Annapolis' 15-13 loss to Arundel last season was one of four games the Panthers dropped in the final minutes.
It was a different story, however, when Annapolis and Arundel met Friday night.
Seven Annapolis players scored touchdowns as the No. 10 Panthers (4-1) cruised to a 51-0 rout of the Wildcats (0-5).
"It was just nice not to have to worry about the game in the fourth quarter," Annapolis coach Roy Brown said. "It was nice to know you could let everyone play."
Brown said before the season that he hoped "the experience [of losing some tough games last season] profits us this year."
Apparently, it has. After a season-opening 18-16 loss to Randallstown -- which probably brought back memories of last season's 18-17 loss to the Rams -- the Panthers have won four straight.
Three of the victories have been by an average margin of 31.3 points. The other was a crucial 20-19 victory over rival North County.
Streaks and milestones
* Top-ranked City's 42-14 victory over McDonogh on Friday extended the area's longest winning streak to 13.
* Sparrows Point's 34-6 loss to Owings Mills on Friday extended the area's longest losing streak to 27.
* No. 7 C. Milton Wright won its 28th consecutive regular-season game with a 13-0 victory over Elkton on Friday.
* No. 8 Overlea's 37-14 rout of Catonsville on Friday extended the Falcons' winning streak against Baltimore County opponents to 32.
*Ninth-ranked Wilde Lake won its 23rd straight Howard County League game, 22-0, over Oakland Mills on Saturday.
* Lake Clifton ended a 13-game losing streak with its 11-8 win over Forest Park on Friday.
Ground control
South Carroll coach Gene Brown grounded his offense Friday, but it was the Cavaliers' opponent -- North Carroll -- that was punished.
The Cavaliers (4-1) ran the ball on 61 of 62 plays, which accounted for 245 of their 289 yards total offense in the 35-6 victory.
South Carroll, led by Mike Dodd's 98 yards rushing, had scoring drives of 19, 11 and 10 plays, all of which consumed at least five minutes. On those drives, each play was a run.
In the first half, the Cavaliers maintained possession for nearly 18 minutes, including all but 52 seconds of the first quarter.
What kind of night was it for North Carroll (0-5)? South Carroll's lone pass was a 44-yard touchdown from Jason Harich to Chris Lyerly late in the first half.
"We've been averaging about six or seven passes per game," Brown said. "I hope we'll throw more as the season progresses."
Golden performance
Hammond's offense finally caught up with its defense.
The Golden Bears had allowed just 24 points in their first four games. Their offense, however, had managed just 38 points.
But Hammond (4-1) dominated both sides of the ball against Mount Hebron on Saturday. The defense recorded its third shutout, and the offense struck early and often en route to a 38-0 win.
Hammond scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and had taken a 22-0 lead after running only five plays.
The lone negative on an otherwise impressive performance for
Hammond was that it committed 13 penalties for 110 yards. Two touchdowns were called back.
"We're rolling," Hammond receiver Kelvin Stevens said. "The only thing that could kill us is penalties."
The defense doesn't rest
Owings Mills' defense accounted for three of its five touchdowns in Friday's 34-6 rout of Sparrows Point.
Clint Helphenstine scored on a 45-yard return of an interception and Javon Jones and Andre Campbell scored touchdowns of 35 and 50 yards, respectively, off fumble recoveries.