Dunbar

The junior ran 18 times for 128 yards and scored the first two touchdowns to get the No. 6 Poets rolling toward a 39-0 victory over New Town for their third straight Class 1A state football championship. On the first possession of the game, the Poets went 58 yards in less than 3 minutes, with Blackston running for all but 1 yard, and scored on his 26-yard run. His 128 yards - all but one of which came in the first half - equalled New Town's total offense for the game. In the semifinal, the 5-foot-9, 192-pound running back gained 269 yards - 49 more than Brunswick's total offense - in the Poets' 40-8 win. For the season, he ran 206 times for 1,781 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Dunbar didn't take long to set the tone for Saturday's Class 1A football state championship. In the first 3 minutes, the No. 6 Poets ran the ball six times for 58 yards, culminating in Coleman Blackston's 26-yard touchdown run, and they were well on their way to a 39-0 victory over New Town for their third straight state title at M&T Bank Stadium. "It's amazing right now," Poets senior defensive end Marvin Gross said. "They were talking trash all week and in The Baltimore Sun and that just makes it that much better that we beat them.

For a couple of guys who are best friends, Dunbar defensive ends Marvin Gross and Malik Jones sure do argue a lot. When they both get a hand on the opposing quarterback, they're each lobbying the Poets coaches for the sack. "We're always going to argue that, 'I was there first,' every play," Gross said. "Last game, we both had 2 1/2 sacks and I think we argued to the point where the coaches just put the sack in both of our columns. " Both of their columns are filing up rapidly.

New Town senior Vincent Minor may be small for a lineman, but he's played a big role in the Titans' drive to their first state championship game. At 5 feet 9, 180 pounds, Minor doubles as a center and a defensive end for the Titans (11-2), who defeated previously unbeaten Perryville, 28-27, in the state semifinal, and will meet No. 6 Dunbar, the two-time defending champion, for the Class 1A title Saturday at noon at M&T Bank Stadium. Minor started playing football in sixth grade after he spotted the Randallstown Panthers rec team as he and his mother rode by the field.

No. 6 Dunbar (12-1) vs. New Town (11-2) When: Saturday, noon TV: Ch. 54 Internet radio: SFMSports.net Where: M&T Bank Stadium Coaches: Lawrence Smith, Dunbar; Joe Holland, New Town Last meeting: First meeting Outlook: In this David vs. Goliath matchup, first-time state finalist New Town takes on one of the state's most successful playoff programs. The Poets are two-time defending champions, have won six of the past eight Class 1A titles and have won more playoff games (43)

Everyone who thinks New Town will defeat two-time defending champion Dunbar in the Class 1A state football finals Saturday, raise your hands. Shawn Magginson can count the few believers. "Our parents, our coaches and our players say we can win," said Magginson, the Titans' quarterback. To others, the result seems a foregone conclusion. "We're gonna get smashed," running back Donte' Gross said. "At least, that's what I hear. " Who's to argue? It's the first trip to the finals - and cavernous M&T Bank Stadium - for New Town (11-2)

Dunbar's football team likes to celebrate its own special family tradition around this time every year and for the Poets, that means a trip to M&T Bank Stadium. The No. 6 Poets used a relentless running game and an intimidating defense to overpower Brunswick's record-setting aerial offense en route to a 40-8 state semifinal victory Saturday, earning the two-time defending Class 1A champions another berth in the state finals. "This was our goal - and that's everybody's goal going in - but we set up our offense and defense to get back to the championship, to keep going back," Poets All-Metro defensive end Marvin Gross said.

- Dunbar made its first ever trip to the state Class 1A volleyball tournament at Ritchie Coliseum last night. Unfortunately for the Poets, the trip was not a fruitful one. Dunbar gave Perryville (13-6) all it could handle in two of three games, but fell to the Panthers 25-21, 25-7, 25-22. Tara Holland led Dunbar with six digs and three kills. Perryville was led by Morgan Tennant with 22 assists. The Panthers will play Smithsburg, a 3-0 winner in the other semifinal, on Friday at 6 p.m. for the Class 1A state title.

Regional football finals schedule Class 4A North Sherwood (9-2) at Westminster (11-0), Friday, 7 Class 4A East Meade (9-2) at Old Mill (9-2), Friday, 7 Class 4A West Northwest (8-3) at Quince Orchard (10-1), Friday, 7 Class 4A South Suitland (10-1) at Wise (11-0), Saturday, 1 Class 3A North Milford Mill (10-1) at Franklin (10-1), Friday, 7 Class 3A East Atholton (10-1) at River Hill (11-1)