Three hundred and sixty four days ago, Dunbar won its fourth state title for coach Ben Eaton on his 58th birthday. Nearly one year to the day later, the Poets won their second straight 1A state title, this time in the team’s late coach?s memory, 58-34, over Allegany in front of about 4,000 fans on Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.
Eaton died of a heart attack on Aug. 27, just 12 days before the Poets? first game. The victory gives Dunbar (14-0) its Baltimore City-record fifth state title and caps a season of domination in which the Poets outscored the opposition, 588-158.
“It was important to us to win for [Coach Eaton],” Dunbar linebacker Keon Redhead said. “He was like our father.”
Dunbar dominated the opening quarter, outscoring the Campers, 24-6, on 10 and 58-yard touchdown runs by running back Tavon Austin, and a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jon Perry to receiver Sean Farr.
The Poets took a 40-12 lead into intermission after Austin scored his third touchdown of the half on a 33-yard run, and Perry again found Farr for a touchdown, this time from 24-yards out.
Allegany (13-1) cut the lead to 40-20 midway through the third quarter, but the Poets responded with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Perry to Farr . Three minutes later defensive back Michael McNeil scooped a fumble and race 80 yards down the sideline to give his team a 52-20 advantage.
Running back Terrell Lewis capped the Poets scoring with 2:46 left when the plowed his way into the end zone. In the victory, Dunbar tied the record for most points in a 1A championship game, matching the mark set by Valley, which no longer exists, in 1977. Allegany set the record for most points in a championship game loss in any of the state?s four classifications, as the teams combined for the most points in any title game (92).
“I didn?t do it, my team did it,” Austin, who scored three touchdowns, said. “If it wasn?t for the offensive line and the defense we wouldn?t be here.”
