By Jon Buzby
MaxPreps.com
Westlake’s Devon Smith returned a punt 88 yards in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Class 3A state championship game for what would prove to be the game-winning score as the Wolverines captured the title with a 13-0 win over Wilde Lake.
While Westlake head coach Dominic Zaccarelli celebrated his first state championship at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Wilde Lake coach Doug DuVall was accepting the fact that the final game of his storied career will go down in the record book as a loss. DuVall is retiring after a 36-year coaching career.
The game was a defensive battle from the start, with neither team able to generate any consistent drives. Westlake’s Antonio Reese (131 rushing yards) scored the only other touchdown on a 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Wilde Lake quarterback Danny March almost hooked up twice with wide receiver Chaz Cousins-Lee for scores, but both times the ball slipped through the normally-reliable receiver’s hands.
Wilde Lake finished the season with a 12-2 record, while Westlake’s final record stands at 11-2.
Class 4A Championship: Sherwood wins third state title
Sherwood High School reached Friday night’s 4A state championship for the third time in the last four years. The Warriors’ previous two attempts in the title tilt were unsuccessful.
But the outcome on this night would be different as head coach Al Davis became the first coach in Maryland history to win three state titles with three different schools (Seneca Valley, Damascus) when his Sherwood team defeated Linganore, 21-3, to win the Class 4A state title.
Warriors quarterback Zachary Splain hooked up with wide receiver James Oboh for a 24-yard touchdown halfway through the first quarter for the game’s first score.
Linganore (13-1) got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter when Alex Eckard converted on a 31-yard field goal.
But just as it appeared the momentum had shifted in Linganore’s favor, Sherwood answered on its very next drive when running back Dominique Davis scampered into the end zone from the 1-yard line to extend the Warriors’ lead to 14-3.
Sherwood running back Hasani Sams scored on a 23-yard run late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The win completed Sherwood’s perfect 14-0 season. The state championship is the school’s third and first since 1996.
Class 1A Championship: Dunbar edges Fort Hill
Dunbar running back Tavon Austin has carried the ball hundreds of times during his four-year high school career, but it will be his final carry for which he will be remembered most.
Austin took a handoff from quarterback Jonathan Perry and scored on a two-point conversion with two seconds remaining to give the Poets a 20-19 win over Fort Hill in the Class 1A state final Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.
Austin got the Poets out to an early lead on first-quarter touchdown runs of 36 and 47 yards, but Fort Hill shut down the Poets’ offense and rallied to take the lead.
Marcus Lashley scored twice and Eric Howser once to give Fort Hill a 19-12 advantage early in the fourth quarter.
After each team failed to score on its next offensive possession, the Poets took over deep in their own zone with just under two minutes to play. Perry used his feet and his arm to lead his team down the field before finally hooking up with wide receiver Sean Farr for a 14-yard touchdown to pull Dunbar within two.
Austin then took the handoff and scampered untouched around the left end to put the finishing touches on his stellar career.
"I took charge," Austin told the Baltimore Sun. "Because if we had lost, I wanted it to be on me."
Dunbar (13-1) captured its third-consecutive state title, a feat accomplished by only six other teams and not since the 1990-92 seasons when Wilde Lake strung together three in a row.
Fort Hill finished with an 11-2 record.
Class 2A Championship: River Hill repeats
For the second year in a row, River Hill and Eastern Tech squared off in the Class 2A state finals. Unlike last season’s closely-contested final, this year’s game would be no contest as River Hill rolled to an easy 31-6 victory to secure its second straight state title Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.
Hawks’ quarterback Luke Hostetler threw two touchdown passes and defensive back Michael Campanaro, who was hampered by a hamstring injury suffered in last weekend’s semifinal game, had two interceptions to set the offense up for scores.
Running back Leron Eaddy capped a 10-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to put the Hawks on the scoreboard first. After forcing a Tech punt, River Hill then scored on its next possession on a 27-yard field goal by Scott Trench.
River Hill scored on its first possession of the second half when Hostetler hooked up with wide receiver Malek Redd on a 50-yard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach.
Emmanuel Gbor scored Eastern Tech’s only points on a 5-yard touchdown run as the final horn sounded.
River Hill (14-0) completed its second consecutive undefeated season, while Eastern Tech finishes at 13-1.
Jon Buzby is the Maryland correspondent for MaxPreps.com
