While the public schools are preparing to go into the state playoffs Friday, Loyola coach Brian Abbott has a little over two weeks to think about and prepare his team for what amounts to a championship game on Thanksgiving Day against Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association rival Calvert Hall.

"I'm nervous," he said. "I'm nervous before every game, and we both have a long time to prepare for each other."

It's difficult to believe that Loyola, with its perfect 10-0 record, has not already claimed the coveted MIAA A Conference title as theirs alone. But the Dons, 4-0 in league play, still have to beat Calvert Hall to take sole possession of the A Conference crown.

If they stumble, they will have to share the championship with Mount St. Joseph, which is 7-2 overall, but 4-1 in A Conference play. The fact Loyola is the team that gave the Gaels their one conference loss carries no weight.

Sharing the title is not an unfamiliar position. Loyola and Mount St. Joseph were co-champions last season, after the Gaels presented the Dons with their only loss of the season.

"There are only six teams in the A Conference," said Abbott. "Going on the overall record is the only fair way to do it."

The same system applies to the C Conference, where St. John's Catholic Prep (8-2, 5-0) had the best regular season record among the four conference teams. Meanwhile, the B Conference, in which nine teams compete, will be decided during a playoff game at 6 p.m. Saturday between St. Paul's and St. Mary's at Towson University.

Abbott is surprisingly accepting of the situation, something many would not be given his passion for the title.

"Winning the MIAA A Conference title, it's equivalent to any state title," he said. "The competition is so strong that winning it is an incredible achievement."

No matter what happens, Abbott believes his team has already had an amazing and successful season.

"This is a great group of guys and this season has taught them so much about overcoming adversity," he said. "We endured the death of our kicker [Dennis Wolford] and an injury to our quarterback [Leon Kinnard to a broken leg]. We've had a lot to overcome. But these young men have worked hard."

And now, while public school teams are preparing to kick off in the first round of regional play, Loyola will be working hard to prepare for the game that could bring them their third consecutive MIAA title -- shared or not. It might seem like a forgone conclusion that Loyola will beat Calvert Hall and claim the crown as theirs alone. After all, the Dons have won 19 of the past 23 meetings and Calvert Hall is experiencing an off season at 4-6.

But Abbott said: "Numbers aren't important when you're dealing with a rivalry and a great deal of emotion."

Victory, he said, will come to the team that is the smartest.

"It comes down to the maturity of your team," he said. "It comes down to who believes in themselves, who works hard and well together. That's the team that will win, not the immature one that thinks victory comes just because of the name on the jersey. The immature lose, while the team that doesn't expect to win -- and works hard to win -- does."

-- Sandra McKee