St. Frances goes wire-to-wire as No. 1 in VSN Football Top 20; state champ Dunbar finishes No. 8
A year ago, St. Frances Academy captured No. 1 in the final VSN Top 20, completing a somewhat surprising ascension. This fall, the Panthers put together one of the most dominant campaign by an area squad in recent years.
The east Baltimore school, which went wire-to-wire at No. 1, won a second straight MIAA A Conference championship. The Panthers, the state’s No. 1 team and USA Today’s national No. 12, outscored opponents in the MIAA A, the area’s premier league, 341-50 (including playoffs).
Howard, which lone loss came in the Class 4A state semifinals to three-time champ and state’s No. 2 Henry A. Wise from Prince George’s County, is No. 2 in the final VSN Top 20. Anne Arundel County champ Broadneck and MIAA A semifinalist McDonogh School place 3rd and 4th respectively.
Mount St. Joseph, which gave St. Frances its closest match of the season (37-22) completes the Top 5. The bottom half of the Top 10 features Archbishop Spalding, MIAA A finalist Gilman School, 1A state champ Dunbar, 3A state finalist Milford Mill Academy and MIAA A semifinalist Calvert Hall College.
Here is the final VSN Football Top 20 for 2017:
Pictured above: St. Frances Academy was dominant in the 2017 football season, winning a second straight MIAA A Conference title. The Panthers capture No. 1 in the final VSN Top 20 for the second straight season.
VSN FOOTBALL TOP 20 – FINAL POLL
1. ST. FRANCES ACADEMY (12-0)
Last week’s rank: #12. HOWARD (12-1)
Last week’s rank: #2
Preseason rank: #8
CLASS 4A STATE SEMIFINALIST & HOWARD COUNTY CO-CHAMPION
3. BROADNECK (11-1)
Last week’s rank: #3
Preseason rank: #5
CLASS 4A EAST REGION FINALIST & ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CHAMPION
4. MCDONOGH SCHOOL (6-5)
Last week’s rank: #4
Preseason rank: #3
MIAA A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST
5. MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH (6-4)
Last week’s rank: #5
Preseason rank: #6
6. ARCHBISHOP SPALDING (5-4)
Last week’s rank: #6
Preseason rank: #2
7. GILMAN SCHOOL (5-7)
Last week’s rank: #7
Preseason rank: Not ranked
MIAA A CONFERENCE FINALIST
8. DUNBAR (12-1)
Last week’s rank: #9
Preseason rank: #17
Last week: defeated Fort Hill, 30-26, Class 1A state final
CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPION
9. MILFORD MILL ACADEMY (12-2)
Previous rank: #8
Last week: lost to Linganore, 28-27, 3A state final
CLASS 3A STATE FINALIST
10. CALVERT HALL COLLEGE (7-5)
Last week’s rank: #10
Preseason rank: #10
MIAA A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST
11. WESTMINSTER (10-2)
Last week’s rank: #11
Preseason rank: #19
CLASS 3A WEST REGION FINALIST & CARROLL COUNTY CHAMPION
12. HARFORD TECH (12-1)
Last week’s rank: #13
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 2A STATE SEMIFINALIST
13. GLENELG (8-4)
Last week’s rank: #12
Preseason rank: #16
CLASS 2A STATE SEMIFINALIST
14. RIVER HILL (9-1)
Last week’s rank: #14
Preseason rank: #18
CLASS 2A SOUTH REGION SEMIFINALIST & HOWARD COUNTY CO-CHAMPION
15. MEADE (8-3)
Last week’s rank: #15
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 4A EAST REGION SEMIFINALIST
16. ARUNDEL (8-3)
Last week’s rank: #16
Preseason rank: #14
CLASS 4A EAST REGION SEMIFINALIST
17. EDGEWOOD (8-4)
Las week’s rank: #17
Preseason rank: Not ranked
CLASS 3A NORTH REGION FINALIST
18. ST. MARY’S (7-4)
Last week’s rank: #18
Preseason rank: Not ranked
MIAA B CONFERENCE CHAMPION
19. HAVRE DE GRACE (11-2)
Last week’s rank: #19
Preseason rank: #20
CLASS 1A STATE SEMIFINALIST
20. LONG REACH (8-4)
Last week’s rank: #20
Preseason rank: #13
CLASS 3A STATE SEMIFINALIST
