State Football Quarterfinals

Today

Class 4A: Sherwood (8-1) vs. No. 12 Woodlawn (8-2)

Site: CCBC-Catonsville

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: Sherwood, a Montgomery County school with one of the state's richest football traditions, makes its seventh playoff appearance. Coach Tom Cromwell's teams have won two state crowns in three title-game appearances. Quarterback Bobby Sheahin has thrown for 700 yards out of a power-running game, and punter Clayton Mollenhoff's strong foot could help contain Woodlawn's special teams speed. Woodlawn is in its 11th playoff appearance. The Baltimore County 4A-3A co-champion relies on quarterback Justin Ross (1,321 yards passing, 11 TDs), running back Michael Dobbins (875 yards, nine TDs), and wide receivers Lewan Leslie (33 receptions, 685 yards, eight TDs) and Lance Fuller (19, 334, four).

Class 4A: Damascus (7-2) at No. 4 Broadneck (9-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: Broadneck is making its third straight playoff trip and fifth in six years. Damascus, in the postseason for the 12th time, is on its fifth trip in a row. This should be a defensive struggle, as each team has given up just nine points a game. The Bruins will have to contain Damascus RB Sean Delaney, who has run for more than 1,000 yards, including 202 with a TD last week. Eric Kasch gives the Hornets a very good pass receiver and also anchors their defensive secondary. Broadneck will counter with LBs Preston Pehrson and Doug Sowells, who have led the team to four shutouts, along with DL Tyler Moore and Kevin Barksdale and DE Bob Sise. On the other side of the ball, Bruins RB Tommy O'Neil is one of Anne Arundel County's nine 1,000-yard rushers but goes against a Hornets' defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season. QB Fred Steinmark, who has thrown for 940 yards and 12 TDs, could be crucial.

Class 4A: No. 9 Old Mill (8-2) at Gaithersburg (8-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: If the eighth-seeded Patriots are to get their first playoff victory in six tries, they truly will earn it. Top-seeded Gaithersburg owns three state titles, the last in 2000, and is making its ninth playoff appearance and fifth in a row after winning the Montgomery County title. After losing its season opener, Gaithersburg has won eight straight behind RB Brian Porter and QB Johnny Jacobs. Porter has rushed for over 1,000 yards and 15 TDs, and Jacobs has thrown for over 1,000 yards and 15 TDs. The Patriots' secondary, led by Demetrius Harrison and junior Kevin Barnes, who has six interceptions, one he returned 102 yards against Annapolis, will be tested, along with DL William Bell and Anthony Bryant and LB Alex Brown. Old Mill RB Brashaad Mayweather, second in the metro area in rushing with 1,759 yards and 22 TDs, will be tested against Gaithersburg's big defensive line that includes a couple of 300-pounders. Old Mill QB Tyler Young has thrown for nearly 900 yards and nine TDs and is a running threat. Harrison, Barnes and Terrell Ingram are his favorite targets.

Class 3A: Linganore (8-2) vs. No. 11 Dundalk (9-1)

Site: CCBC-Dundalk

Outlook: The Lancers of Frederick County are coached by Rick Conner, former assistant to Dave Carruthers of four-time state champion Urbana, which Linganore hammered, 34-10, last week. Lancers QB Zack Hayes threw three TD passes in that game -- two to Jon Moravec. Linganore is making its eighth playoff appearance, having won state titles in 1989, 1991 and 1995. For Baltimore County 4A-3A co-champion Dundalk, in its second playoff appearance, RB Jaired Rose leads the offense, and DL Danny Romanowski (6-4, 280), DL Terence Powell (6-1, 240) and DB Thomas Kane (eight interceptions), the defense.

Class 3A: No. 8 Wilde Lake (10-0) at Northwest (7-2)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: The Wildecats, five-time state champions, make their 13th state tournament appearance. Their sixth undefeated regular-season team features two 1,000-yard rushers, Austen Merrills (1,312, 18 TDs) and A. J. Case (1,094, 16 TDs), who operate from a wishbone. Coach Doug DuVall, who recorded his 250th career win last week, has won 18 Howard County titles in 30 years. The Wildecats, whose last state title was in 1997, were county co-champs this season with Glenelg, and they feature a huge line. Northwest, a fifth-year school in Montgomery County that has been to the quarterfinals twice, most recently losing to Edmondson in 2000, runs a pro-I offense, featuring RBs Travis Jackson and Chi Chi Mansaray and QB Ike Whitaker. The Jaguars beat 11-time state champion Seneca Valley this season but lost to Damascus and Quince Orchard.

Class 3A: Seneca Valley (7-2) at No. 7 Annapolis (9-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: Annapolis, which earned its sixth consecutive playoff berth and 14th overall, both Anne Arundel County records, plays host to a Seneca Valley team that owns a record 11 state titles, the last in 1999, and is making its 19th playoff appearance. The Screamin' Eagles of Montgomery County run the option well and also the I-formation. QB Brandon Chapman is a threat running and passing and adds another dimension to the running of Justin Warren, who has a school-record 1,425 yards rushing with 19 TDs. Annapolis features a bevy of backs in Demario Harris (902 yards), Demario Green (803 yards), Davon Watkins (722 yards, 10 TDs) and Darius Johnson (394 yards, six TDs) and QB Larry Beavers, who has seven TDs. Harris and Watkins in the defensive secondary, and Johnson at linebacker also play key roles on the other side of the ball. Both teams have allowed fewer than 10 points a game.

Class 2A: No. 2 Hereford (10-0) at No. 10 Southern-AA (7-3)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: The two-time state champion Bulls completed a 41-game regular-season winning streak last week and have won 23 straight games heading into their seventh straight playoff berth. Southern is making its second playoff appearance, having been state runner-up in 1993. The Bulldogs' wishbone is led by RB Chris Lee (1,026 yards, 11 TDs) and QB-LB Justin Holland (6-1, 190). LB Derrelle Taylor is solid, and RBs R'Mond Mapp and RB Andrew Peresta have speed. KR Bobby Atwell is dangerous. The Bulls' wing-T offense features RB Adam Goloboski (1,772 yards, 24 TDs), RB Pat Butt (1,015 yards, 16 TDs) and RB Ryan Shupert (660 yards, eight TDs). The defense features DE-TE Zach Armiger (eight sacks), LB Nate Wdowiak (three fumble recoveries), DL-OL Henry Julio (three sacks), DB Ray Wittelsber (nine interceptions) and DE Billy Reuter (12 sacks).

Class 1A: Oakland Mills (7-3) at North East-Cecil (8-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: The Scorpions are making their 12th state tournament appearance. They won their only state title in 1998 and were finalists last season. C.J. King (110 carries, 640 yards), who missed several games with an injured ankle, is healthy again and is a featured RB with Dennis Lange (84 carries, 745 yards) out of the I-formation. Oakland Mills can throw, freshman QB Nick Finney having completed 83 of 163 passes for 949 yards and eight TDs. Tony Cole and Domonique Owens are key defensive players. North East runs a wing-T offense and makes its second state tournament appearance, its first since 1986, under 32-year veteran coach Ed Smith. The top-seeded Indians feature a huge line that includes 290-pound Matt Rasnake. The top RB is Anthony Battaglia, and the QB is Gary Lasako, who also can run. Class 1A: Bohemia Manor (8-2) at Havre de Grace (5-5)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: Havre de Grace is trying to revive one of the area's most storied football programs, making its 11th playoff berth -- its first since 1995 -- and having won state titles in 1978, 1981 and 1986. QB Shane West (1,054 yards, 14 TDs) has a favorite target in WR Richard Simpson (41 receptions, 780 yards, 10 TDs). Bohemia Manor defeated Havre de Grace, 27-16, during the regular season when West was out with a leg injury. The visiting Eagles, winners of five of their past six games -- two by shutout -- are led by 1,000-yard rusher Shane Hines and 1,000-yard passer Joe Graf.

Tomorrow

Class 2A: No. 13 City (7-3) vs. No. 5 Edmondson (10-0)

Site: Poly

Time: 11 a.m.

Outlook: The Knights must try to regroup following last week's upset loss to Poly, and they have to do it against a team they've already lost to by 26-6. LB Erik Johnson and RB Kevin Pulley are the keys for City, which is in the state playoffs for the third time. Edmondson, making its third state playoff appearance, was a state finalist in 1998. Edmondson has eight two-way linemen whose average size is 6-1, 262. Its offense is led by RB Greg Hawkins (1,209 yards, 22 TDs), RB Terence Arter (1,110 yards, 12 TDs), QB Daryl Smith (1,195 yards, 18 TDs) and WR Roderick Wolfe (42 receptions, 790 yards, 13 TDs).

Class 2A: Middletown (9-1) at No. 6 Glenelg (10-0)

Time: 2 p.m.

Outlook: The Gladiators make their third straight state playoff appearance under seventh-year coach John Davis, and they hope to make amends for losing to Middletown in last season's quarterfinals, 7-0. The Gladiators have three strong runners, Kevin Ganascioli (1,110 yards, 10 TDs), Tim Siders (895 yards, 11 TDs) and Bryan Walsh (588 yards, 10 TDs). Glenelg runs a double-wing offense, is careful with the ball and has a plus-19 turnover ratio. Middletown runs an I offense and features one of the state's top runners, HB Josh Kenney, who has rushed for more than 1,500 yards two straight seasons. The Knights make their 12th state playoff appearance but have yet to win a state title. They lost a semifinal last season.

Class 1A: South Hagerstown (7-3) at No. 14 Dunbar (8-2)

Site: Poly.

Time: 2 p.m.

Outlook: South Hagerstown, in the playoffs for the first time, , runs an option-oriented offense in which quarterback David Minor (236 yards, six TDs), RB Mike Campbell (588 yards, six TDs) and Jamel Smith (511 yards, five TDs) share the load. The Poets have a balanced offense led by QB Byron Selby (1,402 passing yards, 11 TDs), RB Eric Valentine (624 rushing, seven TDs) and WRs Herman Hayes (30 receptions, 659 yards, 10 TDs) and Larry Dixon (35 receptions, 662 yards, three TDs). Dunbar, making its seventh playoff appearance -- its first since 1999 -- has reached seven state semifinals and three finals, winning two state titles.