Maryland hadn't had great success against Pennsylvania in the Big 33 Football Classic over the years, but last year's team gave the locals hope for a new era.
Although Pennsylvania leads the series, 7-3, Maryland won the 2014 game in spectacular fashion. After taking a 24-0 lead when McDonogh's Josh Woods returned an interception for a touchdown, Maryland saw Pennsylvania tie the game and force overtime. Milford Mill's Reggie White Jr. caught the winning touchdown in the first double-overtime game in Big 33 history for a 31-24 victory.
This year's Team Maryland goes into Saturday night's 58th Big 33 Football Classic as the defending champion for the first time in 24 years although that's deceptive because Maryland had a 21-year hiatus from the game. Two years ago, Pennsylvania welcomed it back to the rivalry with a 58-27 walloping, but the locals turned that around last season.
That win gives the players confidence and gives the state more credibility in terms of top-level football talent, said Big 33 coach Sean Murphy, from Archbishop Curley.
"I don't think people realize how good not just the high school football is but how good the athletes are in our state," Murphy said. "If you look at the number of kids who are signing Division I letters of intent out of Maryland, 25 years ago if we had 10 kids in the whole state that was a lot. Now we're getting 50-60 kids that are going on to play [Football Bowl Subdivision] football."
Oakland Mills quarterback David Pindell, The Baltimore Sun's Offensive Player of the Year, joins five other All-Metro players on the team — McDonogh offensive lineman Ellis McKennie III, Bel Air offensive lineman John Gallina, Archbishop Curley running back Deonte Harris, Arundel linebacker Diondre Wallace and Old Mill linebacker Noah Fitzgerald. North Harford kicker/punter Sean Bowling, who was recovering from an ankle injury last fall, was the All-Metro kicker in 2013.
No. 1 McDonogh has two players in the Big 33, McKennie and defensive back Kareem Montgomery. St. Frances has three, wide receiver Devin Phelps and defensive backs Justice Pettus-Dixon and Malik Christian.
Calvert Hall quarterback Kenji Bahar was a late addition after a player had to drop out. Also on the roster: River Hill wide receiver Jon Kanda, Archbishop Spalding offensive lineman Alex Plotkin, Long Reach defensive end Ron'Dell Carter and St Paul's center Garrett Mullin.
To Murphy, meshing such a diverse group of athletes from all over the state doesn't present quite the challenge it would seem. Rules in place for this game make it much simpler, he said.
"From a defensive standpoint, it's all man-to-man coverage. We have to stay in a 4-3 front. There's not any blitzing or anything like that. They really try to make it more of an offensive game. For the defense, it's just about them reacting. From an offensive standpoint, we've got a couple run plays and everybody throws the ball nowdays. The challenge is for kids coming from programs that run the football like Fort Hill. They run the wing-T, but most of the kids are from programs that are spread, one back, throw the ball."
Murphy's coaching staff also includes a handful of locals, St. Paul's Paul Bernstorf, Archbishop Spalding's Kyle Schmitt and Dougalss's Elwood Townsend as well as Curley assistant Rich Stichel and St. Paul's assistant Nick Keenan.
One of the strengths for the team, Murphy said, will be the front four, including Carter. But the game likely will come down to a big play or plays. Last year, Woods had three interceptions including the one returned for a touchdown. Murphy said the year before a Pennsylvania player ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown.
"I certainly think we have a lot of playmakers," Murphy said, "and that's what it's come down to the last couple years — who's going to make the most big plays."
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Big 33 Football Classic
What: Annual football game between the top graduating high school seniors from Maryland and those from Pennsylvania
When: Tonight, 7:06
Where: Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, Pa.
Tickets: $10 to $25
TV: WNUV Channel 54