Friendly, Forestville host games

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006

by Ted Black and Terron Hampton

Staff Writers

In many respects it will be dejá vu all over again for the Friendly and Lackey high school football teams when they meet in the playoffs Friday night.

One year ago, Friendly played host to Lackey in the 3A South Region playoffs in a close contest in which the Patriots’ late rally was halted by a goal line stand on the last play of the game.

This season, the Patriots arrive as the top team in the 3A South and are one of the favorites to capture the state title. Friendly (10-0) has won its games by an average of 37 points, and the Patriots own a 22-0 regular season victory against defending 3A state champion Gwynn Park.

Friendly has amassed 431 points courtesy of an offense that features University of Florida-bound quarterback Joe Haden, receiver Vincent Hill (Akron) and Haden’s younger brother, Josh Haden. The Patriots have scored at least 50 points on three occasions, eclipsed the 40-point barrier seven times and scored five touchdowns in all but one game. Friendly’s defense has done its part also, engineering four shutouts and allowing an average of seven points per game.

‘‘The kids are sky high and they’re ready to go,” said Friendly assistant coach Marcus Berry. ‘‘We have a few guys nursing some nicks and pains, but everything else is great. We don’t have to say much for them to get motivated. Defensively, we gave up less than seven points a game. That is phenomenal. We’ve got some big hitters. We’ve been just as dominant on defense as we have been on offense.”

Through 10 games this season, Joe Haden has completed 106 of 159 passes for 1,916 yards and 28 touchdowns with only five interceptions. Hill has caught 53 passes for 1,028 yards and 18 touchdowns, while Lamaar Thomas, Markus Brown and Carlos Davis each have at least 10 receptions. Thomas and Haden both have rushed for more than 500 yards this season.

Lackey has been among the perennial powers in the SMAC this decade.

Knights face Forest Park in 1A South

The Forestville High School football team its making its first state playoff appearance since 2003 on Saturday when it faces Forest Park in a 1A South Region semifinal.

Three years ago, the Knights lost to a loaded Potomac squad in the first round of the 2A South Region bracket. The Wolverines made the first of three straight state title game appearances that season.

But the Knights hope that this season will be a repeat of 2000, when they also faced Forest Park in the first round. Forestville advanced to the 1A state championship game that year.

The Knights (7-3) will play host to Forest Park (7-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Knights earned the second seed in the 1A South Region playoffs by winning a tiebreaker over Forest Park and No. 4 seed Southside (7-3).

Both teams enter the game with momentum. Forestville has four straight wins, including a 35-14 romp over Largo in last weekend’s regular season finale.

Forest Park may be able to match the Knights’ momentum as it has won seven straight contests after starting 0-3. Two weeks ago, Forest Park trailed Southside Academy, 12-0, at halftime before storming back for a 22-18 victory.

The Foresters won the Baltimore City Division II League by way of a tiebreaker over Southside Academy. Ironically, Forest Park has scored fewer points (168) and has given up more points (95) than Southside Academy. Meanwhile, Forestville has scored 252 points this season and has yielded 190.

E-mail Ted Black at tblack@gazette.net and Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.