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Some teams are content with five straight championships. Some teams are content with a dynasty that boasts a 144-20 record. Some teams are content with annual high rankings from the local newspaper and a top-50 Baseball America and National High School Baseball Coaches Association National Ranking in four of the last five years.



Pat Fitzgerald

The Calvert Hall Cardinals baseball team, owners of all the aforementioned accolades, is anything but content.

After finishing 26-4 and winning their fifth consecutive MIAA conference championship last year, head coach Lou Eckerl and his team just feel obligated to capture another.

"Anytime you can win five championships in a row you're obviously doing something right, and we've been the team to beat for the last couple years," according to Greg Bryant, a senior captain and starting shortstop. "We'd like that to continue."

This much success isn't easy to come by. Calvert Hall has a target the size of the Grand Canyon on their back every year. Plus there's the inevitable complacency that could set in (not that winning ever gets too old). Not to mention the enormous pressure to continue the wining tradition. But starting second baseman and senior captain Pat Fitzgerald said the team thrives off the pressure.

"We don't get nervous, and we like the pressure it puts on us to win another championship and relive this dynasty we've been setting up," Fitzgerald said. "We like the challenge to come out every day and play as hard we can ? We want to keep the tradition going and play tough for Coach every day. We want it as bad as he does."

Bryant echoed his teammate. He added:

"People always circle us on their schedule, and put their best pitchers against us, and that makes us better. I think the only time that you get better and show your skills are when you're playing at the highest level you can. The high expectations make sure you play at that level."

This season, the team will have to deal with the loss of numerous key seniors who graduated, including the team's top two pitchers. Bryant and Fitzgerald both insisted that many of the younger pitchers would be important to the team's success this year.

"We're going to have to step up as a team and some underclassmen will have to jump into their roles immediately," Fitzgerald said. "We have the four who pitched a good amount last year and they know what they're doing,"

Bryant also stressed the importance of the pitchers. But he said even if they give up a few runs, Calvert Hall has the bats to make up for it.
"We have most of their lineup back from last year, and we have guys to hit the ball, so as long as our pitchers can step up and keep us in games and get outs for us, I think we'll be very good," Bryant said.

It's not just the underclassmen who need to rise up. The seniors, ultimately, will be the ones who lead the team. The onus is on them to produce and provide a winning example.


	Towson Times

"There are a lot of young guys on the team, so the seniors have to show them Calvert Hall baseball and how things need to done - working hard and doing what the coaches ask," Bryant said.

The key upperclassmen - besides Fitzgerald and Bryant -- include Ryan Welling, a catcher and returning starter; Scott Merkel, right fielder; and lefty pitcher, Dominic Sgroi, who Fitzgerald called the team's ace.

Aside from their youth, the Cardinals have other hurdles in their way to another championship.

"Our weaknesses so far are just doing the little things - everyone has to start hustling, everyone has got to be on the same page," Fitzgerald said. "Just being a team and being together and having camaraderie is what we kind of need right now."

Perhaps nothing brings a team together more than practicing together and working hard with each other in pursuit of a common goal. Bryant insists everyone is hungry for a championship and will do what it takes to achieve the goal.

"I think it's special just how hard we work and the practices we go through," Brant said. "We have a lot of guys who want to work and who want to get better. I don't know if any other teams have as many guys as we do that want to work as hard we do."

Regardless of the sport of the level of competition, most coaches relish the opportunity to lead their alma mater. Joe Polce has been given that chance. The Walkersville alum, who was the school's defensive coordinator last year, was promoted to head coach on February 26.

Polce took over the program after Ryan Hines left for local-rival Urbana. His immediate task is to restore a winning tradition to a school that hasn't made the playoffs in six seasons, despite finishing 6-4 last year.


Frederick News-Post

Polce started his coaching career as an assistant at Middletown and Urbana. His first head coaching stint came with Urbana in 2005. Polce spent four years as the Hawks' head coach, compiling a 33-14 record and making the playoffs each season. He resigned after his fourth season and spent 2009 as the defensive coordinator at Walkersville.

When Hines left for Urbana, Polce was the natural successor. No other candidates were interviewed for the position.

Earlier this week, MdHigh publisher Dave Lomonico spoke with Polce about his new position.

Coach, you're from Walkersville and are familiar with the program. What does it mean to take over your alma mater?

It means a lot. It's special to give back to the community where you grew up. My family has been around here since the early '70s; we live in the feeder area in Woodsboro. Other than when I went away to college, I never really left Frederick County. I knew I wanted to come back and be at my home school.

Walkersville hasn't been overwhelmingly successful in recent years. What's the challenge in front out you?

The program has been down a little bit, so the challenge is getting the kids to believe they can win. And win on a consistent basis.

And how do you go about doing that?

I always believe confidence comes from strength. So we've been all over the guys after school in the weight room. We've shown them encouragement and pushed them hard. They guys are responding. They're working harder than they've ever worked.

I think once you get strong you get confident. That will carry over into your season. Last year we had a talented team but didn't get it done in the big games. I'm hoping this extra work will make the difference and push us over the top.

Coach, you were the defensive coordinator last year and you were known as a defensive mastermind at Urbana. What's your defensive philosophy?

At Urbana we were able to read and smash and stay real disciplined. But you have to be able to change based on your personnel. Here at Walkersville it's a little more of a read-and-react type defense. We take some more chances and play aggressively.

We're going to bring multiple fronts depending on what the other team has. We're going to show four-man fronts, five-man fronts, even six-man fronts. We try to mix it up to make the offense think and work. We try to create situations where we can make big plays.

It worked pretty well last year. We had three shutouts and Walkersville hadn't had any shutouts since 2004. We had more shutouts in one year than the last five put together.

What about on offense, Coach? What can we expect to see?

We're going to feature our two running backs, Quentin [Ezell] and Jose [Depadua]. On some plays one will block and the other will run behind him ? and vice versa. We're going to have some misdirection, we're going to have some power plays, some off-tackles.

At Urbana we ran the football a whole lot. Three out of the four years I was there we had a 1,000-plus yard rusher and one year we had a 2,000-yard rusher. I've had success with it in the past, so you can expect to see a lot of running.

Andrew Bose has a permanent smile etched on his face. Whether he's in the hallways at school, out with friends or on the football field, Huntingtown's junior linebacker seems perpetually happy. Especially when he's on the football field.

"You can just tell how much he enjoys practice and the games," said Huntingtown coach Jerry Franks. "He doesn't say a whole lot, but the smile never goes away."

Bose had every reason to smile last season. The third-year varsity stud recorded a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference-high 175 tackles to go along with five sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

Despite being an underclassman, Bose helped guide the surprising Hurricanes (13-1) to the 3A state title game (where they were trounced by Lingnaore) and earned honorable mention All-State honors.

"It was a pretty special year," Bose said. "I think I did pretty well, and we beat River Hill and went to States. Not bad."

Not bad at all considering Huntingtown had never made it that deep in the playoffs before. While running back Greg Goodwin carried the offense, it was Bose who led the way on defense. Bose played middle linebacker, which is typically the "position of power" on any unit. He called out the signals and was practically involved in every key stop.

"A lot of kids look up to me," Bose said. "When the team's down or the game's late and they're getting tired, I try to pick up the pace and get the momentum going. I'm there to get everyone fired up."

Bose did just that in the playoffs against River Hill, a team that was carrying a 40-game winning streak. In a dogfight that was tied at 7 in the third quarter, River Hill moved in for the go-ahead score. They had the ball inside the Huntingtown 5-yard line but were stuffed on three-straight plays.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, River Hill tried one last plunge. Bose knifed into the backfield, met the running back and stood him up. Meanwhile, the rest of the Hurricanes' defense enveloped the 'back behind the line of scrimmage.

"He had big plays in big moments throughout the season," Franks said. "That's something you look for in your best prospects - critical plays in key situations."

In a tense Week 4 battle with rival Westlake, the Wolverines had the ball and the lead (7-0). But Bose changed the momentum when he sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble, leading to the tying score. Huntingtonwn went on to win 14-13.

"We needed a stop, so I told the team 'We can do this, we can beat these guys,'" Bose said. "I put it on myself to make the plays."

Physically, at 6-feet-2 and 215 pounds, Bose is a prototypical middle linebacker. Better yet, he runs the 40-yard dash in under 4.7 seconds, cleans 315 pounds and benches 320 pounds.

"He's very strong - he lives in the weight room - he's got the speed and he's very aggressive," Franks said. "He has a nose for the ball and he's got that motor colleges are looking for."

More than 1,000 fans packed the gym at Frederick ( Md. ) Linganore on Tuesday for a basketball game between the Lancers and visiting Middletown ( Maryland ) High. Normally the gym is less than half full, but this was no ordinary basketball game. It was senior night, and something special usually happens on senior night.



Tyler DeVries stands with his family on Senior Night

Little did they know, though, that this year's "something special" would be Tyler DeVries, a senior who had never suited up for a single game, a team manager who operated the clock during practice, a boy born with cerebral palsy and had no motor coordination on his left side. He was the one who would give them the most unforgettable moment of their lives.

What DeVries did is the stuff of fairy tales and Disney movies. It's not supposed to happen in real life.

But it did. And in that moment, DeVries reminded us that miracles are real.

"It's something I'll cherish for the rest of my life," said Kevin DeVries, Tyler 's father.

"I've never felt more proud to be a coach," said Linganore's football coach, Rick Conner, who has won two state titles at the school.

"In a million years I never would have thought this could have happened," said Linganore basketball coach Tom Kraft. "Somebody up there was looking out for him tonight."

***

Desiree DeVries says her son, Tyler, was born a fighter. She gave birth 10 weeks prematurely and doctors gave her son little chance to live. He made it through the first three nights in intensive care before suffering a stroke. But the newborn survived, albeit with severe consequences. DeVries had cerebral palsy.

Fortunately the disability didn't affect his cognitive skills, but growing up he walked with a noticeable limp and his left arm stuck out like a clothes hanger. When he was little, he used to fall over while trying to walk.

"I'd go over and try to help him up," Desiree said. "But he'd push me away and say, 'No mommy, I can do it.'"

Still, growing up was frustrating. As DeVries grew older he watched his brothers learning how to ride bikes, his friends playing catch with their dads and his neighbors running around the backyard. DeVries couldn't do any of it. Instead, he had three leg surgeries and struggled to simply walk out the door every morning.

But DeVries was determined to be just like his siblings and peers.

"He's always wanted to show people that if you have a disability it shouldn't stop you from going after your dreams," Desiree said.

DeVries found solace in the one thing he could do just as well as anyone else: Shoot a basketball. Yes, he could pick up a big orange ball in his right hand, balance it against his left arm and throw it towards a net. Yes, that he could do ? over and over and over again.

He played at the local court and on his garage hoop for hours ever day, regardless of the weather. When it snowed three feet, DeVries got out his shovel, ignored the snow-covered walkway and began clearing out the basketball hoop instead.

"Even when it's raining or snowing I go out and shoot," DeVries said. "All I ever wanted to do was play basketball.

"My favorite player of all-time is Michael Jordan. So when I was shooting, I imagined playing in the NBA and hitting a buzzer-beating shot just like Mike."

Linganore senior guard Danny Hennigan is one of DeVries' best friends. He lives in Tyler 's neighborhood and has been shooting hoops with him since the two were in kindergarten. He remembers one time when DeVries had to have leg surgery and couldn't walk.

"After the surgery I went down to visit him and he was pretty bummed," Hennigan said. "But he didn't care about missing school or not being able to go out. All he cared about was that he couldn't go outside and shoot."

DeVries eventually mastered running with a non-responsive left side. It was awkward to say the least, but he could move fast enough to play rec league basketball. His goal, however, was to make the high school team at Linganore.



	DeVries goes up for a rebound

He tried out for the team his freshman year, but he didn't come close to making the cut. Still, Kraft, the varsity coach, took a liking to the kid. It took guts to try out. Plus it was obvious he had an uncanny obsession with the game.

Kraft invited DeVries to stay on as team manager. He couldn't play or practice, but he could help in the rebound line, operate the shot clock and get the equipment ready for road trips.

"He appreciated the coach's offer and he loved it," Kevin DeVries said. "But it wasn't the capacity he wanted. He wanted to play ball."

Still, DeVries held no grudges. He embraced his managerial duties, befriended all of the players and became the team's No. 1 supporter. But there was no doubt he burned to put on one of those white and red jerseys with his name on the back.

So after being cut his freshman year, DeVries worked harder than ever.

"I dreamed of playing varsity basketball forever," DeVries said. "I didn't make it, but I always kept working hard and staying positive.

Kurt Stein will have the honor of being the first head football coach in Oakdale High history. The 28-year-old Stein has spent the last six years coaching at Catoctin High, which just won its first state championship in 2009.

Stein grew up in Wheeling, W.Va., and attended Wheeling Central Catholic High. He played high school football but tore his ACL his senior year and suited up in just one more game: the West Virginia-Ohio all-star game.


Frederick News-Post

Stein then attended Marshall University for four years. After graduating he began teaching and coaching at Catoctin. He served as a varsity assistant under coach Doug Williams his first year, became the head freshman coach his second year and was the head jayvee coach the last four years.

On Friday, Feb. 12, Oakdale hired Stein away from Catoctin. He will take over a brand-new Frederick County school that will consist of students from Linganore, Thomas Johnson and Urbana. Oakdale is set to open next fall for ninth and 10th grade classes.

Earlier this week, Stein spoke with MdHigh publisher Dave Lomonico about his new position.

How does it feel to be the new head coach at an upstart program?

It feels really good to have this unique opportunity. I get to come in at a new school at the ground level and start it from scratch. There's no culture here. You create your own culture. I'm excited about it.

What do you hope to accomplish at Oakdale this first year?

The first year, with just ninth and 10th graders, we're only having a freshman and jayvee team. So we just want to get the kids in there and accustomed to Oakdale.

We're going to start working out together as a team this spring. Those will be our first steps.

What's going to be the biggest challenge taking over a new program?

Most of these kids grew up thinking they were going to Linganore, Urbana or Thomas Johnson. So our challenge is getting these kids on board with our staff, our culture and our system.

We have to make them understand how important that is because they're the first group to go though the school. They're setting the example for every class after them. We want everyone all in for Oakdale.

Once the kids are enrolled and settled, what other challenges do you foresee this first year with the players?

Even though we don't have varsity this year, this first group will be with our staff for three years. We're looking to get it right with them so we can build a strong varsity program by their senior years.

We have to get the players used to playing with each other. Most of them are coming from one of three schools and it's a possibility we might have a starting quarterback from all three of the Urbana, TJ and Linganore freshman teams last year. So it could be an adjustment because we obviously won't have three starting quarterbacks.

What's in the immediate future for you right now?

I'm getting my staff together - I have some names in mind - and I'm looking forward to meeting the players and getting them in the weight room. Football games are won in the offseason, so we want to get those kids in there right away and working. We're going to have the opportunity to do that in a couple weeks.

What kind of philosophy do you bring to Oakdale?

I'm a high-energy, enthusiastic guy. In practice, my staff and I will be coaching 100 percent of the time, getting kids fired up and ready to play.

As far as football philosophy, we're going to bring our own little spin. It's going to be a bit different then what people are used to seeing. Offensively, we're going to be a little more open and we'll run a little more out of the spread.

We want to be fast-paced; we won't huddle very often. We're going to be go-go-go all the time. That's how we're going to practice and that's how we're going to play.

We want to score a lot of points and have some fun. I want to bring that energy and excitement all the time. And I think once people get to see us play they'll be excited, too.

Coach, don't you know all high schools do in Maryland is run the football every play [laughs]?

I'm not saying we're not going to run the football. I'm just saying we're going to throw some different formation at you besides just tailback-off-tackle every play [laughs].

Coach, you were at Catoctin for six years. How tough was it for you to leave?

It was very tough because it's all I've ever known. I've been out of college for six years and all six have been at Catoctin. Doug Williams and the rest of the staff up there really took me in like family. I wasn't from the area; I moved there a week before football started. So I really owe them a lot.

Besides that, the kids at Catoctin are wonderful. They worked their butts off as you could see this year with the state championship. I really felt apart of that even though I was the jayvee coach. My first couple years we struggled, but we really turned it around.

It's tough walking away from something you put so much time and effort into. But when you weigh it against this wonderful opportunity at Oakdale, the decision becomes a little easier.

How's it going to be jumping from a jayvee coach to the head coach of a new program and then a varsity program in a couple years?

It's a little daunting, but at Catoctin I did all the practice plans and pretty much ran the program from the freshman and jayvee levels. And Coach Williams had a lot of confidence in me and let me handle all that down there.

So I feel like, on a small scale, I've been doing the job already the last few years. I absolutely feel I'm prepared.

You have to be. This isn't an easy county to break into. It's win or go home in Frederick County ?

That's what I'm excited about. I hope we have a packed house every night. I hope the community is into the games. I want passionate fans. I want that pressure to win.

Do you think your age and experience could be a bit of a detriment though?

I personally don't, although I can see how someone could say that. I'm only 28 with six years of experience. But I feel that I'm ready.

And also [Oakdale athletic director] Chris Krivos, [principal] George Seaton and [Frederick County supervisor of athletics] Lynn Carr felt I was ready or they wouldn't have hired me.

I also think my age gives me an advantage, too. I've got the energy, I'm dedicated to the program and I've got the time. Because of my age I have the opportunity to be at Oakdale for a long time, which will give stability to the program.

Fans can get a little testy at times. Do you anticipate any type of backlash from other schools or their fans considering Oakdale is taking kids from their programs?

With the way they're doing it -- only bringing in ninth and 10th graders -- you're really only moving one class of kids. Linganore, TJ and Urbana are only losing some ninth graders; the other kids were only in eighth grade last year. It's not like we're taking last year's varsity players.

So I don't think it's going to be that huge of an adjustment, and I have yet to hear any negativity from anyone yet.

There are some great coaches in Frederick County. Obviously you learned from one in Doug Williams, but in this area you've got another championship coach in Rick Conner at Linganore. What can you learn from him?

From everything I can tell Coach Conner and his staff do an outstanding job. He has an outstanding team every year, they're always well prepared and they play extremely hard.

If we can model ourselves off of them and have the success they have, that would be great. That's what we're striving for.

Do you know what level Oakdale will break into - IA, 2A, 3A or 4A?

I'm not even sure the school knows yet. My guess is the first year of varsity -- when we don't have any seniors -- we'll play at 1A because our enrollment will be so low. Then the following year we'll move up.

But I've heard numbers all over the board so I can't even say.

On February 8, Urbana named Ryan Hines as the fourth head coach in the school's 15-year history. Hines has spent the last five years coaching at Walkersville, where he compiled a 17-33 record. Before that, he coached for six years at McDaniel College, serving as defensive line coach, offensive line coach and finally offensive coordinator.

Hines will replace Joe Conner at Urbana, who was with the school for just one season. Conner led the Hawks to an 8-3 record and a playoff berth in 2009.

Hines has the monumental task of leading a program with a strong winning tradition. The Hawks won four state championships and had a state-record 50-game winning streak under coach Dave Carruthers. When Carruthers left after the 2004 season, Joe Polce took over and guided Urbana to the playoffs every year. Conner continued that streak when he became coach last year.

On Wednesday, Dave Lomonico of MdHigh conducted a question-and-answer session with Hines about his new position at Urbana.


Frederick News-Post

How does it feel to be taking over a proud program like Urbana?

It's a great feeling. It's a huge step up and a chance to be at one of the premier schools.

I was talking about it with my friends, and my one friend said, "If Frederick County was the Big 12 [football] and you're at Kansas right now and you are offered the job at Oklahoma or Texas, then you take that chance every time."

It made a lot of sense. Urbana is a bigger program, a bigger school and a richer tradition than Walkersville. Not that Walkersville wasn't a good program. It's a great school, and they're set up for a great season next year. But opportunity only knocks once, right?

Is this your dream job?

This is where I want to be. I have a seven year old, a six year old and a two year old and I'm not looking to move them. I want to spend a long time at Urbana.

I'm at the top of the mountain right now, so it's time to play King of the Hill.

How difficult was it for you to leave Walkersville?

It was really hard to leave Walkersville. I had really strong relationships there with some of the kids, and you kind of feel like you're walking out on them. But there are a lot of coaches that are still there and will look out for them.

I told the kids at Walkersville, 'I'm not going to wash my hands of you and just walk away.' I'm still going to make sure the juniors and seniors get the looks they deserve from colleges. And even the sophomore kids, I'm making sure their highlight films are done.

Have you met with the team at Urbana yet?

Fortunately we did have school for a little bit Friday morning; it's about the only time I've every hoped that school wasn't cancelled for snow.

I spent some time talking with them, and since the snow hit, I've been calling a lot of them and trying to stay in touch. I need to develop a personal relationship with these guys.

What did you tell them?

Just the importance of getting in the weight room in the offseason and how we need to catch up with other schools. I told them most games are won between January and May and it's already February. So we've got a month we need to make up.

Are you familiar with the talent on the team?

That was another think I addressed on Friday. I said, 'This is a fresh start; I don't know any of you. I don't know if you were a starter or sat on the bench all year. This is your time to make a great first impression.'

That being said, I do know some of the guys just from what you read in the paper. I know Jude Merkell, Matt Semelsberger and the quarterback are good players. And from what I can tell watching some film, there's a lot of talented kids coming back.

Do you know what happened with Joe Conner and why the Urbana position came open?

I heard rumors, but I really don't know what the situation was. The only thing I know for sure is the position was advertised and Urbana interviewed like five or six other coaches.

In the classic Looney Tunes cartoons, the hapless Wile E. Coyote could never quite catch up with the Road Runner. That nuisance cuckoo bird outran everything from Ferraris to speeding ACME missiles.

It's impossible to gauge exactly how fast the Road Runner would have been in the real world, but most scientists agree he could break a 4.3 40. (Any way you look at it, that's some serious speed.)



Britt clocks a sub-4.4 40

Which makes one wonder, Could any human catch the Road Runner?

Aside from Usain Bolt, probably not. But the folks at Sherwood High are pretty sure junior running back Cyrus Britt could get pretty close. Truth be told, they even dubbed the diminutive speedster with the distinguished "Road Runner" nickname.

"Every time you give him the ball he can take it to the house," said Sherwood coach Pat Cilento. "He's like Noel Devine at West Virginia. If he breaks through the first line, he's going to score."

Rumors of Cyrus "Road Runner" Britt's speed have not been exaggerated.

It's a fact: Britt -who actually resembles a road runner with his long, thin legs and his short, lithe frame (5-foot-9, 170-pounds) - used to return kicks for touchdowns on a weekly basis in Pop Warner ball.

It's a fact: Britt routinely outruns his track teammates who clock 4.4s in the 40-yard dash.

It's a fact: In Britt's first game at Sherwood last year, he scored two long touchdowns on his first two carries.

"I'm not like everyone else," said Britt, who scrawls his nickname on his game-day eye black. "My speed really sets me apart from other 'backs."

Speed certainly helped him rank among the state leaders in rushing yards last year. Despite missing two early-season games with an MCL sprain and then spending the rest of the season at less than 100 percent, Britt piled up 1,237 yards and 15 touchdowns. Before the injury, which he suffered in Week 3, Britt was averaging over 12 yards per carry. He had more than five runs of 50 or more yards, including a long of 79.

"He's a pretty special 'back," Cilento said. "He'll be one of the best to come out of Sherwood."

It didn't take long for Britt to earn his moniker. In the 2009 season opener, Sherwood took on Wooton. Before the game started Cilento gathered his team and scripted the first play, which became a weekly practice for the first-year head coach. The call was simple: six-stretch. Also known as an off-tackle hand-off to Britt.

Britt's stomach churned. He had just transferred to Sherwood from Archbishop Carroll. Now he had to be the opening act for his new team? He would have preferred a pass play.

"I was very nervous," Britt admitted. "I was thinking about that play all before the game wondering how I would mess it up."

But when the time came, the Road Runner delivered.

"I got the hand-off and just took off and ran by everyone," said Britt, who scored on a 55-yard run. "It felt really good. All those butterflies just left me."

Britt was just getting started. At the end of the first quarter, he trotted back into the huddle for an encore. The call? Naturally, another hand-off to Britt. Seventy-nine yards and five seconds later, he was standing alone in the end zone.

Two touches. Two touchdowns. Road Runner indeed.



	Britt has D-I interest

"I even surprised myself with that one," Britt said. "I didn't think I could do that twice in a row."

The surprises kept on coming. One week after tearing up Wooton for 196 yards on six carries, Britt ransacked Richard Montgomery for 84 yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries.

But then came the ill-fated Paint Branch game. On his first carry, Britt was tackled after a 5-yard gain. But he fell awkwardly and limped off the field. He didn't return; the diagnosis was a sprained Medial Collateral ligament. Britt missed just one game but he was limited the rest of the season, showing only flashes of his old self.

"It was frustrating," Britt said. "I knew my team needed me."

But even a Road Runner going at 75 percent is faster than most other players. Britt still managed to rack up five more 100-yard games while averaging over 6 yards per carry.

In a way, the injury actually helped him become a better running back. Instead of relying purely on speed, Britt had to develop the other parts of his game.

"He has that track speed, but he proved he could be tough and shifty," Cilento said. "He showed great vision, too."

Calvert Hall coach Donald Davis isn't quite sure what happened to Adrian Amos. Someone must have swiped his puny, bony body for a taller, bulkier lookalike. Or maybe the doctors started feeding him some magical growth hormone.


Dave Lomonico

Amos has come a long way in three years

In any case, this certainly isn't the same kid who came into school as a freshman standing at 5-feet-3 and weighing less than 140 pounds.

"He's up to 6-feet and 190 pounds," Davis said, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."

Thanks to a Shaq-like growth spurt, Amos has the size to not only play varsity sports but dominate them. He's been a starting cornerback for two straight seasons - after one year on junior varsity -- and last year earned All-County honors. Now, heading into his final season, he's projected to be a Division I defensive back.

Amazing what 9 inches and 50 pounds will do for you.

"Everyone always thought I was going to be a short, little guy all my life," Amos said. "But now that I'm taller and gained some weight they're talking like I can be a college safety. That's pretty cool."

It's also pretty cool what he can do to opposing receivers. Amos didn't get beat deep once this year. More often than not he rendered the opposition's top receiver meaningless.

"He's a big, physical corner and there's not many of those," Davis said. "He's got great ball skills, he's fast and he will absolutely come up and wallop you in the run game."

It's not often that cornerbacks are commended for their tackling. But perhaps one of Calvert Hall's most memorable plays last year came on an Amos hit.

In the Cardinals' shocking upset over Gilman, it was Amos' forced fumble that swung the momentum to Calvert Hall.


	Dave Lomonico

	Amos plays CB but he hits like a safety

Early in the game, Gilman's star athlete, Cyrus Jones, came out of the backfield on a wheel route. He came open, caught the pass and high-tailed it for the end zone. Amos streaked from the opposite side of the field, determined to keep him from scoring.

On paper, there's no way Amos should have caught him. Jones runs a 4.3 40-yard dash and Amos can crack 4.6 on a good day. But on the field, Amos can keep up with seemingly any receiver.

This time, he caught Jones. Amos put his helmet on the ball, forced a fumble and Calvert Hall recovered. It led to a touchdown drive in a game the Cardinals won 21-12.

"The kid Jones was breaking away for a touchdown then all of a sudden he's stopped and we get all the momentum," Davis said. "That's the kind of plays that don't always show up on the stat sheet but are just huge."

Based purely on the stat sheet, Amos had a down year in 2009. After recording a team-high six interceptions in 2008, expectations soared. He responded with just a single pick last season.

But a keen observer will notice teams rarely threw in Amos' direction. When quarterbacks did look to his side, the receivers weren't open. Better yet, he ranked among the team leaders in tackles and forced three fumbles, something he didn't do in 2008.

"I wasn't really concerned about the picks," Amos said. "I helped the team a lot more in the run game and I was physical at the line of scrimmage. I locked down my side of the field."

Davis agreed:

"He didn't statistically have a great year, but the film doesn't lie," the coach said. "He had a better year in 2009 [then 2008]. He created turnovers and he absolutely punished kids."

The Linganore Lancers are a proud program with a rich winning tradition. In 36 years, Linganore's football team has been to the playoffs 14 times. Five of those times they've won state championships, and on four other occasions they've been runner-up. Since 1990, Linganore has finished in the top 10 of the state rankings six times, including three top-5 finishes.



Back from left: Ryan Dixon, Robby Havenstein, Zach Zwinak, Kyle Tucker ... Front from left: Gary Saylor, Kevin Myers, Michael Johnson, Kevin Saylor

But of all the great teams in Linganore history, the 2009 version was the best. One year after losing in the state finals to Sherwood, the Lancers responded with their first undefeated season. Linganore, which defeated Huntingtown in the 3A state finals, ranked No. 1 in the polls for the first time in school history.

On top of that, they boasted an astounding 13 All-State performers and nine scholarship players (a number that's sure to grow).

Last Wednesday, those nine players signed their national letters of intent in front of family and friends in the Linganore gymnasium. Two of them - Robby Havenstein (Wisconsin) and Zach Zwinak (Penn State) -- signed with Division I schools. Three more - Kyle Tucker (Monmouth), Ryan Dixon (James Madison) and Michael Johnson (Bryant) - inked I-AA deals. And the remaining four - Ricky Conner (West Virginia Wesleyan), Kevin and Gary Saylor (Concord) and Kevin Myers (Charleston) - signed with Division II schools.

"These nine guys definitely deserved to be up there in front of everyone," Havenstein said. "This was a special class. These are some of the best football players I've been around. It's great."

Only DeMatha and Good Counsel had more players sign national letters of intent. Considering most public schools had one or maybe two scholarship players, the Lancers did indeed boast a rare and special class.

"This was a great group of kids who now have an amazing educational opportunity," said Linganore coach Rick Conner, who led the school to two of their five titles. "Looking at the two private schools ? and to have nine signees here at Linganore - not bad for a public school."

Conner's players echoed his sentiments.

"Having this many guys up there meant a lot to us," said Myers, who decided on Charleston University just one day prior to Signing Day. "It's a credit to our hard work. We've been together for a long time and we all wanted this."

The nine signees sat in front while their parents and friends looked on from the bleachers. Conner, meanwhile, addressed the crowd from a podium. After a few introductory words, he called up each scholarship player to sign their letter of intent.

"It was a surreal experience for me," Havenstein said. "A couple years ago I was watching the Signing Day event on ESPN and I thought that was really cool. Now that I get to do that myself in front of all my family and friends is really amazing."

After signing their letters, each player was asked to address the crowd. All of them thanked their families, friends, coaches and teammates for supporting them.

Around Frederick Douglass High in Prince George's County, coaches have been calling wide receiver Milton Williams the "hands kid." They take one look at those lion-sized paws and start thinking Jerry Rice. Those hands are big enough to palm a basketball and soft enough to catch a brick (not that he's tried).



Milton Williams skies for a catch

Douglass coach JC Pinkney first saw Milton Williams' hands two years ago, while he was still on junior varsity. The quarterback would toss up a jump ball and Williams would leap up and snare it like a basketball player skying for a rebound. On top of that, he would position his body so the defender couldn't get a hand on it. Better yet, he would never use his chest to cradle in a pass.

"It's just so natural the way he catches the ball," Pinkney said. "It's a gift."

Pinkney already has Williams pegged as a Division-I caliber receiver. Physically, at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, he passes the "eyeball test," according to Pinkney. But it's those hands that will take Williams to Saturday stardom.

"Most Division I kids have natural talent that you just can't teach," Pinkney said. "Milt has it."

Curiously, Williams didn't start using his hands to catch footballs until his sophomore year at Douglass. Previously, he'd spend his time pounding away at a speed bag in a boxing gym.

His pugilist career lasted all through his freshman year. Williams' only football experience was at the local Boys and Girls Club, where he played on offensive line.

At the end of freshman year, however, Williams' plans to be the next Sugar Ray Leonard took a detour. He was tossing a football around with his friend, Sherman Hodges, a lineman for Douglass. Hodges noticed his friend never dropped a throw. Half-jokingly, he told him he should be a wide receiver.

"I really didn't want to play football," Williams said. "But Sherman convinced me."

Williams showed up at Douglass' offseason weight-lifting session and asked if he could be on the team. The coaches were receptive, but they said he had to be dedicated to the game. Which meant the boxing ring had to go. With Hodges' urging, Williams hung up the gloves in anticipation of gridiron glory.

Just like at the Boys and Girls Club, the Douglass jayvee coaches took one look at Williams' 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame and stuck him on the line. He had to prove he could play wide receiver.

He got his shot in a game against Crossland. On a 4th-and-10 play, Williams came in on offense and lined up in the slot. The quarterback launched a long, sputtering throw. Williams used his 34-inch vertical to out-leap the defender. He hauled in the pass and gave Douglass a first down.

"That's when I knew I could be a good wide receiver," Williams said. "Some other receivers make easy catches look hard and hard catches they don't get to at all. It's all just easy for me."

Northwest High in Germantown, Md., officially introduced their fourth head football coach in the program's 12-year history on Wednesday afternoon. Bob Hampton, who has been the defensive coordinator at Sherwood for the last six years, will take over for coach Mark Maradei, who left after one season.

"I'm excited to be here at Northwest," Hampton said. "We've had great success at Sherwood for the last six years and hopefully I can bring some of that to Northwest. Things can't go anywhere but up for this program. I'm looking forward to it."


Robert McGuire

Hampton will try to restore Northwest's winning tadition

Hampton brings over three decades of coaching experience. Before heading to Sherwood, he was the defensive coordinator under Bob Milloy at Good Counsel. In the 1990s Hampton was the head coach at Wooton and built the program into a state-title contender. He also coached at Seneca Valley.

"We're very excited to have a coach with his knowledge, experience and leadership skills," said Northwest athletic director Jim Tapley. "All those characteristics will be great for our kids."

Hampton has developed a reputation as a defensive mastermind. In six years his Sherwood teams have given up just 11 points per game and recorded 18 total shutouts. Over the last two seasons - which included a state title in 2008 - the Warriors defense has allowed the fewest points in Maryland public schools (in the regular season).

"That's something I pride myself on," Hampton said. "I hope to bring some of that defensive intensity to Northwest."

While Hampton enjoyed his time at Sherwood, he said he couldn't pass up the opportunity to be a head coach at a successful school. That being said, he might not have left if the daily commute were shorter. Hampton lives in Germantown and had to drive every day to Rockville.

"The drive started to get to me," Hampton said. "Northwest is five minutes from my house and Sherwood was 45 minutes away. Also, there's a great tradition at Northwest, so when the coaching opportunity came open it made sense for me."

Northwest is coming off a 3-7 season, its worst since the program began in 1998. The Jaguars have made the playoffs just once in the last three years, failing to meet expectations after their run to the state semifinals in 2006.

Bernard Wolley insists none of it matters.

The Montgomery County 3A League Defensive Player of the Year award; the Montgomery County 3A League First Team Defensive Lineman award; the First Team All-Gazette Defensive Lineman award; Honorable Mention Washington Post All-Met honors; Honorable Mention All-State honors; Team Most Valuable Player?

What are those -- ego boosters? Vanity stimulants?



Wolley was Seneca's MVP last year

So he's had his name printed in a newspaper a few times - so what?

Sure, Bernard Wolley is proud of all he's accomplished in just three years at Seneca Valley. Sure, the 5-foot-10, 220-pound defensive tackle appreciates the recognition. But it's not something he desires.

"I don't see the need for personal accolades; I don't look to be recognized," Wolley said. "Stats don't mean anything. Awards don't mean anything. It doesn't make a difference what people say. The only thing that matters is this team."

When Wolley walks down the halls of Seneca's athletic wing, he can't help but notice the trophies, the plaques and the wall of past greats like Mike Muller (class of '77; USFL), Eric Drain (class of '82; Arizona Cardinals) and his personal favorite, Jason Johnson ("I've seen film on him and he plays just like I do."). One day, Wolley may see his own name etched in the Screamin' Eagles Hall of Frame.

Wolley shakes his head. That would be nice, he says. It would be a dream, he allows. But Seneca Valley has never been about individual honors.

"One player has not gotten Seneca Valley to be one of the best programs in the state," said Screamin' Eagles coach Fred Kim.

This is a program that has won 12 state titles since 1975, the most in Maryland high school football history. The Screamin' Eagles have had eight perfect seasons and have lost a total of 69 games in 34 years.

Last season, however, they finished 6-4 and did not qualify for the playoffs. It was their worst year since 2000.

Perhaps that's why Bernard Wolley genuinely doesn't care about individual accolades. Perhaps that's why Wolley has one single focus in 2010: restore Seneca Valley to their rightful place.

Old Mill is losing arguably the best one-two running back tandem in the state next year, but Patriots fans shouldn't be too worried. As of 8 a.m. this morning Old Mill has acquired one of the top 2011 running backs in Maryland.



Brown ran for over 1,300 yards for Annapolis

Perhaps the Patriots faithful recall Annapolis running back [db] Demond Brown [/db], the diminutive yet powerful speedster whom they faced in Week 2 last year?

"I am transferring to Old Mill high school and tomorrow [Friday] will be my first day," said the 5-foot-8, 175-pound Brown. "I'm living in Glen Burnie and I'm within walking distance of Old Mill. I'm not about to make the 60-mile trip back to Annapolis to go to school."

Brown ranked top 20 in the state last year after rushing for 1,345 yards and 16 touchdowns. The workhorse 'back eclipsed the 100-yard mark in all but three of Annapolis' games. He boasts a 4.5 40-yard dash time to go along with a 300-pound bench press.

"I'm excited to be at Old Mill," Brown said before taking a long pause. "But I'm also a little worried because they just came off a 4A state championship and there's some high expectations. People are going to be expecting them to be right up there again. I've got to do my best to take them there."

That's far from Brown's only dilemma. He also has to replace the thunder-and-lighting combo of Josh Furman and Jason Clements. Furman, an explosive runner who is committed to Michigan, ranked third in Maryland with 2,284 yards and 31 touchdowns last year. Clements, a bruiser, finished with 1,312 yards and has received plenty of interest from Division I-AA schools.

"I see it as like a passing of the torch," said Brown, who is receiving interest from Maryland. "Am I worried about it? Not so much.

"I think I can fill their shoes."

It helps that Brown is a friend of Furman's. He's already been introduced to several Old Mill players and believes the transition will go smoothly.

"The guys seemed pretty excited I was coming in [to Old Mill]," Brown said. "They greeted me well and made me feel welcome."

While Brown is looking forward to suiting up for the Patriots, he insists he was happy at Annapolis. The only reason he left was "family issues."

For the last few years his parents were separated; one parent lived in Annapolis and the other in Glen Burnie. But both of them recently reunited.

"Now I'm living with both of them in Glen Burnie," Brown said. "I'm sad I'm leaving Annapolis. I'm leaving a lot of special friends, teachers and coaches. I told all of them the situation and they were very understanding. It's tough to leave.

"But I've got to move forward and I'm ready to play for Old Mill."

It seems Stephen Decatur has finally exhausted their stock of Tates.

First, there was Ben Tate, Sr., who starred back in the '80s. Then there was his son, Ben Tate, Jr., who suited up for the Seahawks in the early 2000s. The younger Tate went on to set Maryland state records and is currently the lead 'back at Auburn.



DJ Kee is set to take over at RB for Decatur

After Ben, Jr. left, his cousin, Delonte, took over. Delonte didn't have the same speed and power as his predecessor, but he held his own at running back and safety. He earned a two-star Rivals ranking and garnered some interest from Division I and I-AA schools. (He's likely heading to junior college due to academic issues).

For the better part of the decade, there's been a Tate in the Seahawks backfield. But unless there's another Tate cousin in Berlin, Md., Decatur is going to have to find a new running back.

Evidently the Seahawks already have someone in mind.

DJ Kee showed glimpses of greatness last season. One 30-yard run here, a 60-yard punt return there, perhaps a key pass breakup on defense. He played on both sides of the ball - not to mention punter -- and learned the game quickly. Better yet, the 5-foot-10, 178-pound sophomore had good size, terrific strength and a knack for making defenders miss.

It's that last quality that endeared him to Hawks coach Bobby Knox.

Elusiveness. All the great ones have it.

"What stands out about DJ is his vision," Knox said. "He has all the physical attributes - the speed, the strength, the size - but it's his vision that's great. When kids move up to higher levels of competition those without vision tend to blend in; they don't stand out.

"DJ has that sixth sense. He stands out."

Kee showed it last season when Decatur took on Parkside. Subbing in for Tate, Kee ran an off-tackle stretch play. He waited for his blockers and then darted to daylight. When the Parkside linebackers closed in, he cut to the inside where he sensed an opening. Kee broke two ankle tackles then sprinted 30 yards for a touchdown.

"I just see everything open up on the field," Kee said.

But those long, spellbinding runs weren't a weekly occurrence. Kee had to fight for time in his first year on varsity. Not only was he backing up Tate, but it didn't help that Decatur was a pass-first offense.

"Last year he was just getting a taste of what it's like to play at this level," Knox said. "Next year he'll be a little bit bigger, a little faster and he'll know the game better. We're looking for him to have a big year taking over for Delonte."

Even as Delonte's backup, Kee performed admirably. He averaged over six yards per carry, rushed for close to 300 yards and scored four touchdowns. On defense he rotated in at safety and made several tackles and pass breakups. And when Decatur had to punt, Kee was their guy.

Evidently the coaches weren't afraid of memory overload.

"He's very intelligent," Knox said. "He doesn't say much. He just sort of stands there and absorbs everything."

Kee said it's all about his desire to get better. For a sophomore trying to make good, he had to do everything possible to stand out.

"I try my hardest every chance I get," said the soft-spoken Kee. "I have great work ethic and I'm dedicated to the game. I'm in the weight room sometimes three times a day. And I don't take any plays off I practice."

The growth will continue this offseason. Kee must improve his 4.6 40-yard dash. Then he has to add even more muscle in order to be an every-down 'back.

On the field, Knox wants Kee to work on his blocking and between-the-tackle running.

In time, Knox says, Kee could be an elite college prospect.

"If he wants it, he has the talent to be a Division I or I-AA player," Knox said. "But now he's got to put in the work."

Kee's dream is to play college football. His first choice? Florida State ? or maybe Michigan ? Clemson sounds good, too ? and West Virginia isn't bad.

With that kind of list, Kee would be in the same company as another running back who starred at Decatur. But before he can catch Ben Tate, Kee has to replace Delonte.

"I'm ready to fill his shoes," Kee said. "This is my chance, and I need to shine."

The situation was dire. Century, which hadn't scored a single point all season, had just scored their first offensive touchdown in seven quarters. But they still trailed Tuscarora by seven, 14-7, with just two minutes to go.

The Knights' offense had the ball and faced a fourth-and-13 from their own 25-yard line. It was do or die.



Soderstrom will be Century's No. 1 WR next season

In the huddle, Century quarterback Josh Bordner told his receivers to run deep downfield. Bordner knew his No. 1 target, Luke Wright, would be covered. So he looked to junior wide out Brandon Soderstrom, who was starting just his second game on varsity.

Lining up in the slot, Soderstrom faced one-on-one coverage. At the snap, he broke away cleanly and ran a post pattern 25 yards up-field. Bordner stood in the pocket, waiting patiently for the play to develop. After an agonizing three seconds, the Boston College-bound gunslinger fired a low-and-away bullet in Soderstrom's direction.

Soderstrom alertly adjusted. He stopped his route and dove forward, thrusting his right hand out like those guys in the movies making a desperate attempt to save the guy hanging off a cliff. And just like in Hollywood - at least the Disney version of Hollywood - Soderstrom made the catch.

Century coach Jim Holzman later called it the "catch of the year." Soderstrom did him one better: "It was the best catch in my life."

"After that I knew we were going to score," Soderstrom said. "Everyone was freaking out; I was stoked. It gave us new life."

With a first down and 50 yards to go, Century proceeded to march downfield for a touchdown. But instead of going for a tie, they went for the win with a two-point conversion ? and failed. The 14-13 loss put a damper of Century's spirits, but no one forgot about Soderstrom's miraculous reception.

"Watching film later, we had to keep looking at it over and over because we couldn't believe he caught it," Holzman said. "After he did that we knew he could help us at wide receiver."

Thus began Soderstrom's improbable rise as a varsity football star.

Brandon Soderstrom is not the most physically gifted football player. He stands six-feet tall - average for a wide receiver - and weighs less than 160 pounds. His 40-yard dash time is a pedestrian 4.7, and his vertical leap doesn't exactly cull up images of LeBron James.

Yet Soderstrom excels. Last year he moved up the depth chart to No. 2 receiver. He caught 27 passes for 450 yards and six touchdowns. He earned Second Team All-County (Frederick) and Second Team MVAL honors. Next year he's slotted to be Century's go-to receiver.

How's he do it?

While the best prospects in the class of 2010 took the field at the Alamodome in San Antonio for the Army All-American Bowl last Saturday, junior Donovan Smith watched intently from the stands. Smith, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound tackle from Owings Mills, was invited to participate in a special underclassmen combine held prior to the big game. But he wasn't eligible to play in the game itself.



Donovan Smith at the Army Combine with former NFL coach Donnie Henderson

So in the stands he sat, dreams of All-American glory abound.

Could an Owings Mills product become an All-American? Don't laugh. The notion isn't so farfetched. The state of Maryland sent four of its top 2010 prospects to San Antonio this year and Smith is fast becoming one of the best 2011 has to offer.

"Smith has to be one of the top prospects in the state of Maryland, and possibly the top lineman in the state," wrote Rivals recruiting analyst Barry Every, who covered the Army Combine. "Physically and athletically he reminded me of current Oklahoma commit Daryl Williams who excelled at this camp last year."

Unlike Williams, Smith is still a relative unknown coming out of a Division 1A school that is hardly a recruiting hotbed. But after his performance in San Antonio, Smith is on plenty of college radars. At the combine, he earned a top-10 linemen ranking and was named Second Team All-Combine.

"I did real well; a lot of scouts and recruiters were talking to me," Smith said. "There was one play where I pancaked this defensive end and he was probably the best guy I've faced yet."

Smith has all the tools to be a dominant college left tackle. At 6-7, 280, he possesses the necessary God-given size. He also has long arms like former Ravens tackle Jonathan Ogden, an athletic base and good bend in his knees. On top of that, he can move.

"He has good speed and agility for his size; he really has good footwork," said Owings Mills coach Steve Lurz. "He's set up to be a great blindside pass blocker."

But playing left tackle isn't all about size and skills. With maniacal defensive ends bred to terrorize quarterbacks, an offensive lineman needs to be as mentally tough as a 1930s Alcatraz prison guard.

"Look, I play defensive end at Owings Mills, and I don't want my quarterback to get hit the way I hit some quarterbacks," Smith said. "When I'm at left tackle, I feel my quarterback shouldn't have to worry about his blindside. That's his spot to do whatever he wants."



	Smith (center) with MD All-Americans Arie Kounadjio (left) and Nick Forbes (right)

Smith gave his quarterbacks plenty of time to throw last season. Although he was passed over for most All-State teams - Owings' Mills dismal 3-6 record may have had something to do with it - Smith didn't allow a single sack and often overpowered the smaller defensive linemen.

In Owings Mills' 12-0 victory over Loch Raven - which was the Eagles' first win in 53 games, snapping a Maryland record for futility - Smith looked like the Abominable Snowman stomping on a few stray elves.

"He wiped out the whole left side of their line," Lurz recalled. "There were several times where he took out the defensive tackle, pushed him back and wiped two others guys out."

Smith started his high school career in his hometown of Long Island, N.Y. He attended Amitville Memorial High, a school similar in size to Owings Mills. But after his freshman year, his uncle, George Smith, brought Donovan down to Maryland.

"He didn't want me to get in trouble," Donovan said. "But when I came to live with my uncle I needed to find a school and there weren't many around. So it was Owings Mills or nothing."

Smith towered over the rest of the Owings Mills student-body. Like the gaping students, the football coaches were awestruck by his size. And when they saw him move on the field, there was little doubt Donovan Smith would be anchoring the varsity line's left side.

"I knew with his talent and with a little hard work he was going to be a special player," Lurz said. "He already had all the tools. We knew we could develop him into something special."

There was a time, not long ago, when Bishop McNamara's star safety Nicholas Law didn't play football.

There was a time, not long ago, when Law's parents wouldn't let him play sports period.

"I was so bony and small they thought I'd get hurt," Law said. "I came into high school weighing less than 130 pounds."



Law already has an offer from N.C. State

"That's true -- we didn't want him to do contact sports," Law's mother, Melody, said. "But he did play a little flag football ? and he was an avid horseback rider growing up."

At less than 130 pounds, perhaps he could have been a jockey. But that dream quickly died.

Three years, 50 pounds and a mega growth spurt after his horse-riding days, Law is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound phenom football player. He's destined to be the next great defensive back from the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

Last year the junior racked up 61 tackles, two forced fumbles, four sacks and two interceptions. He recently landed his first scholarship from N.C. State and offers from Maryland, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers are soon to follow.

That's quite a dramatic role reversal for the boy who didn't play sports.

'"For him to come in and have the impact he did, we didn't expect that all," said McNamara coach Bryce Bevill.

No one did. Least of all Law himself.

Three years ago Law had no set goals or aspirations. School? Who needed it? ? Football? An afterthought.

"I didn't take anything seriously," Law said. "I was always fooling around."

Law needed direction. So for the first time in his life, his parents encouraged him to play a sport, which would provide structure and discipline.

Law never disliked contact sports growing up - he merely never played -- so he agreed to the idea. In the fall of his freshman year, the 130-pound kid who looked like a broomstick followed his friends to the gridiron.

"I still didn't think I had much potential," Law said. "I was just a skinny kid who never played sports before."

Law didn't do much as a linebacker on McNamara's jayvee team. Sure, he could run pretty fast and he picked up the game rather quickly. But he didn't dedicate himself the way the great ones do.

After the season, his junior varsity coach sat him down for a talk.

"He told me I had a lot of potential but I had to work hard to improve," Law said. "He told me I had a chance to get a scholarship."

The lure of a free education struck a chord. For the first time in his life, Law had a goal to strive for. His grades improved - coaches told him only academically qualified athletes could play college football - and so did his body. In the offseason he worked out daily in the weight room and on the track.

By the time spring workouts started his GPA was around a 3.0 and he was up to 150 pounds.

But it wasn't enough to impress the varsity coaches.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Levern Jacobs' high school football career will likely be remembered for one play. At Suitland, where Jacobs attends school, they call the play "The Catch." But at C.H. Flowers, the school opposing Suitland on Oct. 10, 2009, they call the play "The Botched Call."

Here's what happened:

Suitland and Flowers, two of the top teams in Prince George's County, were engaged in a classic dogfight. At the end of regulation the score was tied at 14. Flowers got the ball on the first overtime possession and scored a touchdown to make it 20-14 (they failed the two-point conversion).



Jacobs runs a sub 4.5 40-yard dash

Suitland needed a touchdown to tie.

On first down, Rams quarterback Devonte Lindsey called a quick slant to junior receiver Levern Jacobs, who had already burned the Flowers secondary for 124 yards on four receptions. Lindsey took a quick three-step drop, looked left and fired a chest-high pass at his short, lanky receiver.

But Jacobs and a Flowers defender became entangled in the end zone, practically knocking each other out of the play. A second Flowers defender took the initiative. He jumped in and reached for the interception. But the ball bounced off his hands and fluttered through the air like a dying quail.

As the ball descended, Jacobs reached out and snared it right before it hit the ground ? or so the referees said.

"I focused on the ball and it landed in my hands," Jacobs said. "That was probably the most memorable catch I've made in my career."

After the extra point, Suitland escaped with a 21-20 victory.

But not without controversy. Flowers players and coaches said Jacobs' touchdown catch wasn't a catch at all. It hit the ground they implored.

There's no instant replay in high school football, so their gripes fell on deaf ears. After the game, however, a photographer from the Washington Post captured a shot that seemed to support the Flowers point of view.

Jacobs and Suitland, however, insist the catch was clean.

"People said I didn't catch it but I did," Jacobs said. "I'm sure of it."

Rams coach Ed Shields concurs, adding this little caveat:

"He was actually interfered with on that play," Shields said. "The Flowers defender kind of locked him up a little bit. But Levern still made a great play.

"He's always making great plays," Shields added.

And that's the truth ? even if the catch wasn't.

Take away that one catch and Jacobs still had a tremendous junior season filled with touchdowns, long pass plays and backbreaking kick returns. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound junior with 4.45 40-yard dash speed and hands so sure they make Stickum look like Scotch tape hauled in 33 passes for close to 700 yards and six touchdowns.

"He can really go get the ball," Shields said. "When you don't think he's going to get it he catches up and makes a play."

In his sophomore year Jacobs went up against Eleanor Roosevelt's top cover man, Stephon Morris. Morris, a diminutive speedster who is now at Penn State, played Jacobs tight. Jacobs gave him one move, sidestepped to the outside and beat him down the sideline. The Suitland quarterback heaved up a deep bomb. Jacobs ran under it and corralled the long toss.

"He's just fast," Shields said. "I mean, some people are fast, and then there are others who are fast."

Paint Branch wide receiver Earvin Anumgba has been described as a "miniature Terrell Owens" for his ability to catch any pass thrown in his direction. Turns out Anumgba may have even more in common with T.O. than that -- namely his mouth. About the only thing moving faster than the 6-foot, 185-pound junior wide receiver's feet is his tongue.



Anumbgba is a matchup nightmare at 6-0, 185

Anumgba on his receiving skills:

"I might not be the fastest receiver out there, but I'm a player. Get me the ball and I'm going to catch it."

On his defensive back skills:

"I'm not scared of receivers, even if they're faster than me. I'm going to get up, be physical and shut them down. I really don't care what they think. They can't beat me. No one can."

On his expectations next year:

"I'm expecting 55 catches, 12 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards. Last year I was hurt the first three games and I wasn't the No. 1 target. Next year will be different. I'm going to be one of the top guys."

On finally being the No. 1 receiver:

"For two years I've waited behind some other receivers at Paint Branch. I'm tired of being in someone else's shadow."

On his competition with fellow receiver Ivan Tagoe, who will graduate this year:

"We're friends but we always compete. I tell him all the time, if I had as many chances as he did I would have had even more catches and touchdowns then him."

That concludes this reading from the Book of Anumgba.

In the media world, quotes like the ones above are pure Gospel. Take one snippet, jack it up to 72-point font and stick it in a headline. Imagine this dandy in Friday morning's Gazette: ANUMGBA CALLS OUT OPPOSING WR'S: 'THEY CAN'T BEAT ME. NO ONE CAN.'

So it's fairly obvious Anumgba can talk the talk. But can he walk the walk?

Last year he caught 11 passes for 273 yards and five touchdowns to go along with three interceptions and around 50 tackles.

Not bad for a guy who missed three games and played second fiddle to Tagoe. But "not bad" isn't good enough. For Paint Branch to go further than the regional finals next year, Anumgba is going to have to replace Tagoe (54 catches, 11 touchdowns).



	He's equally adept on offense and defense

"Next year he's our guy," said Paint Branch coach Mike Nesmith. "For us to compete for a state championship, he has to be a star. We're going to be a young team next year, and he's going to have to carry the flag."

Based purely on talent, Anumgba (pronounced A-noom-geh-bah) has the potential to be an elite skill player. Put him near the end zone, throw up an alley-oop pass and watch his hands devour that ball like a kid left alone with a chocolate cake.

"He does it effortlessly," Nesmith said. "He can go up in traffic with people on his back and make the special, one-handed types of catches. He's only six feet but he plays like he's 6-3."

At 6-0, 185, he's still a matchup nightmare. When he's not out-muscling and out-leaping cornerbacks on offense, Anumgba is bullying smaller wide receivers on defense. Although he plays cornerback, he has the mind-set of a hard-hitting safety. When the Paint Branch defense lines up in a Cover-2, Anumgba creeps towards the line of scrimmage, baiting the opposition to run at him.

"I'm more of a hitting type corner; I'll come up in run support and knock people out," Anumgba said. "I have fun doing that."

SAN ANTONIO - Five Marylanders - four players and one coach -- had the experience of a lifetime at the 10th annual U.S. Army All American Bowl in San Antonio, Tx., the nation's most prestigious All-American high school football game.


Wayne Yarborough

Nick Forbes lined up in the backfield for the East squad

This all-star showcase pits East Coast against West Coast in a star-studded affair that brings together 90 of the top football players in the country.

Close to 40,000 fans and Army brass packed the Alamodome last Saturday; they watched the West defeat the East, 30-14.

But the game itself was a mere formality a la the Pro Bowl. To the players, just being there and proudly representing their school and state justified the whole experience.

Perhaps no state was prouder than Maryland. They didn't have the most players in the game, but the four that suited up in the gold and black East team jerseys are the most Maryland has ever sent since the game's creation.

"With so many kids in this year's 2010 game, it's clear that Maryland football has improved when it comes to developing talent," said top Rivals national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell. "Maryland is starting to compete with states like Pennsylvania and Virginia as far as producing the top players in the nation."

Indeed, Maryland has become a recruiting hotbed with over 40 players receiving scholarships from the Division I or I-AA college levels. But only four of them were selected to the Army All-American Bowl.

Defensive end J.R. Ferguson of Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va. (who resides in Frederick, Md.), linebacker-running back Nick Forbes of Gov. Thomas Johnson, fullback Zach Zwinak of Linganore, and lineman Arie Kouandjio of DeMatha were the four Marylanders who participated. What's more, three of the above - Zwinak, Ferguson and Forbes - all played for schools in Frederick County.


	Wayne Yarborough

	Arie Kouandjio of DeMatha waits to go into the game

"It was an honor to be selected to the game," Forbes said. "The highlight for me was when a United States Army General led us in our pre-game pep talk and said, 'Look down at your jersey, you are U.S. Army All Americans.'

"All of the pride set in and finally it hit me and I thought to myself, Wow I'm an All American."

Joining the players was coach Rick Conner of Linganore High School, who was chosen as an assistant on the East Squad. Conner led his Lancers to a 3A state championship and an undefeated season.

"This was a tremendous experience for all of these young men, and I was happy to represent the state of Maryland as one of the coaches in such a prestigious game," Conner said.

Ferguson (6-4, 275), a five-star recruit who originally played at St. John's Catholic Prep in Frederick, didn't terrorize the quarterback like in high school. But he played a significant number of snaps against the top-rated player in 2010, lineman Seantrel Henderson (6-8, 300).

"I think I did pretty well against him," Ferguson said. "I had a great experience at the game and really enjoyed competing against the best."


Wayne Yarborough

Zach Zwinak stands on the sidelines

Ferguson is recognized as one of the best defensive line prospects in the country and elected to play his senior season at Hargrave, a prep school that consists of 37 scholarship players and competes against lower-tier college programs, other prep schools and Division I college jayvee teams. He finished his senior season with 67 solo tackles and 12 sacks.

Unlike other top Army All-American prospects who made their college announcements live on the NBC telecast, Ferguson eschewed the opportunity. That's because he's still undecided on which school he will attend.

"I will make my decision on national signing day in February," Ferguson said.

He has over 40 scholarship offers and it seems LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, UCLA, Cal, and NC State are all in the running.

"Ferguson will hit the ground running at whichever school he chooses from his experience at the military academy," Hargrave coach Robert Prunty said.

Ralph Friedgen and James Franklin didn't have to travel far for this recruiting trip. The two Maryland coaches spent a portion of their Tuesday afternoon just a few miles from College Park at the home of the Mustangs: Bladensburg High School. The Prince George's County school also happens to be the home of an intriguing football recruit, someone whom Friedgen and Franklin will be watching closely over the next year. Their target: A 6-foot-2, 245-pound defensive tackle-end named Joshua Wade.

Even if Wade's team didn't strike much fear in the opposition last year (Bladensburg finished 2-8), Wade sure did. He racked up 13 sacks and 55 tackles, despite facing double and sometimes triple teams in every game. What's more, he did it as a nose guard.

Mere space eater in the middle he was not. Rather, Wade culled up images of Nebraska tackle Ndamukong Suh, who terrorized opposing linemen and recently spent an entire evening in Texas' backfield. No doubt, that's what Maryland was envisioning when they visited Wade.

The Terps didn't extend an offer, but it could come soon enough. And if not Maryland, then Connecticut, Temple and Rutgers - other Division I schools that have shown keen interest in Wade -- will undoubtedly take the initiative.

"No offers yet, but trust me, they're going to be coming -- there's no doubt about that," Wade said. "Maryland told me to work on my speed and my future will be very bright. There's no doubt in my mind I can play at the Division I level. I know I can always dominate whoever, wherever whenever."

While Wade plays tackle for Bladensburg, he projects as a defensive end in college. He might not have the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.9), but he has an explosive first step that reminds coaches and scouts of Colts end Dwight Freeney.

"The kid gets off the ball faster than anyone I've seen in my life at this level," said Bladensburg coach Derek Tyler. "His one area of concern is change-of-direction speed, but those first three or four steps off the line, there's no one better in the county."

The Laurel Lions found that out the hard way. Laurel tried blocking Wade with just one man, and they suffered the consequences. Wade tortured Laurel's center all game to the tune of five sacks and eight tackles for loss. When the beating ended, Bladensburg had their first win of the year, 20-6.

"I felt a little disrespected in that game because they only sent one person to block me," said Wade, who plays with a nasty streak. "It really didn't work out too well for them."

Wade set the tone early. On Laurel's first offensive possession, the quarterback dropped back to pass. Wade came off the ball quickly and practically squashed the undersized center like a cockroach on his way to the backfield. The quarterback stepped up to avoid the rush, but Wade reached back and took him down with one arm.

"He destroyed their offensive line," Tyler said. "He pretty much dominated from start to finish and allowed us to win."

Wade has played in relative anonymity at Bladensburg, not helped by the Mustangs' 11 total wins in his three years on varsity. Still, his rise to stardom was hardly a surprise to people in PG County.

Wade's brother, Cornell, was a four-year starter at defensive end for the Mustangs and ultimately earned a scholarship to Duquesne. Cornell ('08) imparted on Josh the wisdom of an older brother who had been through the rigors of high school football.

Clarksburg linebacker Steffan Houston is only a sophomore, so it's understandable he hasn't - as the great Crash Davis said in the movie Bull Durham - learned his clichés yet.

It's not that Houston openly spouts off like a listless prima donna. And it's not that he lacks intelligence. Quite the contrary. It's just he's rather shy around reporters and really doesn't have much to say at all. Five words constitute a complete though. A compound sentence is stretching it. Deep insight? Don't even go there.



Houston will start at LB next year for Clarksburg

Question: So how does it feel to be a starter on varsity even though you're just a sophomore?

"Pretty good."

Explain?

"It feels pretty good."

Next question: What do you think makes you a special player?

"I don't think I'm a special player."

But your coach and scouts all say you're going to be great. You must be doing something right ?

"I guess I'm all right."

The interview went on like that for another eight minutes.

But if there's one way to get Houston to open up, it's football talk. Turns out Houston has no other hobbies, no other passions, no other obsessions. It's gridiron glory or bust.

"He's a kid that just loves the game of football," said Clarksburg coach Larry Hurd. "His face just lights up whenever you mention it. And he's always the first one on the field at practice. He does any drill we ask him to do. He watches film. He works out. He's a joy to coach."

Houston didn't have a problem (pun intended) with that assessment.

"I've been playing football since I was eight years old and I never get tired of it," Houston said. "I play every chance I get. I love the game more than anything. I'll do anything I can to get better."

He'll need to get better at public speaking, too, especially since those soothsaying college scouts will be calling soon enough. Contrary to his own personal beliefs, Houston's name is already showing up on local recruiting boards.

"I just talked to Maryland [recruiting coordinator] Dave Sollazzo today about him," Hurd said. "If he stays in the weight room and keeps his grades up he's going to be a team leader and represent the program well on Saturdays."

What makes Hurd so sure? First and foremost, it's Houston's size. Houston isn't even old enough to get a gym membership at some clubs, but he's already 6-feet-2 and 195 pounds thanks to his work in Clarksburg's weight room. His biceps are bulging like a desert anthill, and his torso is rock solid. He squats over 300 pounds and benches 285, good numbers for a kid who can't even get a learner's permit yet.

Three years ago, Devon Pestano wasn't even sure he wanted to play football. The 6-foot, 175-pound junior from Springbrook High, who would eventually become the leader of the Blue Devils' offense and one of the top players in the Class of 2011, had lost his passion for the game.

Pestano had been running around in pads since he was seven years old, so burnout was a concern. Then, in his final eight-grade little league game, his team lost miserably and Pestano did not play well. On top of that, he became enthralled with a new sport: basketball.



Pestano rushed for over 1,200 yards and 20 TDs last year

"After my last middle school game I said, 'I'm done with football. I'm just going play basketball,'" Pestano said. "I was frustrated with football. And I didn't think I was tough enough to play in high school to tell you the truth."

Devon Pestano not tough enough? This is the same guy who three years later will have highlight-reel hits plastered on YouTube. This is the same guy whose football coach, Rob Wendel, will say defenses "just aren't ready for his power."

Not tough enough? This is the same guy who will rumble for over 1,200 yards and 20 touchdowns. This is the same guy who will record over 30 tackles, pick off five passes and force three fumbles as a safety.

"As a running back, he's got fantastic vision, he's explosive, he breaks long runs and he breaks a lot of tackles," Wendel will say. "And as a safety, he makes some monster hits. Guys are leery going over the middle against him."

Not tough enough? This is the same guy who will deliver a blow that almost sends a kid to Shock Trauma. In a game against Whitman, the Vikings will attempt a short pass play to their wide out, who will be running a quick slant. Just as the ball arrives Pestano will lower his shoulder and deliver a hit that renders the receiver lifeless.

"It took him 15 minutes to get up," Pestano will say after the game. "They had to bring out a stretcher. I got kind of scared that I could do that to someone."

Not tough enough? This is the same guy who his coach will call a "super competitor" after Pestano demands the ball in crucial situations. In that same Whitman game, Wendel will call a pass play on third-and-seven with Springbrook trailing by a point with a minute to go in the game. But he'll relent when Pestano guarantees he'll pick up the first down. Pestano will ultimately deliver on his promise. Then he'lll score the game-winning touchdown.

"He wants the ball in crunch time," Wendel will later say. "When the chips are down he wants it. He wants to score on every single play almost to a fault. He wants to win ? at everything."

Wendel will then concede that Pestano is a future Division I safety.

But that's the future. Three years prior, Pestano wasn't thinking about college football. He was focused on showing off his basketball skills.

When Pestano first started basketball in the fourth grade, he admitted he was small, clumsy and not very talented. But as he grew older his body matured and he became more athletic. Then, during middle school, he went to New York for an extended stay with his grandmother. While in the hoops hotbed, he met a coach who helped develop his game.

"The coach up there taught me a few things I didn't know," Pestano said. "After that my game improved and I started loving basketball more than football."

So the foundation was set. Pestano half-heartedly finished the football season and devoted all his time to basketball. He arrived at Springbrook hoping to earn a spot on varsity and realize his dream of playing Division I college hoops.


	Gameday Magazine

	Pestano hasn't decided whether football or basketball is his calling

Pestano wasn't even going to try out for football. But then he met Bob Wendel at Springbrook's August registration.

Wendel took one look at Pestano's tall, muscular frame and asked him me if he ever played football before. Pestano responded in the affirmative, although he mentioned basketball was his first sport. Didn't matter. Wendel, visions of 50-yard runs dancing in his head, invited Pestano to practice.

"I thought about whether or not to show up," Pestano said. "I talked to my mom and she told me she liked me playing football. So I decided to go and give it a shot."

Good call, Mom.

All it took was one long practice run for Pestano to regain his gridiron passion. As a freshman, he spent one season torching the jayvee before moving up to varsity his sophomore year. Pestano started at safety and became one of the most ferocious hitters in Montgomery County. Last year he added running back to his repertoire and had one of the finest seasons for a county runner.

Of course, he still played basketball in the winter. In fact, his basketball ascent mirrored his rise to football stardom. Pestano started on jayvee, moved to varsity and is now the starting point guard. This year, he's helped Springbrook to a 5-1 record by averaging eight points and five assists a night.

When an athlete reaches iconic status often they are celebrated with a nickname: His Airness, King James, The Great One, Sultan of Swat, Sweetness. Some even transcend their sport and become cultural icons. From then on they are known by a single moniker: LeBron, Michael, Babe, Kobe, Serena, Tiger. ?

So when does Darius Jennings get his nickname?

OK, perhaps we're getting just a little ahead of ourselves. Amateurs, especially high school amateurs, don't deserve that honor no matter how much they've accomplished. But Jennings, the jaw-dropping athlete from Gilman, is certainly on the fast track to earning an epithet of his own.

Last year, as the quarterback in Gilman's spread-option offense, Jennings ranked No. 1 in the state through 10 games with 2,022 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. That's an average of over 200 yards per game. Not surprisingly, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound dynamo already has seven Division I offers from the likes of Maryland, Iowa, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, North Carolina, Virginia and Boston College. He is a surefire four-star recruit and should be one of the top-rated prospect in Maryland for the Class of 2011.

"I didn't think I could do this at all," said an awestruck Jennings. "Not many people get a chance to play for Gilman, be on a team with these great players and put up the numbers I did. I've truly been blessed."

YouTube's database doesn't have enough space for a full slate of Darius Jennings highlights. Pick a game, any game. The scripts are all pretty much the same. But somehow, the movie never gets old. It's like watching Harrison Ford kick butt in Raiders of the Lost Ark over and over again.


Dave Lomonico

Jennings rushed for over 2,000 yards and 25 TDs last year

Scene 1: Darius Texas-two-steps through a hole, cuts left, hops over a defender, cuts back right, breaks a tackle, hits his stride like a Ferrari with super unleaded, and then ? gone. The alternate scene is more typical, but it's much less dramatic.Alternate Scene: Darius takes the snap ? gone.

"Sometimes as a coaching staff we just sit back and watch him run," said Gilman assistant coach Henry Russell. "It's fun to watch."

Surprisingly, Jennings doesn't have the fastest 40-yard dash time in Maryland (4.45). But on the field, he's a Chris Johnson incarnate.

"I have agility and speed," Jennings said. "I can see the whole field; I have the ability to make my body small and elude tacklers. But I can be big and run over people when I have to."

Jennings' career began in the second grade. Ironically, he spent his first game snapping the ball -- not receiving the snap.

"The coaches had him playing center," said his father, Lawrence Jennings. "But he didn't care. He was just so happy to be out there."

The center experiment didn't last long. Eventually he moved to a skill position, where his athleticism quickly became apparent. But Jennings insists he wasn't a huge football fan in those early years. He dreamed of being the next Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant; Tory Holt and Charles Woodson were afterthoughts.

"I started playing basketball when I was younger," Jennings said. "Football was just something to do when basketball wasn't going on."

Darius finally realized his football talents during his eighth-grade year at Gilman. In his first game, Jennings took a punt back for a touchdown. After the opposition went three-and-out, he turned the same trick. One minute. Two punts. Two touchdowns.

"After that I was like, 'Wow,'" Jennings said. "I think I may be able to do something special here."

Jennings hasn't slowed down since. As a freshman, he started on jayvee. But after dominating the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association's lower levels, Darius earned a varsity promotion toward the end of the year. He played well as a defensive back and Gilman coach Biff Poggi started him in the season's final game against archrival McDonogh.


	Wayne Yarborough

	Jennings has seven DI offers

Gilman led McDonogh 21-14 with time running out, but the Eagles were driving. Jennings was inserted to shadow star receiver Gerrard Sheppard (Connecticut), who had a good four-inch height advantage on the freshman corner. Eagles quarterback Rudy Johnson saw the mismatch and threw up a Hail Mary. Darius played the ball perfectly; he intercepted the pass with three seconds left in the game.

"That was probably the best moment of my high school career," Jennings said.

Jennings' success continued as a sophomore. Despite undergoing offseason knee surgery, he played every game ? at every position. Darius lined up at kick returner, quarterback, receiver, running back and cornerback. His versatility quickly became apparent. But on the downside it precluded him from dominating one area. Thus, he didn't register any eye-popping numbers.

But then came 2009. In the offseason, Gilman dubbed Darius the starting quarterback. His job: Take the direct snap and run wild. Behind a hulking offensive line, he did just that.

Technically, Tony Hale shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be living in Waldorf, Md. Shouldn't have a loving family to watch after him. Shouldn't be a starter on Westlake High's varsity football team.

Heck, if Tony Hale was like the hundreds of other poor African American kids growing up in Pensacola, Fla., he shouldn't even have a home -- period.



Tony Hale is a junior at Westlake

Indeed, Hale had every reason - every excuse - to fail. But he persevered. And he will succeed.

"I'm just trying to prove that the little boy from Pensacola, Fla., can do anything," said Hale, who is now a junior at Westlake. "I've come a long way to show everybody that always turned me down when I was growing up that I can achieve something."

Tony Hale grew up in a single-parent household in Pensacola, which is located in the Florida panhandle. He never knew his father, who left before he was born. His mother was involved with drugs and struggled to raise Tony and his two brothers, Copper and Steven.

Tony eventually went to live with family in-laws, but life in Pensacola was hardly easy. Trouble lurked on street corners, academics were hardly a priority and family structure was non-existent. Hale's one hope was his brother, Steven, who became a star football player at Pensacola High. Steven had scholarship offers from BCS schools like Alabama, but family and academic issues precluded him from ever reaching college.

All around, Tony witnessed failure. So why should his story be any different?

"Sometimes when kids have bad breaks in their lives they don't ever recover," said Westlake coach Dom Zaccarelli. "That's certainly not the case with Tony Hale. He doesn't use his life situations as a crutch at all. He's risen above that."

Hale's rise and rescue occurred four years ago, when Tony left Florida for Waldorf to live with his godfather, Corey Lee. There, he finally found a true home. Tony enrolled at Westlake High School, which eventually became a sanctuary. Lee, along with teachers, mentors, coaches and other family members, offered Tony the support he lacked in his pre-pubescent years. Eventually, a quiet, withdrawn teenage boy emerged into a driven young man.

"When he first got here (to Maryland), he was very reserved and thought everyone had abandoned him," Lee said. "But with the support system we had in place he's made huge strides ? We're very proud of him."

It's three days after Christmas and Devin Mayo and Navassa Brown are enjoying a well-earned winter break. Seated side by side on a comfy couch at their home in Reisterstown, the two Franklin High football stars indulge in a game of Madden 2010. Like any teenage PlayStation aficionados, the stepbrothers' eyes are glued to the big-screen LCD TV while their fingers move faster then a stenographer's.


Dave Lomonico

Devin Mayo (left) and Navassa Brown. Devin is a safety and Navassa is an "athlete"

Devin groans when Brett Favre overthrows an open Sidney Rice down the left sideline. The wide-eyed sophomore safety, who recently transferred to Franklin from St. Frances Academy, looks ready to take the field himself. He is wearing a skin-tight Under Armour shirt and athletic pants. Devin is only 5-foot-10, but he is already packing 185 pounds, evidenced by the bulging biceps protruding from his sleeveless shirt.

Navassa, who goes by the nickname Tommy (Navassa is a family name passed down through several generations), shuns his brother's Foot Locker look in favor of a yellow Hollister hoodie and ripped jeans. Tommy is a year older than his brother, but he's an inch shorter and about 10 pounds lighter as well. The sleepy-eyed junior wide receiver-running back is also much less eccentric. While his brother is more apt to go haywire on a PlayStation controller, Tommy merely shrugs and sinks back in the couch when his virtual cornerback fails to knock away a pass.

The video-game battle is just a simple scene, but it's quite revealing. It's evident these two stepbrothers don't share much in common.

Of course, that hasn't kept them from forming a bond as strong as blood.

"We're always around to help each other out," said Tommy.

"It's just cool between us," said Devin. "We're different people, but we're always there for one another."

On the field, Devin Mayo and Tommy Brown have the potential to be the next Tiki and Ronde Barber - running back and safety dominating football's upper echelon. No, Devin and Tommy aren't twins like the Barber brothers. And no, they don't look like future NFL stars yet.

But both are gifted athletes with Division I potential. Devin has already stood out at numerous underclassmen camps, while Tommy has been in contact with a few BCS college recruiters. Whether or not they develop into elite players remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: They're in this thing together.

"On the field and in workouts we motivate each other and push each other," Devin said. "We're both really focused on the goal."

And what exactly is the goal?

The pair smiles sheepishly. After a bit of prodding, they answer:

"The NFL, man."

Only the dedicated may aspire to such greatness. Mayo and Brown enjoy their fair share of Madden, but make no mistake -- these two are much more in tune with real-life football than the fantasy world of EA Sports. Both realize what it takes to be great. Their workout regimen is unrivaled, their dedication unparalleled. Every day, they raise the proverbial bar higher and higher. Merely being among the best is no longer good enough.

"I want to be the top player in my class and I'm willing to work for it," Mayo said. "And I'm not talking about just four and five stars. I want people to say, 'I want to hit people like Devin Mayo.'"

Old Mill completes a dream season


Pete Martinez

Jason Clements carried Old Mill in the 4A title game

Consider this: No team from Anne Arundel County had won a state title in 15 years. And Old Mill (12-2), which hadn't won a state championship in their 37-year history, hardly looked like a team ready to run the postseason table. They entered the playoffs fresh off a loss to Broadneck in which their defense was shredded for 38 points. Many figured them first-round fodder. But first they took down previously-undefeated North Point in the first round. Then they dispatched the title favorites, Arundel, in a shootout for the ages. Next, they unseated last year's champions, Sherwood, in the state semifinals. Finally, in the 4A state championship game, they defeated Wise and their vaunted defense without star running back Josh Furman. Simply put, it was a magical run for coach Damian Ferragamo and the Patriots.

Catoctin wins 1A state title

Who saw this one coming? The Cougars ended four decades of futility and coach Doug Williams won his first state title in 18 years at the school. Catoctin wasn't the prettiest team and they were far from the most talented. But they embodied the team concept. Through hard work, perseverance and an unrivaled selflessness, the school from the hills of Western Maryland completed a 14-0 season.

Billy Cosh

No, the Arundel quarterback's season didn't end the way he wanted it to. His team lost in the regional finals to eventual 4A champion Old Mill. Then he capped off his career by throwing two interceptions in the Crab Bowl. But make no mistake: Cosh is still the best gunslinger in the state. He finished his 30-game career with 13 MPSSAA records. He set a single-game record this year by throwing seven touchdown passes against Glen Burnie. On his third touchdown pass in that game, he broke Joe Haden's (Friendly) career record for touchdown passes. Later in the year he surpassed the career yardage mark and the career pass attempts mark in his final game against Old Mill. Here are his 13 state records:


	Arundel Football

	Billy Cosh set 13 state records

Game
Most passing yards: 475
Most passes attempted: 64
Most passes completed: 39
Most touchdown passes: 7 (tied)
Season
Most total offensive yards: 4,074
Most passing yards: 3,913
Most passes attempted: 448
Most passes completed: 292
Most touchdown passes: 56
Career
Most passing yards: 7,433
Most passes attempted: 909
Most passes completed: 594
Most touchdown passes: 112

Good Counsel beats DeMatha in WCAC championship game

For the better part of the decade, Good Counsel and DeMatha have been battling for Washington Catholic Athletic Conference supremacy. But in each of the last five years, DeMatha had the upper hand when it counted most -- the WCAC title game. But this year Good Counsel coach Bob Milloy finally accomplished what he set out to do when he arrived at the school nine years ago. He took his team to the championship game and knocked off the Stags in a thrilling 14-7 victory at Navy Marine Corps Stadium. The victory was Good Counsel's first conference championship and ended DeMatha's six-year reign atop the WCAC.

Tragedy strikes River Hill

On the morning of November 29, River Hill's senior lineman Steven Dankos was killed in a drunk driving accident. Dankos was returning home from a party when David Erdman -- older brother of Hawks lineman Thomas Erdman -- crashed with Dankos and his younger brother in the car. Dankos died instantly and Thomas and David Erdman were injured. The elder Erdman was charged with drunken driving, homicide by motor vehicle while intoxicated and manslaughter by motor vehicle. The accident occurred at 2:58 a.m. on Sunday morning, less than 48 hours after River Hill's season and 40-game winning streak ended with a 10-7 loss to Hungtingtown.


Mike McNally

Zach Zwinak and Linganore won their fifth state title

Parity throughout the state

Call it parity, call it mediocrity, call it luck or call it overachieving, but the fact of the matter is the playing field leveled off throughout the state. Two traditional "power" counties, Montgomery County and Prince George's County, performed admirably, but the rest of Maryland hung tough all year. In the Bayside Conference, Queen Anne's and Kent Island flexed a little muscle. In fact, Queen Anne's went farther than any Bayside team has gone before and came one game short of a 2A state title. Their season was spoiled a Baltimore County school, Eastern Tech, which finally made some noise on the state level. Normally, Baltimore football is all about the private school powers, but this year the public schools stepped up. In Anne Arundel County, powerhouse Arundel fell short, but Old Mill shocked everyone and knocked off a PG County squad for a state title. And no county was better than Frederick this year. Linganore and Catoctin both claimed state championships and the county boasted perhaps the best overall collection of teams in the state.

Linganore wins fifth state title

In a season full of surprises, Linganore was the one team that lived up to expectations. The Lancers had one goal in mind after losing to Sherwood in last year's 4A title game: win a state championship. Linganore not only won the 3A championship by defeating Huntingtown, but they finished the season a perfect 14-0, beat teams by more than 30 points per game and climbed to No. 1 in the state rankings and No. 18 in the national rankings (according to USA Today). This year's Linganore squad boasted a bevy of talented players and may rank among the best public school teams in Maryland high school football history.

Glen Burnie and Owings Mills end long losing streaks

Glen Burnie hadn't won a football game since 2006, but in late September the Gophers ended a 28-game losing streak when they beat Northeast, 32-20. Two weeks later, Owings Mills ended what is believed to be the longest losing streak in Maryland history at 53 games. For the first time in more than five years, the Eagles tasted victory in a 12-0 shutout of Loch Raven.

Frederick County All-Americans

As if Frederick County didn't have enough accolades this year. Three players from Frederick schools were recognized on a national stage when Linganore's Zach Zwinak (who was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year), Thomas Johnson's Nick Forbes and former St. John's Prep star J.R. Ferguson earned U.S. Army All-American honors. Meanwhile, Bishop McNamara's Brandon Coleman earned a spot in the Under Armour All-America game after his spectacular season.


	Steve Lynch

	Rahsaan Moore and the Wise defense had 10 shutouts this year

Wise's record- setting defense

No, the Pumas couldn't cap off their spectacular season with a state championship, but that shouldn't overshadow what their defense accomplished in 2009. With a relentless defensive line led by Rahsaan Moore, Charles Owens, Anthony McDaniel and Sam Burrell, Wise set a Maryland State record with eight straight shutouts and finished with 10 total. They came one shutout short of tying the state record of 11 in one season.

Running wild

Four running backs had performances that ranked among the decade's best this season. Josh Furman is third in the all-time state record books after his stellar 414-yard, six-touchdown day against Arundel in the playoffs. Earlier in the year, DeMatha's Marcus Coker ran for 391 yards against Gilman, which is the second-best performance for a running back in the last 10 years. Huntingtown's Greg Goodwin (373 yards) and Dunbar's Nathan Ayers (340 yards) also rank among the top 10 rushing performances from 2000-2010.

Eckard sets kicking records

In the 3A state title game, Eckard gave Linganore a 3-0 lead with a 30-yard field goal. It wasn't an especially difficult kick, nor was it the most memorable moment in the Lancers' fine season. But it was the 24th field goal of Eckard's career, which is a Maryland state record. Chris Desautels of Broadneck held the previous record with 23. Eckard also set the MPSSAA record with 205 career extra points.

Harris is catching on

Last year, Arundel quarterback Billy Cosh and receiver Alec Lemon did their best rendition of Manning-to-Harrison. But after Lemon graduated, some wondered what Cosh would do without his go-to guy. Well, what did Manning do when Harrison retired? He found Reggie Wayne. Likewise, Cosh found R.J. Harris. The senior wide out set Maryland state records with 114 catches and 28 touchdowns in 2009. He is also first with 190 receptions in his career. In his final high school game, Harris caught a Maryland-record 20 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.


Pete Martinez

Dylan May and Catoctin won the 1A state title

Winning streaks come to an end

River Hill, winners of back-to-back state titles, owned the longest current winning streak in Maryland at 40 games. But in the state semifinals, the Huntingtown Hurricanes edged out a 10-7 victory, handing the Hawks their first loss since the 2A state title game in 2006. River Hill wasn't the only team to see their streak come to an end, however. Earlier in the year, Sherwood's 20-game winning streak was halted when the Warriors fell to Damascus, 26-22, in one of the most thrilling games of the season.

Westlake forced to forfeit four games

On November 16, the MPSSAA ruled that Westlake had to forfeit four games for using an ineligible player. The Wolverines lost two of the four games already, so they technically only had to surrender a pair of victories. And because the ruling came more than five days after a complaint was filed, Westlake's first-round playoff victory over Potomac was allowed to stand. Still, it wasn't a proud moment for last year's Class 3A champions; it's a black mark against a proud, successful school.

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