OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brashaad Mayweather
Old Mill
The Texas native who came to Old Mill two years ago made his mark as one of the best running backs in county history.
This season, the 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior with speed, power and exceptional balance ran for a county-leading 1,895 yards and 23 touchdowns on 256 carries. He averaged 7.4 yards a carry in leading the No. 9 Patriots (8-3) to their fourth straight playoff appearance.
Mayweather opened this season with a county single-game rushing record of 342 yards and five touchdowns in a 41-26 romp over Arundel. He went on to run for at least 200 yards four other times.
Mayweather, the metro area's second-leading rusher, ran for 3,184 yards in his two-year career, good for 11th place on the county's all-time rushing list.
FIRST TEAM
Nick Bowen
Chesapeake
Bowen, 5-11 and 170, finished his three-year varsity career as the Cougars' all-time leading rusher. Running for 1,285 yards and 11 touchdowns on 219 carries for a 5.9 average this season, the senior ended with the sixth-highest career rushing total (3,423 yards) in county history and a school-record 37 career touchdowns.
Pat Cerone
Annapolis
Cerone, 5-11 and 210, brought senior leadership and stability to a young offensive line. Moving from tackle to guard this year, Cerone was outstanding pulling on sweeps and the Panthers' power plays. His textbook blocking was vital to the Panthers averaging 322 yards rushing and 32 points per game.
Chris Desautels
Broadneck
Brought up in the seventh game last year as a freshman, Desautels became a reliable kicker for the No. 5 Bruins (9-2). Desautels, 6-2 and 165, booted 31 of 33 extra-point attempts and two field goals. His longest field goal was 37 yards.
Ben Gabbard
Broadneck
A huge presence in the middle of the Bruins' line at 6-4 and 285, Gabbard is a two-year starter at center. Athletic and agile for his size, the junior runs the 40-yard dash in 5.2 seconds. Gabbard also serves as the long snapper on punts and extra points.
Sean Grace
Old Mill
A prototypical tight end at 6-2 and 220 pounds, Grace worked hard to improve his blocking technique and was an accomplished run and pass blocker in his senior season. Grace had seven receptions for 103 yards (14.7 average) and a two-point conversion.
Jeff Hoffman
Severna Park
A solid 6-2, 225-pounder, Hoffman was the county's second-leading rusher with 1,357 yards and nine touchdowns on 224 carries. As the Falcons' workhorse, Hoffman averaged 6.1 yards per carry and also caught five passes for 48 yards. The senior accepted a lacrosse scholarship to North Carolina.
Matt Lacher
Severna Park
A team captain and three-year starter, the 6-1, 230-pound two-way lineman used his strong technique at offensive tackle to open gaping holes. Coach J.P. Hines entrusted the senior with calling blocking schemes at the line of scrimmage.
Ray Matula
Southern
Coach Russ Meyers says the 5-10, 220-pound junior is the "best offensive lineman" he has ever coached. Matula, who doubled as a defensive lineman, was the main guard in the Bull- dogs' wishbone offense. Technically sound and quick off the ball, Matula is an aggressive one-on-one blocker.
Pete Montaner
Severn
Montaner, 6-3, 160, was quarterback Jamal Jones' favorite target. The senior wide receiver led the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference Gold Division tri-champions with 13 receptions for 260 yards (20.0 average) and two touchdowns.
Sean Mulhall
Arundel
Mulhall, 6-0, 175, led the county in receiving with 47 catches for 513 yards (10.9 average) and six touchdowns. A two-year starter at wide receiver, the senior was quarterback Bobby Schram's go-to guy. Mulhall caught seven passes with two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 22 seconds left, in a season-ending 27-26 win over Meade to give Arundel (6-4) its first winning season since 1996.
Dan Pilkerton
Old Mill
As a sophomore, Pilkerton weighed 330 pounds. Dedicated work in the weight room and improved eating habits turned him into a 6-3 and 230-pound senior All-County offensive tackle. Pilkerton anchored the right side of the Patriots' line and devastated would-be tacklers on counter plays.
Fred Steinmark
Broadneck
A fundamentally sound quarterback with a good arm, Stein- mark, a 6-1, 185-pound senior, deftly ran the Bruins' option offense. He completed 68 of 166 passes for 1,081 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He ran the ball 121 times for 552 yards (4.6 average) and six touchdowns. In two seasons, Steinmark passed for more than 2,400 yards with 25 touchdowns, and ran for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Donta Sylve
St. Mary's
Sylve, a 5-10, 180-pound junior running back, combined power with excellent speed to rush for 1,348 yards and 10 touchdowns on 222 carries, an average of 6.1 yards per carry. Sylve ran for 203 yards and a touchdown on 30 attempts in a season-ending 15-12 win over Severn to gain a share of the MIAA B Conference Gold Division title.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Demario Harris
Annapolis
Harris, 5 feet 8 and 165 pounds, was the best all-around football player in the county, leading the No. 7 Panthers (9-2) to their sixth straight - and 14th overall - playoff berth, both county records.
An All-Metro defensive back last year as a junior, Harris took on another full-time role as a running back for the Panthers this season.
Harris, a three-time All-County pick who also ran back kicks (he returned one for a touchdown), rarely came off the field. Despite playing on both sides of the ball, Harris raised his defensive numbers to another level.
Coach Roy Brown said Harris was the team's best one-on-one tackler and cover man. Harris had 75 solo tackles, eight for losses, impressive numbers for a defensive back.
Harris also had three interceptions and 13 knockdowns.
FIRST TEAM
Old Mill
Barnes, 6-2, 170, tied for the county lead in interceptions (six) and had nine knockdowns. The junior defensive back returned one of his interceptions 102 yards in the Patriots' 20-14 upset of Annapolis in overtime. Barnes was in on 68 tackles, 31 solo and four for losses, had two fumble recoveries and caused two more fumbles and had a sack.
William Bell
Old Mill
The 5-9, 270-pound senior down lineman was a roadblock for opposing ball carriers. Bell, who benches 360 pounds and trimmed down from 300 pounds last year, runs the 40-yard dash in 5.4 seconds. In on 70 tackles with 33 unassisted, Bell made four tackles behind the line of scrimmage and had six sacks. He also had two fumble recoveries and caused three.
Paul Burke
Chesapeake
Just 5-11 and 215 pounds in the middle of the trenches, Burke relied on his quickness to create havoc. The junior nose guard constantly beat the trap blocker and always seemed to be in the middle of the action at the line of scrimmage. Burke was the Cougars' third-leading tackler with 83, and led his team in sacks with eight.
Travis Chamberlain
Arundel
Coach Chuck Markiewicz said his 5-10, 200-pound senior linebacker was the Wildcats' best defensive player. Chamberlain, a two-year starter, roamed sideline to sideline making 107 first hits and assisting on 31 tackles. Chamberlain also caused two fumbles and posted two sacks.
Darius Johnson
Annapolis
A second-team All-County pick last year as a sophomore, Johnson established himself this year as one of the top linebackers in the county. The 6-1, 210-pounder made 92 tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown.
Chris Knight
Southern
An athletic defensive end with long arms, Knight, 6-1, 210, owned his side of the field. The Bulldogs senior, who doubled on the offensive line, was in on 48 tackles, 15 solo and three behind the line of scrimmage. He also had six sacks.
Matt Leone
Old Mill
A repeat All-County selection in his senior year, Leone punted 10 fewer times than he did a year ago, but was nearly as effective. Leone, 6-4, 185, punted 29 times for 1,088 yards, averaging 37.5 yards a punt. He gets great hang time and is superb at kicking the ball inside the 20.
Preston Pehrson
Broadneck
Pehrson is a three-time All-County player. As a sophomore, Pehrson, 6-1, 225, was an All-County defensive end, and last year he emerged as a premier linebacker. Coach Jeff Herrick says Pehrson is "the best linebacker I've been associated with." Pehrson had 78 solo and 33 assisted tackles, one interception and three fumble recoveries.
Jeff Postell
St. Mary's
Postell, who did not play football until last year as a junior, proved to be a fast learner. The Saints' middle linebacker leveled ball carriers and "has made unbelievable strides," said coach Mike Codd. Postell, 6-4, 215, had 64 tackles, four sacks, one interception and one blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
Ben Staines
Severn
A two-year starter on both sides of the ball, Staines was a superb cover man who rarely got beat and a sure one-on-one tackler. Staines, 6-1, 175, who has received a lacrosse scholarship to North Carolina, made 42 tackles and had three interceptions and a fumble recovery as a defensive back.
Derelle Taylor
Southern
Tenacious from sideline to sideline, Taylor, 5-8, 205, led the Bulldogs in tackles (137). The senior linebacker anchored the Class 2A school's defense that yielded only 14.3 points a game against bigger county 4A and 3A schools. The Taylor-led defense held the area's leading rusher, Hereford's Adam Goloboski, to 62 yards in a Class 2A playoff game.
Brendan Teague
St. Mary's
Also a first-team pick last season, Teague, 6-4, 225, turned in another solid season on the defensive line for the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference Gold Division tri-champion Saints (7-3). The hard-working senior made 46 tackles, 10 behind the line of scrimmage, and was a superb blocking fullback.
Davon Watkins
Annapolis
A four-year varsity player and three-year starter at several positions, Watkins, 5-11, 175, teamed with Demario Harris to form the top secondary in the county. Watkins made 24 tackles at defensive back and had four interceptions and six knockdowns. He returned one of his interceptions for a touchdown.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Russ Meyers
Southern
Before the season started, Meyers told his team, "If we don't make the playoffs this year, I will be disappointed because I really feel we have the ability and talent to do that."
Meyers, who had the largest turnout (over 100) in his seven years as head coach, got his wish. After a 1-2 start, his Bulldogs won four in a row and six of the last seven to win the 2A South region and qualify for the postseason for only the second time in school history.
To make the playoffs, Southern, Anne Arundel County's smallest school, had to survive a schedule that included five 4A and five 3A schools, four from the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference.
After going .500 last season, Southern went 7-3, with four of its wins over 4A teams.
Southern did not play its equal of a 2A school until the first round of the playoffs, losing a 14-7 decision to eventual 2A state champion and No. 2-ranked Hereford (11-0).
"We told the kids that was the state championship game, and we really feel we are the second-best 2A team in the state," said Meyers.