Mark Hicks and Greg Hawkins played effectively on both sides of the ball, and their versatility guided No. 6 Edmondson to a 26-6 football victory over No. 9 City yesterday.
On offense, Hicks and Hawkins joined Terrence Arter in generating 229 rushing yards. As linebackers, the duo teamed with many of the same linemen who blocked for them to limit City to 65 rushing yards in a victory that clinched at least a tie for the Baltimore City League's Class 2A championship.
"Me and my man right there, Greg Hawkins, we wanted to show everyone in the playoffs that we're the No. 1 linebackers in the city and we're coming," said Hicks, a punishing runner who scored once and gained 40 yards. "Our defense played a big role, but our whole offense got the job done behind our big linemen."
Hicks credited two-way linemen Chris Scott (6 feet, 205 pounds), Corey Scott (6-1, 230), Damion Tucker (260), Dennis Cooper (6-2, 330), Jonathan Sykes (255), Lonnie Harvey (6-4, 320), Kinshasa Jackson (260) and Monterial Mills (6-2, 230).
"We had so many holes to choose from," said Hawkins, who scored twice and had 86 rushing yards. "Our line showed us the way, and we got there."
Hawkins set the tone on Edmondson's first offensive play, running 38 yards to set up Arter's 4-yard run on the next down for a 6-0 lead midway in the first quarter. After a fumble recovery by Chris Scott, Hawkins scored on a 7-yard run to put the Red Storm (9-0 overall, 2-0 league) ahead 12-0 a minute before the second quarter.
Edmondson didn't stop there. Facing first-and-20, Daryl Smith completed a 17-yard pass to Scott to put the Red Storm at City's 23-yard line. Hawkins' runs of 4 and 13 yards set up Hicks' 6-yard scoring run. Hawkins' conversion run gave Edmondson a 20-0 halftime lead. It was 26-0 midway through the third quarter after Hawkins' 18-yard run ended an eight-play, 53-yard drive. Arter gained 40 of those yards on six carries, and finished to game with 103 yards.
The Red Storm's James Hall intercepted a pass in the end zone to end a second-quarter scoring threat by the Knights (8-2, 0-1), who finally ended Edmondson's bid for its sixth shutout of the year with Sam Johnson's 2-yard scoring run with 2:35 left to play. Daniel Powell (two receptions, 94 yards) set up the play with his 44-yard catch from City's Emmanuel Davis.
"They have a great group of linebackers, and we had trouble getting blockers on them. They were all over the field," said City running back Kevin Pulley. "We've got to come back strong next weekend to make the playoffs and see Edmondson again."
Should Edmondson, defending state champion Hereford and City win next weekend's season finales, all three would earn playoff berths. The Knights would earn a spot away from Edmondson and Hereford, who are likely to meet in the semifinals if they win their first-round games.