Category: Baltimore City Football News
St. Frances runs table again at No. 1 in VSN Football Top 20; state champ Franklin finishes 5th
by Derek Toney
After an offseason of controversy, St. Frances Academy channeled its energy on the gridiron this past season, dominating the opposition. For the third straight season, the Panthers are No. 1 in the final VSN Football Top 20 poll.
The east Baltimore school, ranked No. 5 in the latest USA Today Super 25, did not play a local opponent this fall after its fellow MIAA A Conference members, citing safety and competitive imbalance concerns, decided in late spring not to play the Panthers. The move sparked an intense debate on local radio and the local print media.
St. Frances, which was left to fill its schedule with mainly Canadian schools, was declared MIAA A champion by the MIAA Executive Board. The Panthers, hoping for an invite to the Geico Tournament of Champions later this month, have won 22 straight decisions.
With a school-record 12 victories, Calvert Hall College is No. 2 followed by Archbishop Spalding and Mount St. Joseph. Franklin is the top public school at No. 5 after winning its third Class 3A state title in six seasons with a 17-14 victory over Frederick County's Linganore last Thursday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
2A state runner-up Glenelg, 1A state semifinalist Dunbar, 4A state semifinalist Mervo, and Baltimore County Division I champions Dundalk and Milford Mill Academy (tri-champs with Franklin) make up the rest of the Top 10.
Here is the final VSN Football Top 20 of 2018:
FINAL 2018 VSN FOOTBALL TOP 20 POLL
1. ST. FRANCES ACADEMY (9-0)
Previous rank: #1
Preseason rank: #1
SEASON RESULT - MIAA A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
2. CALVERT HALL COLLEGE (12-1)
Previous rank: #2
Preseason rank: #7
MARYLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS
3. ARCHBISHOP SPALDING (7-3)
Previous rank: #3
Preseason rank: #2
MARYLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT FINALIST
4. MOUNT ST. JOSEPH (10-2)
Previous rank: #4
Preseason rank: #4
MARYLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS INVITATIONAL PARTICIPANT
5. FRANKLIN (12-2)
Previous rank: #6
Preseason rank: #15
Last week: The Indians defeated Linganore, 17-14, Class 3A state final.
CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPION & BALTIMORE COUNTY DIVISION I TRI-CHAMPION
6. GLENELG (13-1)
Previous rank: #5
Preseason rank: #11
Last week: The Gladiators lost to Oakdale, 35-7, Class 2A state final.
CLASS 2A STATE FINALIST & HOWARD COUNTY CHAMPION
7. DUNBAR (11-1)
Previous rank: #7
Preseason rank: #9
BALTIMORE CITY DIVISION I CHAMPION & CLASS 1A STATE SEMIFINALIST
8. MERVO (10-2)
Previous rank: #8
Preseason rank: #13
CLASS 4A STATE SEMIFINALIST
9. DUNDALK (10-2)
Previous rank: #9
Preseason rank: Not ranked
BALTIMORE COUNTY DIVISION I TRI-CHAMPION & CLASS 3A NORTH REGION FINALIST
10. MILFORD MILL ACADEMY (9-2)
Previous rank: #10
Preseason rank: #6
SEASON COMPLETE - BALTIMORE COUNTY DIVISION I TRI-CHAMPION & CLASS 3A NORTH REGION SEMIFINALIST
11. HOWARD (9-2)
Previous rank: #11
Preseason rank: #5
CLASS 4A NORTH REGION SEMIFINALIST
12. BROADNECK (10-1)
Previous rank: #12
Preseason rank: #3
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CHAMPION & CLASS 4A EAST REGION SEMIFINALIST
13. LIBERTY (10-1)
Previous rank: #13
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CARROLL COUNTY ATHLETIC LEAGUE CHAMPION & CLASS 2A WEST REGION SEMIFINALIST
14. MCDONOGH SCHOOL (3-6)
Previous rank: #14
Preseason rank: #8
15. ST. MARY'S (7-4)
Previous rank: #15
Preseason rank: Not ranked
MIAA B CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
16. ARUNDEL (9-2)
Previous rank: #17
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 4A EAST REGION SEMIFINALIST
17. NEW TOWN (10-3)
Previous rank: #16
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 2A STATE SEMIFINALIST
16. ARUNDEL (9-2)
Previous rank: #17
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 4A EAST REGION SEMIFINALIST
18. CHESAPEAKE-ANNE ARUNDEL (10-3)
Previous rank: #18
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 3A STATE SEMIFINALIST
19. WESTMINSTER (8-4)
Previous rank: #19
Preseason rank: #10
CARROLL COUNTY ATHLETIC LEAGUE CHAMPION & CLASS 3A WEST REGION FINALIST
20. ELKTON (10-3)
Previous rank: #20
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 2A STATE SEMIFINALIST
