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The 2009 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference football playoffs begin Friday, and the usual suspects are contending for spots in the championship game, scheduled for Nov. 21 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis.
DeMatha captured the top seed in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 10-0 record. Good Counsel will be the No. 2 seed, finishing the season at 9-1, with the team's lone loss coming against DeMatha.
Bishop McNamara drew the third seed with an impressive 8-2 record during the regular season, while Gonzaga (D.C.) earned the conference's final playoff spot, with a 6-4 record.
DeMatha will face Gonzaga at 7 p.m. Friday at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in Landover. Meanwhile, McNamara will travel to Olney to take on the Eagles at 7 p.m. Friday.
The Stags seek their seventh-consecutive WCAC championship and appear once again to be the class of the conference.
"I thought the regular season went great," said DeMatha coach Bill McGregor. "To go undefeated against the competition we play is outstanding. I'm really happy with their attitude."
The Stags' offense is led by senior tailback Marcus Coker, who finished the regular season as the county's leading rusher with 1,369 yards and 18 touchdowns. DeMatha finished with a WCAC-leading 380 points this season.
But the Stags' defense has been just as potent, shutting out three opponents and yielding an average of 11.3 points per game. Much of DeMatha's success on defense has come courtesy of a fierce front seven, which includes defensive tackle Darian Cooper, defensive end Quintin Deadrick and linebackers Austin Phillips and Elbie Williams III.
"I think we're playing really well and working together as a team, and that's really important," Cooper said. "We have a real strong linebacker corps and defensive backfield because they play really aggressive and play great in coverage and make reads. We're going to go out and work our hardest and strive for perfection and keep the dynasty going."
The Stags will face a Gonzaga team that it beat handily, 48-24, on Oct. 2 behind three rushing scores from Coker. But the Eagles had an answer in the form of junior quarterback Kevin Hogan, who tossed three touchdowns in the loss. The Stags understand that they will have to keep Hogan contained to prevail.
"Their quarterback is a great, athletic quarterback and they have great players," said DeMatha quarterback Daniel Tapscott. "They are not a bad team and its going to be another tough game and we have to come out and give it our best shot."
McNamara enters the playoffs brimming with optimism about how the program is growing. The team's 8-2 record is the best of coach Bryce Bevill's six-year tenure.
"I think just having a great group of senior leaders, it trickles down through the team," Bevill said. "The hard work in the offseason they did put them in this position. Playing tough teams that are No. 1 in the state [DeMatha] and Good Counsel tough, you can tell that our program has really turned the corner."
Mustangs' quarterback James Joseph finished the season as the county's top passer with 1,893 yards and 17 touchdowns. Joseph's primary targets are senior wide receivers Brandon Coleman and Matthew Goldsmith, who lead the county with nine and five touchdown receptions, respectively.
But a big question for the Mustangs will be the health of senior tailback Hannibal Robinson. Among the county's top-five rushers during the regular season with 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns, Robinson has missed the last two games with a quadriceps injury. Bevill said Robinson was questionable for Friday night.
"It all started last year with this group of seniors," Goldsmith said. "We were getting a lot of time in working out to make sure that we could have a good senior year. That relationship with me and Brandon and James grew to where it is now. We're always on the same page. We knew that nobody could check us in our passing game whenever we're on point."
The task is daunting for the Mustangs at Good Counsel. Playing the Eagles on the road has been a nightmare for the Mustangs in recent years. They have been outscored 160-28 in their last four games at Good Counsel. The Falcons crushed the Mustangs, 45-6, in last season's WCAC semifinals.
But McNamara did hang tough against Good Counsel in a 21-7 loss on Oct. 3. Joseph, who tossed three interceptions in the loss to Good Counsel last month, said he finds comfort in traveling this week.
"I think away games are better. When you're on the bus, you can focus on what you have to do throughout the game. There are no distractions," Joseph said.
E-mail Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.
