Running back Ricky Dangerfield is the smallest player on City's football roster, which includes linemen who weigh nearly 270 pounds.
But in yesterday's 14-11 victory at third-ranked Loyola (8-2, 6-2) before a boisterous crowd of 3,500, the 5-foot-7, 150-pound junior was among the top-ranked Knights' biggest assets.
There were teammates who had more yardage: Receiver Dwight Banks (five catches, 55 yards), All-Metro quarterback Terrence Suber (49 yards, nine carries) and 230-pound fullback Antonio Travers (40 yards, five) all contributed.
But Dangerfield made the most of his 29 yards on seven carries, scoring from 8 and 1 yards in the second and third quarters, respectively, as the Knights (9-0, 8-0) secured their 19th consecutive win and at least a tie for their second straight Maryland Scholastic Association A Conference title.
The Knights can win the title outright with a victory over No. 4 Poly (7-2, 7-1) in their last annual Thanksgiving Day game.
Dangerfield, who scored twice in last week's 38-0 win -- the Knights' fourth straight shutout -- over Lake Clifton, was far from a marquee name early in the season.
"When the season first started, I don't think there was much confidence in me," he said. "But after a few scrimmages, I improved and started to show how much heart I have."
So did the injury-riddled Dons, whom Loyola coach Joe Brune said "kept bouncing back and gave City all it could handle" despite losing senior quarterback John Baer in the first half against a team that had outscored its previous opponents, 234-41.
The Dons trailed 6-0 with 4:59 left in the half when George Perdi
kakis' 42-yard field goal capped an 11-play drive.
But with 1:12 remaining, Baer -- playing in his fifth game since replacing senior Bill Evans (wrist injury) -- was sacked for the third time and left the game with a knee injury after being dragged down by lineman Hugh Carey (nine tackles).
Baer, who passed for 223 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 28-14 win over Cardinal Gibbons, was replaced by junior tight end Kevin Kaiser after being taken by ambulance to the Greater Baltimore Medical Center for X-rays.
Injuries also played a role in the Dons' virtual one-man rushing attack of sophomore Reggie Boyce (6-0, 175), whose 121 yards on 21 carries accounted for the bulk of the Dons' offense (143 total yards).
"He [Boyce] is a good back and [top rusher Brian] Perrier's our best blocking back," said Brune. "With some of our guys being banged up -- Orlando [Mayo] with an ankle injury -- we just tried to go with what we thought was the best combination."