Late bids result in delay of game site(s)

By Sheldon Shealer

The football committee is meeting Thursday. Unfortunately, one important issue that was supposed to be finalized will be put on hold a few more days.

Ned Sparks, the executive director for the MPSSAA, said Wednesday afternoon that the last bid on this year's football state championship site will not arrive until Friday, pushing back the organization's plan to announce the location of this year's finals.

Traditionally, the MPSSAA holds the football finals at the University of Maryland's Byrd Stadium. Since that is not possible this year, the MPSSAA is exploring other options. Sparks had hoped to deliver an answer regarding the location during Thursday's football committee meeting. That will not occur. Instead, Sparks hopes to have an answer early next week.

"The last person to submit a bid asked for an extension and we're not going to have [the bid] until Friday," Sparks said.

All sorts of rumors are circulating as to possible game sites -- Ravens Stadium and various high school fields seem to be the frontrunners.

Sparks, however, would not confirm which bids are being considered, nor would he speculate on possible state final locations. He did say a few bids are worth considering and those groups have been asked to supply addition information.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

At some point his name was going to appear in this column, so now is as good a time as any to recognize Georgetown Prep's Marcus Mason. The talented RB who has a shot at the state's career rushing record, moved considerably closer with last week's 299-yard, four-TD performance in Prep's 35-7 victory over Atlee (Va.). Mason has more than 700 yards through three games.

IN CASE YOU WHERE WONDERING

Quick ... name the last team to start 0-3 and make the state playoffs. You don't need to travel back too far in time. Last year, Oakland Mills started the season 0-3 yet was able to qualify for the 1A playoffs with a 6-4 mark. The Scorpions came close to winning the final, falling to Allegany. This question has surfaced since last year's 4A and 3A state champions -- Bowie and Urbana -- both have 0-3 records.

AROUND THE STATE (Week 3 Notes)

I guess you have to hand it to the "M's." So far this season, there have been 11 reports of Maryland players scoring five or more touchdowns in a game. All but one of those performances came from a back whose last name begins with "M." They are: Pikesville's Damond Malloy (twice), Largo's Anthony Manigault, Old Mill's Brashaad Mayweather (three times), Georgetown Prep's Marcus Mason (three times) and Richard Montgomery's Jay Mbarushimana. The odd-man out is Josh Keeney, who rushed for five TDs against Thomas Johnson. While his last name doesn't end with an "M", he does play for an "M" school -- Middletown, but that's stretching it. ... For Urbana, yet another streak came to an end this week. The Hawks (0-3) were not in the AP State Poll Top 25 for the first time since Week 5 of the 1998 season. Urbana spent 46 straight weeks in the rankings, most of that time in the Top 5. ... Richard Montgomery will have its football field dedicated to coaching legend Roy Lester during its homecoming game vs. Rockville on Oct. 18. Lester had coaching stints at a small school in West Virginia and spent four seasons at Allegany. He is best known for his work in Montgomery County, where he coached RM from 1959-1968 and Paint Branch in the mid-1970s and Magruder from the late 1970s until the mid-1990s. Although he had state titles at Paint Branch and Magruder, his greatest successes came at RM, where he once guided the team to a 34-game win streak in the pre-playoff era. ... In a bit of bad news, The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday that Milford Mill senior Jerrard M. Bazemore, 18, a starting running back, was arrested and arraigned on a first-degree murder charge following the fatal shooting an 18-year-old from Randallstown. The incident occurred Saturday morning. ... Longest active win streaks: 23, Georgetown Prep; 16, Hereford. Longest active losing streaks: 18, Sparrows Point; 13, Atholton.

STREAK BUSTERS

Kent Island ended a 13-game losing streak in grand fashion -- a 20-0 victory over rival Kent County, which not only ended the streak but also was the first shutout in school history. ...

LOOKING AHEAD

Hereford at Eastern Tech, Friday. Most experts agree, Eastern Tech is the only team on Hereford's regular-season schedule with a legitimate shot at upsetting the Bulls. That being said, though, I have no record of Eastern ever beating Hereford. Of course, for most of the 1990s, they were in separate leagues and did not play.

Parkdale at Suitland, Saturday. Suitland coach Nick Lynch must be wondering, "When is this going to end?" Well, the answer is, "Not this week." This is Suitland's fourth straight game against a team ranked in the AP Top 25, and next week, the Rams are scheduled to face No. 12 Northwestern-PG. After Week 5, it lets up -- the last five teams on Suitland's schedule went a combined 15-35 last year.

DeMatha at Gonzaga (D.C.), Saturday. These perennial powers clash for the first of what could be two times this season. Gonzaga's Jr. QB will test DeMatha's secondary. Gonzaga is coming off a victory over Good Counsel and DeMatha routed O'Connell in their WCAC openers.

Other Games of Note: Friday: Sherwood at Magruder; Elkton at Bohemia Manor; Old Mill at Broadneck. Saturday: Wilde Lake at Oakland Mills; Calvert Hall at Mount St. Joseph; Loyola at Georgetown Prep.