Patterson Mill's Steve Lurz was named the Ravens High School Coach of the Week on Wednesday for leading the Huskies to an emotional win over Rising Sun four days after the death of lineman Isaac Pfarr.
On the first play of Thursday night's game, Lurz sent just 10 players onto the field to honor Pfarr, a junior offensive guard who died on Oct. 16 from a seizure, according to his family members.
The Huskies went on to defeat the Tigers, 45-26, for their second win of the season. Leading by just five points in the third quarter, a trio of seniors led the way to a 14-point finish. Running back Pierce Monroe ran for a 36-yard touchdown and quarterback Jordan Reid connected on a 54-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Brendan Bandy to finish off the win for their late teammate.
Pfarr was buried Saturday in his No. 57 Huskies jersey.
"Isaac was a great teammate because you knew he was going to give you his all every day – whether that was in practice or a game – and we will miss him dearly," Lurz said in a news release. "The kids had one goal in mind last Thursday – win for Isaac. We didn't do anything special, but the boys were ultra-focused and filled with extra emotion this week."
Lurz will join the other nine winners at the Ravens-Eagles game on Dec. 18 at M&T Bank Stadium where one coach will be named the Ravens High School Coach of the Year. Previous weekly winners were Carlos Dunmoodie, Centennial; Matt Miller, Winters Mill; Ray Wright, Randallstown; Justin Payne, Parkville; Kyle Schmitt, Archbishop Spalding; Anthony Burgos, Franklin; and Daryl Wade, City.
Each weekly winner -- one for each week of the regular season -- receives a $2,000 donation to his school's football program as well as an award from Ravens coach John Harbaugh.