The power rankings have been shaken up after a frantic week teeming with triumph and disappointment. That and more in this week's report.
Welcome
It was another game, another high-octane performance for Paint Branch last week (their 4th in a row). It breezed past Blair with a final score of 40 - 14. Paint Branch especially relied on junior Samuel Doku, who picked up 130 yards on the ground, and senior Norman Douglas jr, who tossed for two touchdowns and rushed for one more. Thanks to its success, Paint Branch cracked into the power rankings and now occupies the 21st spot.
Can't Touch This
Wise got a 54 - 7 win over Laurel last week, and a key reason for the win was senior Brandon Bell. Bell earned three touchdowns and 185 yards rushing the ball. That performance landed Bell among the top power-ranked players for the week.
This Week's Big Showdown
One of the hottest tickets last week involved the clash between DeMatha (ranked 5th in MD) and Friendship Collegiate Academy (ranked 3rd in DC). DeMatha took its game by a score of 27 - 18. Even if it didn't bump it up the rankings, the win at least kept the team from dropping.
Movin on Up
Massaponax was the better team in every quarter against North Stafford last week and consequently the better team overall. Massaponax picked up a decisive 'W' against North Stafford, finishing up at 44 - 7. Massaponax did have the odds in its favor, but the team did even better than the MaxPreps state rankings indicated. The team's efforts were enough to boost its power ranking by 16, which was the most sizeable gain made by any team in the rankings.
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