Arguably two of the most dynamic high school football players in Harford County last year ? Edgewood quarterback Jordan Hancock and Joppatowne tailback David Dudley ? have graduated, leaving their respective programs in search of replacements. For those two teams to compete with the likes of North Harford in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference this season, new talents must step forward quickly.
Last fall, behind a solid, three-back rushing attack, North Harford ran its way to the playoffs for the first time since the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association tournament began in 1974. Two of those players are gone, but senior Brian Woolson returns to lead the way.
A rival coach said that Woolson is a “Division I talent” and referred to him as possibly the best player in the county. But he was injury-prone in 2005, so keeping Woolson healthy is key for the Hawks.
Joppatowne must rebound from the loss of yet another strong graduating class and is looking to develop some depth.
“We?re a little thin as compared to the last couple years,” Mariners coach Bill Waibel said. “Our starters aren?t too bad.”
Edgewood, which won the UCBAC?s Chesapeake Division with a 7-3 record in 2005, has some talent returning despite a heavy graduation hit.
Fallston and C. Milton Wright are two programs that look to step forward after disappointing seasons in 2005. Fallston jumped out to 3-0 last fall before dropping five of its next six. The Cougars will look to build on a 5-5 record through the arm of quarterback Sean Kelly and a handful of top returning rushers. The Mustangs welcome back one of the most dynamic talents in the county in running back Jeremy Rice, who will be joined by some key talents up from the junior varsity. The program will be in its second season under coach Rick Keech.
“I think C. Milton is going to be much, much better,” Waibel said.
Bel Air, which went 5-5 last season, lost departed coach Bruce Riley and a solid offensive group to graduation. His squad will be tested Friday, when the Bobcats host cross-town rival John Carroll, which went 1-7 in 2005, including a 1-3 mark in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference.
“We did lose a good group of seniors,” said Bobcats first-year coach Tony Belcastro. “The one thing I really like is we?re kind of under the radar right now. We feel that the gap in talent from one kid to the next kid is very, very small.”
The parity throughout the rosters could also translate to even competition in the Chesapeake Division, where three of the seven teams finished with equal .500 records.
Belcastro said he thinks North Harford and Joppatowne are ahead of the pack.
Waibel disagrees.
“I certainly would distance North Harford from us,” Waibel said. “All their pieces are back.”
Waibel expects the Chesapeake Division race to be very close.
“I really see it,” Waibel said. “I think it?s going to be great for the fans and sportswriters, but tough on the coaches.”
