Yesterday's 13th annual Greater Baltimore Football Classic was barely eight minutes old when Poly's Martin Prosper reminded his fellow Baltimore City All-Stars of their ultimate goal.
"Listen up," said Prosper, pacing the sidelines at Homewood Field. "Coach said we can score 50, that's our goal."
And what a modest goal it turned out to be.
From the opening kickoff -- that Southern's Andre Scott returned 99 yards for a touchdown -- to the final seconds -- when City let the clock run out while at the Baltimore County 1-yard line -- the Baltimore City All-Stars were in control en route to a 56-36 win.
The 92 combined points are the most ever scored during the annual event to benefit the scholarship fund of the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, but City coach Mike Working didn't seem overly impressed."
"We should have scored a lot because the defense isn't allowed to do anything," said Working, referring to restrictions put on the defensive units that include no stunting or blitzing.
After Scott's opening kickoff return, Mike Wilson of Northern recovered a fumble, setting up an 11-yard touchdown run by Patterson's Ryan Lewis. Severn's John Vereen put City ahead 24-0 when he went in from 8 yards out.
Woodlawn quarterback Keion Carpenter got the County All-Stars the board as he scored on a 26-yard quarterback draw. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but County got the two points moments later when Gilman quarterback Lorne Smith, who was back to punt, smothered a high snap in the end zone for a safety.
The County started the next series at its 41 and needed just seven plays before Dulaney's Mike Rapport scored from the 2.
Patterson quarterback Willie McGirt took over for City in the second quarter and needed just five plays to go 80 yards. Scott set up his 2-yard touchdown run by breaking up the sidelines for 38 yards.
The County stars managed to put together a 15-play scoring drive with T. J. Williamson (Randallstown) calling the signals, but McGirt answered a 3-yard touchdown run by Randallstown's Angelo Todd with a 17-yard scoring run for a 38-22 halftime lead.
"The nature of the rules in this game make for a pretty vanilla defense, but both teams had to live with it," said County coach Jeff Mann of Dulaney. "Give City the credit because we had some turnovers in the first half and they took advantage of it."
City All-Stars 24 14 6 12 -- 56
County All-Stars 8 14 8 6 -- 36
-- A. Scott 99 kick return (Smith run)
CI -- Lewis 11 run (Rooths pass from Smith)
CI -- Vereen 8 run (Williams pass from Smith)
CO -- Carpenter 26 run (pass failed)
CO -- Safety (punter downed ball in end zone)
CO -- Rapport 2 run (pass failed)
CI -- A. Scott 2 run (McIntyre pass from McGirt)
CO -- Todd 3 run (Collins pass from Williamson)
CI -- McGirt 17 run (pass failed)
CI -- Prosper 37 pass from Smith (pass failed)
CO -- Todd 3 run (Taylor pass from Carpenter)
CI -- A. Scott 9 run (pass failed)
-- Taylor 65 pass from Carpenter (pass failed)
CI -- McIntyre 21 pass from Selby (run failed)