We still have three undefeated teams in the 2A, but one will suffer their first loss of the season as Kent Island hosts Stephen Decatur this Friday. KI has won fourteen straight regular season games going back to last season
Week 5 Capsule: We still have three undefeated teams in the 2A, but one will suffer their first loss of the season as Kent Island hosts Stephen Decatur this Friday. KI has won fourteen straight regular season games going back to last season…North Caroline continues to roll under first year Head Coach Nic McMorris at 5-0. Snow Hill at 4-1 is off to their best start since 2007 under first year Head Coach Raheem Hammond…James M. Bennett got their first win over 2A team since 2019 and have shown definite signs of progress over the last two weeks…
…Right now, I could make an argument for Bennett to be ranked #6. However, it is still a bit murky for me. Two of the three teams (#6-8) have wins over winless Washington and Cambridge has two wins over winless teams (Century & Kent). Cambridge did defeat Parkside by a slightly larger margin than Bennett did. Bennett though lost just 16-0 to #4 Queen Anne’s and it was 10-0 almost to the very end. Two of the three Colonel losses are to very good teams (Woodbridge & Kent Island) and their other loss is by 2 points on the road. I want to wait to see how things play out for one more week. There will likely be movement next week. Your thoughts are welcome at mike@shoresportsmd.com
*Some stats courtesy of Bill Haufe and The Star Democrat
Bayside Conference Football Week #5
Power Poll/Game/Team Notes
1. Stephen Decatur (5-0)-The Seahawks handled Easton on the road 42-0. SD scored on five of their seven first half possessions. QB Brycen Coleman (10-13-120) threw 3 TD passes, one each to Careen Bolden, Zakhari Baker, and Gavin Solito. Coleman also rushed for 98 yards and a TD. Solito also scored on a fumble recovery. Backup QB Johnny Hobgood had a rushing TD after throwing for one last week...Next Game: Friday at Kent Island-6pm
2. Kent Island (5-0)-The Buccaneers defeated Wicomico on the road last Thursday night 28-0. It was their 14th straight regular season win going back to last season. RB Shane Bogardus had 23 rushed for 100yds-2 TDs. QB Gavan Henry went 7-15-152 yards with 2 TD passes. Tucker Claxton had four catches for 114yds and 2 TDs. On defense Brandon Adler and Giuseppe Mellinger each had 10 tackles, including four for loss, Claxton had seven tackles, and Austin Holland had six…Next Game: Friday vs. Stephen Decatur-6pm
3. North Caroline (5-0)-The Bulldogs defeated Queen Anne’s on the road Saturday afternoon on the Lions’ homecoming 28-16. NC got out to a 14-0 lead thanks to a RB Tyson Weber 54 yard run and QB Nasai Bell to Justice Hall 20yd TD pass. However, finding themselves trailing 16-14 in the second half the Bulldogs would get back the lead and hold on to win thanks to a RB Zymear Smith 13 yd TD run and Nasai Bell who had a pick six late in the game…Next Game: Friday vs. James M Bennett-6pm
4. Queen Anne’s (2-3)-The Lions fell on Saturday at home to North Caroline 28-16. Down 14-3 the Lions took the lead at 16-14 in the second half thanks to a Jadareon Thompson long punt return for a TD and QB Devin Wright TD pass to WR Conlan Nagle before NC would retake the lead and hold on to win sealing it with a pick six late…Side Note: FB William Conley ran for 200 yds against Bennett two weeks ago…Backup QB Lance Arnold got his first action of the season late in the game against Bennett…HC Brian Mooney said the struggles on offense have to do with new/young skill guys still finding their way, adjustment to new scheme, some o-line issues and a few times needing the ball to come out faster from the QB…Next Game: Friday at Kent County-6pm
5. Wicomico (1-4)-The Indians fell on the road to Kent Island 28-0. The WiHi defense did intercept KI QB Gavan Henry three times. However the defense in the first half gave up some big 3rd down plays and aided in another (gave up an over 20 yard completion on 3rd and 17 on KI’s 2nd offensive possession, gave up a 3rd down and long scramble by Henry for 11yds on KI’s 3rd offensive possession and had an untimely unsportsmanlike penalty on KI’s 5th offensive possession on a 3rd down) that all ended up keeping drives alive and leading to Kent Island scores. Otherwise, it may have been a different ball game. WiHi again struggled on offense and had their best chance to score snuffed out on a 4th and 2 at KI on their 7th offensive series late in first half (after one of the Henry interceptions) that would have cut the score to 21-7…One side note WiHi used Jonathan Grady at QB some in the game against North Caroline a few weeks ago...Next Game: Friday at Cambridge-SD-6pm
6. Colonel Richardson (2-3)-The Colonels fell on the road to Lancaster, VA in a non-conference game 32-30. They are back on the Shore and with a Bayside game this Friday night in a huge 1A battle…Next Game: Friday vs. Snow Hill-6pm
7. Cambridge-SD (3-2)-The Vikings defeated Kent County 52-0 in a 1A matchup are now 2-0 among the Bayside 1A. RB Sterling Perkins had two TDs while QB Blake LaBelle threw two TD passes to WR Antonio Blueford and rushed for two others. The defense scored on two pick sixes including one right at the end of the game…Courtesy of Bay-to-Bay News some player updates: RB LaShaun Moody, who was injured at Parkside, with strained ligaments in a leg and a broken, dislocated finger, resumed practice on Tuesday. Anthony Hughes, who injured his right arm in the season’s first game, reported that his recovery is continuing...Next Game: Friday vs. Wicomico-6pm
8. James M. Bennett (2-3)-The Clippers defeated Parkside 22-21 on a Gianmarco Secondi FG with 3 seconds left in the game in one of the Salisbury City Championship Games. QB/Ath Zakai Smullen made plays in several areas for the Clippers. He caught a touchdown pass, threw a touchdown pass to Jamareon Stevens, and ran for an 80-yard touchdown. He also picked up an interception on defense that set up his 80-yard run. Sophomore quarterback Liam Nelson also came up big in the clutch for Clippers, leading the fourth-quarter drive that set up Secondi's kick. It was Bennett’s first win over Parkside since 2018 and their first win over a 2A team since late October of 2019 when they defeated Queen Anne’s in what a was 3-7 season. Head Coach Greg Lasinski told the Daily Times after the game "It's exciting for our program, our kids have been dying to get one of these," Lasinski said after the game. "To come in here and get a win like this over Parkside, a back-and-forth game where we went down late, and then we get backed into our own goal line. We get a punt off, get a stop on defense, get that drive down the field in the last couple minutes of the game and get a great kick from our kicker and great snap from our snapper. JMB will get a big test this week…Next Game: Friday at North Caroline-6pm
9. Parkside (1-4)-The Rams fell in an exciting game to James M. Bennett 22-21 last Friday night at County Stadium on a last second FG. RB Kerontez Bratten had two TDs in the loss. Parkside’s schedule has been a tough one this season and they have lost a few close ones and show flashes in others. This week could be a get right game for them...Next Game: Friday vs. Easton-6pm
10. Easton (1-4)-The Warriors fell at home last Thursday night to Stephen Decatur 42-0. The Warriors went three and out on all five drives in the first half as they were unable to get a 1st Down. Easton has abandoned the spread is looking at other ways to run their offense which is without a true QB and continues to try and find answers on their offensive line. Next Game: Friday at Parkside-6pm
11. Snow Hill (4-1)-The Eagles defeated Washington at home 41-0 and HC Raheem Hammond felt like they left three more scores on the field. Snow Hill is off to their best start since 2007. This week is a big game against the 2-time defending 1A Bayside Champs, and a win would go even further in starting to re-establish themselves as a presence and bring even more attention to themselves in the 1A again...Next Game: Friday at Colonel Richardson-6pm
12. Kent County (0-5)-The Trojans lost on the road in a 1A battle to Cambridge-SD 52-0. It’s been a tough season in Worton. The schedule does not get any easier this week…Next Game: Friday vs. Queen Anne’s-6:30pm
13. Washington (0-4)-The Jags fell on the road at Snow Hill 41-0 although HC Alex Meintzer says he was proud of the way his team played hard. He said they played with “class, character and effort” and his boys “had nothing to be ashamed of.” The team has shown incremental signs of progress that are not necessarily going to show up on the scoreboard or win-loss column right now. The game was just 14-0 at the half…Next Game: Friday vs. Arcadia (VA)-6pm
