Football Game of the Week: No. 1 Gilman vs. Good Counsel

Game of the Week

No. 1 Gilman (2-0) vs. Good Counsel (1-0)

Where

: Patriot Classic at Navy-Marine CorpsMemorial Stadium

When

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: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Coaches

: Biff Poggi, Gilman; Bob Milloy, Good Counsel

Last meeting

: Gilman 28-7, last season

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Key players to watch

:

Gilman

: Cyrus Jones, Sr., ATH; Brian Gaia, Sr, OT/DT; Kenneth Goins, Sr., RB/DB; Devon Porchia, Sr., LB; Shane Cockerille, Jr., QB; Henry Poggi, Jr., TE/DT; Micah Kiser, Jr., TE/LB.

Good Counsel

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: Stefon Diggs, Sr., WR/DB; Michael Madaras, Sr., OL/DL; Wes Brown, Sr., RB; Ryan Watson, Sr., OL/DL, Michael Nicastro, Sr., WR; Dorian O'Daniel, Jr., RB.

Keys to victory

: The date for this match up is circled in red on every Maryland high school football fan's calendar. Not only is it a showdown of the state's top two teams — Good Counsel is ranked No. 1 in the ESPN High School statewide media poll, with Gilman No. 2 — but it is played on a big stage as part of the first Patriot Classic, an event scheduled to honor military and civilian responders to the terrorist attacks of September 11 a decade ago.

Both teams look to boost their national reputations with a win. Good Counsel is No. 11 in the ESPN High School Powerade Fab 50 and Gilman is No. 42. And both come off wins over national-caliber opponents — Gilman, 51-27, over Oscar Smith (Va.) and Good Counsel, 24-17 in double overtime, against Manatee (Fla.), which had been ranked No. 8 in the Fab 50.

The Greyhounds beat the Falcons at last year's I-95 Kickoff Classic after scoring 21 straight points in less than five minutes late in the first half. Jones and Cockerille, who combined for 441 yards rushing and seven rushing touchdowns in the win over Oscar Smith, will be key for Gilman, as will a defense that held Smith to one first-half touchdown as the Greyhounds built leads of 28-0 and 34-7.

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The Falcons, Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions last fall, boast two of the top recruits in the state, including Diggs, a five-star MaxPreps prospect who is rated the No. 1 recruit in the state by Rivals.com. Brown is rated No. 4 in the state with Gilman's Jones coming in at No. 3. Diggs caught two touchdown passes in the Manatee victory, including the game-winner.

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