SV Tumbles From Top 20 For First Time in 7 Years

By Sheldon Shealer

Seneca Valleyís 19-14 loss to Northwest could be viewed as the changing of the guard.

Or simply, as the end of an era.

The loss dropped Seneca Valley to 3-2 and out of the Associated Press Maryland Top 20 for the first time since 1993, which covered a state-record 84 straight weeks in the rankings.

Oddly, the Screaming Eaglesí loss came at the hands of the school it helped spawn. The growth in northern Montgomery County prompted the building of a second high school in Germantown, which took from Seneca Valleyís enrollment. Seneca Valley, which started the year with 39 straight victories and three straight state titles, was a Class 4A school when the streak began. After the opening of Northwest, Seneca Valley slipped to 3A, yet continued its winning ways until this year.

The teamís 41-game win streak was halted in a 10-7 loss to Einstein. Now, with two losses, Seneca Valley is in jeopardy of missing the state playoffs for the first time since 1989.

Seneca Valley's amazing streak started in 1993, following a Week 5 victory. The Eagles, which started that year at No. 12 but fell out after the opening week, recovered to win the Class 3A state title and earn the state's No. 1 ranking in an upset-filled season. Seneca Valley became a Top 5 fixture between 1993 and 1999, earning state No. 1 final rankings in 1994, 1997 and 1999.

The Eagles turn over the streak of continuos weeks in the poll to DeMatha, which has rolled off 69 straight, dating to 1994, which is the second-longest in state poll history. Gaithersburg has been ranked for 66 straight weeks. The other current, lengthy stays in the poll are Suitland at 41 weeks, Gilman at 30 weeks, Urbana at 25 and Randallstown at 22.

The all-time list of consecutive weeks in the rankings for reads: 84, Seneca Valley, 1993-2000; 69, DeMatha, 1994-present; 66, Gaithersburg, 1995-present; 59, Fort Hill, 1994-1999; 53, DeMatha, 1990-1994.


TOP PERFORMANCES

Kelvin Collins, Old Mill, Running Back. Collins rushed for 237 yards and four touchdowns as Old Mill defeated Southern-AA 34-19 to remain undefeated.

Duane Smith, Suitland, Quarterback. Mitchell completed 13-of-21 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams defeated Largo 27-14 to improve to 5-0.

Todd Leitzel, Hereford, Running Back. Leitzel was an all-purpose threat last week, rushing for 133 yards and three touchdowns, returning a punt 80 yards for a score and recording his fourth interception of the season in Herefordí 49-0 victory over Lansdowne. Hereford has won all five of its contests by at least 36 points. Leitzel, meanwhile, has racked up 1,057 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns, despite seeing limited second-half action.

IN CASE YOU WHERE WONDERING

Northwestern-PG defeated Crossland 71-0, marking the most lopsided contest in Maryland this year. The Wildcats led 57-0 at halftime. However, Northwestern-PG's 71 points in a game does not crack the all-time state Top 10 offensive performances. St. James holds the distinction of the two most lopsided victories by Maryland schools, defeating Harpers Ferry (W.Va.) 100-0 and Stuyvesant (Va.) 91-0 in 1925. No. 10 on the list is a 73-0 victory by Williamsport over Hancock in 1981.

STREAK BUSTERS

The following winning or losing streaks ended last week:

Sean Etter rushed for 260 yards and four touchdowns as Severn defeated Boys' Latin 37-7, ending Severn's modest five-game losing streak.

AROUND THE STATE (Week 5 Notes)

North County quarterback Mike Pfisterer has moved within 100 yards of breaking the state's public school career passing record. The senior has 5,547 yards, 91 shy of the public school state record set by Urbana's Zack Mills, who graduated last spring. Pfisterer would need another 250 yards beyond Mills' mark to clip the state's all-time career record, held by Lucas Phillips of Mount St. Joseph. ... The quickest way to earn respect is to knock off the frontrunners, and Joppatowneís football team delivered. The Mariners were scheduled to face defending Harford County League co-champs Fallston and North Harford in consecutive weeks. Joppatowne edged Fallston 15-11 before handling North Harford 33-14 this week to take over first in the conference. ... Brunswick and River Hill have emerged as the stateís hard-luck football teams. Brunswick, the Class 1A runner-up last year, has lost three games by a touchdown in its 0-5 start, including a 10-9 setback to rival Middletown last week. River Hill is 0-4 in games decided by a touchdown as the Hawks are also 0-5. ... Eddie Beccles topped 100 yards in receiving and rushing in Sherwood's 35-20 victory over Watkins Mill. ... Cardinal Gibbons leads the state in victories. The Baltimore City private school started two weeks earlier than the state's public schools, and has six wins in seven games. ... A season of promise just might pan out for Chopticon after all. Touted as a team to watch, Chopticon opened the season with a 7-0 loss to defending SMAC champion Thomas Stone. However, the Braves have rolled off four straight wins, and most recently a 21-14 victory over then state No. 20 McDonough. ... After playing (and winning) five straight home games, Douglass-PG goes on the road for the first time this year at DuVal on Saturday. ... Right now, the Class 2A playoffs could be comprised of six schools from the West and North regions, along with the other two guaranteed region champs. Urbana, Fort Hill and Francis Scott Key are undefeated in the West region, and Northwest will earn a lot of points through its schedule, despite one loss. Hereford and Edmondson are undefeated in the North region. ... Lake Clifton has allowed only one touchdown in five games this year. ... At midseason, the following schools have already passed last year's win total: Cardinal Gibbons, Carver Vo-Tech, Centennial, Chesapeake-BC, Dulaney, Francis Scott Key, Harford Tech, Kennedy, Joppatowne, Kent County, Lansdowne, Maryland School for the Deaf, Mergenthaler Vo-Tech, Montgomery Blair, North Hagerstown, Northeast-AA, Owings Mills, St. James and South Hagerstown.

LOOKING AHEAD

Eleanor Roosevelt at Suitland, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. This annual Prince Georgeís Class 4A showdown has had the league title riding on the outcome the past three years. Both teams are 5-0 this year, and the winner takes control of the league and possible home field advantage throughout the state playoffs. Last year, Suitland won the game and the league title, but Eleanor Roosevelt recovered in the postseason, knocking off Suitland on its way to its first state title.

Paul VI (Va.) at DeMatha, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. This is the first time these teams are getting together since Paul VI upset DeMatha in last year's Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title game. DeMatha is 5-1 overall, 3-0 in the WCAC. Paul VI is 6-1, 4-1.

Old Mill at Broadneck, Saturday, 1 p.m. This showdown will determine the leader in the Anne Arundel County standings, since these schools are the only 4A teams left undefeated in the conference. Old Mill and Broadneck are both 5-0 and are receiving votes in the state Top 20.