech

10 Mervo (4-1) – 186-54; TBD

11 Franklin (5-2) – 204-132; v Towson 10/22

12 St Mary’s (5-2) – 147-153; @ Concordia Prep 10/22

13 Loyola (5-2) – 164-59; @ John Carroll 10/22

14 Concordia Prep (6-1) – 144-44; v St Mary’s 10/22

15 Old Mill (6-1) – 311-58; @ Broadneck 10/22

16 Long Reach (7-0) – 188-44; v Atholton 10/22

17 Gilman (4-2) – 187-176; v Spalding 10/22

18 Glenelg (6-1) – 229-89; @ Marriotts Ridge 10/22

19 Atholton (6-1) – 186-104; @ Long Reach 10/22

20 Pallotti (4-4) – 136-152; v McDonogh 10/22

21 Oakland Mills (6-1) – 174-93; @ River Hill 10/22

22 South Carroll (7-0) – 221-63; @ Century 10/22

23 Harford Tech (6-0) – 220-66; @ North Harford 10/22

24 Boys Latin (4-4) – 126-154; bye week

25 St Paul’s (3-3) – 103-83; v Curley 10/22

Next;

New Town (5-2) – 175-87; v Owings Mills 10/23

Havre de Grace (6-1F) – 173-18; v Perryville 10/22

Severna Park (5-2) – 204-84; v Glen Burnie 10/22

Chesapeake AA (5-2) – 246-105; v Arundel 10/22

Owings Mills (6-1) – 261-107; @ New Town 10/23

River Hill (4-3) – 106-62; v Oakland Mills 10/22

City College (4-1) – 142-52; @ Lewis 10/22

Fallston (7-0) – 336-165; v Bohemia Manor 10/22

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Baltimore County

Those shockwaves felt in the Baltimore region last Friday night have been found to have originated in Dundalk, where the Owls stunned Baltimore County’s ‘top dog’, Franklin, 27-13, recording just their second victory over the Indians in 14 tries since 2004. The only other victory the Owls experienced over the Indians in the last 18 years came in 2015, when the Owls upset the Indians in the regional final, 20-16, three weeks after Franklin squashed the Owls, 37-18, in their regular season contest. Since that game, the Indians had won seven straight games in the series, averaging precisely 40 points per game over the span, with a +33.1 point differential. Friday night, these Owls had different plans. 

The Owls built a 21-0 first half lead and never looked back. Jordan Fiorenza carried the ball 32 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns, and added a 33 yard touchdown pass. Fiotenza’s first score came on a 9 yard run just before the first quarter ended. Then, on the Owls next possession, Fiorenza found Marcus Nicholson through the air for a score on a fourth-and-15 on the Indians 33 yard line. Midway through the second quarter, the Owls’ Abdullah Sargaent grabbed the first of his two interceptions on the night, and returned to the Indians 22 yard line. Three plays later, Fiorenza plunged in from eight yards to gives the Owls a 21-0 lead. Fiorenza rushed for 135 yards before intermission, and added a touchdown pass. The Owls held the Indians to only 42 yards rushing, while gaining 260 yards of their own on the ground. 

While the Indians hurt themselves (botched punt and interception, both giving Dundalk short fields) and blew some opportunities (stopped at the 1 yard line), the Owls were the better team on Friday night. Matt Banta is in his fifth year as the ‘head guy’ at Dundalk, and has led the Owls to a 28-7 record over their last 35 games, including 27-3 versus those not named Franklin. 

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Anne Arundel

The top two teams in Anne Arundel County square off Friday night, as the 6-1 Patriots of Old Mill travel to Broadneck to face the Bruins in a battle of the two teams that remain undefeated in their league play. Since their opening week loss to Spalding, the best team in the Baltimore area not named St Frances, the Bruins have won six straight games, averaging 42.5 points per game in those six contests. Old Mill, meanwhile, have run off five straight victories since their week two loss at Fort Hill, averaging 47.8 points per game in those five games, posting a point differential of +41.8. 

Last Friday night, Bruins quarterback Joshua Erlich threw 16 for 23 for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the Bruins 48-14 win over Severna Park. Erlich moved into 8th place all-time on the MPSSAA career completions list, and is 13 completions away from matching former Arundel quarterback Nick Elko for 5th place on the all-time list. Erlich is 161 passing yards from matching former Northern quarterback Reese Crounse for 10th place on the MPSSAA career passing yards mark. Both the Bruins and Patriots are 6-0 in league play, and the winner should become the 10th straight league champion (not including Covid shortened season) to finish undefeated in league play. Kickoff is at 6:30 Friday night in Annapolis (Broadneck). 

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Elsewhere.

St Frances

St Frances pummeled Life Christian Academy VA, 47-8, and remain ranked #16 in the USA Today Super 25 rankings, and #17 in Max Preps. The Panthers have a couple tune-ups before facing the #2 team in the country, IMG FL.

MIAA

Calvert Hall avoided an upset as they charged back to beat Gilman, 28-24, on Saturday. The Cardinals face Mt St Joe on the road this weekend, with the 2 seed of the MIAA playoffs likely on the line. Spalding remains undefeated after a 14-3 win over McDonogh, where the scoreboard did an injustice to Spalding’s dominance. The two very well may meet again in the MIAA semifinals. Spalding travels to Gilman on Saturday. 

Howard County

The Howard County league race has four teams within a game of each other, with Long Reach holding a one game lead over Glenelg, Atholton, and Oakland Mills. The Lightning have an opportunity to reach 8-0 for the first time in the program’s history should they get past Atholton at home this weekend. The Raiders are 6-1, and looking for their first piece of a county title since 2011. A Raiders win could conceivably creat a four-way tie for the county lead heading into the final week of the regular season. Oakland Mills is 6-1 and travels to River Hill this week, with the 4-3 Hawks riding a two game losing streak. The Scorpions host the Lightning in the week nine season finale. 

Carroll County

Carroll County league leader South Carroll received a scare from Liberty on Friday night, before holding off the Lions and keeping their record unblemished. The Cavs mounted a 22-7 halftime lead behind the all-around play of AJ Rodrigues, whose two long kickoff returns and 45 yard touchdown run led to a 15 point lead for the Cavaliers at intermission. The Lions shut down the Cavs in the second half, and produced their second and third scoring plays of 60 yards or more to take a 23-22 lead with less than two minutes to play. 

The Lions Tommy Nelson, who registered a 75 yard rushing score in the first half, provided a 61 yard touchdown to cut the lead to one with 1:33 to play. Lions quarterback Jack Pellicciotti, who had hooked up with Drew Mooney for a 61 yard scoring pass play in the third quarter, hooked up with his receiver again on the two-point conversion to give the Lions a 23-22 lead. But then, Cavaliers quarterback Ryan Barnard connected with Jackson Strzelczyk across the middle for a big scoring play of their own to pull out a 28-23 victory in the final minute on the Cavaliers ‘Senior Night’. The Cavaliers are 7-0 for the first time since 2010. 

UCBAC

Harford Tech moved to 6-0 with a 42-18 win over Bel Air Friday night, with Kelvin Mendez leading the way with 248 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries. The Cobras hold a one game lead over Elkton in the UCBAC Chesapeake league standings, and travel to see the Golden Elks in the regular season finale on the 29th. Both Fallston and Havre de Grace sit at 5-0 in the UCBAC Susquehanna division, and both could finish undefeated in league play, with the Cougars and Warriors not facing each other this season. Through seven weeks, Fallston is the highest scoring team in the MPSSAA, averaging 48 points per game. 

Baltimore City

Lake Clifton’s James ‘Money’ Monroe won his 207th career game on Thursday night, in the Lakers 22-0 shutout victory over Carver. Monroe ties Dave Carruthers for th place on the all-time Maryland public schools coaching wins list. Carruthers went a combined 207- over his years at Linganore, and years at Urbana. Dunbar’s Lawrence Smith notched his 150th career victory in the Poets 44-0 rout of Edmondson on Thursday night.