Five Football Games to Watch: Week 2
Milford Mill at Dundalk
Milford Mill travels to Dundalk in a 3A North battle that could prove to have big implications once the playoffs roll around in November.
Dundalk shocked many in the Maryland high school football community by qualifying for its first MPSSAA state final in 2015, where it fell to Damascus. One of those teams the Owls stunned was Milford Mill, a traditional Baltimore County powerhouse. Dundalk beat Milford Mill 21-6 in 2015, a surprising result considering the Millers beat Dundalk 32-14 in 2014, and 34-20 in 2013.
Both teams started 2016 with wins at home on new turf fields. Dundalk beat East Baltimore County rival Kenwood 39-0, while Milford Mill topped Urbana from Frederick County 37-20.
The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 PM on Friday.
Northwest at Seneca Valley
These two Germatown rivals and Montgomery County powerhouses will compete for the right to have possession of the King's Trophy until the teams meet again the following year.
Northwest and Seneca Valley are a mere three miles from each other, meaning many of its players know each other, and grew up playing football together. When the two teams meet, it's usually an instant classic. Last year, Seneca Valley prevailed 14-7, while in 2014 Northwest pounded Seneca Valley 46-6. Northwest also won in 2013 by a final score of 20-13.
The two teams started 2016 on winning notes. Seneca Valley beat Poolesville 42-20, while Northwest won against Gaithersburg 27-6.
Seneca Valley hosts Northwest this Friday at 6:30 PM.
Glenelg at River Hill
Two Howard County teams that began their 2016 seasons by avenging 2015 opening week losses square off in Week 2.
River Hill beat Wilde Lake 17-13 this past Friday. Glenelg won by a wider margin, charging past Oakland Mills 29-7. For Glenelg, this game represents the chance to start 2-0 against the same set of teams which forced the Gladiators into an 0-2 start in 2015- River Hill topped Glenelg 21-14 in this same week last year. It was also Glenelg's lone loss at home.
For River Hill though, this game represents the chance to beat a team that qualified for the 2015 3A East playoffs, while the Hawks missed out. Despite topping Glenelg in 2015, the Hawks finished 5-5 and narrowly missed reaching the postseason. Glenelg finished 6-4 and beat Chesapeake-AA in the first round before falling to Reservoir in the regional final.
Glenelg travels to River Hill for a kickoff of 7:00 PM this Friday.
Thomas Stone at Chopticon
These two teams square off in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference contest that if recent history is going to be any indication, will be high scoring and close.
Thomas Stone won the 2015 edition, barely getting past Chopticon by the final score of 31-28. It evened the match up from 2014, when Chopticon also scored a win by a three point margin, 30-27.
Of the two teams, Thomas Stone is in greater need of a win. The Cougars opened with a loss to North Point last weekend, and a loss against Chopticon would equal Thomas Stone's entire loss total from the regular season in 2015. Chopticon on the other hand started the year brightly, beating La Plata 41-21. The last time the Braves won their first two games was 2014, when they started the season 6-0.
Thomas Stone makes the trip to St. Mary's County to play Chopticon this Friday at 6:00 PM.
Fort Hill at Keyser (WV)
Fort Hill, which has won the MPSSAA 1A state title three years running, travels to Keyser in West Virginia for a cross state battle with a lot of history.
The two teams have played each other an astonishing 48 times, with Fort Hill holding a sizable 39-8-1 advantage. One of those losses occurred last year though, when Keyser topped Fort Hill 48-41. The loss halted a 29 game win streak for the Sentinels, and was the only loss Fort Hill would suffer in 2015. Keyser finished 2015 with a 10-3 mark.
Both teams have gotten off to dominant starts in 2016, showing that this should be as highly contested a contest as there has been in the rivalry. Fort Hill is 1-0 after a dominant 73-0 win against Brunswick. Keyser is 2-0, beating Petersburg 67-15 and Berkeley Springs 49-0.
The game is scheduled to kickoff at 7:00 PM this Friday.
Milford Mill travels to Dundalk in a 3A North battle that could prove to have big implications once the playoffs roll around in November.
Dundalk shocked many in the Maryland high school football community by qualifying for its first MPSSAA state final in 2015, where it fell to Damascus. One of those teams the Owls stunned was Milford Mill, a traditional Baltimore County powerhouse. Dundalk beat Milford Mill 21-6 in 2015, a surprising result considering the Millers beat Dundalk 32-14 in 2014, and 34-20 in 2013.
Both teams started 2016 with wins at home on new turf fields. Dundalk beat East Baltimore County rival Kenwood 39-0, while Milford Mill topped Urbana from Frederick County 37-20.
The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 PM on Friday.
Northwest at Seneca Valley
These two Germatown rivals and Montgomery County powerhouses will compete for the right to have possession of the King's Trophy until the teams meet again the following year.
Northwest and Seneca Valley are a mere three miles from each other, meaning many of its players know each other, and grew up playing football together. When the two teams meet, it's usually an instant classic. Last year, Seneca Valley prevailed 14-7, while in 2014 Northwest pounded Seneca Valley 46-6. Northwest also won in 2013 by a final score of 20-13.
The two teams started 2016 on winning notes. Seneca Valley beat Poolesville 42-20, while Northwest won against Gaithersburg 27-6.
Seneca Valley hosts Northwest this Friday at 6:30 PM.
Glenelg at River Hill
Two Howard County teams that began their 2016 seasons by avenging 2015 opening week losses square off in Week 2.
River Hill beat Wilde Lake 17-13 this past Friday. Glenelg won by a wider margin, charging past Oakland Mills 29-7. For Glenelg, this game represents the chance to start 2-0 against the same set of teams which forced the Gladiators into an 0-2 start in 2015- River Hill topped Glenelg 21-14 in this same week last year. It was also Glenelg's lone loss at home.
For River Hill though, this game represents the chance to beat a team that qualified for the 2015 3A East playoffs, while the Hawks missed out. Despite topping Glenelg in 2015, the Hawks finished 5-5 and narrowly missed reaching the postseason. Glenelg finished 6-4 and beat Chesapeake-AA in the first round before falling to Reservoir in the regional final.
Glenelg travels to River Hill for a kickoff of 7:00 PM this Friday.
Thomas Stone at Chopticon
These two teams square off in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference contest that if recent history is going to be any indication, will be high scoring and close.
Thomas Stone won the 2015 edition, barely getting past Chopticon by the final score of 31-28. It evened the match up from 2014, when Chopticon also scored a win by a three point margin, 30-27.
Of the two teams, Thomas Stone is in greater need of a win. The Cougars opened with a loss to North Point last weekend, and a loss against Chopticon would equal Thomas Stone's entire loss total from the regular season in 2015. Chopticon on the other hand started the year brightly, beating La Plata 41-21. The last time the Braves won their first two games was 2014, when they started the season 6-0.
Thomas Stone makes the trip to St. Mary's County to play Chopticon this Friday at 6:00 PM.
Fort Hill at Keyser (WV)
Fort Hill, which has won the MPSSAA 1A state title three years running, travels to Keyser in West Virginia for a cross state battle with a lot of history.
The two teams have played each other an astonishing 48 times, with Fort Hill holding a sizable 39-8-1 advantage. One of those losses occurred last year though, when Keyser topped Fort Hill 48-41. The loss halted a 29 game win streak for the Sentinels, and was the only loss Fort Hill would suffer in 2015. Keyser finished 2015 with a 10-3 mark.
Both teams have gotten off to dominant starts in 2016, showing that this should be as highly contested a contest as there has been in the rivalry. Fort Hill is 1-0 after a dominant 73-0 win against Brunswick. Keyser is 2-0, beating Petersburg 67-15 and Berkeley Springs 49-0.
The game is scheduled to kickoff at 7:00 PM this Friday.
| September 8th, 2016 | By: Wick Eisenberg |