Great rivalries are like abook, with each game providing a new chapter. For the City College and Polytechnic football teams, their 118-year history of bad blood will have a few new pages added this weekend.
On 12 p.m. Saturday, these bitter enemies will renew their rivalry at M&T Bank Stadium. No. 4 City (9-0 overall, 7-0 league) is currently the No. 1 seed in the Class 3A North Region and has already locked up a share of the Baltimore City Division I title. Poly (6-3, 5-2), currently holding the fourth and final seed in the 2A North Region, likely needs a win Saturday to make the playoffs.
Regardless, another award is on the line this weekend: The title of City-Poly bragging rights.
“I think it?s one of those storied sort of rivalries that you never know what is going to happen,” said Poly coach Roger Wrenn, who?s in the Maryland High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. “The kids get so excited that anything can happen.”
Wrenn?s Engineers will have to play an inspired game on offense against one of the toughest defenses in the state. The Knights have allowed just 18 points this season and have seven shutout wins. The key to the game for Poly will be getting the ball to talented tailback Lee Reynolds, the team?s leading rusher with 12 touchdowns.
“It?s a one-game season,” Wrenn said.
For City, expect another grinding, hard-nosed offensive approach from a team that has been gearing up for the playoffs all season. Outscoring opponents, 272-18, the Knights will try to exploit a suspect Poly defense, which has allowed 171 points this year.
On defense, senior linebacker Dominick Roseborough is the heartbeat of the team.
“We have nine defensive players back from last year?s team, and the two that were replaced were replaced by outstanding players,” City coach George Petrides said. “So they have a lot of experience and they gelled together and are determined not to let anyone move the ball.”
