Power Poll: Week 11
Good Counsel will take on Gonzaga at home to start off their WCAC title defense
Week 11 GamedayMD Football Power Poll
Brought to you by Potomac Valley Orthopaedic Associates
Only one new team entered our weekly rankings and one team fell-out for the first time this season. With the public school regular season concluded, this will be a final Regular Season Power Poll. As currently constructed the top 7 teams in the poll are all in the playoffs and we will continue to rank them accordingly. Rockville is our last team out so to speak, yet the 8th Montgomery County playoff qualifier. Our reasoning derives from the quality of the bottom of our top 10, which is dominated by 4A squads. Gonzaga held the top spot in our private rankings for weeks but have fallen quickly and will have to right the ship this Friday night at Good Counsel.
The private school top 5 ranks the private schools only in Montgomery County, Washington D.C., and Prince Georges County.
Private:
1. Good Counsel (Olney, MD) - (8-2) The Falcon's started the season off strong with a win on national television, stumbled against Gilman away and Dematha at home. To close the regular season the team has impressed and with Wes Brown back healthy we think Good Counsel has a good shot at repeating as WCAC Champions.
Next Up: Home - Gonzaga (Playoff Semi-Final)
2. Dematha (Hyattsville, MD) - (8-2) You have to nitpick to rank either Good Counsel or Dematha above one another, but Wes Brown back in the lineup bumped GC just ahead in our eyes. Dematha holds the #1 seed in the WCAC tournament and should cruise into the finals.
Next Up: Home - St. John's (Playoff Semi-Final)
3. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) - (7-3) Dropping a game against a super-talented Good Counsel team a couple of weeks ago was one thing, but last weekend's regular season finale loss to St. John's has us scratching our heads a bit. If the Eagles want to win the WCAC they will have to return to the form that had them ranked as our #1 team just a few weeks ago.
Next Up: @Good Counsel (Playoff Semi-Final)
4. Landon (Bethesda, MD) - (7-2) Upset win at rival Prep launches the Bears into the top 5 for the first time this season. A win at home against St. Albans on Saturday will give Landon the IAC title and nice cap to an impressive year. Outside of Gonzaga, the Bears have shown as strong a passing game as any team in the area. Matched up with the running game and overall physical play, we see Landon holding the IAC crown at weekend's end.
Next Up: Home - St. Albans
5. Georgetown Prep (Bethesda, MD) - (7-3) After an incredibly tough schedule all year long the Little Hoyas had no room for an off day. Landon came at Prep with their own game, power football and stopped a 5-game win streak. Luckily for Prep, Landon is no longer in their conference because they have a shot on Saturday to finish in a tie for the MIAA title with a win against Loyola.
Next Up: Home - Loyola
Outside Looking In: St. Albans and St. John's
The Public School rankings are for Montgomery County only:
Public:
1. Damascus (Damascus, MD) - (10-0) The Hornets closed out a perfect regular season and have all the makings of a State Championship team. They will start out with a struggling Liganore squad that has dropped its last two games.
Next Up: Home - Liganore
2. Sherwood (Olney, MD) - (9-1) A victory against a top team like Quince Orchard solidified Sherwood in the #2 spot to end the regular season. With the number one seed in the 4A regionals the Warriors secure a home game and avoid G'burg and Whitman in round one.
Next Up: Home - Springbrook
3. Gaithersburg (Gaithersburg, MD) - (9-1) The Trojans were outstanding all year long and their only loss was on the road in a come from behind victory in the final minute at Sherwood. If the Trojans can make it out of the regional's they will have as good a shot as any team in Maryland to win a State Title. Their size and unorthodox style will be a tough matchup, especially for those that are not as familiar as the likes of Sherwood.
Next Up: Home - Whitman
4. Quince Orchard (Gaithersburg, MD) - (8-2) Quince Orchard couldn't get passed Sherwood but holds tight in spot #4. The Cougars will host Seneca in a rematch of their regular season contest, but this time they will be in their home Cougar Dome. Special teams was a huge difference in their first meeting, but we expect senior Quarterback Drew Murphy to air it out with success.
Next Up: Home - Seneca Valley
5. Seneca Valley (Germantown, MD) - (8-2) It seems that Coach Kim has settled on Tanner Vallely as his quarterback. They lost to Quince Orchard a month ago, but played well in the second half of that game. Special teams and turnovers were the difference that night and will likely be this week as well.
Next Up: @Quince Orchard
6. Whitman (Bethesda, MD) - (7-3) The Vikings have had trouble playing at their best against top competition late this season. We've seen them play well and their talent is undeniable, so this week would be as good a time as any for Whitman to step up and beat Gaithersburg. Not an easy matchup at all but Whitman is talented enough for us to give them a shot on the road.
Next Up: @Gaithersburg
7. Springbrook (Silver Spring, MD) - (7-3) Springbrook has won the games the needed to win and have been rewarded with a playoff spot after holding off Paint Branch last week in a classic. We certainly don't expect an upset at Sherwood this week, but any team with Devon Pestano has a shot.
Next Up: @Sherwood
8. Paint Branch (Burtonsville, MD) - (6-4) Mike Nesmith's team was so so close to a highly contested 4A playoff spot, but it wasn't to be in 2010. A year after PB's first playoff win in over a decade the Panthers improved dramatically in the second half of the season. This young team will likely be a playoff pick heading into 2011.
Season Complete
9. B-CC (Bethesda, MD) - (6-4) In his second year with the program, Rich Noland has his team in contention until the final week. The Baron's put up points on the Gaithersburg defense last week like nobody else had all year, but unfortunately for them could not hold down the Trojan's offense. Regardless, the Barons impressed and will graduate a senior class that has several All-Gameday candidates.
Season Complete
10. Walter Johnson (Bethesda, MD) - (6-4) The Wildcats completed their best season since 1998. While the program graduates prolific offensive performers like Cole Ahnell and Ryan Davis there is still plenty left in the cabinet for Coach Jon Kadi. Look for Andrew Pittsenberger to emerge as a top linebacker in Montgomery County next season.
Season Complete
Outside Looking In: Rockville (2A Playoff 1st Round), Churchill, Clarksburg
