Football By The Numbers: Championship Week
Every team aims for the state championship in August, but in the end, only two Baltimore-area teams wore the crown. No. 8 Wilde Lake and No. 12 Dunbar capped their seasons with hard-fought victories. The Wildecats jumped ahead of No. 6 Franklin and held on to win, 21-14, while the Poets rallied from 10 points down to beat Havre de Grace, 22-12.
Both games featured plenty of electricity and some shining moments for the players and fans. Here are the numbers that stand out from the state finals:
1
Pass completed by Wilde Lake – a halfback pass by Khalil Viera to Eron Pruitt for an 8-yard touchdown
2
Punts by Wilde Lake's Joe Kelly placed inside Franklin’s 20-yard line in the fourth quarter
2
Touchdown passes from Franklin quarterback Joey Dorsey to receiver Ian Thomas
2
Touchdown passes from Havre de Grace quarterback Darin Washington to receiver Jordan Stallings
3
Fumbles forced by Havre de Grace’s Monty Werts
4
Straight upsets for Wilde Lake in the playoffs – over Atholton, River Hill, Damascus and Franklin
5
Turnovers overcome by Dunbar in the Class 1A final
5
Teams in state tournament history that have won titles in three different classifications as Urbana added a 4A title to its 2A and 3A crowns. Dunbar, Wilde Lake, Damascus and Seneca Valley also have done it.
6
State titles for Wilde Lake
7
State titles for Dunbar
7.5
Average margin of victory in the four state championship games
10
Largest margin of victory in any of the four state finals – Dunbar 22-12 over Havre de Grace
15:17
Time left when Dunbar scored its first touchdown with Havre de Grace leading 12-0
21
Total state crowns won by this year’s state champion programs -- Dunbar (seven), Wilde Lake (six), Urbana (five) and McDonough (four)
21
Years since a team won with only 6 points or fewer until Urbana edged Wise, 6-0, for the 4A title. Linganore nipped Magruder, 3-0, in 1989
36
Players on Dunbar’s roster who are not seniors
51
Victories for Dunbar’s Lawrence Smith in just four years as head coach
362
Days until next year’s state finals
