Senior H.S. Sportswriter - Baltimore Sports & Life ; Former contributor to MaxPreps, Digital Sports Network; Author of the MPSSAA Top 50, MPSSAA All-State team
There may be as many as six MD kids drafted in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Caleb Williams - Bowie
Projected 1st pick
Olu Fashanu - Waldorf
Top 5 pick
Chop Robinson - G’burg
1st round
Chris Braswell - Baltimore
2nd-3rd
Kris Jenkins - Olney
2nd-3rd
Continued
Prayers for Jaylen Harvey, as he’s taken off the field on a stretcher. Both sidelines are on their knees. You can barely hear a whisper in the Cougar Dome. The MVP of the 4A title game last year, Penn State commit. As if it couldn���t get worse for the Cougars and their fans. Wow.
MPSSAA State Finals
4A
3 Wise (11-1) v 5 Broadneck (11-2)
4/3A
3 North Point (13-0) v 4 Mervo (12-1)
3A
1 Oakdale (13-0) v 3 Linganore (12-1)
2A
2 Decatur (13-0) v 5 Huntingtown (10-2)
2/1A
1 Calvert (12-1) v 3 Dunbar (10-0)
1A
1 Fort Hill (12-0) v 2 Mountain Ridge (11-1)
Quince Orchard’s Savan Briggs not only finished 28-0 as the Cougars starting quarterback, but he set both MPSSAA single-season completion percentage (70.31%) and career completion percentage (69.3%) records, and threw 40 touchdowns versus only three interceptions in 241 attempts.
My Dad passed away today. My love of sports, that came from him. Saw Wilt in p/o in CHI in ‘72 w/ my Dad. Saw ‘78 and ‘79 NBA Finals w/ my Dad. ‘79 and ‘83 World Series. ‘87 (Keith Smart g-w) and ‘93 F4s (Webber t/o). SB XVIII. Countless h.s. classics (fb/bb) in CHI, DC and BAL.
Congrats to Decatur’s Brycen Coleman on reaching the 1,000 career point mark. This, two months after becoming the first player in MPSSAA history to throw for 1,000 career yards, rush for 1,000 career yards, and register 1,000 receiving yards. Also, this week, a new 4-star rating.
DaLawn Parrish built the Wise program from scratch, when PG4A had boasted four different state champions in the seven seasons before the Pumas inaugural season. Last month, Parrish matched coaching legend Bob Milloy for the most 4A state titles won by a coach in MPSSAA history.
The vast majority of my coaching friends coach in the MPSSAA coach in HoCo, MoCo, BaltCo, and PG, so I won’t endear myself with them on this take.
Pound for pound, top to bottom, FredCo has the toughest/best league in the MPSSAA, and has for a while, imo.
A thread.
Coach Dan Harwood, who has been a head coach in Montgomery County for 36 seasons, including the last 32 at Magruder, is two victories away from tying Allegany’s Bill Bowers for fourth on Maryland public schools all-time wins list. Harwood, winner of two state titles, is 565-280.
MPSSAA Boys Basketball
Top 25
1 Wise (12-0)
2 Parkville (12-0)
3 City College (13-0)
4 New Town (9-2)
5 Meade (10-1)
6 Oxon Hill (11-1)
7 Damascus (11-0)
8 Frederick (13-0)
9 Gaithersburg (9-2)
10 Lake Clifton (9-2)
Former St Frances All-Met Blake Corum scores the game-winning touchdown in overtime, and former St Frances All-Met Derrick Moore makes the key fourth down tackle to stop Milroe on the last play.
It’s a game many have been asking for, and it’s coming in 2024. Two of the most successful programs in MPSSAA history - the 13-time state champion Dunbar Poets, and the 10-time state champion Fort Hill Sentinels. Home-n-home. Next year - Morgan State, week 2. Last meeting 12/2/17
Congrats to the Wise Pumas and coach DaLawn Parrish on winning their sixth 4A state title in 11 post-seasons. Parrish matches Milloy for the most 4A state crowns at one school, and Wise matches Springbrook for most 4A titles in MPSSAA history. Since ‘15, Pumas are 100-4 v MPSSAA.
Top ranked Quince Orchard and coach John Kelley have won 34 straight games, and 58 straight regular season games versus MPSSAA opponents, dating back to week two of the 2016 season.
Bryan Bresee makes three Maryland public school products drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Three! First round! Public school! ‘Where they do that at??’
A: Maryland. That’s what we do.
#23
,
#24
,
#29
#MPSSAA
#2022NFLDraft
Thought about Coach Lynch today. The former Eleanor Roosevelt Raider, East Tennessee State Buc, and game-changing coach at Suitland.
In honor of Coach, and w/ the Jags and Pumas showdown looming, later we’ll look at where it matches up with the 10 biggest games in PG4A history.
Congrats to Walkersville Joe Polce on his retirement. What a run. Led the Lions to the 2016 2A state title, a year after finishing as runner-up. The Lions hadn’t won a p/o game in the 17 seasons prior to his hire. Polce won 104 games with the Lions, incl. 17 in the post-season.
Spalding’s Malik Washington threw his 50th career touchdown pass in the Cavs 49-7 win over Gilman on Friday. The junior completed 15 of 18 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns, and ran in a score. Washington nears the 5,000 career passing yard mark.
331-556-61.3%-4628-50-16
The 24 2023 MPSSAA 🏈 semifinalists hail from (counties);
4 Calvert
4 Baltimore City
3 Frederick
2 Allegany
2 Baltimore County
2 Montgomery
2 Prince Georges
1 Anne Arundel
1 Cecil
1 Charles
1 Dorchester
1 Worcester
All four Calvert Co. teams advanced to F4; SMAC offers 6 teams
Programs. The top 25 W-L records over the last ten full seasons (‘12-22) in MPSSAA football.
1 .932 Fort Hill 124-9
2 .914 Damascus 117-11
3 .901 Wise 118-13
4 .895 QO 119-14
5 .854 Dunbar 111-19
6 .803 MMA 98-24
7 .802 Franklin 101-25
8 .795 N Point 93-24
9 .786 Douglass 92-25
2024 MPSSAA All-State 🏀 Team
1st team
POY Cam Ward (Largo) JR
Chase Foster (Edmondson) SO
Cam Albury (Northeast) SR
Sincere Barfield (Patterson) SR
Kenyon Johnson (Wlkrsvlle) SR
Elwyne Wordlaw (Frederick) SR
‼️‼️‼️
Northern junior Miles Halbert is 28 receiving yards from setting the MPSSAA single-season receiving yardage mark, held by Blaine Price, who registered 1,749 at Westminster in 2012. On the season, Halbert has totaled 92 receptions for 1,722 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Semifinals
4A
1 Churchill v 5 Broadneck
3 Wise v 7 E Roosevelt
4/3A
1Perry Hall v 4 Mervo
2 Blake v 3 North Point
3A
1 Oakdale v *4/5 MTH/City
2 Linganore 6 Northern Cal.
2A
8 Walkersville v 5 Hntngtwn
2 Decatur v 3 MMA
* Saturday
Savan Briggs has completed better than 69% of his passes this year for the
#1
Cougars, and has thrown for 19 touchdowns in just 81 attempts, against just one interception. Briggs passer rating is 146. Briggs is averaging 13.21 yards per attempt.
While his team fell short in Linganore last night, Patriots junior Miles Halbert shattered the MPSSAA all-time single-season receiving yards record, with his 233 yards giving him 1,955 on the season, surpassing Blaine Price’s mark of 1,749, set in 2012 at Brunswick.
More…
Hats off to Broadneck and coach Rob Harris. The Bruins have been one of the most consistent 4A programs for a while. For 34 years, it’s been him and Jeff Herrick. 268 wins in 33.4 seasons (‘21 Spring. That’s 8.02 wins for 34 years. Huge win on the road in the ‘Black Hole’.
ICYMI: Oakdale senior Hunter Thompson set an MPSSAA title game record with 269 receiving yards last night in the Bears 42-35 win over Linganore. The Ohio commit also caught a title game-best 15 passes (on 16 targets) and a title game-best four touchdowns in the victory.
Matthew Ogunniyi, Flowers 6’4 junior TE/WR hybrid, caught three passes for 132 yards and scored both of the Jags touchdowns in their 16-13 win over Wise.
Dunbar’s Devin Roche will go down as one of the Poets greatest players of all-time, for a program that’s one of the greatest of all-time. Despite missing two games this season with an injury, Roche has accounted for 5,284 yards and 59 touchdowns over the last two seasons for the
Two Maryland kids, two cousins, are national champions. Angel Reese’s dad is the brother of Jordan Hawkins’ mom. Both played major roles for their national championship teams. Reese was selected tourney MOP, Hawkins scored 16 points on 5-9 shooting tonight. First round, June.
MPSSAA football state titles by jurisdiction (196 total).
54 MoCo
26 PG
21 FredCo
19 Western MD
14 Baltimore City
12 HoCo - last RH ‘12
11 Balt. Co
10 Bayside - last CSD ‘96
10 SMAC
8 UCBAC - last Joppa ‘03
6 Wash. Co. - last Smthsbrg ‘94
5 AACo - last Old Mill ‘11
0 Carroll
North Point became the first team in MPSSAA history to post four shutouts in the same post-season in the Eagles 17-0 blank sheet W over Urbana. Only four teams allowed just one score over four p/o games during their title runs.
‘07 River Hill
‘10 Urbana
‘12 Dunbar
‘13 Fort Hill
Whitman coach Chris Lun is in his 20th season at Whitman, and will be coaching in his third 4A state title game. The Vikings won the 4A title in ‘06, and lost in the final in ‘14. The ‘24 Vikes are having their second best season in the program’s history. +, made Sportscenter.
More than three weeks after the last title game, my high school football season has finally ended. MPSSAA All-State O, D, and ST First and Second teams drop today, as well as the OPOY, AOY, DPOY, and COY. Tomorrow, HM.
Thank you to everyone that has helped me and supported me.
Give this man the nine week rushing title!! With 2:47 remaining in the first half, Gideon Ituka has rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, giving the Trojans a 28-7 lead over the Rockets.
Among former MPSSAA stars signing as UDFA’s.
Beau Brade S
(River Hill/Maryland) BAL
AJ Woods CB
(Northwest/Pittsburgh) WAS
Chelan Garnes DB
(North Point/Wake Forest) DET
Ja’Mion Franklin DT
(North Caroline/ND-Duke) BAL
Khalil Wilkins was ruled ineligible to play for Wise in week 2, the day of the E Roos’ game, because of residency issues, despite spending the fourth quarter of ‘22-23 @ Wise. Today, the day of the E Roos’ game, a CHF player is all of a sudden determined to be playing a 5th year.
MMA’s Deshawn Purdie and Sean Williams became the first QB-RB tandem in MPSSAA history to have passer throw for more than 2,500 yds, and a rusher run for more than 2,000 yds in the same season, and the only pair to have QB w/ 25 passing tds, and running back w/ 35 rushing tds.
2017 MPSSAA All-State selection Rasheed Walker (North Point / Penn State) has started 15 of 17 games at left tackle for the Packers this season, his second. Walker had the highest rating in the NFL among all OL in week 15.
MPSSAA Top 50 - Final
1 Wise (12-1)
2 Oakdale (14-0)
3 Fort Hill (13-0)
4 Dunbar (11-0)
5 Mervo (13-1)
6 Decatur (13-0)
7 North Point (13-1)
8 Linganore (12-2)
9 Quince Orchard (9-1)
10 Perry Hall (12-1)
*taking out Flowers (0-10) - argument for
#2
-9, to me, w/o p/o W, like QO.
Last year, the DMV produced the Biletnikoff winner (Jordan Addison), this year - the Heisman. Congrats to Caleb Williams, who gave a shout out to
@QBCoachBaucia
! Congrats, Coach!
Congrats to Linganore coach Rick Conner on winning his 200th game with the Lancers last Friday. Conner becomes the 13th MD public school coach to win 200 w/ one program, and just the seventh to do it in MPSSAA history. He tied River Hill’s Brian Van Deusen for quickest 21y, 5wks.
Wise has allowed just two touchdowns in their last eight games, both scored by Flowers in the Pumas 17-14 overtime win over the Jags. Seven shutouts in eight games. Shutout Bowie twice, who avgd 29.3 in their other 9 gms. Shutout Oxon Hill, who avgd 33.3 in their other 10 gms.
Five former MPSSAA players were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
1 11 Robinson EDG
(Quince Orchard/Penn State)
3 81 Haynes OG
(Bowie/UConn) SEA
4 108 Jackson CB
(Wise/Alabama-Oregon) MIN
5 174 Carson CB
(North Point/Wake Forest) DAL
7 230 Jurgens C
(Damascus/Wake Forest) MIN
Starting next season, the only stats I’ll recognize are those that can be identified on a game-by-game basis. Some of these stats don’t add up. The program may recognize them, but I won’t as far as state records go. The system is being abused. Thankful for those that are honest.
Calvert and Huntingtown can become the sixth and seventh different SMAC schools to win a state championship in the last 15 post-seasons, joining Westlake, McDonough, Patuxent, Northern, and North Point. North Point looks to become the first SMAC team to ever go back-to-back.
Decatur went up 7-0
MMA went up 13-7
Decatur went up 14-13
MMA went up 19-14
Decatur went up 20-19
MMA went up 26-25
Decatur went up 33-32
MMA won 40-33
What. A, Game.
Sean Williams sewed up 1st team All-Met honors, probably approached 275. Decatur’s Brycen Coleman is a player.
MPSSAA State Titles
12 Damascus
12 Dunbar
12 Seneca Valley
9 Fort Hill
8 Allegany
6 Linganore
6 Springbrook
6 Wilde Lake
5 Friendly
5 Quince Orchard
5 Smithsburg
5 Wise
4 McDonough
4 Middletown
4 River Hill
4 Urbana
Ornery, stubborn, and they’re not having it. North Point hasn’t allowed a point through four weeks, the only MPSSAA team to produce four blank sheets this season. Dating back to ‘22, the Eagles have shut out 8 of their last 9 opponents - won the state title game in the other.
North Point hasn’t allowed a point in four post-season games, becoming the first team in MPSSAA history to do so. Twenty years ago, North Point Defensive Coordinator Mike Rucker led Parkdale to the 4A state championship as head coach of the Panthers.
Photo cred:
@jlawmultimedia
Two senior star quarterbacks will be playing in their final high school games tomorrow in the 2A title game. Decatur’s Brycen Coleman has accounted for 2,753 yards and 43 touchdowns this season, while Huntingtown’s Evan Kuntz has accounted for 2,800 yards and 35 touchdowns.
#QB1
Best receiving trio in MPSSAA history? (Look at
#76
, he knows he’s gone) Three from the receiving corps with multiple Power 5 offers. Where they do that at?? Romero Ison just picked up Penn State and Vandy, Allen has Penn State and Michigan, and Powell is committed to Maryland.
Two Maryland kids are projected to be selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft - Villanova 6’7 freshman forward Cam Whitmore (Spalding) and Connecticut 6’5 2-guard Jordan Hawkins (Gaithersburg / DeMatha). Whitmore is projected to go in many from
#8
-16, Hawkins,
#14
-28.
This guy. Evan Austin. Future 49er in Charlotte. Austin capped off his Bears career accounting for an all-time title game-best 464 yds and five tds in the title game. Austin finished his career as Oakdale’s all-time leading rusher and passer.
Last night;
R 25–185-1
P 16-21-279-4
He doesn’t get the astronomical stats because of his team’s domination - averages less than 11 carries per game, but make no mistake, Iverson Howard may be the most dangerous back in the MPSSAA. With defensive units geared to stop him,
#1
has scored 18 touchdowns on 109 touches.
Coach Crounse has another one, and this one’s not named Crounse. Junior Evan Blouir has won 16 of his last 17 games as a starter, with the only loss coming in the ‘22 2/1A title game. This season, Blouir has accounted for 299.1 yards per game, 32 tds, and thrown 21 tds v 4 int.
Gaithersburg running back and Wisconsin commit Gideon Ituka opened the season by rushing for 233 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries in the Trojans 32-12 victory over Clarksburg in week one. Ituka and the Trojans run into
#1
Quince Orchard in week two.
Northwest senior Xavier Rivers came up huge in the Jags W over Quince Orchard, totaling ten tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a blocked extra point, and a ‘pick 6’ that turned the game on its head. For the year, the senior has 20 tfl, 3 ff, and 3 blk kicks
I appreciate all of the support of the All-State team, and kind messages in my DMs. I know some are disappointed, bc there are some great players not listed. I try to research for this team as much as one could, and try to present the most detailed All-State team in the country.
In three playoff games, Damascus’ senior running back Dillon Dunathan has rushed for 706 yards and ten touchdowns on 71 carries, including 249 yards on the ground and four scores in the Swarmin’ Hornets 42-7 win over River Hill last night.
Congrats to Coach Coleman and the Decatur Seahawks on winning the program’s first state championship, 21-13, over Huntingtown. Great game. Canes had the ball at the Seahawks 20 with a minute to play. Seahawks finish 14-0. First state crown for the Bayside Conference in 27 years.
MPSSAA 2023 ⭐️
RB Gideon Ituka 5’9 220
Gaithersburg - Wisconsin commit
MoCo 4A OPOY in ‘22. Trojan, future Badger. Rushed for 1,217 yards and 16 tds in ten full games, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Rushed for 193 yards and 5 tds v WJ in the playoffs. MPSSAA All-State HM in ‘22
Not only does Flowers feature South Carolina commit Desmond Umeozulu and 4-star junior Braydon Lee, but also 6’1 290 junior Santana Williams. The DeMatha transfer is tied for second on the Jags in tackles, and leads the star-studded unit with 10 TFL and 4 sacks. Offers - Pitt, BC
@NFLRookieWatxh
The ‘82 Miami Hurricanes had Jim Kelly (5 Pro Bowls, 4 Super Bowls), Vinnie Testaverde (2 Pro Bowls), and Bernie Kosar (2 Pro Bowls), who was a redshirt.
Seneca Valley senior quarterback Elijah Frazier vaulted himself on to two MPSSAA top 50 all-time career passing lists this season, and among the top 10 in MoCo history in career passing yards and career passing touchdowns.
Yds 5,215 (26th, 9th MoCo)
Tds 58 (t 24th, t 6th MoCo)
WiHi trailed Thomas Stone by six points in the fourth quarter of their quarterfinal matchup, before the Tribe’s Antwan Wilson poured in 19 of his 43 points in the final stanza to take a 63-59 win, and advance to their MPSSAA-best 29th Final Four.
Quince Orchard and Northwest will meet for the 11th time overall (tied 5-5) in the post-season, including the 10th time in 11 post-seasons. Every one of the last ten has been played at QO. Since 2012, either QO or NW has been in the 4A state championship game every year but 2015.
The Swarmin’ Hornets Dillan Dunathan had a post-season run that even Jake Funk could admire. In four post-season games, versus opponents owning a 36-11 record outside of their matchup, the senior averaged 233.5 rushing yards par game, w/ 934 yards and 12 touchdowns on 98 carries.