MORE PLAYOFF COVERAGE

Former player reflects on life under Wilde Lake coach Doug DuVall

Class 2A, 3A semifinals have plenty of star power

River Hill wins 2A South Region title

Playoff results, schedules

The Wilde Lake football team quietly climbed the hill from their locker room to the football field in an early winter dusk. Two players -- Danny March and Jarrel Epps -- trailed behind, walking a little slower than the rest. Someone watching yelled, "Let's go Wilde Lake!" and the words ripped through the crisp air.

March, the senior quarterback, and Epps, a running back, skipped and jumped as if jolted and ran toward the field. They never stopped running.

Epps rushed for 177 yards on nine carries and scored three times and March ran for 124 and two more scores as Wilde Lake won the Class 3A East Region championship, 39-15, over Fallston Nov. 21.

"We were more aggressive. The speed helped us out a lot. It was a multitude of things," said March, whose Wildecats had 460 yards on the ground.

Wilde Lake (11-1) advances to the state semifinals where it will host Hereford (10-2) Friday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. Hereford beat Milford Mill, 41-14, to win the 3A North championship.

The other semifinal will have Westlake (10-2) visiting Seneca Valley (12-0) Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. The state championship game is set for Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium.

Wilde Lake coach Doug DuVall walked the sidelines in shorts and bare hands despite bitter cold temperatures and snowfall.

"In '85, we played Glenelg and we lost to them. I told the kids it was my fault ... I said, 'You guys win next week and get us into the state playoffs, I'll never wear (pants) again.' It was sort of a joke and we went and won it in '85, so after that I could never wear long pants again to a game," DuVall said as he clutched the regional championship plaque to his chest. "I'm cold. I'm real cold. ... My teeth are chattering. (But) once you get out there and you get the blood pumping and you get playing, it's not bad."

After allowing a chip-shot field goal on the opening drive, Wilde Lake got down to business. The first two offensive plays the Wildecats called resulted in touchdowns -- a 60-yard, open-field dash by Epps and a 26-yard scamper by Christian Hough. Epps scored again five minutes later to give the Wildecats a 20-3 lead.

"We really dominated. The guys had holes to run through early on and Danny engineered it," DuVall said.

Eight Wildecat runs went for 20 yards or more and five Wildecat runners averaged 10 yards or more per carry.

"Their skill kids, they've got a little more team speed than we do," Fallston coach Dave Cesky said. "And they're a little bigger up front. We're real young up on the line, so that makes a difference."

Cesky noted that they had seen only one team this season that outran them like Wilde Lake did.

"Joppatowne, maybe, but not this much speed," he said.

Two Fallston touchdowns came in the last 90 seconds of the game against Wilde Lake's backups.

March and Juma Richards made interceptions and Mike Fields, Jackson Drury and Ramin Nejaddehghan had sacks.

"We always talk about how we need to get ready for the playoffs, get ready for the next level, and I think that's what we did. Everybody stepped up to a next level that they've never played at before," March said.

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