Unbeaten football teams dwindle to five
And then there were five.
One more team fell from the ranks of the unbeaten this week as Reservoir nipped Glenelg, 19-13 in overtime. That leaves five Baltimore-area high school football teams boasting perfect records with just three weeks of the regular season left.
Here’s a look at how the 7-0 teams won this week and who stands in their way next:
No. 3 Old Mill 55, Annapolis 0
Rob Chesson scored four touchdowns to bring his season total to 24 as the Patriots continue to dominate Anne Arundel County. They posted their fourth shutout and have allowed only 40 points while winning by an average of 37.4 points. On Homecoming against the Panthers, Chesson, a senior running back, rushed for 211 yards on 11 carries. Deonte Shields also threw two touchdown passes to Torie Wagner.
Next up: Southern at home Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Bulldogs are 4-3, coming off a 33-13 win over North County. Earlier this season, they beat No. 14 South River, 25-24, but Old Mill’s defense will be the toughest challenge they have faced all season.
No. 8 Poly 34, Southwestern 7
After giving up nearly three times as many points as they had all season in a 44-34 win over Patterson last week, the Engineers’ defense clamped down again this week. Rashid Tynes had nine tackles and Priestly Shuler had eight tackles and a sack. Shuler also scored two rushing touchdowns, carrying the ball six times for 104 yards. Nigel Benjamin scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass and returned a fumble 87 yards for a touchdown.
Next up: No. 7 Dunbar at home Friday at 7 p.m. This is the game every high school football fan in Baltimore City has been waiting for. The Poets are coming off a 45-8 win over Douglass that boosted their record to 6-1. The Poets are unbeaten on the field too, but had to forfeit the second game of the season against Southwestern as punishment for a bench-clearing brawl in the win over Dunbar (D.C.) at the I-95 Kickoff Classic. The Poets have been even stingier on defense than the Engineers. While Poly has allowed a touchdown or less in six of its seven games, Dunbar has not allowed more than eight points in a game this fall. The Poets have allowed just 36 points in six games.
No. 12 Catonsville 40, Towson 6
The Comets continue to roll through the Baltimore County Class 4A-3A Division, sparked by a pair of Aaron Jones to Deniko Carter touchdown passes in the first half. Jones added another touchdown pass to Julian Jones, while DeAndre’ Lane and Josh Hylton ran for touchdowns. L.J. Childs finished off the Comets' scoring on a pass from Justin Sprankle.
Next up: Milford Mill at home Friday at 7 p.m. The Millers (4-3) suffered a pair of tough losses this week, falling to Franklin, 34-24, Monday in a game continued from the previous Thursday and to Hereford, 24-14, Friday, but the Millers remain dangerous. At 3-3 in the division, they have been within 10 points or less in all three of their conference losses.
Overlea 34, Western Tech 16
The Falcons scored the first 28 points and held off the Wolverines’ late comeback attempt to take over first place in Baltimore County’s Class 2A-1A Division with the win over the defending division champs. Alex Wells scored on a 39-yard run and his 65-yard punt return four minutes into the second half was the Falcons’ fourth unanswered touchdown. To get things started, Tevin Berry hit Dequan Pettway with a 33-yard touchdown and Sherrod Hawkes ran 30 yards for a touchdown off a fumble recovery.
Next up: Pikesville at home Friday at 7 p.m. The Panthers (3-4) have struggled against their division rivals with an 0-3 record. With the momentum the Falcons bring to the contest, riding an area-best 11-game winning streak, they could make it 12 in a row and hold onto the top spot in the division and in the Class 1A North region.
Fallston 41, Lansdowne 0
Marc Badger scored two rushing touchdowns to lead the Cougars over their Baltimore County opponent. Chris Rose, Ryan Umpleby and Steve Hill also scored touchdowns as the Cougars remain in a tie with North Harford for first place in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference Chesapeake Division. Although the Cougars have won a couple games by one touchdown, they have outscored the opposition by an average of 20.1 points. In their last three games, however, they have scored 104 points and allowed only 18.
Next up: Joppatowne at home Thursday at 7 p.m. The Cougars play on Thursday this week because schools will be closed Friday for the state teachers’ convention. The Mariners (3-4) beat C. Milton Wright, 20-0, this week to stop a three-game skid that has them 1-3 in the Chesapeake Division. After facing Joppatowne, the Cougars finish the season with probably their toughest two opponents, Aberdeen and North Harford.
