Kyle McFadden (@k_fadd) | Twitter
The latest Tweets from Kyle McFadden (@k_fadd). Freelancer covering college sports, preps & #nascar. ?: @WashPostHS @BaltSunSports @frednewspost. @FrederickCC student. 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Views=mine. New Market, MD
WHAT: Damascus (11-0) vs. Walkersville (11-0) for the MPSSAA Class 2A West region championship
WHERE: Damascus High School
WHEN: 7 p.m. kickoff; gates open at 5 p.m.
RADIO: 1450AM The Source
STATE POLL: No. 3 Damascus, No. 4 Walkersville
USA TODAY RANKINGS: No. 4 Walkersville, No. 10 Damascus
CAPSULE: Damascus, which last lost in the 2014 3A state final game against Franklin, enters Friday night’s tilt riding a 39-game winning streak and haven’t lost at home since 2013. Walkersville, meanwhile, carries a 25-game winning streak and like Damascus, hasn’t lost since a state title game (2015 2A state final versus Patuxent). Both teams run the ball 90 percent of the time with a heavy dosage of Power I and Jet sets. The last time the two played was in the 1992 state title game. Damascus won, 12-7, but Walkersville won the first meeting, 30-16, in 1987. They, too, won the championship that year.
DAMASCUS IMPACT PLAYERS: DE Bryan Bresee (5-star recruit and No. 1 player nationally in the Class of 2020; holds offers from Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Penn State, among others), RB Gage Dickens (517 yards and 11 touchdowns in 49 carries), RB/LB Ben Lokos (250 yards and four touchdowns in 13 carries), RB/LB T.D. Ayo-Durojaiye (670 yards and 13 touchdowns in 60 carries) OT/DE Jordan Funk (Army West Point commit), C Max Hoffman, OG Sean Rodgers (three-year varsity player), OG/DT J.C. Philbin (three-year varsity player), OT/DT Michael Jurgens (Wake Forest commit), WR/DB Javier Smith (three-year varsity player), TE/LB Matt Betterelli (three-year varsity player; team-leaded five receptions, 69 yards and a touchdown), WR/DB/KR Dustin Kitzmiller (team-leader in receptions, 5, and receiving yards, 105)
WALKERSVILLE IMPACT PLAYERS: RB/SS/KR Jacob Wetzel (1,055 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on 94 carries; three interceptions and a touchdown, plus a kick return for a score), OL/DT Ethan Parrish (three-year varsity starter; college prospect); FB/MLB Christian Policelli (team-high 81 tackles, nine tackles for loss; 613 yards and nine touchdowns on 61 carries; 43.3 yards per punt), RB/DB Ty Littleton (615 yards and 13 touchdowns on 109 carries; nine tackles for loss), FB/MLB Tyler Gleason (56 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, two sacks; 313 yards and seven touchdowns on 13 carries, team-high 14.2 yards per rush), WR/FS Josh Polce (496 yards and seven touchdowns on 35 receptions; two interceptions), WR/DB Hunter Cleaver (182 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions; two interceptions and one touchdown), DL Alonso Hoes (43 tackles), WR/DB Aaron Jahnke (37 tackles, two interceptions, one touchdown), TE/DE Jerimiah Sweet (33 tackles, team-high 4.5 sacks)
USA TODAY SCORE PREDICTOR: Walkersville 28, Damascus 21
PREGAME READING:
Q&A: Previewing Damascus-Walkersville with Wootton offensive coordinator Chris Papadopoulos
Damascus faces legacy-cementing, heavyweight bout with Walkersville
Don’t underestimate ‘Zeus’: Jacob Wetzel leads Walkersville into hyped bout against Damascus
