Mervo clinched its third consecutive Baltimore City Division I championship with Friday's 25-14 win over Poly.
The Mustangs are 6-1 in the division with one game remaining, Friday at Digital Harbor. They have already beaten both second-place teams Dunbar (5-2) and Douglass (5-2), so even if Mervo loses to Digital and there's a tie at 6-2, the Mustangs win the title on the head-to-head tie breaker.
In the win at Poly, which had been in a four-way tie for second place coming into the game, Rakim Lemon ran for two touchdowns and 116 yards. Terry Jones caught two touchdown passes from Carlos Davis and finished with five catches and 94 yards. Armani Addison had seven catches for 83 yards.
Davis connected with Jones on a 49-yard touchdown pass just after the half that turned out to be the game winner.
Back in August, the St. Frances football coaches and players figured this season could go either way. With a mostly new coaching staff and many new players,
To extend their season, however, the Mustangs will need a win over Digital Harbor and a little help this weekend.
Four teams advance to the regional playoffs and Mervo stands fifth in Class 4A North with an 8.01 average, barely trailing fourth-place Parkville with an 8.03 average. If the Knights fall to Catonsville on Friday and the Mustangs win, Mervo would earn its third straight regional playoff bid.
Undefeated Sherwood (10.89 points) holds the top spot with defending regional champion Howard (9.22) second and Bel Air (8.44) third.