Fourth-year starting quarterback Ellis Foster leads a dynamic offense.
Junior wide receiver Adrian Coxson has a couple of ACC schools interested included Maryland.
Baltimore City College Knights City Athletics Page
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Baltimore City Football SportsCentralFacts: Class 2A North; Baltimore City
Last Year: 8-3 overall, 6-2 Division I
Last Playoff Appearance: 2007, Class 2A North region semifinalist
Highest State Poll Ranking: 1, Final Poll, 1992, and Weeks 5-9, 1993
Coach: George Petrides, 33rd season (212-115-1)
Offense: Wing-T
Defense: 4-4
Returning Starters: Offense 9, Defense 6
Players to Watch: Ellis Foster (Sr., QB, 5-11, 185), Stephen Johnson (Sr., RB, 5-7, 165), Richard Rodwell (Sr., RB, 6-4, 240), Adrian Coxson (Jr., WR/CB, 6-1, 185), Nathan Ayers (Jr., SB/WR/OLB, 5-9, 180), Kyle Jones (Sr., TE, 5-11, 195), Eric Moore (Jr., C/DL, 6-2, 260), Gerrard Colbert (Jr., G, 5-8, 270), Barabbas Chambers (Sr., OT, 6-0, 280), Tony Johnson (Sr., CB, 5-9, 170), Devon Roseborough (Sr., S, 6-2, 170), Kevin Gamble (Sr., LB, 6-0, 205), Antonio Murray (Jr., NG, 5-11, 245).
Breakdown: The Knights are coming off of an 8-3 season, during which they were Class 2A North Regional semifinalists following an overtime loss to Baltimore City Division I rival Edmondson.
City returns many of the components from last year's explosive offense, including the starting backfield of senior running back Stephen Johnson (1,349 yds, 8 TD) and senior fullback Ricky Rodwell (702 yds, 14 total TD) that accounted for over 2,000 yards on the ground.
Also back is senior quarterback Ellis Foster, who threw for 538 yards and rushed for 189 more, last fall. He now has 25 career touchdowns and more than 1,900 yards passing, as well as 12 career rushing touchdowns. Perhaps his most impressive stat is a 28-4 record as a starter.
Foster will throw to a tall and athletic receiving corp, including one of the top targets in the state in junior Adrian Coxson, a physical receiver with excellent hands and deceptive speed. In all, the Knights boast three receivers over six feet tall.
The returning offensive line has a lot of size, including center Eric Moore (6'2", 260), guard Gerrard Colbert (5'8", 270) and tackle Barabbas Chambers (6'0", 280). In addition, Kyle Jones, an excellent blocking tight end, as well as the team's punter and kicker, is also back.
On defense, City lost two-way lineman James Carmon to graduation and linebacker Nathan Ayers, one of the Players to Watch in Baltimore City, who transfered to Dunbar.
But the Knights return senior cornerback Tony Johnson, safety Devon Roseborough, linebacker Kevin Gamble and lineman Antonio Murray to a stout defense.
The defense also added key transfers from schools like St. Paul's, Perry Hall, Southside and even rival Poly.
It’s not a stretch to compare this team, talentwise, to the City squad of 2006, which won its second straight Baltimore City Division I title on the way to an 11-0 mark that included eight shutouts.
That team was upset, 7-6, by Franklin of Baltimore County in the Class 3A North Regional title game.
If it cannot win a State Championship, the next best thing for City is a victory over arch-rival Poly and it last year's 119th clash with the Engineers, the Knights picked up their third consecutive win in the historic series. This fall, look for City to contend with Dunbar, Edmondson and Poly in Baltimore's Division I.
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