Hereford linebacker Nate Wdowiak may speak softly, but he'll deliver the big hit.

"Nate's a low-key guy -- never has a bad word for anyone," teammate Adam Goloboski said. "But on the football field, those soft spots go away. On the field, he's a beast."

Before last week's 35-8 rout of Baltimore City power Edmondson, "Nate was real quiet," said tight end Zach Armiger. "But during warm-ups, he flipped a switch. All of a sudden he's screaming and firing everybody up."

Wdowiak plans to take that intensity into today's Class 2A state championship game at Ravens Stadium. The defending champion Bulls (12-0) face Middletown (11-1) of Frederick County.

Hereford-Middletown is the first of four state finals to be played over a two-day period. They are being held in Baltimore for the first time. A scheduling conflict forced the games to be moved from the University of Maryland for only the third time since the tournament's inception in 1974.

Known as a practical joker, Wdowiak once put Vaseline in a teammate's mouthpiece. But that joviality disappears on game day for the 6-foot, 205-pound Wdowiak, whose mental preparation included watching old videos of the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this week.

"Football brings out the animal in me," said Wdowiak, who has eight sacks and ranks as Hereford's No. 2 tackler. "But I've never been in a fight or anything."

But Wdowiak might have to fight off teammates to get the dressing area he wants: Hereford is the home team and will use the Ravens' locker room.

"Everybody's after Ray Lewis' locker, Chris McAlister's, Ed Reed's," said running back Ryan Shupert, who quarterbacked last year's 43-15 rout of Joppatowne in the state final. "We're focused on the game -- our coaches make sure of that -- but it's great memories for everyone."

Hereford brings a 25-game winning streak into the game against Middletown, winner of 10 straight games under coach Tim Abrose (238-67 in 28 seasons). This is the Knights' third appearance in the state championship game. They last reached the final in 1991.

Still in search of its first state title, Middletown averages 33 points behind 6-foot, 210-pound running back Josh Keeney (2,384 yards, 40 touchdowns). Quarterback Tyler Lusbaugh has rushed and passed for four touchdowns apiece. The Knights won their season opener, 34-14, over Thomas Johnson -- a team that has beaten 3A finalist Linganore -- and are unbeaten since a 41-20 loss to Francis Scott Key.

Middletown's 5-2 defense (five linemen, two linebackers), anchored by5-11, 230-pound Ryan Cutsail (10 sacks) and Nick Fogle (six sacks), earned its fourth shutout of the year last week at Wicomico, 35-0.

"Josh Keeney's a hard runner," said Hereford coach Steve Turnbaugh. "And they're a disciplined team."

But that won't stop Shupert from his pursuit.

"My brother, Jason, was on our championship team in College Park in '97, and I did it at College Park last year," Shupert said. "To be the first team to win a state title at Ravens Stadium would mean the world to us."

State football final

Today

Class 2A: No. 2 Hereford (12-0) vs. Middletown (11-1)

Time: 3 p.m.

Site: Ravens Stadium

Outlook: Middletown, winner of 10 straight games, is making its third appearance in the state final. Coach Tim Ambrose (238-67 in 28 seasons) won't be seeing anything he hasn't already in the Bulls' wing T offense, which is run by many of the Knights' opponents in the Monocacy Valley Athletic Conference. Defending champion Hereford, making its seventh playoff appearance, takes a 25-game winning streak into the game. Middletown RB Josh Keeney (2,384 yards, 40 TDs) is the central figure in Middletown's offense, run by QB Tyler Lushbaugh (four rushing TDs, four passing TDs) behind OL-DL Bryan DeMoss (6 feet 3, 260 pounds) and Ryan Cutsail (5-11, 230). Hereford sophomore QB Andy DePaola (10 passing TDs) complements the running of Adam Goloboski (2,046 yards, 29 TDs), Pat Butt (1,270, 18 TDs) and Ryan Shupert (806, 10 TDs). Each team employs a 5-2 defense. Cutsail (10 sacks), DE Nick Fogle (six) and DBs Bob Gilligan (three INTs) and John Boyle (two INTs) lead Middletown's unit, and Hereford's features DEs Billy Reuter (12 sacks), Zach Armiger (10), LB Nate Wdowiak (seven), DB Ray Wittelsberger (11 INTs) and NG Jamie Estep.