Points race still quite scrambled
By Sheldon Shealer
This is the week that I annually take an indepth look at the points standings and
make postseason projections. Unfortunately, this year, that seems a bit premature,
although we are entering Week 9.
Instead of being the stretch run, it's catch-up time for Montgomery and P.G. counties.
Both counties are jamming anywhere from three to four games in a two-week window in order to make up as many contests lost due to the sniper attacks as possible. With so many games in so little time, the playoff picture, especially in Class 4A and 3A, can quickly be altered.
In addition, this is also the time of year we take a look at statewide statistical leaders. That, too, seems a week too early given that P.G. schools entered this week with only five games played. Later this week, I'll start to post as many state leaders as possible.
Without going into great depth, here is a look at the playoff picture -- subject to change greatly starting Tuesday when P.G. attempts one round of make-up games.
Class 4A
Frontrunners -- North: Woodlawn; South: Suitland; East: Broadneck; West: Sherwood, Gaithersburg
In The Running: Damascus, Parkdale, Northwestern-PG, Old Mill, Flowers, Whitman
Outlook: This is the week of truth as the frontrunners from P.G. and Montgomery County all will play twice this week. While the South and West are still up for grabs, it appears Woodlawn and Broadneck are safe bets as region champs in the North and East.
Class 3A
Frontrunners -- North: Dundalk; South: Northern Calvert; East: Annapolis; West: Seneca Valley or Linganore
In The Running: Wilde Lake, Gwynn Park, Severna Park, Richard Montgomery.
Outlook: Like the 4A, this one is subject to change quickly as Seneca Valley, Gwynn Park and Richard Montgomery start making up contests. If Annapolis can get through this week's showdown with Old Mill, it likely will be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Amazingly, the only three undefeated teams in 3A are all in the same region, meaning Wilde Lake and Gwynn Park are looking at at-large spots. Usually three-loss teams are out of the running in 3A, but considering Dulaney is 5-3 and positioned at No. 9 in the points standings, anything could happen. Mathematically, the top 15 teams all have a shot of finishing among the top eight. This week should cut that number down significantly.
Class 2A
Frontrunners -- North: Edmondson, Hereford; South: DuVal or Southern-AA or Lackey; East: Wicomico; West: Glenelg
In The Running: City College, Stephen Decatur, Edgewood, Middletown, Fort Hill.
Outlook: The North region could provide three playoff teams with Edmondson, Hereford and City. Of course, Hereford appears to be on course for another perfect season, but no home playoff games. The odd twist in this puzzle could be the South region champion. Right now, DuVal is ranked No. 12, Southern-AA is No. 14 and Lackey is No. 17. One of those teams will be a region champion and could bump the fourth-highest at-large team. Right now, it looks like Edmondson, Glenelg, Wicomico, South Region champ, Hereford, City and two of these three -- Decatur/Edgewood/Middletown -- will be the 2A playoff field.
Class 1A
Frontrunners -- North: Bo Manor, North East-Cecil; South: Dunbar, Oakland Mills; East: Havre de Grace or Cambridge-S.D.; West: South Hagerstown or Beall.
In The Running: Elkton, Rising Sun, Allegany, Catoctin.
Outlook: Right now, it's looking like three Cecil County teams could qualify for the postseason -- Bo Manor, North East and Elkton. Havre de Grace could outpoint CSD for the East, but HdG must win two challenging games before that would happen. If South Hagerstown can beat Middletown for the first time ever, the Rebels would be in control of the West and in line for the school's first postseason appearance.
POWER RATINGS
Here are the Massey rankings for the Week:
MASSEY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RATINGS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
This week, we honor a QB-WR connection that tallied some eye-catching numbers Monday. Poolesville's Gary Ward completed 6 of 8 passes for five touchdowns and a staggering 290 yards in the Falcons' 45-20 win over Perryville. Josh Funk was on the receiving end of three passes for 200 yards and three scores. Funk's receptions went for 59, 86 and 55 yards -- an even 200! Ward also had scoring passes of 16 and 41 yards in the win.
IN CASE YOU WHERE WONDERING
USA Today ranks Gilman No. 15 in the country. So, you may ask, what's the highest ranking ever achieved by a Maryland school in a USA Today final poll? Well, the answer is No. 6 by DeMatha in 1986.
AROUND THE STATE (Week 8 Notes)
Marcus Mason practiced for the first time in a few weeks Tuesday, but there's no
word if he'll play in this week's Prep vs. St. Stephen's/SA (Va.) game Saturday.
It appeared Mason was going to smash the state's career rushing record, but a combination
of his knee injury and games getting canceled, Mason remains 143 yards behind the
mark. Prep defeated St. Albans (D.C.) last week, 41-28. The 28 points allowed were
more than Prep had given up all year. ... Chesapeake-BC is the latest team to forfeit
victories for use of an ineligible player. The Bayhawks had to forfeit three games.
... How's this for bizarre: a pair of perennial winners -- Fort Hill and Urbana --
are on the outside looking in at the playoff race despite neither team losing to
an MPSSAA school. Urbana's three losses in a 5-3 record are to a pair of Maryland
private schools and a Virginia school. Urbana has not lost to an MPSSAA opponent
since 1997. The Hawks are 15th in the 3A playoff race, but could make a late push
for a Top 8 spot with wins over Westminster and Linganore. Fort Hill's position in
the 2A standings is a little better, although the 6-2 mark makes the region title
out of the question. The Sentinels have lost to Keyser and Martinsburg, a pair of
West Virginia schools.
STREAK BUSTERS
This one requires an asterisk. Sparrows Point has lost all eight games this season, but was awarded a forfeit for a mid-season game against Chesapeake-BC. Officially, Sparrows Point's losing streak ended at 20 in a row thanks to the forfeit. On the field, though, Sparrows Point has lost 23 in a row. ... Richard Montgomery's 14-game regular-season win streak ended in a 10-7 loss to Watkins Mill. ... Dundalk's 20-12 loss to Woodlawn ended the team's 11-game win streak. It was third-longest active win streak in the state behind Georgetown Prep and Hereford. ... Boys' Latin's win streak ended at six with a 41-0 loss to state-ranked Calvert Hall. ... Kennedy ended a six-game slide with a 20-2 victory over Einstein. ... Mervo snapped a five-game losing streak with a 34-0 victory over Southwestern-Balt. ... Pikesville's six-game win streak ended in a 28-6 loss to Owings Mills. ... Westminster's five-game win streak ended in a 37-14 loss to Linganore.
LOOKING AHEAD
City College at Edmondson, Friday: Edmondson carries a nine-game win streak into this meeting with 7-1 City. The winner will earn the title as top team in Baltimore City.
North East-Cecil at Bohemia Manor, Friday: This game could decide the 1A North region title. Bo Manor enters with a 7-1 record. North East is 6-1.
Other Games of Note: Friday: Annapolis at Old Mill; Middletown at South Hagerstown. Saturday: Beall at Bishop Walsh; Gilman at Dunbar; Monday: Damascus at Walt Whitman; Gaithersburg at Sherwood; Paint Branch at Seneca Valley.