Inside Maryland High School Football: DeMatha Makes a Statement, Riverdale Baptist Emerges

In the Maryland high school football preseason, Dameon Powell made one prediction about Riverdale Baptist’s opener against McDonogh.

The first-year Riverdale Baptist coach did not predict a win for the Crusaders, but guaranteed the game would be much closer than last year’s 48-6 beatdown in Baltimore.

He was right.

McDonogh, ranked No. 5 in the High School On SI Maryland Preseason Football State Rankings, hung on for a 22-14 win over unranked Riverdale Baptist. McDonogh never trailed in the game but needed a Riverdale Baptist fourth-quarter miscue to break a 14-14 tie.

On a Riverdale Baptist punt attempt, the snap sailed through the end zone for a safety, giving McDonogh a 16-14 lead. Matthew Tees then sealed the outcome with a 1-yard touchdown run, putting the final margin at 22-14.

It was a game of missed opportunities for McDonogh, which failed to convert a fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line and later threw an interception with the ball at the Riverdale Baptist 2.

For Riverdale Baptist, the narrow loss offered an early glimpse of a new-look program. Barrington Brady, a transfer from St. Vincent Pallotti, connected with Cameron Jefferson for two touchdown passes, a transfer from Central. Jefferson was the Prince George’s County 2A/1A Offensive Player of the Year last year before joining Riverdale Baptist.

Powell is no stranger to building a program. He previously guided Flowers into Class 4A prominence. His tenure ended last year during a season in which the program forfeited several games. Now at Riverdale Baptist, he has inherited a program that has experienced significant highs and lows in recent years.

Under former Riverdale Baptist standout and NFL player Olandis Gary, the Crusaders reached a new level in 2024, finishing undefeated with defining victories over Good Counsel and Cincinnati Elder (Ohio). The school built its 2025 schedule to reflect that elevated status. But Gary's departure, along with all of the team’s key players, dramatically changed the outlook. Bruce Hooker took over in 2025 with little opportunity to escape the demanding schedule already in place. Riverdale Baptist allowed at least 42 points in four of its first five games and forfeited another contest.

The Crusaders scaled back the schedule for 2026, but if Saturday’s performance is any indication, Powell may already have Riverdale Baptist headed back in the right direction.

DeMatha Extends Its Winning Streak to 22

In the featured match of the week, No. 2 DeMatha rolled to a 35-14 victory over No. 3 Archbishop Spalding.

AJ Grant, a Bishop Gorman transfer committed to Maryland, rushed for three touchdowns for DeMatha.

In the postgame huddle, DeMatha director of football operations Bill McGregor presented the game ball to head coach Bryce Bevill. McGregor said it is a DeMatha tradition to present a game ball to a head coach after his first victory. It's a tradition DeMatha hasn't needed often. The Stags have had just three head coaches since 1982.

Friday night’s victory marked the 22nd in a row for DeMatha, matching its school record for consecutive wins. Since 1984, DeMatha has put together winning streaks of 16 or more on seven occasions. The current streak matches the 22-game runs that ended in 2001 and 2006.

Here’s a quick look at DeMatha’s longest win/undefeated streaks …

Undefeated Streak

23, 1998-99 – DeMatha went 12-0 in 1998, capped with a WCAC final title win over Gonzaga. The Stags and Dunbar (D.C.) played to a 14-14 tie to start the 1999 season. DeMatha then won its next 10 games before getting upset by Paul VI (Va.) in the WCAC final, ending a 23-game undefeated run.

Win Streaks

22, 2000-01 – After losing its 2000 opener to Gilman, DeMatha rolled off 11 straight wins to claim another WCAC title. DeMatha then went 11-0 in 2001, extending the run to 22 games. The team’s scheduled game for Sept. 15 that season at Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.) was canceled due to the 9/11 attacks. DeMatha opened the 2002 season with a loss to Gilman, ending the run at 22.

22, 2005-06 – DeMatha started another lengthy win streak by beating Coolidge (D.C.) on Sept. 17, 2005. The Stags closed out the 2005 campaign with a 10-game win streak and a WCAC title. DeMatha then went 12-0 in 2006, capped by a WCAC title win over Good Counsel. DeMatha then opened the 2007 season with a loss to St. Xavier (Ohio), ending a bid for 23 straight wins.

22, 2024-current – DeMatha started the 2024 season with a loss to Archbishop Spalding, then rolled off 10 straight victories to close the year as the WCAC champion. DeMatha went 11-0 last season, extending the run to 21 games. The 2026 season-opening win over Spalding extended the run to 22 games, with a chance at No. 23 on Friday at Imhotep Charter (Pa.).

Heartbreak for Calvert Hall

Just when Calvert Hall appeared headed for a marquee season-opening victory, Gonzaga (D.C.) erased a 21-6 halftime deficit. The Eagles rallied from a 21-6 halftime deficit, capped by junior Quinn Maguire’s game-winning 39-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining, to stun the Cardinals, 22-21. Calvert Hall had one final chance, but Gonzaga’s Luke Hodgkinson intercepted a pass to seal the comeback victory.

Calvert Hall was coming off a 6-4 season, and Gonzaga was 7-5 and was runner-up to DeMatha in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

Despite the loss, Calvert Hall took a strong Gonzaga team to the final minute. Still, a victory would have given the Cardinals their most significant non-league win since a 19-14 victory over Wise in 2018. Wise went on to reach the 4A state semifinals that season before falling to Quince Orchard.

Interestingly, this was only the fourth meeting between Calvert Hall and Gonzaga in more than 65 years. Over the decades, Calvert Hall regularly faced Gonzaga’s fellow WCAC members St. John’s (D.C.) and Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), but Gonzaga rarely appeared on the Cardinals’ schedule.

Gonzaga won the previous three meetings – in 2023, 2015, and 1958. Calvert Hall’s most recent win came in an 18-12 decision to open the 1952 season. Bob Nowaskey, a former Baltimore Colts standout who had recently retired from the NFL, was Calvert Hall’s head coach that season.

The series dates to the early days of high school football in the Baltimore-Washington region. Calvert Hall and Gonzaga first met on Nov. 24, 1923, at Walbrook Oval, playing to a scoreless tie.

As for the current season, Calvert Hall has a week off before traveling to Hill School (Pa.). Gonzaga stays in the D.C. area with a home game against Coolidge (D.C.) next week.

Around the State

Top-ranked St. Frances Academy needed a pair of late touchdowns to pull away from DeLand (Fla.) on Friday. The game was tied 35-35 with 10:53 remaining before the Panthers scored the final two touchdowns.

Loyola Blakefield defeated Scranton Prep (Pa.) 41-34 as Carlos Spencer completed 14 of 27 passes for 319 yards and five touchdowns.

Good Counsel lost its season opener to Pennsylvania power Bishop McDevitt, 35-21, in coach Sal Gorgone's debut. Good Counsel faces Bergen Catholic (N.J.) on Friday before clashing with Archbishop Spalding on Sept. 11.

Maryland School for the Deaf and Concordia Prep picked up forfeit victories over the weekend. MSD's opponent folded midweek after losing its opener 62-0. Annapolis Area Christian canceled its scheduled game against Concordia Prep, but will be fielding a team this year. Concordia Prep scrimmaged Archbishop Carroll on Saturday as Carroll's season-opening opponent forfeited its contest.

It was no mistake if you got a case of double vision regarding St. John's (D.C.) and Mount Zion Prep. The schools are both fielding two varsity teams this year, and they played each other on Saturday. St. John's is going with a Scarlet and Grey designation, with the Scarlet as the top team. Mount Zion labels the top team as Prep and the second team as Regional. St. John's swept the contests, with the top team winning 45-8 over Mount Zion Prep and the Grey defeating Mount Zion Regional 39-6.

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