On Monday Night, the 2nd Annual Crab Bowl took place on a frosty cold night at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium. Once again it was a great display of the best football players in the state of Maryland, with the squad from DC holding to a 24-21 victory over Baltimore, taking a 2-0 series lead. After watching the game and evaluating the tape, I am going to take a look at some of the players that turned in impressive performances.

Most Outstanding Player

Jeff Herrick of Broadneck Named Ravens High School Coach of the Week

Arundel High School Selects New Head Baseball Coach

Gambrills, Md. – The selection committee has chosen Jason Lively to be the next head baseball coach at Arundel High School. Mr. Lively is a 2001 graduate of Arundel and a 2005 graduate of Salisbury University. While at Arundel, Mr. Lively was a standout multi-sport athlete and a member of the 2001 State Championship baseball team. Mr. Lively is a student of the game, having had the opportunity to learn from two legendary coaches – Bernie Walter and Doug Fleetwood.

Arundel's Billy Cosh needed two TD passes to tie Sherwood's Deontay Twyman and Friendly's Joe Haden for 80 career TD passes (State Record), so he threw for 7 TD's just to be safe. The Kansas State bound Senior now has 85 career TD passes, and holds single season records for TD passes with 56 (2008) and passing yards, 3,913 (2008).

Week 1 Games to Watch

The Heavyweight Battle:

Arundel at Old Mill, Friday 630 PM

This very well could be one of the best games of the year, and the most important Anne Arundel and 4A East matchup of the Year. Arundel, led by Quarterback Billy Cosh, features the best passing attack in the state, and Old Mill has the most high powered backfield led by Josh Furman and Jason Clements. Last year Old Mill won the regular season matchup 34-19, but Arundel came away with the 4A East title.

The 2009 High School Football Preview

Many wonder if there will be a hangover from the 2008 football season? Area greats Tavon Austin, Michael Campanaro, and Leon Kinnard have moved on to College, and area powerhouses Loyola, River Hill and Dunbar have graduated some of the future stars of college football. But I'm here to tell you, there is no need to worry.

Last year was a great year for the Severna Park Falcons, finishing with an 8-4 record which included victories over rival Broadneck and a playoff upset of Old Mill. It was the third time in the last 4 years Severna Park has won a first round playoff game. The Falcons will lose just about every starter from the 2008 team including starting QB Sam Jones and Linebacker Sean Price.

After 28 years without a Region Championship, the high flying Arundel Wildcats have passed their way to back to back straight 4A East titles, and a State Championship appearance in 2007. Chuck Markiewicz enters his 9th season as head coach of Arundel, and the Wildcats might be primed for their first State Title since 1975 and Anne Arundel County's first since Markiewicz's North County Knight got it done in 1994.

The Annapolis Panthers had a 4 win improvement from 2007 (2-8) to 2008 (6-4), and with many two year starters returning, Brian Brown and the Annapolis Coaching staff is expecting another improvement. In the crowded and always competitive 4A East, it will probably take 8 wins to seal a playoff spot, and Annapolis certainly looks to be a team that could sneak up and take one of those spots.

15 years later, the 1994 North County Knights remain the last Anne Arundel County Football team to win a State Championship. Broadneck (2003) and Arundel (2007) have made 4A title came appearences, but both fell victim to Montgomery County Schools. Former North County Coach Chuck Markiewicz moved over to Arundel in 2001, and has led the Wildcats to back to back 4A East Region Championships. But the Current North County coach is Gary Liddick, and as he enters his 7th season with the Knights, the program has returned as a force in Anne Arundel County.