McDonough edges Aberdeen State 3A football

ST. CHARLES ' — ST. CHARLES -- Sherron Gudger scored two touchdowns to lead top-seeded McDonough of Charles County past Aberdeen, 26-12, in a Class 3A state quarterfinal game last night.

The victory extended the Rams' unbeaten string to 18 games and placed them a step closer to their second straight state championship. Gudger rushed for 140 yards on 20 carries, but the 5-foot-9, 175-pound breakaway artist found the going tough against the Aberdeen line. His two longest runs of the game were 20 and 28 yards.

Aberdeen's own backfield combination of Demont Blackmon and Demetrious Harris put on the more dazzling display of broken-field running.

Harris scored both Aberdeen touchdowns, one on a 25-yard run on a fourth-and-six play in the second quarter, and the other on a remarkable 48-yard run on a broken play with 6 minuts, 32 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

A 50-yard run by Harris was nullified by a clipping penalty near the end of the first half. On it, he reversed his field twice, then raced down the right sideline to the Rams' 19. The penalty moved the ball back to the Eagles' 15.

Penalties were costly for Aberdeen in the first half. A pass-interference call on fourth down from the 27 allowed the Rams to sustain their opening drive that led to the first touchdown. The call came on a fourth-down play at the 27 and moved the ball to the 14. Gudger scored four plays later from the 1, his 23rd touchdown of the year, for a 7-0 lead.

Aberdeen was assessed 64 yards in penalties. The Rams were not exempt either, drawing 75 yards for miscues, 50 of them in the second half.