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Friday's games
Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference title game
Class 3A East
Atholton (7-3) at North Harford (9-1)
Time: 7 p.m.
Outlook: The visiting Raiders return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005, when they were Class 2 South Region runners-up
to eventual state champ Potomac of Prince George's County.
Leading the Raiders of Howard County is RB Kelechi Odocha, who may be the state's top rusher with 1,929 yards and 19 TDs.
QB Doug Carpenter has 243 passing yards for four TDs for the Raiders, winners of three straight games.
The homestanding Hawks of Harford County, meanwhile, have won six straight games, averaging 31.5 points in the process.
The Hawks' leader is QB Dan Griffin, a threat to run or to pass.
Class 2A South
McDonough (8-2) at No. 4 River Hill (10-0)
Time: 7 p.m.
Outlook: This visiting Rams of Charles County were state runners-up in Class 2A last year to Edmondson of Baltimore City.
The home-standing Hawks of Howard County were Class 3A state runners-up last year to Friendly of Prince George's County, but
have been reclassified into the 2A based on enrollment.
The Rams, state champs in 1983, '85 and '90, have won five straight games, averaging 36.6 points during that time.
The Rams are in their fourth straight playoff appearance.
The Hawks, 13-1 last season, are after their 20th straight victory at home, having won their fifth straight county title and they're
attempting to win their third straight regional crown.
The Hawks have out-scored their opposition by a combined, 440-14, with eight shutouts, anchored by LB Zach Martin, who also has scored 15 TDs, trailing teammates Malek Redd (17 TDs) and Michael Campanaro (27 TDs this year, 47 for his career).
Hawks' junior QB Luke Hostetler is unbeaten in high school at 30-0, counting a 20-0 mark on JV, and has thrown 11 TD passes on
365 yards.
Campanaro has rushed for 1,393 yards, followed by Redd with 997, and Martin with 917. Hawks' PK Carlos Griffin-Benitez is 49-of-52
on extra points.
LB-WR Leron Eaddy, part of a defense that has allowed only one TD, has three scoring receptions, followed by Campanaro with five, and Martin, four.
The Hawks are after their 26th win in their past 27 games, and their 42nd win in their past 43 outtings.
Saturday's games
Class 3A East
Howard (7-3) at Wilde Lake (8-2)
Tiime: 1 p.m.
Outlook: In their regular-season, Howard County League meeting, the Lions won, 21-14, at home, overcoming a 14-0 halftime deficit to do so against a Wildecats' squad whose coach, Doug DuVall, is a Howard High alumnus.
But the Lions were upset, 20-13, a week later by Long Reach, a loss that cost their program a shot at the home field advantage for their first playoff game since 1999.
DuVall has a career record of 290-69, and his Wildecats have a chance to win a sixth state title after having missed last year's playoffs with an identical 8-2 record.
The Wildecats, as usual, will rely on their balance attack of RBs Jarrell Epps (996, 10 TDs), Ashton Hayes (919, 15 TDs), Vaughn Stamper (676, five TDs) and QB Danny March (358, four).
March also has thrown for 493 yards and six TDs, mostly to Chaz Lee (eight receptions, 174 yards, three TDs) and Epps (nine, 164, two TDs).
Defensively, Wildecats' DE Mark Arsenault has six sacks, Lee has three sacks, Epps, three INTs, and March and Juma Richards, two INTs each.
Maryland-bound 6-6, 275-pound two-way lineman Cody Blue also is a critical piece for the Wildecats.
The Lions, who were 2-8 last year, have experienced their turnaround under second-year coach Al Feldblum.
QB Jeff Kalski has rushed for three TDs and thrown for 939 yards and 14 other scores, mostly to Jeff Javier (25, 435, six TDs),
and Taylor Landrum (11, 241, six TDs).
Landrum also leads the Lions with five INTs, followed by Kevin Ford with four, and Javier, with three.
Lions' RBs Dionte Jones (709 rushing yards) and AJ Bonavitacola (731 yards) have run for six and nine TDs, respectively.
Matt Randolph is the Lions' sacks leader with 5.5, followed by Kevin Ford with three.
