MDHigh.com - Week 11 Weekend Watch (Part II)

November 5, 2009

Dave Lomonico
MDHigh.com Publisher

Part II ? The final week of the regular season features an array of rivalry games, potential playoff matchups and several games with teams fighting for postseason spots. Check out all the week's best action inside.

Wise vs. Flowers

This would be the game of the week with a "normal" slate of games that didn't feature so many playoff matchups. Wise and Flowers is a major rivalry waiting to happen. Flowers won the first two matchups as the four-year old Wise program got its feet wet. But last year in the playoffs the Pumas thrashed the Jaguars, 28-0. This year Wise is 9-0 and poised to make a run at a state title. Flowers, meanwhile, is 8-1 and just one spot behind Wise in the 4A South Region.

That being said, No. 4 Wise should have the advantage over No. 16 Flowers. Simply put, the Pumas have been absolutely deadly. Their defense is arguably the best in the state, and they have the numbers and personnel to back it up. They haven't allowed a single point since Sept. 5, when Suitland managed one touchdown in a 14-7 game. Since then Wise has run off eight straight shutouts, which set a state record.

The defensive domination starts in the trenches. Wise has the most fearsome foursome in Maryland with elite defensive end Rahsaan Moore (Maryland) and fellow linemen Anthony McDaniel (Richmond), Charles Owens and Sam Burrell wreaking havoc. Defensive backs Titus Till (Maryland), Andre Makell and Jabil Baldwin lead the secondary, and Deontre Johnson is a force at linebacker.

But Wise can score, too. Led by a vaunted power-running game, the Pumas are putting up 36 points per game. Johnson, Baldwin, Moore and Justin Coles combine to form a four-headed monster that wears down defenses and eats up the clock. Quarterback DeAndre Smith can run too, but he's also completing about 50 percent of his passes for close to 500 yards and five touchdowns.

Flowers is going to have its hands full. Their defense is good enough to stop Wise from running up the score, but they have been susceptible at times this year. If they allow Wise to score two touchdowns - which is what Flowers is allowing per game this season - they will likely lose. The Jaguars' defensive line needs to get a good push up front from Isaiah Shelton and Co.

On offense, Flowers' Wing-T attack has been performing well, but they'll need to be perfect on Saturday. Shelton, Warren Daniels, Darren Black and Phil Coleman have opened up holes for the Jaguars' quintet of 'backs. Running backs Reginald Woods and John Clark are the two main runners, racking up over 1,500 yards between them.

Linganore vs. Urbana

There are plenty of major rivalries in Frederick County, but few are bigger than Linganore-Urbana. The two teams have been playing for 15 years and Urbana holds a 9-6 series advantage. This year promises to be one of the best games yet.

No. 17 Urbana (8-1) lost their first game of the season last week, a 27-24 shocker against Tuscarora. They may have been looking past that game, but expect them to be ready for the Lancers. Despite the loss, Urbana still sits in first place in the 4A North and will probably still hold the top spot even if they lose on Saturday. No. 2 Linganore (9-0) took down rival Thomas Johnson last week and sits percentage points behind Quince Orchard in the 3A West.

Hawks quarterback Jesse Heon anchors an offense that is putting up 23 points per game. But he gets plenty of help from a quartet of running backs, including Wes Garey, Zach Herman, Matt Semelsberger and Brian Patton. The Hawks' offensive line has been steady all season, but they must be on top of their games against a stout Linganore defensive front.

The key for Urbana is their staunch defense, which is allowing less than 10 points per game. Before last week's game, this unit hadn't allowed more than seven points in five straight weeks. Brad West, Jude Merkel, Nick Goley, Dallas Bisignano, Patton and Semelsberger are key cogs for the Hawks.

Urbana will need to be perfect against Linganore, a team dominating all facets of the game. Of course, the Lancers did fumble the ball away seven times last week in a 24-14 victory over Thomas Johnson, but that was an aberration. Coach Rick Conner's teams are highly disciplined and rarely make mistakes.

Linganore is averaging 45 points per game and giving up nine. Their offense is predicated on running the football behind star fullback Zach Zwinak (Penn State) and Kevin Myers. Last week Zwinak racked up 198 yards while Myers added 186 and three touchdowns. Zwinak's and Myers' success stems from the offensive line - led by Robby Havenstein (Wisconsin) and Kyle Tucker (Monmouth) -- which is one of the best in the state. In addition, quarterback Nick Marth can make plays when he has to. His top target is James Madison-bound receiver Ryan Dixon.

Defensively, Marth, Michael Johnson, Dixon and Ricky Conner lead a solid secondary. Zwinak holds down the linebacker corps and Havenstein and Tucker are forces up front.

Glenelg vs. Atholton

Glenelg and Atholton, a pair of 8-1 squads, have already punched their postseason tickets, but both teams are jockeying for position. Atholton is second in the 3A East and will be the No. 2 seed regardless of what happens on Friday night. Glenelg will be the second team in the 2A South, but a loss could drop them to No. 3 if Douglass-PG wins their final game.

Atholton has already exceeded expectations - three fold. The Raiders won three games last year and one more victory would triple their victory total. Last week they suffered their first loss of the season to powerhouse River Hill, a team they hung with for one half before falling off late (the final was 35-14).

The Raiders will look to quarterback Kalvin Seamonson and receiver Matt Robison (Maryland) to lead a quick-strike offense that is putting up 25 points per night. Seamonson is completing over 50 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,275 yards and 16 touchdowns. Robinson, Seamonson's No. 1 target, has hauled in 37 passes for 803 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Kyle Gordon, Zach Deal, Colin Gordon, Wes King and Adam Brown form an underrated offensive line.

Defensively, Atholton had been playing well, allowing just 11 points per game in the three weeks prior to the River Hill loss. They'll need to return to form against Glenelg, which has a solid ground game but is nowhere near as dominant as River Hill.

The Gladiators, winners of three straight, are scoring 24 points a game and are led by running backs Colin Osborne and Shannon Maura. Maura is coming off a 154-yard, three touchdown performance against Mount Hebron. Quarterback Gage Trawick is a good game manager, but he can be erratic (two interceptions against Wilde Lake two weeks ago). Like Atholton, Glenelg has a solid line led by Robbie Shekletski, Nathan Coe, Kyle Emanuel and Nick Hoyt.

On defense, Glenelg has had an up-and-down season, allowing six points one week and 20 the next. It won't be easy for them to contain Seamonson and Co. Atholton has won three of the last five meetings between the two squads.

Weekend Watch Part I
Weekend Watch Part III
Weekend Watch Part IV

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