Calvert Hall linebacker Travon Barnes leveled DeMatha receiver Cameron Phillips just as he caught the ball for a four-yard loss.
That second-quarter play from Friday night's marquee matchup at the Patriot Classic at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium was indicative of the No. 2-ranked Cardinals' relentless pressure throughout the night.
Emanuel Holder knocked DeMatha quarterback Jamal Robinson out of the game with a bone-jarring sack, Da'Quan Davis returned an interception for a touchdown, and Calvert Hall's offense and special teams made enough plays to polish off an 18-0 victory.
It was Cardinals' second win over a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference opponent in as many weeks, and it dropped the Stags, ranked fourth in the ESPNHS state poll, to 1-1.
"I think it's a great win for the program," Calvert Hall coach Donald Davis said. "What it does is display that we continue to march forward as a program, taking steps in the right direction. We're really establishing ourselves in not only in the Baltimore metropolitan area, but in the state as one of the finer, more consistent programs this state has to offer."
Calvert Hall (2-0; ranked third in the state by ESPNHS) took an early lead after Delando Johnson recovered a bad snap on a punt on DeMatha's 19-yard line. That set up a 31-yard field goal by Austen Strachen.
After failing to move the ball past midfield for much of the first half, DeMatha appeared to find a hole in Calvert Hall's defense when Ishmiel Seisay threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Phillips. But the play came back because of holding, and the Stags were eventually forced to punt.
Calvert Hall's defense continued to set the tone in the second half. Thomas Hollenback made two tackles for a loss of six yards, and the Cardinals continued to shut down the Stags' rushing attack.
Donald Davis said Holder, a defensive lineman, had one of the best games he's seen as a coach. Holder was instrumental in shedding blocks to keep pressure DeMatha's ball carriers.
A 46-yard punt return by Trevor Williams gave Calvert Hall possession on DeMatha's 15-yard line midway through the third quarter. Three players later, quarterback Thomas Stuart found Kyle Levere for a 9-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
DeMatha finally put together a drive late in third quarter and got down to the Cardinals' 32-yard line. But Johnson sacked Seisay for an 8-yard loss, and the Stags were eventually forced to punt again.
A fake punt by the Cardinals on their own 17 failed and gave DeMatha its best field position of the game. But Calvert Hall's defense didn't budge, and Brandon Neverdon blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt to keep the Stags scoreless.
"We go over special teams a lot because our coaches take pride in it," Neverdon said. "I wanted to take my game to another level this week. With a big game like this, I had to get one. I love this team."
Da'Quan Davis capped the win with a 35-yard interception return with 1:36 remaining, and the Cardinals added a two-point conversion for the final margin.
"Our defense played great out there," Barnes said. "We played as hard as we could. DeMatha is a good team, but we did our best and stopped them."
No. 2 Calvert Hall 18, DeMatha 0
D 0 0 0 0 - 0
CH 3 0 7 8 – 18
C- Strachen 31 kick
C- Stuart 9 pass to Levere (Strachen kick)
C- Davis 35 intterception return (Jones pass from Dubuque)