The 2023 Regular Season wrapped up with little surprises overall on Rivalry Week in terms of wins and losses. The margin of win for Kent Island over Queen Anne’s was unexpected though, most including myself thought it would be more competitive.
Week 9 Capsule: The 2023 Regular Season wrapped up with little surprises overall on Rivalry Week in terms of wins and losses. The margin of win for Kent Island over Queen Anne’s was unexpected though, most including myself thought it would be more competitive. While the score was 14-0 at the half, it ended 30-0. It was the most lopsided win in the ‘War on the Shore’ since a 48-0 win for the Bucs over the Lions back in 2017. The one slight surprise was Wicomico defeating James M. Bennett, but I had that game as a toss-up. The Easton-Cambridge-SD game was ruled a no-contest due to a fan altercation in the stands (although we are told there were many of them) that stopped the game with 6:55 left in the 3rd Quarter with the Vikings leading the Warriors 13-0.
The three Salisbury teams are very tough to rank. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, no one stands out. Bennett beat Parkside, Parkside beat Wicomico and Wicomico beat Bennett. All three defeated Easton, WiHi and Parkside plus each lost to Cambridge. One of Bennett’s wins is against winless Washington, one of Parkside’s is against a one-win Kent County team. One of Bennett’s losses was 58-42 to a 7-1 Polytech (DE) team. One of Wicomico’s losses was to a Top 25 team in the state in 8-1 Linganore. Bennett played Queen Anne’s tough (10-0 until late) and only trailed Decatur on the road 14-0 at the half. Bennett beat Parkside and while Bennett lost to Wicomico it was 21-7 without their starting QB and they had two chances in the red zone that they did not convert, one at 4yd line and the other the 9. With all that I am giving the edge to Bennett.
Your thoughts are welcome at mike@shoresportsmd.com
*Some stats courtesy of Bill Haufe and The Star Democrat
Bayside Conference Football Week #9
Power Poll/Game/Team Notes
1. Stephen Decatur (9-0)-The Seahawks took down Parkside at home on Senior night 50-14 giving them the first undefeated team in the history of the program. Since the first game was a win by forfeit, the eight wins on the field would also be a school record for the first time the program accomplished that feat (8-0). The game was 22-14 in the first half before Decatur pulled away. Senior QB Brycen Coleman accounted for six TDs, four in the air to four different receivers (Solito, Baker, Bradshaw, Wise) and two on the ground. Jamien Purnell also had a rushing TD…Decatur, the #1 seed in the 2A East also has the second most points in the 2A giving them a good shot to host all their playoff games if they should get back to the State Semi-Final again…Next Game: Playoffs-Friday vs. Easton-6pm
2. North Caroline (8-1)-The Bulldogs took down Caroline County rival 1A Colonel Richardson on the road 35-0 winning the ‘Superintendent’s Cup’ for an 18th consecutive time. The eight wins under new Head Coach Nic McMorris are the most since the 2019 season when that team finished the regular season 10-0. RB Zymear Smith had four carries for 23 yards and a TD, he also caught two passes for 123 yards and a TD. QB Nasai Bell went 5-5 for 171 yards, including the score to Smith. RB Justice Hall added 57 yards rushing on seven carries, which included a touchdown. Place-kicker Austin Lynn was 5 for 5 on point-after kicks. Corey Bunce and David Saathoff each returned fumbles for TDs…Next Game: Playoffs-Friday vs. Wicomico-6pm
3. Kent Island (7-2)-The Bucs defeated rival Queen Anne’s on the road 30-0 to win the ‘War on the Shore’ for the 6th straight time. It was the largest margin of win since 2017 when the streak started. The game was 14-0 at the half. The Bucs started the scoring on the very first play of the game with a 90-yard KO return by Tucker Claxton. On their first offensive series they would cap off a long drive mostly of RB Shane Bogardus runs with a Bogardus 8 yd TD. RB Nate Green would score on a 9yd run in the second half. The Bucs also scored a safety in the second half with the final score coming from RB Jaxson Hess with a rushing TD…Next Game: Playoffs-Friday vs. Parkside-6pm
4. Queen Anne’s (5-4)-The Lions lost to their rivals Kent Island for the sixth straight game, this time a 30-0 defeat at home in the ‘War on the Shore’. TE/RB Jai Roy fumbled twice including at the KI 1yd line. Rodney Smith also fumbled when the Lions were in Buccaneers territory as the Lions had some success moving the ball. RB John Conley ran well for the Lions…Next Game: Thursday vs. James M. Bennett-6pm
5. Cambridge-SD (6-2)-The Vikings game against rival Easton was ruled a no-contest after the game was suspended with 6:55 in the 3rd Quarter due to at least one fan altercation in the stands although we were told there were numerous fan skirmishes. At that point, the Vikings led 13-0 but Easton was driving and on the Cambridge 30-yard line…Easton took the game’s opening drive and moved from its 30-yard line to the Vikings’ 25, where Warrior QB Dustin Blue fumbled. Cambridge recovered on its 45, and on its first play, QB Blake LaBelle swept left, then cut back across the field for a 55-yard touchdown run and a 6-0 lead with 6:17 left in the first quarter. They missed the extra point. The Warriors pieced together yet another sustained drive on their second possession, marching from their 19 to the Cambridge-SD 26. But on a 3rd & 15 Viking DB William Jackson made a leaping interception, returning the ball to Cambridge-SD on its 20. LaBelle (8-15-104 yards) completed five passes as he guided the Vikings to the Easton 5, where on 1st & G, Kayion Marine carried the final 5 yards for a touchdown and a 12-0 Cambridge-SD lead with just under 6 minutes left in the half. The extra point made it 13-0. The remainder of the first half was scoreless. Cambridge-SD took the opening kickoff of the second half and moved from its 35 to the Easton 33. But the drive ended there, as the Warriors’ Colin Mooney stripped the ball from Marine. Mixing run and short passes, Easton went from its 19 to the Viking 38, when the game was halted…Next Game: Playoffs-Thursday vs. Washington-6pm
6. Colonel Richardson (4-5)-The Colonels fell to their cross Caroline County rival, 2A North Caroline 35-0 at home in the ‘Superintendent’s Cup’ game. Two of the Colonels fumbles were returned for TDs by the Bulldogs which did not help matters. While Colonel has played well over the last several years against 1A competition they have struggled a lot against 2A or equivalent competition. Believe it or not it’s the Colonels first losing regular season since they went 4-5 in 2016…Next Game: Playoffs-Thursday at Bo Manor-6pm
7. James M. Bennett (3-6)-The Clippers fell to Wicomico last Thursday night 21-7 to Salisbury City rival Wicomico in one of the Salisbury City Championship games. Despite the loss the Clippers finished with the most wins since the 2019 team that went 3-7. Even though they were without QB/WR/Wing Zakai Smullen, HC Greg Lasinski said they got beat up upfront by the Wicomico front seven on defense. He said he didn’t think the loss of Smullen was the reason they lost. The Clippers did have a few chances deep in WiHi territory to score but was kept out of the end zone when they had a 1st and G at the 4. They were also intercepted on a 3rd and G from the 9-yard line on another occasion…Next Game: Playoffs-Thursday at Queen Anne’s-6pm
8. Wicomico (2-7)-The Indians defeated Salisbury rival James M. Bennett 21-7 to end a six-game losing streak. They also scored the most points in a game all season, besting the 19 in an OT loss to Queen Anne’s in Week #3. Jordyn Hayman scored all three times for the Indians...Next Game: Playoffs-Friday at North Caroline-6pm
9. Parkside (3-6)-The Rams fell on the road to Stephen Decatur 50-14. The Rams hung with Decatur early on running the football well on a couple of long drives with QB Canaan Mapp scoring both times to cap the drives. The defense though had issues getting stops against Decatur’s high-powered offense and the game got away from the Rams in the second half…Next Game: Playoffs-Friday at Kent Island-6pm
10. Easton (1-7)-The Warriors game against Cambridge-SD was ruled a no contest after the game was suspended with the Warriors trailing 13-0 with 6:55 left in the 3rd Quarter. (See Cambridge profile for more info) …Next Game: Playoffs-Friday at Stephen Decatur-6pm
11. Snow Hill (5-4)-The Eagles defeated Kent County on the road 47-6. The Eagles five wins matched the most since 2012 when they went 6-5. Zyheem Collick had 4 INTs in the game which may be a state record. Justin Shipley filling in at QB had 5 TD passes. They are hosting their first playoff game since 2009 on Thursday night...Next Game: Playoffs-Thursday vs. Kent County
12. Kent County (1-8)-The Trojans fell at home to Snow Hill 47-6…Next Game: Playoffs-Thursday at Snow Hill-6pm
13. Washington (0-8)-The Jags fell at home to Nandua, VA 33-0…Next Game: Playoffs-Thursday at Cambridge-SD-6pm
