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Ayinde Eley’s final memory of last season still burns in the back of his mind nearly nine months later. A 31-point thumping from DeMatha in the WCAC championship, plagued by turnovers and defensive breakdowns, concluded a year that failed to meet expectations.
“None of us wanted to go out like that,” Eley said of the 48-17 loss to DeMatha in the WCAC championship. “That’s the last memory in our head, that last game.”
Though the Falcons ended 2015 as the No. 7 ranked team in the state media poll, dissatisfaction soured a season that concluded in a 7-5 record. For even more distaste, two of their five losses came to rival powerhouse DeMatha, both occurring in the final three games of the season.
DeMatha outlasted Good Counsel in a down-to-the-wire contest, 28-23, in the final week of the regular season.
“We take that as motivation,” Eley said on losing to DeMatha twice. “Every year that’s the big game on our schedule.”
Sure, Eley and the Falcons are eager for redemption, but if they want to survive the rugged WCAC they’ll need to pass stiff tests against Mount St. Joseph’s, Gilman, St. John’s (D.C.), Bishop McNamara and Gonzaga (D.C.). To top it off, their regular season schedule ranks as the 11th toughest in the nation (via MaxPreps).
Good Counsel hosts DeMatha on Friday, November 4. The rivalry bout will be nationally televised on ESPN.
Decorated head coach Bob Milloy is set to return for his 16th season at the helm and will deploy a supporting cast looking to claim its first WCAC championship since 2012.
Eley, the University of Maryland commit, leads a formidable defense at the outside linebacker position. Good Counsel also returns a slew of core defensive backs; Clifton Budd, Micah McNeil, Tremayn Stott, and Joshua Paschal.
Running back Muhamed Ibrahim, who holds offers from Iowa, Kentucky, Temple, and Towson, will head a dynamic offense and 6-foot-4 quarterback Travis Nannan is set to start under center.
“We have a lot of key people who are going to make an impact,” Eley said. “We’re looking to redeem ourselves and bring the (WCAC championship) back to Good Counsel.”
In April, Eley announced his commitment to Maryland over Twitter, adding to the Terrapins 2017 recruiting class that ranks No. 14 in the nation, via Yahoo Rivals.
Despite carrying offers from other top-tier programs like Michigan State and Ohio State, the versatile 3-star linebacker said it was a relatively easy decision to commit to Maryland. From the get-go, Eley formed a reputable bond with head coach D.J. Durkin and the defensive staff.
“We connected quick,” Eley said of his relationship with Durkin. “It’s just a family up there.”
Eley also said joining forces with other top recruits from around the area like St. John’s 4-star quarterback Kasim Hill, Oxon Hill (Md.) 4-star defensive back Deon Hall, St. John’s 3-star defensive lineman Cam Spence, and Quince Orchard’s (Md.) 3-star defensive back Fofie Bazzie had a major factor in his decision.
“Some people might doubt it, but we’re trying to do big things,” Eley said of Maryland’s 2017 recruiting class. “The 2017 class is looking really good right now. We wanna beat the big schools, we wanna compete for a National Championship. … We don’t want to win for anybody else’s state. We want to win for our state.”
Before Eley arrives in College Park, he awaits a highly regarded senior campaign and quest to rise atop the WCAC for the first time in four years.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Eley said regarding the Falcons focus level. “That’s what everybody is working for.”
Good Counsel travels to Mount St. Joseph’s on Saturday, September 3, to open up their regular season.
