Jasmond Walker put a serious hurting on City's football team yesterday: The 5-foot-6, 165-pound junior's darting moves at quarterback crossed up its defense. He was hard-hitting and determined as a defensive back.
And after Poly came from behind for a 7-6 victory in the 114th annual meeting of the nation's oldest public school football rivalry, Walker summed things up during a passionate speech while surrounded by teammates on a muddy field at Morgan State's Hughes Stadium.
"I'm a converted running back so I can run or pass, but the coaches put me in position to make the right plays at the right time," Walker said. "We won with good coaching, defense and line play with these players you see right here."
Walker's six tackles were among Poly's leaders, and his 9-yard scoring pass to Jasphur Montgomery with 4:26 to play, along with Stephan Christianson's extra-point kick, lifted Poly before an estimated crowd of 7,000.
It was Poly's third win in the game under fifth-year coach John Hammond, increasing its overall series lead to 56-52-6. But the Engineers (7-3) couldn't claim victory until shortly after City's last drive ended on an incomplete pass at Poly's 38 with 3:36 to play. Walker covered 50 yards on six straight carries to run out the clock.
The triumph made up for last season, when Poly's 20-6 win was reversed for its use of an ineligible player.
"We felt like they stole it from us," Montgomery said. "Being down 6-0 at halftime meant nothing: We knew we'd bring it in the second half."
Poly's defense was big in the second quarter. Shanorm Young dropped a City running back for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-two at Poly's 39-yard line, and another City drive was stopped at Poly's 3 on an interception by Derrion Stackhouse.
"We had injuries and lacked focus in the midseason, but our minds were in it today," said Young, who overcame an ankle injury in the third quarter and rushed for 50 yards. "We knew we were better and proved it today."
But not before City led 6-0 with 12.6 seconds left in the first half. Emmanuel Davis - facing third-and-17 - threw a 37-yard scoring pass to Brandon Walker, who beat three defenders on the play.
"The outside receiver curled in and the safety and cornerback bit," Davis said. "That left [Walker] open."
Davis was 3-for-4 for 60 yards in the first half, but only 3-for-11 for 44 yards in the second. Adam McDowney led the Engineers' defense with 11 tackles, followed by Barry Moore (nine), and Walker and Alimayo Wilder (six each).
The loss overshadowed City's defense, which got sacks from Erik Johnson and Devin Burton deep in its own territory.
Poly's first drive of the second half ended on a pass breakup by City's Kevin Brown at the Knights' 3-yard line. Late in the third quarter, Poly had a first-and-goal at City's 7-yard line but was stopped.
Another Poly drive ended at the 21-yard line of City, which also got pass breakups from Robert Capers and Ramon Wilder. City also benefited when a penalty negated Poly's fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown.
"We held them for a while, but we fell apart," said Johnson, whose team still qualified for the Class 2A state playoffs. The Knights (7-3) meet No. 6 Edmondson in a quarterfinal at 2 p.m. Saturday at Poly, but Johnson said yesterday's loss will be hard to forget.
"This wasn't about the playoffs," he said. "We wanted to prove something - but we didn't."
State playoffs
The state football tournament begins Friday. Pairings are tentative; times are to be determined.
Class 4A
No. 8 Old Mill at No. 1 Gaithersburg; No. 5 Sherwood at No. 4 Woodlawn; No. 6 Parkdale at No. 3 Suitland; No. 7 Damascus at No. 2 Broadneck.
Class 3A
No. 8 Seneca Valley at No. 1 Annapolis; No. 5 Gwynn Park at No. 4 Calvert; No. 6 Wilde Lake at No. 3 Northwest; No. 7 Linganore at No. 2 Dundalk.
Class 2A
No. 8 City at No. 1 Edmondson; No. 5 Hereford at No. 4 Southern-AA; No. 6 Stephen Decatur at No. 3 Wicomico; No. 7 Middletown at No. 2 Glenelg.
Class 1A
No. 8 Oakland Mills at No. 1 North East-Cecil; No. 5 Bohemia Manor at No. 4 Havre de Grace; No. 6 Elkton at No. 3 Beall; No. 7 South Hagerstown at No. 2 Dunbar.