By Mike Loveday
ESPNRISE.com

DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor said not much has changed since the WCAC title game in terms of recruiting interest. Quarterback Tom Chroniger has reopened his recruiting after verbally committing to Eastern Michigan as a quarterback. I have head the Maryland is interested in Chroniger as a safety and that Chroniger just wants to play major college football position will not matter a whole lot.

At least one bit of college coaching news that could affect who will come to Maryland to recruit is former Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley taking the head-coaching job at New Mexico.

Locksley graduated from Towson University and was the University of Maryland's running backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 1997 to 2002. Illinois has been a heavily recruited the Maryland area since Ron Zook took over as head coach and Locksley was spearheading the charge.

Another coaching change that is rumored is East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz taking over the job at Syracuse. What that means for former Northwest head coach Randy Trivers is unknown. Trivers has been recruiting Maryland heavily in his two years with the Orange and have received commitments from DeMatha's Raheem Cardwell and Arundel's Alec Lemon for 2009.

This is just me speculating, but I talked with Arundel's Billy Cosh a few weeks back and he told me that East Carolina was tops on his list of prospective colleges. With Holtz possibly moving it could have an effect on Cosh's school of choice.

I spoke with Joe Haden Sr. this week about his son and Friendly High School linebacker Jordan Haden. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound junior already holds 16 offers from major Division I-A colleges.

Florida, Boston College, West Virginia, LSU, UNC, Illinois, Rutgers, Michigan and Tennessee highlight the list, but according to Haden Sr. the younger Haden is leaning towards playing at Florida with his older brother and former Maryland Offensive Player of the Year, Joe Haden Jr.

Haden is expected to commit by early April and will follow in the footsteps of both Joe (Florida) and Josh (Boston) by graduating in December and being on a college campus in January of 2010.

By Mike Loveday
ESPNRISE.com

In a game where the offenses set seven state records, three public school records and a Class 4A record, it was Linganore's defense that came up big to help the Lancers defeat Arundel 59-34 in the Class 4A state semifinals.

Linganore's defense held Arundel to only six points in the second half after giving up 28 in the first and the Lancers' Pat Balderson shredded the Wildcats defense for 247 yards and five touchdowns.

"I've never been a part of something like that," Linganore head coach Rick Connor said. "I can only tell you that our kids persevered. We still don't know what happened."

What happened is the Linganore defense started to gain more pressure on Arundel quarterback Billy Cosh. In the first half, Cosh completed 24-of-36 passes for four touchdowns. In the second half, the Lancer defense held the junior to 15-of-28 and one touchdown.

"With the way we were rushing we started rushing outside and jumping on the ball," Connor said of his team's second half performance.

Pressure cooker: As the game progressed the Linganore defense gained more pressure on Cosh.

Kyle Stewart and Colby Weierbach both had sacks in the game while Austin Scates, Kevin Myers and Stewart all got in Cosh's face at the line of scrimmage and deflected passes. Michael Johnson, Zach Zwinak and Austin Matthews each had an interception in the game.

The best defense is a good offense: The 93 combined points sets a Class 4A state record for most points scored. The previous record was 88 points by Lake Clifton and North County in 1996.

Balderson and Zwinak combined to average 11.7 yards per carry on their way to 424 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Balderson ran for 247 and five touchdowns on 23 carries while Zwinak ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Quiet leader: With all the records falling and the yards getting racked up in the game, junior Nick Marth quietly put together a solid night with 239 total yards.

Marth completed 7-of-12 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown and ran for 51 yards on nine carries.

Walking the walk: I happened to be standing next to Zwinak with four minutes left in the half and the game tied at 28. The junior running back turned to his teammates after the defense held Arundel to a three-and-out and said. "It's our time to score. We have to score.

On the next snap, Zwinak took the handoff 63 yards for a touchdown that gave Linganore a lead they would never relinquish, 35-28.

Record setters: Arundel's Billy Cosh and Alec Lemon set 11 records in the loss.

Cosh set seven state records and one public school record with his performance.

He increased his record total for most touchdowns in a season to 56. He set the state record for most passing yards in a season with 3,909. He broke Nick Elko's record for total offensive yardage in a season with 4,074. Cosh completed the most passes in a game with 39, breaking former North County quarterback Mike Pfisterer's record of 38. He set the record for most passes attempted in a game, breaking Pfisterer's record of 58. He surpassed former St. John's at Prospect Hall quarterback Keith Ricca for most passes attempted in a season (448). He passed Elko for most passes completed in a season (292). Cosh broke the public school record for most passing yards in a game with 471 yards.

Lemon tied one state record and two public school records.  He tied former teammate Brandon Johnson-Farrell's state record for most catches in a season with 103 and the public school record for most touchdown receptions in a season with 23. He also tied Johnson-Farrell for the public school record of most receptions in a career with 174*.

Up next: Linganore will travel to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore where they will face Sherwood in the Class 4A state final. The game will be start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday Dec. 5.

*Denotes pending information about Marriott's Ridge receiver possibly breaking Johnon-Farrell's record for most career receptions earlier this year.

E-mail Mike at Michael.Loveday@espn.com

Linganore won the Class 4A state semifinal 59-34 over Arundel, but the Wildcats quarterback-receiver combination of Billy Cosh and Alec Lemon are breaking every record in sight.

Unofficially, Lemon ended with 16 catches and Cosh passed more than 60 times for 496 yards. During the contest, Lemon matched both the single-season reception record (103) and  touchdown reception mark (23), records that were set last season by Lemon's teammate Brandon Johnson-Farrell.

After the official numbers are tallied, Cosh will hold the record for passing yards in a season (nearly 4,000), public school passing yards in a game (496), passes attempted in a game (60+), passes attempted in a season (440+), passes completed in a season (275+), touchdown passes in a season (56).

By Sheldon Shealer

Class  4A

No. 3 Arundel (11-1) at No. 2 Linganore (12-0)

Game Details: Friday vs. Linganore at Oakdale High School, 7 p.m.

Playoff History: Arundel is 9-11 in 13 appearances with a state title in 1975. Linganore is 21-8 in 13 appearances with state titles in 1989, 1991, 1995 and 2003.

Head-to-Head: The teams have not met in postseason play.

Key Players:

Arundel: QB Billy Cosh (Jr.), 253 of 364 with 3,438 yards and 51 TDs; WR Alec Lemon, 87 cathes for 1,339 yards, 21 TDs; WR R.J. Harris (Jr.), 67 catches for 973 yards, 17 TDs; LB Bobby Partilla (Jr.), 106 tackles; LB C.J. Rice, 87 tackles; LB Rob Gant, 79 tackles.

Linganore: RB Zach Zwinak (Jr.), 1,270 rushing yards, 17 TDs; RB Pat Balderson, 964 rushing yards, 11 TDs; WR Ryan Dixon (Jr.), 41 catches for 806 yards, 13 TDs; LB Canaan Metz, 71 tackles, six sacks; DL Kyle Stewart, 63 tackles.

Key Matchup:

Arundel QB Billy Cosh vs. Linganore DBs Cory Bishop and Ricky Conner.

Keys to Victory:

Arundel will complete passes - that's a given. With state record-setting quarterback Billy Cosh and receiver Alec Lemon, Arundel is one of the state's most prolific offenses. Linganore, also averaging more than 40 points a game, gets the job done with a combination of running and passing. expect a lot of points. The outcome may rest of Linganore's ability to play defense at Arundel's offensive pace. The Wildcats' hurry-up offense aims to get 15 possessions a game. Linganore needs to limit the catch-and-run plays. Arundel coach Chuck Markiewicz says Linganore's defense is a cross of severna Park and Broadneck - Severna Park's quickness, Broadneck's power. For Arundel, the outcomes rests with its ability to get the ball in the hands of Lemon, who has 2,216 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns.

Story Line: Arundel coach Chuck Markiewicz is known as one of the state's best offensive minds. Linganore coach Rick Conner is known for great defensive schemes that helped Urbana to four straight state ttiles in the late 1990s. ... Most of Linganore's key players are juniors, and a strong showing in this year's 4A state tournament could land the Lancers with the favorite label when it returns to Class 3A next season. ... Billy Cosh has shattered the public school passing records held by his predecessor Nick Elko, and he eyes the last private school single-season mark of passing yards in a season, which is held by St. john's at Prospect hall's Keith Ricca at 3,633.

No. 4 Wise (7-3) at No. 1 Sherwood (12-0)

Game Details: Friday at Sherwood, 7 p.m.

Playoff History: Wise is 2-0 in its first playoff appearance. Sherwood 22-11 in 14 appearances with state titles in 1995 and 1996. Sherwood has been the state runenr-up four times this decade.

Head-to-Head: The teams have not met in postseason play.

Key Players:

Wise: RB Anthony Wright, 1,654 rushing yards, 22 TDs; LB Deontre Johnson (Jr.), 80 tackles; OLB Lumbus Burrell, 69 tackles; SS Corey Barby, 66 tackles.

Sherwood: QB Zach Splain, 1,531 passing yards, 28 TDs; RB Dominique Davis, 1,180 rushing yards, 11 TDs; PK Andy Estrain (Jr.), six FGs, perfect on PATs; DB Phillip Durity (Jr.), 84 tackles; LB Steven Gamble, 80 tackles; DB/WR Chris Everett, 72 tackles; nine TD catches; OL/DL Andrew Midgette.

Key Matchup:

Sherwood OLs Andrew Midgette and Oliver Pettenati vs. Wise DL Joe Creek and OLB Lumbus Burrell.

Keys to Victory:

Wise needs to keep this a low-scoring affair in order to improves its chances of victory. The team's offense hinges on Anthony Wright, and he needs to deliver a big performance for the Pumas. Sherwood feels the key will be its line play - needing to push forward for four to five yards per carry to help set up the apssing attack. Wise coach DaLawn Parrish, the first former Consensus All-State player to coach a Maryland high school team to the state semifinals, said another key will be preventing Sherwood from short-field opportunities. "The reason i say that," Parrish said. "They kick field goals! We don't see that in our league."

Story Line: Wise is the surprise of the 4A state semifinals. The team lost to the "Big Three" of P.G. football during the regular season - Suitland, Flowers and Roosevelt. In Week 10, Wise defeated Oxon Hill just to qualify for postseason play, then took out undefeated and favored Eleanor Roosevelt in the region semifinals before ousting snake-bitten Flowers in the region final. [Flowers has been the region runner-up the four times it has qualified for postseason play.] ... Sherwood is coming off an emotional victory of Quince Orchard, the preseason 4A state favorite. If the Warriors are not focused on the Pumas this week, this P.G. County team could surprise yet another state-ranked opponent.

By Mike Loveday

Arundel senior wide receiver, Alec Lemon could have been overlooked on Friday. After all, his quarterback set the Maryland state record for most touchdown passes in a season, but Lemon had a large hand in that performance.

Lemon made nine catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns in Arundel's 49-15 win over North County. He also returned two kicks for 107 yards and a touchdown in the game. His performance earns the senior this week's MDVarsity.com State Player of the Week honors.

Lemon started Arundel's scoring when he took the opening kickoff 85-yards for a touchdown.  He added a 42-yard reception to put the Wildcats up 21-7 and finished his scoring with a 22-yard reception with 33 seconds left in the third quarter.

The senior has been on the receiving end of 21 of quarterback Billy Cosh's touchdowns this year. Lemon is six touchdowns shy of tying Max Morris' record of 27 touchdown receptions in a season. Morris set the record in 2004 while at St. John's at Prospect Hall.

On the season, Lemon has 82 receptions for 1,263 yards and is averaging 114 yards per game.

Arundel hosts Severna Park in the Class 4A East region final on Friday at 7 p.m.

	Photo by: Mike Loveday
	Arundel's passing game should be strong with two receivers returning this season.

 By Mike Loveday

Key losses: No other team in the state can say they lost two state record holders. With the graduation of Nick Elko (QB), Brandon Johnson-Farrell (WR) the Wildcats lose the state's total offensive yardage (Elko) and receptions (Johnson-Farrell) leaders.

Key returnees: Alec Lemon (WR) and Sean Fitzgerald (WR) move up the depth chart and know the offense.

Impact newcomer: The biggest name in this list is Billy Cosh (QB) who steps into Elko's shoes. Blake Alderman (LB), Corey Lavender (DL), Bobby Partilla (LB).

Most Improved: R.J. Harris had the physical tools last season and the coaching staff thought he could be good, but this year Harris has improved his knowledge of the game and is expected to provide a spark at split end, according to head coach Chuck Markiewicz.

Names to watch: Markiewicz said they coaching staff challenged Scott Green and the junior responded.

My take: Honestly, if I wrote this three months ago my thoughts would not have involved Arundel being in the Top 25. But after seeing junior Billy Cosh at the Quarterback Tune -up event along with the Wildcats at their recent scrimmage I think they have the chance to be very good this year.

Cosh has the advantage of having two receivers, Lemon and Fitzgerald, returning to the offense, which should help the learning curve. Add Cosh's inherent football knowledge that comes with being the son of a coach and I think Arundel will not take as big a hit this season.

I expect another playoff run for Arundel and nine to 10 wins when all is said and done.

That said, it is difficult to believe the loss of Elko and Johnson-Farrell will not affect the team's record at all and with rival Broadneck on tap for the first game of the year I do not expect Arundel to get off to another 13-0 start this year.

Quick quote: "Last year was last year. We have to do everything we did last year again this year. These kids have to find the strength.

By Mike Loveday

Arundel's Alec Lemon has made his choice. The rising senior will become the latest commitment to Syracuse University, according to his father.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound receiver received an offer from Syracuse at the beginning of August, just two days after receiving his first offer from Delaware.

Lemon recorded 70 receptions for 969 yards and 13 touchdowns while helping Arundel to the Class 4A title game last season.

Check MDVarsity.com tomorrow for more details.

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By Mike Loveday

Just two days after Arundel receiver Alec Lemon received his first collegiate offer, the second one came rolling in. This time Syracuse University came calling with an offer to play receiver for the Orange.

According to Lemon's father, Sean Asbury, Syracuse assistant coach Randy Trivers is recruiting Lemon.

Lemon received his first official offer on Tuesday when Delaware extended the offer.

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By Mike Loveday

Billy Cosh has some large cleats to fill at quarterback this season. Last year's starter, Nick Elko threw for 43 touchdowns and over 3,000 yards, helping lead Arundel to the Class 4A title game. But the 6-foot, 190-pound rising junior looks to have all the tools to step in and succeed.

Cosh attended the Quarterback Tune-up event on Sunday, July 27 and showed why Arundel fans have not been worried about the offense this season.

Cosh had one of the strongest arms of any signal caller at the event and his footwork was very polished for someone who has yet to start a high school varsity game. Also attending the event were two quarterbacks who are already committed to Division I colleges, Loyola's Leon Kinnard (UConn) and DeMatha's Tom Chroniger (Eastern Michigan).

Cosh, who is the son of University of Maryland's defensive coordinator Chris Cosh, knows he wants to be in Kinnard's and Chroniger's position once he reaches his senior season.

"Watching Tommy, he's got great arm strength and Leon just has that quickness and speed. I just want to take their techniques and try to be like them one day, Cosh said.

As for replacing a Consensus All-State quarterback, Cosh confessed he was slightly nervous, but ready to get the season started.

"I'm just a little nervous, but I'm more anxious just to get on the field. I've really been waiting for this for a long time. I'm just excited to play and put that Wildcat jersey on, Cosh said. "Just watching him (Elko) play I picked up some techniques from him. Alec (receiver Alec Lemon) and I are working out all the time. We've gotten better over the summer. Watching Nick do everything he did was amazing. I just want to try and emulate that this season.

Cosh took several snaps from under center last year, going 17-for-26 (65 percent) for 160 yards and one touchdown.

To improve his speed, which is essential in Arundel's spread offense, Cosh has been taking part in the Wildcats offseason workout program, which calls for running 10 100-yard sprints. Elko led Arundel in rushing last season with over 700 yards and 10 touchdowns.

For the past three seasons, Cosh has also been working with Quarterback Factory founder Chris Baucia, who he credits for helping improve his arm strength and footwork.

So with Arundel looking to get back to the title game and having to replace Elko and receiver Brandon Johnson-Farrell, what are Cosh's expectations for this season?

"I just want to win as many games as possible. We have great talent around us, our receiving corps and some good running backs coming back and three offensive linemen coming back, Cosh said. "I don't care about stats, I just want to win as many games as possible for my team.

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By Mike Loveday

The University of Delaware's football team will be playing in Maryland one month from now, but the coaching staff is already making a bid to gain some of the state's talent. The Blue Hens extended an offer to Arundel wide receiver Alec Lemon (pictured) on Tuesday.

Lemon, who has camped at several schools this summer, said he felt Delaware was interested in him before he left on Sunday.

"I had a feeling with the way they were talking to me and how good I did, I felt like they were going to offer me," Lemon said. "We were hoping, but we didn't think they were going to do it that quick."

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Lemon attended the Delaware camp on Sunday and according to his father, Sean Asbury, the college called with the offer on Tuesday, July 29.

"At first I thought the recruiting coordinator was just talking about the meeting they had right after the camp. I thought he was going to talk about what they talked about during the meeting," Lemon added. "He asked me if I had any offers and I said Syracuse and Vanderbilt are real close, but none right now. He goes, well as of right now you have one from the University of Delaware."

This is the first offer for Lemon, who made 70 receptions for 969 yards and 13 touchdowns while helping Arundel to the Class 4A title game last season.

"It was a huge relief (getting the first offer) after all the stuff I've done this summer, all the camps I've went to, all the workouts I've done. It just shows how much it's paid off," Lemon said.

According to Asbury, Syracuse and Richmond have been in touch with Lemon and are close to offering the rising senior.

Make sure to leave your comment below and let us know how we're doing.

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By Mike Loveday

oloveday5@yahoo.com

Almost every team that makes it deep into the state playoffs have one thing in common, underclassmen that contribute.

Those underclassman help augment the senior leadership. Let's look at the teams that made the championship games last year.

Quince Orchard had senior Thomas Addison, but Travis Hawkins, Terrence Stephens, Jason Ankrah and Cody Magill were all juniors. Arundel had two outstanding seniors, but Alec Lemon and Sean Fitzgerald were the perfect compliment to Brandon Johnson-Farrell.

River Hill had the trio of Michael Campanaro, Malek Redd and Leron Eaddy to help senior Zach Martin go out a champion. Dunbar was led by juniors Tavon Austin, Sean Farr and Jonathan Perry on offense and Tevin Brown on defense. Allegany put their running game on the shoulders of offensive lineman Justin Hymes.

Hereford and Damascus seem to be the exception to this rule as both teams relied heavily on seniors to get them to the title game, but state semifinalists Lackey, Wilde Lake, Clarksburg and Thomas Johnson counted on their juniors.

With this in mind I'm continuing my look at some of the rising juniors that I expect to make an impact on their respective teams this season. This is the third and final story in the series.

Robbie Havenstein, Linganore: At 6-foot-7, 300-pounds, Havenstein is an imposing presence on the line. The offensive tackle not only has the size, but also the agility to anchor the Lancers this season.

J.D. Hook, Allegany: As a running back, Hook will be looked to as a replacement for Jake Twigg and Brian Matthews. As a linebacker, the junior will pair with fellow junior Dustin Wharton as leaders on the defense.

Evan Pittman, Calvert Hall: (pictured above) Pittman impressed coaches with his size, mobility and strong arm at the Bullseye combine. As a Super 100 member, Pittman proved that he could lead his team during 7-on-7 games.

E.J. Scott, Good Counsel: A look at 2010 athletes is not complete with Scott. The receiver and defensive back is not only an impact player on the Falcons, but will be one of the most highly recruited athletes in the state.

Tyler Lardy, Gaithersburg: Lardy ran a 4.7 40-yard dash at the Bullseye Combine and showed his explosiveness with a 25-8 vertical and a 29-2 kneeling power ball toss.

Troy Gloster, Good Counsel: (pictured right) Gloster is another Falcon that will be highly recruited. The 5-11, 209-pound linebacker has a rock-solid frame and runs a 4.7 40.

Joseph Kirby, Kent Island: As a sophomore, Kirby rushed for 441 yards and seven touchdowns. At the Bullseye Combine, the running back ran a 4.68 40 and did 14 repetitions of 155 pounds.

Kyle Tucker, Linganore: The Lancers line will be tough to get through with Havenstein and Tucker. Tucker broke the Bullseye Combine bench press record when he did 38 reps of 155 pounds.

Devante Stamps, McDonogh: Stamps could be the perfect compliment to fellow receiver Javarrus King. Stamps has 4.8 speed and has a 6-foot-2, 183-pound frame, similar to that of King.

Dylan Acab, Poly: Acab showed good speed with a 4.6 40-yard dash and was one of several Engineers to impress during the Bullseye Combine.

Justin Handley, Patuxent: Handley has 4.67 speed and as a third receiver in the Patuxent offense, could be the perfect slot receiver compliment to Eric Farmer and Justin Ford.

Antione Goodson, Poly: Goodson was primarily the running quarterback for Poly last season, but during the Bullseye Super 100 he showcased one of the strongest arms of any participant.

Nick Bonhag, River Hill: Bonhag plays tight end for the Hawks and made a run at the Bullseye Super 100 MVP with highlight reel catches during 7-on-7 games.

Kevin Johnson, River Hill: Johnson played quarterback on the junior varsity, but could see time as a defensive back for the Hawks this season. With 4.65 speed and a 35-inch vertical, there has to be some place for this athlete to play.

Malik Cross, Oxon Hill: Cross along with receiver Brandon Felder will be a player to watch on Oxon Hill's offense. As a sophomore, Cross rushed for 1,653 yards and nine touchdowns.

If you want more information about the upcoming season and all the players you can order your copy of the Preseason Football Magazine Here

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By Mike Loveday

Arundel receiver Alec Lemon traveled the country this summer, with visits to Louisville, Syracuse, Tulane and UConn just to name a few. Now the 6-foot-2, 185-pound receiver is awaiting his first official offer which he believes could come soon.

Lemon had some of his best camp performances at Syracuse and Vanderbilt and the two programs are at the top of his list.

"I like both of their academics and how both of the campuses are set up," Lemon said. "I like how all the coaches were involved in the camps. You didn't just see the head coach for 10 seconds like I did at UConn and then he'd be gone. The head coaches were out there and interacting with all the kids."

Lemon added that while neither school has made an official offer, he thinks either of the schools could be the first to do so.

"They want to compare me to the other receivers they've been looking at, or they've offered," Lemon said. "They told me to be patient, but I feel real good about both of those schools."

Lemon is coming off a junior season where he made 70 catches for 969 yards and 13 touchdowns, helping Arundel make it to the Class 4A state title game.

The change in this year's team will be replacing Consensus All-State players Nick Elko and Brandon Johnson-Farrell. Lemon looks to step into Johnson-Farrell's lead receiver spot while it will fall to rising junior Billy Cosh to fill the void at quarterback.

The Wildcats have participated in 7-on-7 tournaments in the offseason and the offense looks to be coming together.

"We've been to several 7-on-7 tournaments and our whole team lit it up," Lemon said. "He (Billy Cosh) is just like Nick (Elko). He just needs that varsity experience and once he gets that under his belt he'll be set."

The Wildcats will be looking to make it back to M & T Bank stadium this year and become the first Anne Arundel County team to win a state title since North County in 1994.

Alec is a member of this year's Dream Team third team. If you want to know more about the Dream Team and the preseason football magazine Click here

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