By Sheldon Shealer
The mighty have fallen.
It took only one weekend to likely end the first co-No. 1 ranking in Maryland state poll history, and throw the entire rankings into a frenzy.
Although 16 of the preseason Top 20 won their season-openers this past weekend, it's a select three ó Co-No 1, 3 and 4 ó who didn't win that created the havoc.
DeMatha, a co-No. 1 with Seneca Valley, tied Dunbar (D.C.), 14-14, in a game halted due to lightning with 2 minutes, 59 seconds remaining. The result stands because the coaches agreed to call the game, which wouldn't have gone into overtime if the game remained tied, due to DeMatha's league rules.
Preseason No. 3 Friendly and No. 4 Suitland were shut out in their openers.
Friendly was hammered by unranked High Point, 35-0.
Suitland lost to unranked Bishop McNamara, 14-0.
DeMatha, Suitland and Friendly were the top three ranked teams in Prince George's County.
The Sept. 8 rankings promise to shake up the Top 5.
The other first-week loser was No. 9 Randallstown, who was handed a 27-14 setback by Pennsylvania power Chambersburg.
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TAKE NOTE:
... Annapolis entered the fourth quarter of its game against Old Mill leading 34-7, but needed a pass breakup in the closing seconds to hang on for a 41-34 win.
... Riverdale Baptist's return to varsity football proved unfruitful as the team was lit up by Eleanor Roosevelt, 50-0. Riverdale Baptist dropped the team after a winless 1997 season. Only two years prior to that, Riverdale Baptist had a running back that set the state's career rushing record and recently made it to the NFL.
... Middletown continues to get defensive. The Knights, which have averaged more than three shutouts a season over the past 22 years, blanked Thomas Johnson, 7-0. The win was Middletown's 20th straight regular-season victory.
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STAT STARS:
... Dunbar RB Darrell Dorsey rushed for six touchdowns, one shy of the state record, in the Poets' 60-0 win over Northwestern-Balt. on Friday.
... North Carroll's Steve Suter rushed 20 times for 307 yards and five touchdowns in the Panthers' lopsided win over Francis Scott Key.
... City College QB Lamar Manigo completed 15-of-24 passes for 355 yards and five TDs in the Knights' 39-12 win over Forest Park.
... Old Mill WR Jason Galloway tied a state record for receptions with 14 catches for 236 yards and a TD in the Patriots' 41-34 loss to Annapolis.
... In the same game, Annapolis RB Rayvon Johnson rushed for 198 yards and two TDs.
... Thomas Stone RB Marcus Whalen rushed for 280 yards in his team's 34-22 victory over Chopticon.
... Seneca Valley QB Chris Kelley completed 6-of-8 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns and returned a punt 72 yards for a score in the Screaming Eagles' 43-0 win over Richard Montgomery.
... Parkville RB Michael Hall rushed for five TDs in the team's 54-7 victory over Owings Mills.
... Einstein's Al Glay returned two punts of 81 and 70 yards for TDs in the team's 38-8 win over Kennedy.
... Patuxent sophomore RB Terry Caulley rushed for 270 yards and two TDs on 22 carries in his first varsity start, leading the team to a 28-7 win over McDonough.
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STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
... Seneca Valley extended its win streak to a state-best 27 games with a 43-0 win over Richard Montgomery.
... Milford Mill turned in the state's high-point total of the week during 64-28 scorefest with Phelps School (D.C.).
... Great Mills ended a 13-game losing streak with a 20-13 win over Southern-AA.
... Atholton ended a nine-game losing streak with a 14-12 win over Northeast-AA, which is riding a 21-game losing streak.
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JUST FOR DEBATE:
So which conference in the best in Maryland?
Montgomery 4A? P.G. 4A? MIAA A Conference?
For now, that honor belongs to P.G. 2A-1A, based on non-league win-loss percentage.
In week one, P.G. 2A-1A teams won five of six games (.833).
The following are the best conferences ranked by non-league win-loss percentages after week 1* (of course, this doesn't take into account strength of schedule): Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (6-2-1, .722); Baltimore City East, Prince George's 4A and Central Maryland Conference (5-3, .625); Howard County (6-4, .600); Cecil County (3-2, .600).
FYI ó Montgomery County 4A teams are 0-2 in non-league play.
*-Pending result of one MIAA A Conference games.
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MAJOR MATCHUPS:
Friendly at Hylton (Va.), Thursday, 7:30 p.m.ó Never mind its 35-0 loss to High Point last week, NOW starts the hard part of Friendly's schedule (defending Va. champ this week, Seneca Valley in Week 4).
Watkins Mill at Paint Branch, Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ó Two teams on a mission. Watkins Mill has a score to settle from '98 when it beat Paint Branch, only to miss out of the playoffs by a fraction of a point to, none-other-than, Paint Branch.
City College at Edmondson, Friday, 2:30 p.m. ó Is the Baltimore balance of power shifting away from the City?
Georgetown Prep at Bel Air, Friday, 7 p.m. ó Intriguing meeting between schools who have never met on the football field.
High Point at Suitland, Friday, 3 p.m. ó High Point already took out preseason No. 3 Friendly, can it do the double and take out preseason No. 4 Suitland?
Brunswick at Boonsboro, Saturday, 8 p.m. ó Winner has inside track to a 1A playoff spot.
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DID YOU NOTICE?
Stephen Decatur and Hammond failed to climb the Hill last week, meaning no school can defeat two Hills during the 1999 regular season. Decatur lost to River Hill and Hammond lost to Fort Hill. Decatur still has to play Snow Hill, while Hammond has yet to meet River Hill. Decatur and Hammond are the only schools in the state scheduled to play more than one of the four Hills in Maryland. The state's only other Hill Ñ Oxon Hill ó doesn't factor into the picture this year, and Churchill doesn't count.