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[BSLWillieSeanCoughlan]

4/3A State Semifinals

4 Mervo (11-1) @ 1 Perry Hall (12-0)

- In his first season as head coach, blessed with more than a handful of returnees, Coach Ryan Pittillo has led the Gators to their best season in the last 49 seasons. The Gators last made the semifinals in ‘93, losing to Watkins Mill, 31-11, in the 4A semis. The Gators only state final appearance came in the MPSSAA’s inaugural season in ‘74, losing to Parkdale, 28-8, in the AA (now 4A) final.

- The Gators topped each of the three highest ranked County foes this season, including Franklin, 45-7, Dundalk, 14-7, and Milford Mill, 24-20. The win over 2A defending champ Milford Mill snapped the Millers 26 game win streak versus county foes.

- This will be the third straight post-season that the Gators and Mustangs face each other, with the Mustangs routing the Gators, 43-6, in the second round of the 4/3A playoffs, on their way to their first state title, and the Gators flipping the script in the first round of last year’s post-season, 7-6.

- Twins Da’Shaun and Dallas Conway have been huge contributors for the Gators for two seasons, with the former serving as the quarterback, and the latter serving all over the field. Da’Shaun has completed 58% of his passes for 1,571 yards, with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, while Dallas has scored a team-high 18 touchdowns on 73 touches, and has blocked two kicks.

- Gators three-way star Corey Costner, a junior, holds offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, and Duke, among others. Costner has 35 receptions for 694 yards and six touchdowns, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery on defense, and a blocked kick and punt on special teams.

- Mervo has advanced to the state semifinals for the fourth time in the last five post-seasons. The Mustangs lost to North Point in the 2018 4A semifinals, 23-13, and Linganore, 27-25, in the 2019 3A state semifinals, before putting away Sherwood, 34-7, in the 2021 4/3A semifinals, on their way to their first state title.

- The Mustangs have won 11 games or more for the fourth time in five seasons, and nine wins or more for the seventh time in nine seasons. Since the 2018 season, the Mustangs have gone 53-9, and 52-5 versus opponents not named Dunbar.

- Mustangs coach Patrick Nixon is 103-42 in his 13 seasons with Mervo, and has led the program to 14 of their 15 post-season victories.

- The Mustangs had a teammate gunned down on the day of game one in ‘22, then lost their starting quarterback, then junior Ray Moore III, to a season-ending injury in their week four, 24-20 loss to Dunbar. Moore III is 14-2 as a starter, with a four point loss to the Poets, and a two point loss this season, 20-18. Moore has thrown for more than 2,200 yards this season. Senior Tye’Shawn Cox, one of a number of Mustangs weapons, has totaled more than 1,300 yards, and scored 14 touchdowns.

3 North Point (12-0) @ 2 Blake (11-0)

- North Point is the defending 4/3A state champion, and has advanced to the state semifinal round for the fourth time in six post-seasons, losing to Quince Orchard in back-to-back post-seasons in ‘17 and ‘18, losing to the Cougars, 40-21, in the 4A semifinals in ‘17, and 40-33 the following year in 2018. The Eagles topped Mervo, 23-13, in the 2018 semis to advance to the final. Last season, the Eagles shutout Urbana, 17-0, in the semis, on their way to their first state crown.

- North Point has reached 10 wins for the seventh time since 2009, and the fourth time in six seasons. Since 2014, the Eagles have gone 92-17, averaging 10.2 wins per season. Eagles coach Billy Condo is 23-3 in two seasons at the helm for the Eagles. Eagles defensive coordinator Mike Rucker led Parkdale to a 4A title in 2002 as their head coach.

- The Eagles, who returned a handful of key pieces from their defensive unit on the state championship team, have shut out 13 of their last 17 opponents dating back to last season, and nine of twelve foes this season. The Eagles are allowing just three points per game this season.

- Senior Kaleb Hart, who missed the first two games of the season, has rushed for 1,353 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in ten games, including 264 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the Eagles 56-20 win over Frederick in the quarterfinals, adding a passing touchdown. In last season’s 4/3A title game, Hart rushed for 145 yards and two scores on 22 carries, while completing four of five passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

- Senior All-State linebacker Kamari Loving leads the Eagles with 115 tackles this season. Sophomore quarterback Kyler Ferrara has completed 67% of his passes, with 17 touchdowns and just one interception.

- In his second season, Blake coach Bryon Marshall has led the Bengals to their best season in their program’s history, as well to leading them to their first state semifinal game. Before Marshall took over, the Bengals had won just two post-season victories in their program’s history, before winning a pair in each of the last two post-seasons.

- Before Marshall took over in ‘22, the Bengals had never won eight games in any season, and had an overall record of 80-145 (.356) in 23 seasons. Since, the Bengals have gone 19-4, and won eight or more games in each of Marshall’s two seasons at Blake.

- The Bengals have limited eight of their eleven opponents to seven points or less. Sherwood is the highest ranked team the Bengals have beaten, edging #31 Sherwood (7-4), 31-28, in double overtime in week four.

- Junior Jeremiah Seaton, who holds an offer from Tennessee, is the Bengals leading rusher and scorer for a second year in a row, despite missing three games this season. Junior quarterback Kirby Matson has thrown for 19 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Junior Joey Fauntleroy has 27 receptions for 566 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior Zandrew Kamara has done a little of everything for the Bengals, with 549 rushing yards, five touchdowns, five tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

- Senior defensive end Denis Tebo leads the Bengals defense with 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.

[85Knight]

4/3A State Semifinals

4 Mervo (11-1) @ 1 Perry Hall (12-0)

- In his first season as head coach, blessed with more than a handful of returnees, Coach Ryan Pittillo has led the Gators to their best season in the last 49 seasons. The Gators last made the semifinals in ‘93, losing to Watkins Mill, 31-11, in the 4A semis. The Gators only state final appearance came in the MPSSAA’s inaugural season in ‘74, losing to Parkdale, 28-8, in the AA (now 4A) final.

- The Gators topped each of the three highest ranked County foes this season, including Franklin, 45-7, Dundalk, 14-7, and Milford Mill, 24-20. The win over 2A defending champ Milford Mill snapped the Millers 26 game win streak versus county foes.

- This will be the third straight post-season that the Gators and Mustangs face each other, with the Mustangs routing the Gators, 43-6, in the second round of the 4/3A playoffs, on their way to their first state title, and the Gators flipping the script in the first round of last year’s post-season, 7-6.

- Twins Da’Shaun and Dallas Conway have been huge contributors for the Gators for two seasons, with the former serving as the quarterback, and the latter serving all over the field. Da’Shaun has completed 58% of his passes for 1,571 yards, with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, while Dallas has scored a team-high 18 touchdowns on 73 touches, and has blocked two kicks.

- Gators three-way star Corey Costner, a junior, holds offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, and Duke, among others. Costner has 35 receptions for 694 yards and six touchdowns, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery on defense, and a blocked kick and punt on special teams.

- Mervo has advanced to the state semifinals for the fourth time in the last five post-seasons. The Mustangs lost to North Point in the 2018 4A semifinals, 23-13, and Linganore, 27-25, in the 2019 3A state semifinals, before putting away Sherwood, 34-7, in the 2021 4/3A semifinals, on their way to their first state title.

- The Mustangs have won 11 games or more for the fourth time in five seasons, and nine wins or more for the seventh time in nine seasons. Since the 2018 season, the Mustangs have gone 53-9, and 52-5 versus opponents not named Dunbar.

- Mustangs coach Patrick Nixon is 103-42 in his 13 seasons with Mervo, and has led the program to 14 of their 15 post-season victories.

- The Mustangs had a teammate gunned down on the day of game one in ‘22, then lost their starting quarterback, then junior Ray Moore III, to a season-ending injury in their week four, 24-20 loss to Dunbar. Moore III is 14-2 as a starter, with a four point loss to the Poets, and a two point loss this season, 20-18. Moore has thrown for more than 2,200 yards this season. Senior Tye’Shawn Cox, one of a number of Mustangs weapons, has totaled more than 1,300 yards, and scored 14 touchdowns.

3 North Point (12-0) @ 2 Blake (11-0)

- North Point is the defending 4/3A state champion, and has advanced to the state semifinal round for the fourth time in six post-seasons, losing to Quince Orchard in back-to-back post-seasons in ‘17 and ‘18, losing to the Cougars, 40-21, in the 4A semifinals in ‘17, and 40-33 the following year in 2018. The Eagles topped Mervo, 23-13, in the 2018 semis to advance to the final. Last season, the Eagles shutout Urbana, 17-0, in the semis, on their way to their first state crown.

- North Point has reached 10 wins for the seventh time since 2009, and the fourth time in six seasons. Since 2014, the Eagles have gone 92-17, averaging 10.2 wins per season. Eagles coach Billy Condo is 23-3 in two seasons at the helm for the Eagles. Eagles defensive coordinator Mike Rucker led Parkdale to a 4A title in 2002 as their head coach.

- The Eagles, who returned a handful of key pieces from their defensive unit on the state championship team, have shut out 13 of their last 17 opponents dating back to last season, and nine of twelve foes this season. The Eagles are allowing just three points per game this season.

- Senior Kaleb Hart, who missed the first two games of the season, has rushed for 1,353 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in ten games, including 264 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the Eagles 56-20 win over Frederick in the quarterfinals, adding a passing touchdown. In last season’s 4/3A title game, Hart rushed for 145 yards and two scores on 22 carries, while completing four of five passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

- Senior All-State linebacker Kamari Loving leads the Eagles with 115 tackles this season. Sophomore quarterback Kyler Ferrara has completed 67% of his passes, with 17 touchdowns and just one interception.

- In his second season, Blake coach Bryon Marshall has led the Bengals to their best season in their program’s history, as well to leading them to their first state semifinal game. Before Marshall took over, the Bengals had won just two post-season victories in their program’s history, before winning a pair in each of the last two post-seasons.

- Before Marshall took over in ‘22, the Bengals had never won eight games in any season, and had an overall record of 80-145 (.356) in 23 seasons. Since, the Bengals have gone 19-4, and won eight or more games in each of Marshall’s two seasons at Blake.

- The Bengals have limited eight of their eleven opponents to seven points or less. Sherwood is the highest ranked team the Bengals have beaten, edging #31 Sherwood (7-4), 31-28, in double overtime in week four.

- Junior Jeremiah Seaton, who holds an offer from Tennessee, is the Bengals leading rusher and scorer for a second year in a row, despite missing three games this season. Junior quarterback Kirby Matson has thrown for 19 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Junior Joey Fauntleroy has 27 receptions for 566 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior Zandrew Kamara has done a little of everything for the Bengals, with 549 rushing yards, five touchdowns, five tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

- Senior defensive end Denis Tebo leads the Bengals defense with 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.

Good stuff as always.

[BSLWillieSeanCoughlan]

Thank you! I appreciate it.