Football state quarterfinals

Football state quarterfinals

Today

Class 4A No. 8 Broadneck (9-1) at No. 10 Old Mill (9-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: This is the first 4A playoff game for Broadneck, but the Bruins' third appearance in the postseason in four years after qualifying in 3A in 1997 and 1998. Old Mill is making its second straight playoff appearance and is looking to avenge a 16-3 loss at Broadneck in Game 6 this fall. "I think it is a question of who has improved since that game," said Bruins coach Jeff Herrick, whose team was 9-0 until last week's 26-19 loss at Annapolis. Herrick is counting on his defense led by LBs Brysean Williams and Matt Lewis, and DE Preston Pehrson, to shut down the county's second-leading rusher and scorer, RB Kelvin Collins (1,644 yards, 24 TDs), a second time. At the same time, Pats coach Mike Marcus is hoping his defense, anchored by DL Kerry Blake, DE Brandon Jefferson and LB Adam Dayton, can play as well as it did in the loss, while his offense, guided by QB Steve Johnson (876 yards, 11 TDs), comes to play.

No. 12 Mervo (8-2) at Gaithersburg (10-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: The city East Division co-champion Mustangs, with coach John Blake, visit the Trojans, winners of two state titles and last year's state runner-up. Mervo is in its first playoffs since city schools joined the state association in 1993. RB Marc Mason (1,399 rushing yards, 16 TDs), QB Kevin Young (1,113 passing, 11 TDs) and WR Anthony Johnson (29 receptions, 421 yards, five TDs) lead Mervo's offense. The defense is led by DE Andre Watson and LB Chris Kane. Gaithersburg RB Semaj Richardson (1,258, 15 TDs) and QB Robbie Graham operate out of an option that has out-gained the opposition 2,888-645 behind L Tim O'Brien (6-1, 280). DL A. J. Lillie (19 sacks) anchors a defense that has a school-record 36 sacks. Gaithersburg is ranked No. 9 in the Washington area.

Class 3A Chopticon (8-2) vs. No. 1 Randallstown (10-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Site: CCBC-Catonsville

Outlook: Randallstown, winner of two of Baltimore County's four state titles, makes its county-leading 14th state playoff appearance. The Rams have outscored their foes 361-39, with six shutouts. They are led defensively by LBs Mykle Bouie and Kermie Alexander, DLs Will Epps and Randy Vince, and offensively by RBs Robert Taylor (12 TDs), Davon Johnson (nine) and Tyese Ademluyi (seven). WR Gary Bates has four TD receptions. Chopticon likes to spread the offense, often out of the shotgun. QB Jamar Mason was 15-for-27 for 245 yards passing with touchdowns to three different receivers in last week's 40-0 rout of Northern. The effort clinched a share of the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference title.

Paint Branch (9-1) at No. 6 Annapolis (9-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: This is Annapolis' county-record 12th playoff berth, fourth in a row, but it has lost in the first round the past three years. Junior RB Eric Venerable, the metro area's leading rusher (1,881 yards) and scorer (28 TDs, 172 points), is in a position to break the county record for rushing TDs in a season (27) and total TDs (29), both set last year by Annapolis' Rayvon Johnson. Venerable has 26 rushing scores. Paint Branch's main threats are the offensively multi-talented Michael Evans, who has committed to Maryland, and RB Mohammed Bah, who ran for 1,109 yards and 10 TDs in seven games, including 219 yards and three TDs in a 34-12 rout of Seneca Valley last week. Annapolis needs a big game on defense senior LBs Brandon Gulley and Andre Toney and DL Kevin Jones.

No. 11 Eastern Tech (9-1) at Calvert (9-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Outlook: The Mavericks are in their third state playoff berth in school history, their first under coach Bruce Strunk. Eastern Tech reached the quarterfinals in 1997, and the state finals in '98. RBs Broderick Maybank, Wayne Douglass and Bereket Godsey lead Eastern Tech, which has outscored opponents 385-91, with two shutouts. But the Cavaliers, winners of their first SMAC co-championship, are equally potent, having a 371-99 scoring advantage, with two shutouts. In last weekend's 49-0 rout of Leonardtown, Calvert had more than 400 rushing yards. RB Sean Mizzer had 135 yards and three scores on seven carries. Eastern was 5-0 before a 29-0 loss to Randallstown, and Calvert was 7-0 before losing to Patuxent, 23-14. Calvert has dedicated its season to coach Jerry Franks, out recovering from heart bypass surgery on Nov. 2.

Class 2A No. 7 Hereford (9-0) at Stephen Decatur (8-2)

Time: 7 p.m.