Countdown to high school football: Week 10

Postseason time has arrived as the week 10 of the area high school football season starts Thursday with a pair of first round games in the state public tournament. Forty-three first round contests involving local teams will take place between Friday and Saturday.

The top spot in the MIAA A Conference is on the line while several rivalry matches will conclude the regular season for private schools.

Manchester Valley (5-4) at Franklin (6-3)

When: Friday, 6 p.m.

This could be the best matchup of area teams on the opening weekend of the state public playoffs. After a 1-4 start, Manchester Valley won its final four decisions to nab the No. 5 seed in the Class 3A North.

Franklin (No. 4 seed) completed its regular season with an easy victory over Woodlawn. The Baltimore County school went 6-1 after opening with losses to undefeated and No. 5 Milford Mill and third-ranked Mount St. Joseph.

Franklin defeated Manchester Valley in last year’s North Region second round to advance to the 3A state quarterfinals. Friday’s winner will play undefeated and No. 13 Bel Air or Towson next weekend for a spot in the state quarterfinals.

No. 7 Calvert Hall (4-5) vs. St. Vincent Pallotti (2-6)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Fairland Regional Park, Laurel

The defending MIAA A Conference champ Cardinals can secure a postseason bid with a victory. Calvert Hall (2-2 MIAA A) pulled out a stunning 27-24 victory at McDonogh last Friday, scoring 17 points in the final two minutes and 30 seconds of regulation.

Pallotti (1-4 MIAA A) lost to Mount St. Joseph, 28-13, last Friday at Fairland. The Panthers, in their second season in the A Conference, have been competitive, including one-point losses to Loyola Blakefield and McDonogh.

Calvert Hall defeated Pallotti, 14-7, last season.

St. Paul’s (2-6) vs. Boys’ Latin (3-5)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Towson University

The Lakers look to send retiring coach Ritchie Schell out in style in the latest edition of this MIAA B Conference rivalry match. Boys’ Latin collapsed in the second half of a 49-14 loss to No. 8 and defending MIAA B champ Concordia Prep while St. Paul’s dropped a 31-8 home decision to undefeated and sixth-ranked St. Mary’s.

Boys’ Latin held off the Crusaders, 23-21, last season. St. Paul’s leads the all-time series, 43-24-1. The Lakers are 12-9 under Schell in the matchup.

No. 2 Archbishop Spalding (8-1) at No. 3 Mount St. Joseph (7-2)

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

The two best teams in the MIAA A Conference meet in this regular season finale match. Both are perfect (5-0) in league play and the winner will be the top seed for the next weekend’s playoff semifinals.

Spalding has won eight straight, including a 34-20 victory over Loyola Blakefield last Friday. Sophomore quarterback Malik Washington, a first-year starter, has been arguably the area’s best offensive player with an assortment of weapons at his disposal.

The Gaels maintain their piece of first-place with a 28-13 victory over St. Vincent Pallotti in Laurel. Mount St. Joseph also has big-play hitters on offense, led by junior quarterback Winston Watkins, senior wide receiver Tre Goodridge and running back Bryce Cox.

The matchup could be decided by which defense makes enough plays. The Cavaliers have allowed 52 points (10.4 per game) in MIAA A play while the Gaels have given up 56 points (11.2).

Spalding routed the Gaels, 41-0, last season at Whittles Field to cap a perfect regular season.

McDonogh (3-6) at Gilman (3-6)

When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

The Eagles look to secure a MIAA A Conference playoff spot in the 106th meeting with the Greyhounds. McDonogh (2-3 MIAA A) suffered a heartbreaking loss to Calvert Hall last Friday at home, blowing a three-touchdown lead in the final quarter.

Gilman has lost five straight - all MIAA A decisions - after a promising 3-1 start in non-league play. The Greyhounds lead the rivalry series with McDonogh, 61-39-5, but last won in 2017.

THURSDAY

MPSSAA PLAYOFFS

Class 1A North Region first round: SEED School (4-4) at Loch Raven (4-5), 4 p.m.

Class 2A/1A North Region first round: Chesapeake-Baltimore County (1-7) at Sparrows Point (6-3), 6 p.m.

FRIDAY

TOP 15

No. 6 St. Mary’s (9-0) at Severn School (7-2), 3:15 p.m.

Class 2A North Region first round: Lansdowne (2-7) at No. 5 Milford Mill (9-0), 6 p.m.

Class 2A North Region first round: Patterson (3-5) at No. 15 Hereford (8-1), 7 p.m.

Class 3A North Region first round: Aberdeen (0-9) at No. 11 Westminster (8-1), 7 p.m.

Class 3A North Region first round: Towson (0-9) at No. 13 Bel Air (9-0), 7 p.m.

No. 1 St. Frances (6-0) at Thomas More-CT, 7 p.m.

No. 7 Calvert Hall (4-5) vs. St. Vincent Pallotti (2-6) at Fairland Regional Park, 7 p.m.

MPSSAA PLAYOFFS

Class 1A South Region first round: Benjamin Franklin (1-7) at Douglass (5-2), 3 p.m.

Class 2A North Region first round: Eastern Tech (5-4) at Owings Mills (6-3), 4 p.m.

Class 4A/3A North Region first round: Dulaney (3-6) at Kenwood (4-5), 5 p.m.

Class 4A/3A North Region first round: Woodlawn (2-7) at No. 2 Perry Hall (6-3), 5 p.m.

Class 4A East Region first round: North County (3-6) at Meade (4-5), 5:30 p.m.

Class 1A South Region first round: Reginald Lewis (1-7) vs. Edmondson (2-6) at Poly, 6 p.m.

Class 2A/1A East Region first round: Parkside (3-6) at Fallston (4-5), 6 p.m.

Class 2A/1A North Region first round: Fairmont Heights (2-5) vs. Carver Vo-Tech (3-5) at Sugar Cain Field, 6 p.m.

Class 2A/1A West Region first round: Winters Mill (3-5) at Williamsport (6-3), 6 p.m.

Class 2A South Region first round: Thomas Stone (2-7) at Northeast (5-4), 6 p.m.

Class 3A North Region first round: Manchester Valley (5-4) at Franklin (6-3), 6 p.m.

Class 3A South Region first round: Digital Harbor (1-8) at Marriotts Ridge (3-6), 6 p.m.

Class 4A/3A East Region first round: South River (4-5) at Leonardtown (5-4), 6 p.m.

Class 4A/3A North Region first round: Catonsville (3-6) at Mervo (5-3), 6 p.m.

Class 4A/3A West Region first round: Mount Hebron (3-6) at Reservoir (5-4), 6 p.m.

Class 4A East Region first round: Annapolis (2-7) at Old Mill (6-3), 6 p.m.

Class 2A/1A East Region first round: North East (1-8) at Harford Tech (5-4), 6:30 p.m.

Class 2A West Region first round: Glenelg (4-5) at Walkersville (4-5), 6:30 p.m.

Class 2A West Region first round: Hammond (0-9) at Middletown (6-3), 6:30 p.m.

Class 3A East Region first round: James M. Bennett (0-9) at Chesapeake-Anne Arundel (7-2), 6:30 p.m.

Class 4A/3A East Region first round: Chopticon (4-5) at Severna Park (5-4), 6:30 p.m.

Class 4A East Region first round: Parkville (2-7) at Glen Burnie (5-4), 6:30 p.m.

Class 1A East Region first round: Kent County (2-7) at Perryville (5-4), 7 p.m.

Class 1A East Region first round: Surrattsville (4-5) at Bohemia Manor (5-4), 7 p.m.

Class 1A North Region first round: Havre de Grace (0-9) at Joppatowne (8-1), 7 p.m.

Class 1A North Region first round: Pikesville (1-8) at Patterson Mill (7-2), 7 p.m.

Class 2A/1A East Region first round: Cambridge-South Dorchester (4-5) at Elkton (5-4), 7 p.m.

Class 2A/1A South Region first round: Southern (3-6) at Patuxent (7-2), 7 p.m.

Class 2A/1A West Region first round: Francis Scott Key (1-8) at Liberty (6-3), 7 p.m.

Class 2A/1A West Region first round: Western Tech (5-4) at Boonsboro (6-3), 7 p.m.

Class 2A East Region first round: C. Milton Wright (6-3) at Stephen Decatur (7-2), 7 p.m.

Class 2A East Region first round: North Harford (3-6) at Kent Island (8-1), 7 p.m.

Class 2A West Region first round: Century (1-8) at Oakland Mills (4-5), 7 p.m.

Class 3A East Region first round: Crofton (3-6) at No. 3 Long Reach (7-2), 7 p.m.

Class 3A South Region first round: Centennial (1-8) at Wilde Lake (4-5), 7 p.m.

Class 3A North Region first round: Patapsco (5-4) at Edgewood (7-2), 7 p.m.

Class 4A/3A West Region first round: Watkins Mill (0-9) at Howard (7-2), 7 p.m.

MIAA

John Carroll (5-4) at Archbishop Curley (5-3), 6:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s (2-6) vs. Boys’ Latin (3-5) at Towson University, 7 p.m.

NON-LEAGUE

Mount Zion Prep (1-6) at Loyola Blakefield (3-5), 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

TOP 15

Mount Carmel (3-5) at No. 8 Concordia Prep (7-2), 12 p.m.

No. 2 Archbishop Spalding (8-1) at No. 3 Mount St. Joseph (7-2), 1 p.m.

MPSSAA PLAYOFFS

Class 2A North Region first round: Overlea (3-6) at New Town (6-3), 12:30 p.m.

Class 1A East Region first round: Snow Hill (2-7) vs. Green Street Academy (5-3) at Douglass, 1 p.m.

MIAA

McDonogh (3-6) at Gilman (3-6), 2 p.m.

Annapolis Area Christian (1-7) at St. John’s Catholic Prep (1-4), 7 p.m.