Five locals hope to add state championship to resume before next week’s final rankings; Concordia Prep slides into Top 10
by Derek Toney
The final week of the 2021 area high school football season has arrived. Several public teams are angling for big finish this weekend at the state finals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Dundalk, Dunbar, Mervo, Milford Mill Academy and South Carroll are bound to Annapolis after state semifinal victories last weekend.
Dundalk is up to No. 6 after disposing of then-No. 18 Arundel in a Class 4A/3A semifinal. In an all-area title showdown, the undefeated Owls will play ninth-ranked Mervo Thursday evening to start Championship Weekend.
In another Baltimore-area finale, No. 7 Dunbar and 12th-ranked South Carroll will decide the 2A/1A crown Saturday at noon. Friday afternoon, No. 8 Milford Mill Academy look to end a 34-year championship drought, taking on Prince George’s County’s Douglass in the 2A finale.
Nationally-ranked St. Frances Academy maintains its hold of No. 1, followed by MIAA A Conference champ Calvert Hall College, Archbishop Spalding, McDonogh School and Mount St. Joseph.
The lower half of the Top 10 features Dundalk, Dunbar, Milford Mill, Mervo and MIAA B champ Concordia Prep.
Loyola Blakefield, which rebounded from a loss to Concordia in the MIAA B final with a thrilling 41-35 victory over Calvert Hall on Thanksgiving morning, ending a six-game losing streak in the Turkey Bowl. South Carroll, Broadneck (13th), No. 14 Chesapeake-Anne Arundel, and Franklin (15th) complete the Top 15.
Old Mill,Oakland Mills, Harford Tech, Arundel and Owings Mills round out the poll.
The final VSN Football Top 20 of 2021 will be released early next week.
Below is the complete VSN Football Top 20 for Week 13.
1. ST. FRANCES ACADEMY
Record: 7-1
Previous rank: 1
SEASON COMPLETE
2. CALVERT HALL COLLEGE
Record: 9-3
Previous rank: 2
Last week: lost to then-No. 16 Loyola Blakefield, 41-35, Turkey Bowl
SEASON COMPLETE – MIAA A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
3. ARCHBISHOP SPALDING
Record: 10-1
Previous rank: 3
SEASON COMPLETE – MIAA A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST
4. MCDONOGH SCHOOL
Record: 6-6
Previous rank: 4
SEASON COMPLETE – MIAA A CONFERENCE FINALIST
5. MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Record: 7-4
Previous rank: 5
SEASON COMPLETE – MIAA A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST
6. DUNDALK
Record: 12-0
Previous rank: 7
Last week: defeated then-No. 18 Arundel, 40-6, Class 4A/3A state semifinal
This week: vs. No. 9 Mervo, 4A/3A state final at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Dec. 2
7. DUNBAR
Record: 11-0
Previous rank: 8
Last week: defeated Lackey, 50-17, Class 2A/1A state semifinal
This week: vs. No. 12 South Carroll, 2A/1A state final at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Dec. 4
8. MILFORD MILL ACADEMY
Record: 12-1
Previous rank: No. 9
Last week: defeated Huntingtown, 14-7, Class 2A state semifinal
This week: vs. Douglass-Prince George’s, 2A state final at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Dec. 3
9. MERVO
Record: 10-1
Previous rank: 10
Last week: defeated Sherwood, 34-7, Class 4A/3A state semifinal
This week: vs. No. 6 Dundalk, 4A/3A state final at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Dec. 2
10. CONCORDIA PREP
Record: 10-2
Previous rank: 13
SEASON COMPLETE – MIAA B CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
11. LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD
Record: 9-3
Previous rank: 16
Last week: defeated No. 2 Calvert Hall College, 41-35, Turkey Bowl
SEASON COMPLETE – MIAA B CONFERENCE FINALIST
12. SOUTH CARROLL
Record: 12-0
Previous rank: 12
Last week: defeated then-No. 19 Harford Tech, 14-13, Class 2A/1A state semifinal
This week: vs. No. 7 Dunbar, 2A/1A state final at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Dec. 4
13. BROADNECK 
Record: 8-2
Previous rank: 6
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 4A STATE QUARTERFINALISTS & ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CHAMPIONS
14. CHESAPEAKE-ANNE ARUNDEL
Record: 9-3
Previous rank: 14
Last week: lost to Northern-Calvert, 16-13, Class 3A state semifinal
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 3A STATE SEMIFINALIST
15. FRANKLIN
Record: 9-3
Previous rank: 11
Last week: lost to Frederick, 49-38, Class 3A state quarterfinal
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 3A STATE QUARTERFINALIST
16. OLD MILL
Record: 8-3
Previous rank: 15
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 4A STATE QUARTERFINALIST
17. OAKLAND MILLS
Record: 10-2
Previous rank: 17
Last week: lost to Douglass-Prince George’s, 22-15, Class 2A state semifinal
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 2A STATE SEMIFINALIST & HOWARD COUNTY TRI-CHAMPION
18. HARFORD TECH
Record: 9-2
Previous rank: 19
Last week: lost to No. 12 South Carroll, 14-13, Class 2A/1A state semifinal
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 2A/1A STATE SEMIFINALIST
19. ARUNDEL
Record: 8-4
Previous rank: 18
Last week: lost to then-No. 7 Dundalk, 40-6, Class 4A/3A state semifinal
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 4A/3A STATE SEMIFINALIST
20. OWINGS MILLS
Record: 10-2
Previous rank: 20
SEASON COMPLETE – CLASS 2A STATE QUARTERFINALIST
