South River connection clicks
No, David Foust didn’t slip a really strong magnet to wide receiver Sean Leonard before the game.
But that’s what it looked like every time Foust’s pass whizzed through the air into Leonard’s capable hands.
The senior quarterback connected with his preferred receiver eight times, including three touchdown passes, to thrash Annapolis, 62-22, ensuring No. 11 South River’s season remains untarnished at 3-0 as it heads to the last week of September.
Seahawks coach Ed Dolch had his concerns about Friday’s game ahead of time, given that the Panthers had beaten his squad twice in three years. South River squeaked by Annapolis once in that period by single digits.
But South River, with its deepest postseason run in school history still fresh in its rear-view mirror, broke from old patterns yet again.
As Annapolis (1-2) struggled to lift its own drives off the ground, South River had little trouble charging through the Panthers defense like a pregame paper banner before a home game.
Annapolis gifted its guests excellent field position as quarterback Cam Tyson had his punt blocked at the 26-yard line.
The Seahawks made the best of it, helped along by junior running back Delvin Johnson’s bits of yardage on the ground and an encroachment slapped on the Panthers (one of three in the frame).
Perched behind the 10-yard mark, Foust sliced a pass through the air into Leonard’s hands, handing South River the advantage less than four minutes in. Good Counsel 21, No. 3 Archbishop Spalding 7: The visiting Falcons (3-1) took the lead for good with 1:44 left in the first half and added another touchdown in the fourth quarter to beat the Cavaliers (3-1). Spalding’s Austin Tutas completed a17-yard touchdown pass to Zakee Wheatley to tie the score 7-7 with 6:24 left in the first half. Good Counsel is ranked fourth in the state.
No. 10 McDonogh 30, Bullis Prep 21: The Eagles (4-0) took a 27-21 lead in the second half and held on the beat the Bulldogs (1-2). McDonogh trailed 21-7 before tying the game, 21-21, in the first half. Catonsville 35, Western Tech 0: The unbeaten Comets (3-0) got rushing touchdowns from Anthony Fliggins and Damon Chase, quarterback Jacob Diluca threw a TD pass to Marciss Lawson, Jamie Collins recovered a blocked punt in the end zone and Michael Bowers had a 64-yard interception return in a win over the host Wolverines (0-3). Westminster 31, South Carroll 13: The Owls (1-2, 1-0 Carroll) got their first win behind solid performances from junior Erick Stranko and senior Ben Flowers, who scored two touchdowns apiece.
Stranko’s second rushing score came late in the third quarter, a 31-yard scamper that put the Owls ahead 28-6. Westminster took away any momentum the host Cavaliers (0-3, 0-1) thought they had after Antonio Bradford scooped up a fumble and ran it back 60 yards for a touchdown.
Evan Warren converted a 38-yard field goal for the Owls, who host Glenelg in Week 4.
SC’s Amir Mallick hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Brady Keeley late in the fourth quarter. The Cavs host Manchester Valley next week. Liberty 34, Century 9: The Freedom Bell will remain at Liberty for a fourth straight season.
Liberty hosted Century in the 19th meeting between the crosstown rivals and the Lions defeated Knights.
The Lions swarmed the Freedom Bell trophy once the post-game handshakes concluded and the players each took turns ringing it loud for all to hear. Senior quarterback Nate Kent helped lead the Lions with nine passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns (unofficially).
Kent added seven carries for 67 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well. Tommy Nelson had 14 carries for 141 yards and a touchdown for the Lions (1-2, 1-0 in the Carroll County Athletic League). No. 12 Franklin 49, Dundalk 10: Dundalk simply gave No. 12 Franklin too many opportunities on Friday night. The combination of that and the passing of Indians quarterback Vernon Brown turned this game into a rout.
Franklin received five first-half turnovers from the visiting Owls, which the Indians repeatedly turned into good field position and 28 points. Plus, Brown finished the night with five touchdown passes as Franklin rolled to a 49-10 victory over Dundalk in a Baltimore County game.
Brown threw three touchdowns in the first half and two more before coming out late in the third quarter as Dundalk (1-2) could not keep up with the speed of Franklin (2-1). Loyola Blakefield 40, Howard 28: The host Dons (4-0) built a 23-14 lead in the first half and held the Lions (1-2) scoreless for most of the second half. Loyola hosts Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) next Saturday at 2 p.m.
Broadneck 42, Glen Burnie 0: Josh Ehrlich completed 20 of 27 passes for 272 yards and three touchdown passes to lead the Bruins (1-2) past the host Gophers (0-2-1). Ehrlich also had seven carries for 10 yards and a touchdown.
Boys soccer
No. 2 Archbishop Curley 9, John Carroll 4: Jalen Anderson, Kenny Clapp and Anthony Schlee each scored two goals to lead the host Friars (5-1-1, 4-0 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference Black Division) beat the Patriots (2-4, 1-3). Curley led 8-2 in the first half.
No. 6 Gilman 5, Landon 0: Jack Stuzin scored three goals in the first half to lead the visiting Greyhounds (5-1-1) over the Bears (1-5-3). Costi Karakousis and Devon Nixon also scored for Gilman.
No. 7 Loyola Blakefield 5, Boys’ Latin 0: Chase Llewelyn had a hat trick and the host Dons (3-2-1, 2-1-1 MIAA A Conference Black Division) controlled the game and beat the Lakers (1-5, 0-4). Loyola scored its first goal five minutes into the game. Nate Brown made 11 saves for Boys’ Latin.
Concordia Prep 26, Severn 7: The visiting Saints (4-0, 2-0 MIAA B Conference) led 14-0 at the half and went on a 20-3 run in the third quarter to pull away from the Admirals (0-4, 0-3).
Field hockey
Marriotts Ridge 2, No. 15 Glenelg 1: The visiting Mustangs (2-4, 1-0 Howard) survived a ruling on the field to upset the Gladiators (0-2). The Gladiators scored on their corner kick to send the game to overtime, but the umpire ruled a dangerous hit against the Glenelg goal scorer and rescinded the goal. The victory puts Marriotts Ridge in position to win the Howard County championship. The Mustangs’ only county loss last season was to the Gladiators, who ended the season as Class 2A runner-ups.
—Jacob Meyer, Baltimore Sun Media Group
Roland Park 6, Towson 1: Peyton Woodward had a hat trick and Shannon Smith scored twice to lead the host Reds (3-3) over the Generals (1-4). Roland Park led 5-0 in the first half.
Girls volleyball
Dulaney 3, No. 10 Hereford 1: Amber Medina had 23 kills and four aces and the Lions (4-1) upset the Bulls (4-2). Dulaney won, 25-18, 25-21, 17-25, 25-19. The Lions have won four straight.
Archbishop Spalding 3, McDonogh 0: Taryn Crone went13-for-13 and Jacey Lewis had 18 kills to lead the host Cavaliers (4-3, 4-2 Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference) over the Eagles (3-3, 2-3). Spalding won, 25-14, 25-19, 25-21.