Conference play takes center star on MIAA gridirons this week

Up until this point, MIAA football teams have mostly focused on non-conference opponents, with only two league games having taken place so far in the A Conference and one in the B Conference.

Well, that changes in a big way this week, as every team in both conferences is involved with a conference opponent.

Two-time defending A Conference champion Archbishop Spalding (2-0, 1-0) is one of the team's which opened its league schedule last week, ripping McDonogh, it's opponent in the last two title games, 35-13. This week the Cavaliers look to go 2-0 when they host Calvert Hall (2-1), which suffered its first loss of the year last week to nationally ranked La Salle College in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, McDonogh (2-1, 0-1) will seek to get back on track when it hosts Loyola Blakefield (2-1), which is also coming off its first loss, a 22-0 shutout at the hands of Gonzaga College (DC).

St. Mary's (3-0) also is 1-0 in league play after edging Concordia Prep, 12-10, last week. The Saints will visit Gilman (1-1), which had a bye last week, on Friday afternoon, while Concordia (2-2, 0-1) hosts Mount St. Joseph on Saturday. The Gaels (4-0) remained undefeated with a 21-0 win over Dundalk.

In the B Conference, two teams which were idle last week renew their long rivalry as Archbishop Curley (1-2) visits St. Paul's (1-1) on Friday. Also on Friday, Severn (2-1, 1-0), which opened its league schedule with a 56-20 win over St. John's Catholic Prep last week, will visit John Carroll (2-1), which is coming off a 23-0 win over New York's Christ the King. SJCP (0-2, 0-1) will visit Mount Carmel (2-1), which was blanked by Delaware's Ceaser Rodney, 37-0, last week.

Also in the B Conference, Boys' Latin (1-3), which fell to Long Island Lutheran (NY), 35-21, last week, will visit St. Vincent Pallotti (0-4) on Friday night. Pallotti was defeated by Mervo last week, 20-6.

Also on this week's schedule, MIAA Indepenent, Annapolis Area Christian (2-1), which down the Central MD Crusaders, 33-7, last Saturday, will visit the FCA Bucks this Saturday.

This week's complete MIAA Football Schedule:

Friday, Sept. 19

A CONFERENCE

St. Mary's at Gilman, 4 pm

Loyola Blakefield at McDonogh, 6 pm

Calvert Hall at Archbishop Spalding, 7 pm

B CONFERENCE

Archbishop Curley at St. Paul's, 4 pm

John Carroll at Severn, 4:15 pm

St. John's Catholic Prep at Mount Carmel, 7 pm

Boys' Latin at St. Vincent Pallotti, 7 pm

Saturday, Sept. 20

A CONFERENCE

Mount St. Joseph at Concordia Prep, 12 pm

INDEPENDENT

Annapolis Area Christian at FCA Bucks, 2 pm