Hereford football coach Frank Ewing, whose 30-year career includes stints at Patapsco and Chesapeake-BC, where he was also athletic director, has announced that he will retire from coaching after this season.
Ewing has more than 180 victories and won a county championship at Patapsco in the late '60s.
"We're 5-4 this year, and that's the first time in almost 20 years Hereford's had a winning record," said athletic director Mike Kalisz.
"He retired from teaching six years ago and decided to come up here and give football a try. Our program was basically dead before he revitalized it."
Diggs chooses Duke
Loyola's All-Metro midfielder Scott Diggs (6 feet 1, 195) expects to sign to play lacrosse for Duke "in the next couple of days," said his father, Ricky Diggs, Monday night.
Diggs, a sweeper for the Dons soccer team who doubles as a kicker in football, had 28 goals and 12 assists for the Dons, who were MIAA semifinalists last season.
Tickets available
Tickets are on sale at all Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association schools for Saturday's championship soccer doubleheader at Essex Community College.
The MIAA B Conference game starts at 3 p.m., with the A Conference game beginning at 5 p.m.
St. Joe steps up
Tackle Kenny Hunter (6-2, 250) and linebacker Larry Bell (5-11, 194) were the only returning defensive players, and sophomore quarterback Lucas Phillips was the only one on offense from last year's 3-7 Mount St. Joseph football squad.
And Gaels coach Mike Working was in his first season after replacing Tim Perry last spring, having come to St. Joseph after turning McDonogh from a 2-8 program to a 9-0 league champ in three years.
Yet, the Gaels (8-1) have ended the season tied with Gilman for the MIAA A Conference crown.
Mount St. Joseph averaged 40 points in its first eight games out of the same run-and-shoot-oriented offense Working used as an assistant at Tulsa in 1990 while coaching Washington Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte.
Assistant coach Walt Lambert's 4-3 defense allowed fewer than 13 points a game behind Hunter (6-2, 250 pounds), Bell (195) and defensive end Cliff Dawson (6-0, 180).
Dawson had 69 tackles (54 solo) and a team-leading nine sacks with a fumble recovery. Bell had a team-leading 73 tackles (47 solo), four sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Hunter had 50 tackles (36 solo), two sacks and three fumble recoveries, and fellow tackle Dave Stavinoha had 48 tackles (33 solo) and three sacks.
Phillips (2,585 career passing yards, 23 touchdowns) is on pace to eclipse the state passing record (5,611) broken recently by McDonogh's Bobby Sabelhaus, who played jayvee as a freshman but threw for 1,925 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.
A fourth-place finisher in a national punt, pass and kick competition two years ago, Phillips was not sacked until the final game -- Saturday's 21-12 decision over Loyola -- behind linemen Joe Godeliski, Nick Beidel, Mike Wink, Chris Rzepkowski and Chris Whitt. Phillips was sacked once.
The Gaels have two 4.5-second speedsters in the backfield, with senior Je'Von Norris (1,467 yards, 20 touchdowns), who ranks third in the area, and junior Archie Wannamaker (1,006, 14).
Junior wide receiver Danny Rosewag (29 receptions, 684 yards, 10 touchdowns) ranks second in area receiving yardage and sixth in receptions and has returned two of four punts for touchdowns.
Badham sets records
McDonogh wide receiver Dennis Badham has three state records with 154 catches, 2,878 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Hammering away
No. 2 Dunbar's football team (8-0) has outscored its opposition 290-6 (an average of 36.2-0.75), with seven shutouts, including the last six.
By blanking Lake Clifton in this week's season finale, the Poets would tie the state record of seven consecutive shutouts. Dunbar has tied the school record established in 1992 under coach Pete Pompey.
Open wrestling dates
Damascus' wrestling team would like to add a third team to meets on Jan. 11, Jan. 14, Jan. 18 and Feb. 1. It also has openings for its Dec. 16-17 tournament. Call coach Dave Hopkins at home (301/662-0656) or school (301/253-7059).