CORRECTION: Atholton's Adam D'Amico made the second quarter interception for the Raiders.

The last time Atholton and River Hill met, Atholton couldn't have had a better start. The Raiders made a goal-line stand and scored on pass plays of 80 and 90 yards to take a 14-7 halftime lead.

In the rematch Friday nightl, Atholton couldn't have had a worse start, falling behind early and bowing, 30-3, in the 3A East regional final at River Hill.

The Raiders gave up a touchdown on the game's opening drive -- a 29-yard pass from Harry McLaughlin to Nick Bonhag -- and fumbled on two of their first three possessions, giving River Hill starting field position at Atholton's 20- and 38-yard lines. Both times River Hill converted -- first on a Brent Kluge 2-yard run and then on a 27-yard field goal by Amir Shahegh.



After gaining the early lead, River Hill rolled to its fifth straight regional title, its 40th consecutive win and a trip to next Friday's 3A state semifinals. River Hill will play at Huntingtown (12-0), of Calvert County.

“The main thing was coming out and trying to get off to a better start," River Hill coach Brian Van Deusen said. "We got off to a rough start last time. We gave up a couple of big plays, so I was real pleased with our effort in the first quarter. Being up 14-0 kind of set the tone.”

In spite of its difficult start, Atholton's defense continued to play hard, holding River Hill to 17 points until there were less than 30 seconds left in the third quarter, when Kluge caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from McLaughlin set up by a 40-yard run by Kevin Johnson.

“It was a tough battle. The odds were against us with the short field, but we played our hearts out,” Atholton senior captain Zach Deal said. “We kept fighting with hope.”

"Their (defense) was great, it was probably the stoutest we've seen all year," said River Hill two-way lineman Max Coale. "Having that early lead was a nice cushion because we could punt it and we knew our defense would step up."

Kluge widened the gap when he scored on a 15-yard run after a Wayne Emerson interception with just under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, making it a four-possession game.

The Hawks never let Atholton get a ground game established.

"(River Hill) has an excellent line," Atholton coach Kyle Schmitt said. "There might not be a better one in the state.

“It's tough because we're trying to create ways because we know we can't run right at them. We're a hard-nosed football team, and we were able to do that against 10 teams in Howard County ... there's one that we couldn't do that against,” he added.

The Raiders scored when Adam D'Amico intercepted a pass at about midfield. Three plays later, quarterback Kalvin Seamonson connected on a 29-yard pass to Andrew King to set up first-and-10 at the River Hill 14-yard line. The River Hill defense clamped down after that, but sophomore Brett Haas kicked a 29-yard field goal.



Seamonson was Atholton's leading rusher, with 17 carries for 71 of his team's 79 rushing yards.

Atholton's 10 wins is a school single-season record. Last year the Raiders won only three games.

"Expectations weren't that high for us to start the year, but we really came in and had a good work ethic," Deal said. "We turned it all around with great coaching and great effort.

"It was a great way to end my senior season," added Deal, who doesn't plan to play football in college. "I regret this is my last one ... the last game I'll ever play."

Atholton  (10-2)  0  3 0 0 -  3
River Hill (12-0) 14 3 6 7 - 30

First quarter
RH: Bonhag 29 pass from McLaughlin (Shahegh kick), 7:09.
RH: Kluge 2 run (Shahegh kick), 5:52.

Second quarter
RH: Shahegh 27 field goal, 10:24.
A: Haas 29 field goal, 1:54.

Third quarter
RH: Kluge 8 pass from McLaughlin (kick failed), :27.

Fourth quarter
RH: Kluge 15 run (Shahegh kick), 8:54.

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