Patuxent’s Dajore Brooks finds some room on his 5-yard touchdown run that provided the SMAC all-stars with the go-ahead score in their 12-7 win over their Prince George’s County counterparts in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon.
Konner Blount-Foster of St. Charles prepares for the pass from Calvert’s Michael Floria during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. Blount-Foster, Floria and their SMAC teammates defeated their Prince George’s County counterparts 12-7 in the senior all-star game.
Huntingtown’s Jack Rosnage, left, and Clay Wargo team up for a tackle of Wise’s Jackson Greenleaf during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. Rosnage, Wargo and their SMAC teammates defeated their Prince George’s County counterparts 12-7 in the senior all-star game.
Calvert’s Michael Floria, bottom, stretches just across the goal line for the first SMAC touchdown in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC all-star squad defeated Prince George’s County 12-7.
Bowie’s Devan Parrish, Westlake’s Nigel Harrison and Patuxent’s Dajore Brooks all go up for a pass in the end zone during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC senior all-star team defeated Prince George’s County 12-7.
The Southern Maryland Athletic Conference senior all-star football team comes together one last time after defeating Prince George’s County 12-7 in the Chick-fil-A Challenge on Saturday afternoon at North Point.
La Plata quarterback Donnie Bowman looks downfield during the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC senior all-star team defeated Prince George’s County 12-7.
Corey Johnson of North Point, left, and Kameron Norwood of Great Mills, center, try to pave the way for a rushing gain for the SMAC senior all-stars during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC squad defeated its Prince George’s County counterparts 12-7.
Patuxent’s Dajore Brooks finds some room on his 5-yard touchdown run that provided the SMAC all-stars with the go-ahead score in their 12-7 win over their Prince George’s County counterparts in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon.
Staff photo by ANDY STATES
Konner Blount-Foster of St. Charles prepares for the pass from Calvert’s Michael Floria during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. Blount-Foster, Floria and their SMAC teammates defeated their Prince George’s County counterparts 12-7 in the senior all-star game.
Staff photos by ANDY STATES
Huntingtown’s Jack Rosnage, left, and Clay Wargo team up for a tackle of Wise’s Jackson Greenleaf during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. Rosnage, Wargo and their SMAC teammates defeated their Prince George’s County counterparts 12-7 in the senior all-star game.
Staff photo by ANDY STATES
Calvert’s Michael Floria, bottom, stretches just across the goal line for the first SMAC touchdown in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC all-star squad defeated Prince George’s County 12-7.
Staff photo by ANDY STATES
Bowie’s Devan Parrish, Westlake’s Nigel Harrison and Patuxent’s Dajore Brooks all go up for a pass in the end zone during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC senior all-star team defeated Prince George’s County 12-7.
Staff photo by ANDY STATES
The Southern Maryland Athletic Conference senior all-star football team comes together one last time after defeating Prince George’s County 12-7 in the Chick-fil-A Challenge on Saturday afternoon at North Point.
Staff photos by ANDY STATES
La Plata quarterback Donnie Bowman looks downfield during the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC senior all-star team defeated Prince George’s County 12-7.
Staff photo by ANDY STATES
Corey Johnson of North Point, left, and Kameron Norwood of Great Mills, center, try to pave the way for a rushing gain for the SMAC senior all-stars during action in the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point on Saturday afternoon. The SMAC squad defeated its Prince George’s County counterparts 12-7.
When Patuxent’s Dajore Brooks scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 1 minute 29 seconds remaining in the 12th edition of the Chick-fil-A Challenge at North Point High School on Saturday afternoon, it gave the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference all-stars a 12-7 lead over their Prince George’s County counterparts. It also made for a finish that was not going to lack for drama, a script that St. Charles head coach Patrick Orndoff, who served as the SMAC head coach for the all-star game, is quite familiar with.
“It wouldn’t be one of ours if it wasn’t close,” Orndoff joked afterwards. “If they don’t have the ball with a chance to win, it’s not our game.”
The Prince George’s squad drove as far as the SMAC 31-yard line on the game’s final possession, but a final-play heave by Surrattsville quarterback Ryan Otey into the end zone fell incomplete, sealing the 12-7 win for the SMAC squad. With this year’s result, Prince George’s holds the overall series lead 7-5.
A dramatic conclusion seemed in the cards from the start, as it was apparent scoring would be at a premium from the start of the 12th edition of the all-star gathering.
The game’s opening possession, which was kept alive by a successful fake point, ended with with the SMAC pass into the end zone picked off by Northwestern’s Emil Medina. Later in the opening quarter, Prince George’s drove inside the SMAC 20, but Huntingtown’s Clay Wargo picked off an Otey pass and returned it to the Prince George’s 29, only for the SMAC offense to fumble the ball away two plays later.
Finally, with a 13-play, 59-yard drive that concluded 31 seconds into the second quarter, the SMAC squad opened the game’s scoring on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Calvert’s Michael Floria. Floria had previously delivered the key play of the series, scrambling for 25 yards on a second down-and-20 play that moved the SMAC offense down to the Prince George’s 7.
Neither team was able to score again until the Prince George’s squad took advantage of excellent field position after an interception and return by C.H. Flowers’ Jason Mitchell set the team up at the SMAC 28 early in the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Suitland’s Latrell McCants sprinted 19 yards to the end zone, and with the successful extra point from Northwestern’s Gevono Gregory the visitors took their first lead, 7-6, with 13:58 remaining in the game. The all-star contest used 15-minute quarters versus the usual 12 played in a regular game. SMAC drove well across midfield on its ensuing possession, but turned the ball over on downs at the Prince George’s 28. But after forcing a punt on the subsequent Prince George’s possession, SMAC put together an 80-yard drive for the win. Floria connected with Konner Blount-Foster of St. Charles for 31 yards to get things rolling, while Brooks’ 29-yard rush two plays later moved the ball into the red zone.
Prince George’s was later called for a critical offsides penalty on fourth and 2 from the 10. Three plays later, Brooks carried the ball into the end zone from 5 yards out to account for what ultimately was the game’s final score.
“They were talking, a lot so I knew I had to shut them up a little bit,” Brooks said of the winning touchdown. “The only way to do it was to score.”
With close to 80 yards on the ground, Brooks led a SMAC rushing attack that accumulated over 200 yards for the game.
“It was an honor to be out here playing with these guys,” the Patuxent senior said. “At first I was like, ‘I don’t know anybody.’ Now I kind of have a vibe with all of them. We’ve bonded over this. It was a good time.”
Growing up, Blount-Foster had been a regular spectator at previous editions of the game. On Saturday, he was the leading receiver for the SMAC team, hauling in six receptions for 74 yards.
“I’ve watched players before me all playing in this game, SMAC vs. P.G.,” he said. “I came every year and just to be in it is unreal.”
Blount-Foster was also impressed with how well the conference rivals came together in just a week of practice.
“We’ve been practicing all week, really had just two days to learn everything and we had a lot of stuff we didn’t even run,” he said. “Us coming together in that week, we look like we’ve been practicing for four years all together. I’m just proud that everyone did their own job. It was great.
“It’s weird that people bought in. You don’t get anything for winning. You don’t get a ring or a trophy, but we just did it for SMAC.”
Orndoff also enjoyed his experience in his first experience heading up the all-star team.
“I thought the kids played real hard. It’s harder because it’s a long game, the extended [15-minute] quarters. In the past kids have kind of checked out here and there,” he said. “[North Point assistant coach Mike] Rucker was calling the defense and he did a fantastic job, not just of calling the defense but getting the kids in position and getting them playing hard. [Northern head coach Steve] Crounse and his staff helped out a lot, a lot of guys came in and helped and did a lot of good stuff. ... It was fun to meet the kids. It was a good game. We had a couple big plays, some big plays on defense. It was just fun.”
