Most of this weekend's games seem like mismatches on paper -- the league's top four teams record-wise (Atholton, Glenelg, River Hill and Long Reach) are playing teams with records of .500 or worse (Oakland Mills, Reservoir, Howard and Marriotts Ridge, respectively).

The remaining game Friday, Oct. 2, Wilde Lake (2-2) at Centennial (1-3), features two talented teams that enter Week 5 with battle scars and bruises, desperately needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive.

Both Wilde Lake and Centennial play in the Class 3A East Region, hich also features unbeaten River Hill and Atholton and J.M. Bennett (3-1). Four teams make the playoffs.

"You're going to see them come out very hungry on Friday," Wilde Lake coach Mike Harrison said of his team.

Wilde Lake, playing in front of its homecoming crowd Sept. 26, lost to surging Atholton, 34-30, after fumbling the ball away twice in the fourth quarter. (See story in this section.)

In that loss, Wilde Lake's running game was led by Khalil Vierra's 187 yards.

"They're not walking around staring at the ground, they've got their heads up," Harrison said. "We moved the ball up and down the field pretty well."

Centennial has now dropped two games by a touchdown or less after a 21-14 loss to Long Reach Sept. 26.

"Our kids still believe and are still working hard," Centennial coach Ken Senisi said.

The Eagles were relieved that top tackler and running back Kyle Young returned to the field after he left the previous week's game with a knee injury, but quarterback Greg Edmonds remains sidelined with a shoulder injury from an overtime loss at Glenelg in Week 1.

"Greg's questionable for this week, but he may be cleared to punt," Senisi said. "At first we were worried that he may be lost for the season, but he's really responding to treatment well ... it would be great for the kids confidence to have him as a senior leader back on the field."

Harrison knows that Centennial's unique offense will be a change of pace, and after Monday's Yom Kippur holiday, he has limited time to get ready.

"They're going to try to run the ball at us. It's always interesting when you play a single wing team and we've only got three days to prepare," he said.

In the Oct. 3 matinee, Hammond hosts Mt. Hebron at noon in a bid to win consecutive games for the first time since October 2006.

---

user comments (0)