The Panthers Prevail

The rise of the St Frances football program has been astronomical since it’s inception in 2008, from its CYO infancy, through its struggles in the relatively lowly regarded MIAA C Conference, to national prominence, in less than a dozen years. As been reported thoroughly through the last handful-plus years, that rise coincided with Biff Poggi bringing his coaching staff and full resources from blue-blooded Gilman to the small, predominately Black private school in East Baltimore following the 2015 season. Since, the Panthers rise to fame has shaken the high school gridiron landscape, both locally and nationally.

The results have spoken for themselves, and America has taken notice of a program unique in so many ways. Ever since there has been a mythical national champion, for forty years, the thought of any team from Maryland winning a mythical national title seemed almost impossible – DeMatha and Good Counsel, included. Come close, yes. Enough to win it all, almost impossible, unless the more than a handful of powers across California, Texas, and Florida, all finished with a loss, and the local heroes went unbeaten. In a way, that still may hold true, but the Panthers national schedule puts them in a position where they may need just one or two to take a loss, together with an undefeated record, to claim national glory.

That appeared to be the case coming into this season, where a Panthers 10-0 record, paired with both Mater Dei and St John Bosco taking losses, would equal a national championship for the Panthers. After all, most pre-season national rankings had the Panthers, Monarchs, and Braves, as the top three high school teams in the land, with Coach Messay Hailermariam’s Panthers at #3. Mater Dei won the national title in ‘21, after beating Bosco, 42-21, in week five, and going on to win the state title. The expected rematch was derailed when Servite upset the St John Bosco in the state quarterfinals. In the previous post-season, in ‘19, it was St John Bosco that won a national championship, after avenging a regular season loss to Mater Dei in the CIF SS Division I championship, upending the Monarchs, 39-34. The Braves won the national title with a loss, while the 11-1 Panthers finished ranked #4 by MaxPreps and #5 by USA Today, with that lone loss coming to the #2 Monarchs. 

The formula to put themselves into the conversation of national champions was in place. It’s a formula far fewer than 1% of the programs nationally even possess to capture a national championship. One, other than a few instances, is an unbeaten record. But, that’s not it, as more than 100 schools go unbeaten every year. Two, you need some history, a reputation, and a track record of having beat elite teams, which is required of a national champion in the 21st century. Three, you need a strength of schedule that can compare to the best programs in Cali’, Texas, and Florida. The juggernauts in the ‘Golden State’, the ‘Lonestar State’, and ‘Sunshine State’, not only play each other during the regular season and post-season, but also compete with some of the best national powers outside of their state. 

The Panthers have the formula. After four straight seasons ranked among the top five in the country, it’s obvious, the national pundits have taken notice. In ‘17, the Panthers finished #4 in MaxPreps final rankings. In ‘18, the Panthers finished #4 in USA Today. In ‘19 and ‘21, the Panthers finished #4 in MaxPreps final rankings. The Panthers were notching notable national wins while they rose through the rankings, including a pair of victories over national juggernaut IMG, an ESPN televised 49-13 rout of Miami Central in the 2019 opener, and another ESPN televised 41-3 blowout win over then nationally ranked #8 Bingham (UT) to close the ‘17 season, among others. The recent history is there, a handful of notable national victories is there, and a formidable national schedule is there, one that includes six games versus teams ranked among the top 60 in the country in the MaxPreps pre-season rankings. So, a 10-0 record, and losses by Mater Dei and St John Bosco, in a perfect world, would equal a national title.

That ascension to the top saw some turbulence in week 0, after Hailermariam’s Panthers needed several things to happen in the final moments of their opener with East St Louis to pull out a victory in Canton, Ohio. And, they did. The Flyers were never going to be a pushover, after finishing as a Illinois 6A state finalist in ‘21, and returning a pair of lineman that will play in the SEC next year, among their cast of stars. The Flyers’ 6’6 358 pound offensive tackle Miles McCray will be playing for ‘Bama next fall, and 6’6 345 pound offensive guard Paris Patterson will ‘pig suey’ next season. The Flyers jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, and held the Panthers scoreless until the final second of the first half, when the East Baltimore private power capitalized on a bad snap on a punt by the Flyers, and punched in a one yard run to cut their deficit to 7-6 at intermission. 

The Panthers took the lead in the third quarter when junior quarterback Michael Van Buren found senior transfer Ryan Manning across the middle for a 28 yard score. The Panthers led, 12-7, after a failed two-point conversion. The Flyers retook the lead when quarterback Robert Battle scrambled himself into the end zone from nine yards out with just more than a minute remaining in the third quarter. It appeared that the Flyers may apply ‘the dagger’, after driving down deep inside of Panthers territory with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, leading by a point. But, a penalty and a bad snap on a punt gave the Panthers the ball on their own 41 yard line. On first down, Van Buren (6’0 180) found senior transfer Mekhi Workman down the right sideline for a 59 yard scoring strike, before Workman split two defenders at the 15 yard line and scored with 1:27 remaining. The Flyers made one more run, driving to the Panthers 22 yard line, but a penalty and a sack put them behind the sticks, and a comeback out of reach. 

While the Panthers have had a treasure trove of transfers over the last handful of years, the vast majority have hailed from fellow private school programs, or out-of-state schools, or as Maryland public school underclassmen, yet to have a made a mark in the MPSSAA, but Manning (5’11 170) and Workman (5’10 165) are different, having made huge impacts for their respective public school teams as juniors. Manning was a MPSSAA All-State honorable mention selection as a junior at Bowie, after catching 39 passes for 1,001 yards and 13 touchdown receptions for the Bulldogs, averaging an astronomical 25.7 yards per reception. Manning committed to Maryland in June, choosing the Terrapins offer over those from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Minnesota, and Wake Forest, among others. Workman would have been Franklin’s best all-around player on all three of the Indians units this season, after scoring nine touchdowns on 26 touches on offense as a junior, while also recording three interceptions and returning four punt returns for scores in his 17 games with the Tribe. Workman holds an offer from Old Dominion. 

Van Buren’s stock skyrocketed last year during his sophomore season with the Panthers, highlighted by a breakthrough performance before a national audience in a win over Cali’ power De La Salle on the west coast in week five last season. Van Buren led the Panthers to 28 straight points to take a 35-14 halftime lead in the eventual 42-28 win over the Spartans. Van Buren threw 16 of 19 for 235 yards and four touchdowns, tying Matt Leinert (Mater Dei/USC) and DJ Uiagelelei (St John Bosco/Clemson) for most touchdown passes thrown by a Spartans opponent in a game. Van Buren is ranked as the #11 ranked quarterback in the 2024 class, and holds 16 offers and counting, including those from Alabama, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Maryland, among others. 

The Panthers most notable prospect, among a strong cast, is West Baltimore product Dashawn Womack, a 6’4 240 defensive lineman, ranked sixth in the country at his position by 24/7 Sports, and #1 among all prospects in Maryland. Womack committed to LSU in June. The Panthers have thrived over the last five seasons because of their line play on both sides of the ball. In the 2022 class, the Panthers featured the top three offensive tackles in the state, a state that includes DeMatha, Good Counsel, and a number of other highly talented programs. Isaiah Neal, a senior transfer from Gonzaga, joins Womack on the Panthers defensive line. Neal, 6’3 265, held offers from Georgia and Ohio State, among others, before committing to Pittsburgh in June. On the offensive front, the Panthers feature 6’4 290 offensive tackle Cam’Ron Warren, who is ranked ninth nationally at his position, and who holds more than 25 offers, including those from Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, and Jackson State, among others. 

A week before the opener, the Panthers added to their embarrassment of riches on the defensive line when 6’5 290 senior defensive tackle Will Norman transferred from IMG, a week after the run-stopper committed to Florida. The Panthers also boast Boston College commit Brian Simms III (6’3 240) and Massachusetts commit Donovan Dyson (6’2 220), an edge rusher, on their defensive line. The Panthers offensive line was bolstered by the addition of 6’7 345 offensive tackle PJ Wilkins, after the senior transferred in from Marietta, Georgia. Wilkins, former NBA star Dominique Wilkins’ nephew, holds offers from Georgia Tech, South Florida, and Boston College. Senior Durrell Robinson (6’1 190), a Boston College commit, headlines the running back corps, while 6’5 230 junior Chase Wilkens comes over from Mt St Joe to play tight end. Wilkens was one of a number of MIAA transfers, with the most notable being senior defensive back KP Price (6’2 175), who jumped from Calvert Hall, and holds more than twenty offers, including pleas from Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and Boston College, among others. 

The Panthers roster is loaded, with dozens and dozens with FBS offers, but still it seems their team rankings outpace their players rankings, when compared to other national powerhouses, and whose number of nationally ranked prospects pail in comparison to the likes of IMG, Mater Dei, St John Bosco, and Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. IMG has double the amount of 3, 4, and 5 star players on their roster as compared to that of the Panthers, 30 to 15. St John Bosco (26), Mater Dei (25), and Bishop Gorman (23), all have far more highly rated prospects than the Panthers, according to the experts. 

While the Panthers can exhale after escaping Canton with a win, the road doesn’t get any easier for the Panthers over the next four weeks, with trips to the greater Dallas area to take on DeSoto this weekend, then on to the Florida panhandle to face Venice, before a trip to the ‘Palmetto State’ to meet Dutch Fork. 

The trip to Dallas this weekend is part of an I20 Classic doubleheader, featuring Duncanville taking on Jones, of Orlando, Florida, in the first game, and the Panthers taking on the hosts, the DeSoto Eagles, in the nightcap. The Eagles advanced to the ultra-competitive Texas 6A DI quarterfinals in 2021,  before falling to Duncanville. The Eagles boast a pair of Texas Longhorns commits in senior wide receiver Johntay Cook II, and senior running back Tre Wisner. The Eagles won their opener this weekend over St Augustine in New Orleans, 35-10.

The trip to the Florida panhandle can’t be taken lightly, as Venice is the defending Florida 8A state champion, despite the Indians taking a 32-26 loss to Miami power Northwestern in their opener. The Indians outscored their five playoff opponents in 2021, 230-42. Venice came into the season ranked #36 by MaxPreps. The Indians boast the #6 edge rusher in the country in 6’4 230 Damon Wilson, who holds offers from Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State, among many offers. The Eagles also offer cornerback Elliott Washington, a Penn State commit. Dutch Fork, a South Carolina state finalist in ‘21, features running back Jarvis Green, who carries 16 offers, and defensive back Landon Danley, who has offers from Charlotte, Miami of Ohio, and Georgia State. The Panthers close the month with a trip to Hawaii, for a showdown with Kahuku, the defending Hawaii state champion, who feature the #18 ranked linebacker in the country, Texas commit Liona LeFau. The Red Raiders roster also holds another half-dozen three-star prospects in the ‘23 class, including Leonard Ah You, a top 50 linebacker, with offers from Hawaii, Arizona, Arizona State, and BYU, and safety Brock Fonoimoana, a Utah commit. 

Then, the next ‘big’ one would be what’s now the season finale with IMG, provided the highly talented Ascenders win out. This will be the fourth showdown with the Panthers, with the East Baltimore school holding a 2-1 edge, including winning the last two matchups. But, the Panthers can’t afford too many more ‘L’s’ from the likes of IMG, Venice, and Dutch Fork, before then. Last weekend, St John Bosco travelled to Texas and walloped Allen, 52-14, in their 60,000 capacity stadium. Mater Dei, meanwhile, had to come back from a 14 point deficit to beat Bishop Gorman, 24-21, in Vegas. The #2 Monarchs travel to take on Inland Empire power Centennial this weekend, in a showdown with the #9 Huskies. 

Those games will sorts themselves out, the Panthers have to take care what’s in front of them, and this week, that’s the DeSoto Eagles. Though the Panthers were pressed in week one, they prevailed, and now as one of the ‘hunted’, sometimes you just have to survive and advance. And, if nothing else happened last weekend on the grounds of the Hall of Fame, the Panthers did just that.