Maryland High School Football State Poll Facts, Stats
History: Dave Ammenheuser, former sports editor of the Carroll County Times, and Sheldon Shealer, then a staff writer at the Hagerstown Herald-Mail and a current editor for Student Sports, Inc., met at Hood College in Frederick one summer afternoon to compare high school football records prior to the 1990-91 season. After a few hours, talk turned toward starting a football state poll. Within two weeks, a list of prospective voters was hastily assembled. With response near 100 percent, Dave made contact with The Associated Press to have the rankings disseminated throughout the state. Sheldon, meanwhile, took care of getting the rankings recognized as the official state poll for Maryland in USA Today. Today, the state poll, still run by Sheldon Shealer, stands as the only newspaper-voted state-wide prep poll in Maryland.
Who Votes: Traditionally, 13 newspapers, all members of The Associated Press, plus two at-large members (also newspaper reporters) are invited to vote on a weekly basis.
|
All-Time No. 1s |
| 1990 | 1995 | |||
| 1-4 | DeMatha | P-8 | Seneca Valley | |
| 5-10 | Springbrook | 9 | Mount St. Joseph | |
| F | Randallstown | 10-F | DeMatha | |
| 1991 | 1996 | |||
| P-2 | Oxon Hill | P-9 | Sherwood | |
| 3 | DeMatha | 10 | Seneca Valley | |
| 4 | High Point | F | Sherwood | |
| 5-F | Wilde Lake | |||
| 1997 | ||||
| 1992 | P-F | Seneca Valley | ||
| P | Seneca Valley | |||
| 1-9 | DeMatha | 1998 | ||
| 10 | Linganore | P-F | DeMatha | |
| F | City College | |||
| 1999 | ||||
| 1993 | P* | DeMatha | ||
| P-1 | DeMatha | P*-F | Seneca Valley | |
| 2 | Gaithersburg | *-co-No. 1 | ||
| 3-4 | North County | |||
| 5-9 | City College | 2000 | ||
| 10 | Thomas Johnson | P | DeMatha | |
| F | Seneca Valley | 1-8 | Gilman | |
| 9-10 | E. Roosevelt | |||
| 1994 | F | Urbana | ||
| P-3 | DeMatha | |||
| 4-F | Seneca Valley | 2001 | ||
| P-F | DeMatha |
Landmarks
Streaks: Seneca Valley unseated DeMatha's record of consecutive weeks in the state rankings during the Screaming Eagles' 1997 run for No. 1. Seneca Valley's streak ended in 2001 after 84 straight weeks in the Top 20. DeMatha set the previous mark at 53 from 1990-1994. The following are the next longest streaks: 75, DeMatha, 1994-present; 59, Fort Hill, 1994-1999; 53, DeMatha, 1990-1994.
Going The Distance: In 1997, Seneca Valley became the first school to hold the No. 1 ranking for an entire season. Sherwood started and finished at No. 1 in 1996, but lost the top spot for one week before the 4A playoffs. Seneca Valley certainly didn't have an easy road to retain the top spot in 1997. The Screaming Eagles had victories over Damascus (then No. 2), Sherwood (then No. 3), Gaithersburg (then No. 5) and Suitland (then No. 5).
Still Together: From the original 13 voters of 1990, only two remain. Sheldon Shealer, the poll coordinator, and Mike Burke, Cumberland Times sports editor.
Tidbits
It's Where You Finish: City College (1991), Gaithersburg (1992), Watkins Mill (1993) and Dunbar (1994) finished with No. 2 rankings despite not receiving a preseason ranking.
County Reps: Baltimore City/County has put 21 schools in the state rankings to lead all counties. Here's the rest of the list: Montgomery 19, Prince George's County 18, Anne Arundel 10, Frederick 5, Charles and Howard 4, Allegany, Calvert, Carroll and Harford 3, Washington 2, and Cecil, Dorchester, Garrett, Kent and St. Mary's 1 each.
Everywhere You Look: During the past 11 years, Seneca Valley has spent time at Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 18. The Screaming Eagles have been ranked 120 of a possible 131 weeks.
Always A Bridesmaid: Fort Hill has spent 100 weeks ranked among the state's elite, but has never held the No. 1 position. The Sentinels climbed as high as No. 2 after Week 10 of the 1995 season and again after winning the Class 2A state title in 1997.
Twice As Nice: Bob Milloy and Dave Carruthers are the only coaches to have guided two teams (Milloy: Springbrook, 1990 and Sherwood, 1996; and Carruthers: Linganore, 1992 and Urbana, 2000) to No. 1 rankings in the state poll.
Leaping Mustangs: Following a WCAC runner-up finish and a slew of public school playoff upsets in 1996, Bishop McNamara vaulted from the honorable mentions to No. 8 in the final poll for the season. It's the greatest one-week jump in state poll history.
|
All-Time State Poll Results By Ranking |
|
Weeks |
Weeks |
Weeks |
|||
| School | Years Ranked |
Ranked |
in Top 5 |
in Top 10 |
Highest Ranking |
| DeMatha | 90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-00 |
128 (of 131) |
111 |
123 |
1, 36 times, 90-91-92-93-94-95-98-99-00 |
| Seneca Valley | 90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-00 |
120 |
84 |
106 |
1, 44 times, 92-93-94-95-96-97-99 |
| Fort Hill | 90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-00 |
100 |
21 |
52 |
2, Week 10, '95; Final Poll, '97 |
| Gaithersburg | 91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98-99-00 |
88 |
30 |
70 |
1, Week 2, '93 |
| Sherwood | 94-95-96-97-98-99-00 |
73 |
43 |
65 |
1, Weeks P-9 & Final Poll, '96 |
| Damascus | 90-92-93-94-96-97-98-99-00 |
72 |
18 |
49 |
2, Weeks 4-6, '94; Weeks P-5, '97 |
| Gilman | 90-92-93-94-95-97-98-99-00 |
64 |
33 |
48 |
1, Week 1-8, 2000 |
| High Point | 90-91-92-93-94-95-97-88-99 |
57 |
10 |
26 |
1, Week 4, '91 |
| Wilde Lake | 90-91-92-93-96-97-98-99-00 |
57 |
14 |
30 |
1, Weeks 5-F, '91 |
| Cambridge-S.D. | 92-93-94-95-96-97-99 |
55 |
6 |
26 |
4, Final Poll, '94 |
| City College | 90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97 |
50 |
25 |
35 |
1, Final Poll, '92; Weeks 5-9, '93 |
| Suitland | 96-97-98-99-00 |
50 |
22 |
32 |
2, Weeks P-8, '98 |
| Douglass-PG | 93-96-98-99-00 |
49 |
0 |
20 |
6, Week 8, '96 |
| Eleanor Roosevelt | 95-96-97-99-00 |
49 |
17 |
37 |
1, Weeks 9-10, '00 |
| Linganore | 91-92-93-94-95-96-97-98 |
49 |
10 |
14 |
1, Week 10, '92 |
| Polytechnic | 90-91-92-93-94-96-97 |
48 |
14 |
30 |
2, Week 5, '90; Week 10, '93 |
| C.M. Wright | 90-91-92-93-95-96-98-99 |
46 |
6 |
16 |
4, Week 10, '91; Week 10, '92 |
| Middletown | 91-95-96-97-98-99 |
46 |
0 |
14 |
7, Weeks 4-10, '98 |
| North County | 91-92-93-94-95-96 |
45 |
15 |
33 |
1, Weeks 3-4, '93 |
| Randallstown | 90-91-92-98-99-00 |
45 |
11 |
33 |
1, Final Poll, '90 |
| Thomas Johnson | 92-93-94-95-96-97-98-00 |
44 |
9 |
17 |
1, Week 10, '93 |
| Oxon Hill | 90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-00 |
42 |
17 |
23 |
1, Weeks P-2, '91 |
| Potomac | 93-94-95-96-97-99 |
38 |
5 |
12 |
3, Week 10, '94 |
| Annapolis | 92-93-94-97-99-00 |
37 |
0 |
12 |
7, Weeks 8-10, '92; Weeks 8-9, '97 |
| Largo | 90-91-92-93-94-95-96-98 |
37 |
3 |
15 |
5, Weeks P-1, '92; Week 10, '95 |
| Dunbar | 94-95-96-97-98 |
36 |
5 |
19 |
2, Final Poll, '94 |
| Friendly | 90-93-97-98-99 |
36 |
11 |
20 |
3, Weeks 10-F, '98; Preseason, '99 |
| Loyola | 91-92-94-96-97 |
36 |
2 |
19 |
5, Weeks 6-7, '92 |
| Watkins Mill | 91-93-94-95-99-00 |
34 |
1 |
19 |
2, Final Poll, '93 |
| Westlake | 96-97-98-99-00 |
34 |
3 |
20 |
3, Weeks 9-10, '96 |
| Georgetown Prep | 95-96-97-00 |
33 |
7 |
14 |
4, Final Poll, '00 |
| Allegany | 91-92-94-97-98 |
32 |
6 |
10 |
2, Weeks 7-9, '94 |
| Mount St. Joseph | 94-95-96-97-98-00 |
32 |
13 |
16 |
1, Week 9, '95 |
| Churchill | 92-93-94-95 |
31 |
9 |
20 |
3, Weeks 7-10, '93; Week 10, '95 |
| McDonogh School | 93-94-99-00 |
31 |
2 |
12 |
3, Preseason Poll, '94 |
| Urbana | 98-99-00 |
31 |
20 |
27 |
1, Final Poll, '00 |
| Springbrook | 90-91-93-94-95-99 |
30 |
12 |
17 |
1, Weeks 5-10, '90 |
| Patterson | 93-94-95-96 |
26 |
10 |
24 |
2, Week 10, '94 |
| Bishop McNamara | 90-92-93-96-97-98-99 |
24 |
1 |
14 |
4, Final Poll, '90 |
| Quince Orchard | 91-92-93-94 |
23 |
2 |
6 |
3, Final Poll, '91 |
| Crossland | 92-93-94-95 |
21 |
8 |
12 |
2, Week 10, '92 |
| Hereford | 97-99-00 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
11, Final Poll, '97 |
| McDonough | 90-91-92-00 |
19 |
8 |
14 |
2, Weeks 6-10, '91 |
| Broadneck | 98-99-00 |
18 |
0 |
6 |
8, Week 9, '98 |
| Landon | 93-94-98-99 |
18 |
0 |
7 |
7, Weeks 5 & 9, '94 |
| Calvert Hall | 91-93-97-98 |
17 |
2 |
6 |
4, Weeks 7-8, '91 |
| Wheaton | 94-96-97 |
17 |
6 |
12 |
5, Final Poll, '94; Weeks 3-7, '97 |
| Paint Branch | 94-98-00 |
16 |
0 |
6 |
7, Week 7, '00 |
| Eastern Tech | 98-99 |
14 |
0 |
1 |
9, Final Poll, '98 |
| St. Mary's-AA | 96-97 |
14 |
0 |
4 |
6, Week 3, '97 |
| Northwest | 99-00 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
14, Preseason-Week 2, '00 |
| Overlea | 91-93 |
13 |
0 |
1 |
8, Week 10, '91 |
| Arundel | 95-96 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
13, Weeks 8-9, '95 |
| Calvert | 94-99-00 |
12 |
0 |
1 |
9, Final Poll, '00 |
| Old Mill | 90-91 |
12 |
3 |
9 |
2, Week 5, '91 |
| Bel Air | 98 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
17, Week 9, '98 |
| Oakland Mills | 90-95-98-00 |
11 |
0 |
1 |
10, Week 9, '90 |
| Walkersville | 92-96 |
11 |
0 |
2 |
10, Weeks 9-10, '96 |
| Severna Park | 91-93-94-99 |
11 |
0 |
1 |
7, Preseason, '91 |
| Good Counsel | 96-98 |
10 |
0 |
4 |
7, Weeks 2-3, '98 |
| Thomas Wootton | 90-91 |
10 |
4 |
8 |
3, Weeks 7-8, '91 |
| Woodlawn | 92-97 |
10 |
0 |
2 |
8, Weeks 4-5, '92 |
| Howard | 94-99 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
14, Weeks 5-6, '99 |
| Kent County | 95 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
15, Week 7, '95 |
| Milford Mill | 97-99 |
9 |
0 |
5 |
7, Week 10, '99 |
| Northern Calvert | 90 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
10, Week 10, '90 |
| Thomas Stone | 93-98-99 |
9 |
0 |
4 |
6, Week 1, '93; Final Poll, '99 |
| Edmondson | 99-00 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
13, Final Poll, '99 |
| Forest Park | 90 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
12, Week 2, '90 |
| Gwynn Park | 96-00 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
11, Week 7, '96 |
| Lake Clifton | 96-97 |
8 |
0 |
5 |
8, Week 3, '97 |
| Laurel | 90-93-94 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
12, Week 3, '94 |
| Magruder | 90-92-99 |
8 |
0 |
3 |
6, Week 5, '92 |
| Parkdale | 98-00 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
10, Week 8, '00 |
| La Plata | 92-93-94 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
13, Week 2, '92 |
| Northwestern-PG | 98-99 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
8, Final Poll, '98 |
| Southern-AA | 93 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
9, Final Poll, '93 |
| Aberdeen | 97 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
16, Weeks 5-7, '97 |
| Bullis | 00 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
17, Week 10-Final Poll, '00 |
| Southern Garrett | 95 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
18, Weeks 5-6, '95 |
| Beall | 94-97 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
15, Week 10, '94 |
| Bethesda-CC | 95 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
18, Weeks 7-8, '95 |
| Chesapeake-BC | 91 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
11, Week 5, '91 |
| Einstein | 00 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
18, Weeks 3-4, '00 |
| Forestville | 99 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
14, Final Poll, '99 |
| Hammond | 95 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
17, Week 7, '95 |
| Liberty | 95-96 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
17, Week 4, '95 |
| Fairmont Heights | 94 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
18, Week 7, '94 |
| Francis Scott Key | 00 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
20, Weeks 8-9, '00 |
| Dundalk | 99 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
19, Week 2, '99 |
| Perry Hall | 91-93 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
14, Preseason Poll, '91 |
| Boonsboro | 93 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
19, Final Poll, '93 |
| Bowie | 92 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
14, Week 3, '92 |
| Chopticon | 00 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
19, Final Poll, '00 |
| Elkton | 00 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
16, Final Poll, '00 |
| Meade | 97 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
18, Preseason Poll, '97 |
| Patuxent | 99 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
19, Week 6, '99 |
| Smithsburg | 94 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
17, Final Poll, '94 |
| South Carroll | 98 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
17, Week 4, '98 |
| South River | 91 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
15t, Week 10, '91 |