Prince George's at Midseason

At the season’s midpoint, there is a clear division of haves and have-nots. Five teams are undefeated (two each in the Prince George’s 4A and 3A/2A/1A leagues and one private school) and two more are winless.

Let’s review where things stand entering the second half of the season:

Prince George’s 4A
With the emergence of Wise as a potential powerhouse, this 12-team league is quite clearcut. Wise and C.H. Flowers are 5-0, with Suitland and Eleanor Roosevelt at 4-1, both having lost by one touchdown to Wise. Those figure to be the four teams in the Maryland 4A South Region playoffs.

Wise has been impressive, with lineman Rahsaan Moore leading a defense that played the first three games without safety Titus Till, a Maryland recruit who had a fractured shoulder blade. Moore also has had his moments on offense, rushing for nine touchdowns on 24 carries.

Where things get interesting is with Flowers, which needed a last-second, 30-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence Thomas to Larry Davis to beat DuVal, 20-13, on Sept. 25. The Jaguars’ five opponents thus far are a combined 6-19; none has a winning record. That changes starting Saturday, when Flowers hosts Suitland in what should be an extremely physical game. The Jaguars later close the season with road games against Roosevelt and Wise.

Barring the unexpected, Flowers could be the only team between Wise and an undefeated regular season when the teams meet in the regular season finale on Nov. 7 in Upper Marlboro.

No other team in the league has a winning record.

Prince George’s 3A/2A/1A
Douglass and Gwynn Park are 5-0 and neither has been challenged since Gwynn Park’s 27-26 escape over Forestville in the season opener. Of note has been Douglass’s ability to pass the ball, as quarterback Richard Barber has thrown 10 touchdown passes with just one interception. The Eagles have outscored their opponents by a combined 196 to 22, though those opponents are a combined 6-19.

Douglass hosts Gwynn Park on Oct. 17. Amazingly, that is the only game on Gwynn Park’s schedule where the opponent currently has a winning record. The Yellow Jackets’ first five opponents are a combined 4-18.

Running back Khalek Shepherd has rushed for 683 yards and 14 touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets.

Potomac (3-2) is the only other team in the league with a winning record.

One team already has a new coach -- and has twice snapped its long losing streak. Fairmont Heights beat Eastern, 15-0, in its opener, but later had to forfeit that game and saw then-coach Derek Deane suspended for the rest of the season for allowing ineligible players to participate in workouts. Interim -- and legendary -- coach Ralph Paden guided the Hornets to a 28-22 overtime victory over Wheaton last week, snapping what had grown to a 21-game losing streak.

Private Schools
DeMatha has been perhaps the Washington area’s most impressive team, taking a 5-0 mark into Friday’s annual showdown with Good Counsel at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Center. Running back Marcus Coker already has rushed for 1,000 yards and opposing coaches continue to call the Stags a college-level team.

Bishop McNamara, 4-1 after last week’s 21-7 loss to Good Counsel, seems likely to make the WCAC playoffs again, with wide receiver Brandon Coleman proving his ability, having caught at least one touchdown pass in every game.