The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association football playoff race remains unsettled in both conferences, with several key games still ahead. Archbishop Spalding secured the top seed in the MIAA A Conference with a 37-7 victory over Calvert Hall, while John Carroll moved closer to the top seed in the MIAA B Conference after defeating Boys’ Latin 30-17.
Archbishop Spalding Leads the MIAA A Conference
Archbishop Spalding, the four-time defending champion, is 6-2 overall and 5-0 in the MIAA A Conference. The victory over Calvert Hall secured the team’s return to the postseason as the conference’s top seed.
Calvert Hall is 3-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Cardinals need wins at Gilman on Saturday and against Mount St. Joseph next week, along with additional help, to reach the four-team playoff field.
McDonogh remains in second place at 7-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play after falling to Mount St. Joseph, 28-14. Mount St. Joseph has won three consecutive games and will face Loyola Blakefield on Saturday in Irvington.
Loyola Blakefield improved to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play with a 33-25 victory over St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s is 4-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play, and Loyola moved into a tie with the Saints for third place while earning the tiebreak advantage.
Mount St. Joseph will close its regular season at Calvert Hall next week, while Loyola Blakefield will travel to Archbishop Spalding. St. Mary’s will host Archbishop Spalding on Friday, and a victory would likely clinch a postseason place for the Saints.
Gilman, McDonogh and Concordia Prep Remain in Contention
Gilman strengthened its playoff position with a 28-6 victory over Concordia Prep. The Greyhounds are 3-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play, and they could claim a playoff spot with wins over Calvert Hall and rival McDonogh if other results fall into place.
Gilman will visit Calvert Hall on Saturday before facing McDonogh in the regular-season finale on Nov. 7. McDonogh will host Concordia Prep on Friday and remains in playoff position.
Concordia Prep is 4-4 overall and 2-4 in conference play and has not been officially eliminated from playoff contention. Even a victory over McDonogh would leave the Saints needing several other results to go their way to reach the top four.
John Carroll Controls the MIAA B Conference
John Carroll is 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the MIAA B Conference after defeating Boys’ Latin 30-17. A victory Friday against St. Paul’s or next week at Archbishop Curley would clinch the conference’s top seed for John Carroll.
Mount Carmel moved into position to claim the No. 2 seed by defeating Archbishop Curley 30-7. The Cougars are 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, and they need one win in their final two games to clinch that position.
Mount Carmel will play at Annapolis Area Christian on Friday and at St. Vincent Pallotti next week. Archbishop Curley is 3-5 overall and 3-2 in conference play after falling from a tie for second place to fourth.
Severn moved ahead of Archbishop Curley with a 21-14 victory over St. Paul’s. The Admirals are 6-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play and will host Archbishop Curley this week in a matchup for playoff positioning.
Remaining MIAA B Conference Playoff Paths
Boys’ Latin remains in contention despite its loss to John Carroll. The Lakers are 4-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play, with home games against St. Vincent Pallotti on Friday and St. Paul’s next week.
St. Paul’s is 2-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play. The defending MIAA B Conference champion likely needs wins over John Carroll and Boys’ Latin to contend for a playoff spot.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Archbishop Spalding and John Carroll have the clearest paths in their respective conferences, but the remaining playoff places are unsettled. The Loyola Blakefield-Mount St. Joseph matchup and St. Mary’s game against Archbishop Spalding are important A Conference games, while Severn’s meeting with Archbishop Curley could affect the B Conference standings.
The upcoming schedule could clarify the playoff picture or leave several teams dependent on tiebreakers and other results. Calvert Hall, Gilman, Concordia Prep and St. Mary’s remain in the A Conference race, while multiple teams continue to compete behind John Carroll and Mount Carmel in the B Conference.
Source: Original report
