by Dan Greenberg
Gazette
09-17-2008

Seneca Valley senior Joe Rankin pointed over to a small shed located behind the track of the school's stadium field and nodded. It's an unassuming sight, but symbolic to anyone who's ever worn the green and gold.

On top of it rest numerous engraved footballs, commemorating each one of the school's record 12 Maryland state championships.

Rankin's pass breakup on the final play of the game had just cemented the team's 6-0 victory over Northwest, but even after a heart-stopper with his school's arch-rival, he couldn't stop thinking about that shed.

"We want to add another football to that thing," said Rankin, who also intercepted a pass and forced a fumble on Friday night. "They say defense wins championships and defense wins games. Well, we plan to put another one on that shed in 2009."

It's been awhile — by Seneca Valley (2-0) standards — since the last football was added. To be exact, it was following the 2002 season, which brought a fourth state title in six years.

Against the Jaguars (1-1), Seneca looked like those teams of old on the "championship" side of the ball. What made the shutout all the more impressive was the opponent.

Northwest has some serious talent on the offensive side of the ball, with University of Maryland commit Marcus Whitfield as a tight end/wide receiver hybrid, and junior Good Counsel transfer Hassan Dixon (109 rushing yards), who has topped the century mark in each of his first two varsity appearances.

But time and time again, the Eagle defense came up with enormous plays to snuff out scoring opportunities. Rankin stripped fullback Ashton Foster on Northwest's first offensive play and senior linebacker Thomas Best recovered, dampening a 20-yard run into Seneca territory.

Early in the third quarter, with the Jags inside the red zone, Eagles cornerback Mark Henderson — whose 67-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter provided the game's only points — picked off Northwest quarterback Jarrhett Butler at the 4-yard line, and Rankin picked off another pass late in the fourth quarter prior to the game's final play, a Hail Mary pass he batted down as time expired.

"We knew they were a really good football team and they had a lot of weapons," said Seneca Valley head coach Fred Kim. "I was stunned we shut them out. I thought they were way too good for that."

In fact, they were. The Jaguars had every reason to believe they were the better team Friday, as they were superior in numerous statistical categories.

They topped Seneca in first downs (24-12), time of possession (almost double) and rushing yards (by almost 70). But the only number that mattered showed a goose egg.

"I've been coaching 13 years; this is the one game I'm watching and I don't know how we lost," said Northwest head coach Andrew Fields. "I'm not taking anything away from Seneca Valley, they're a great team and made all the plays when they needed to. But just thinking about it is making my stomach turn."

Winning the King's Trophy — awarded in the annual match-up between two of the county's fiercest rivals — is only step one for the Eagles, and Kim knows that all too well. To help him out, he brought back offensive coordinator Terry Changuris, who stepped down from the head job following the 2004 season, after being a part of all 12 state titles (seven at the helm, five as an assistant).

"I haven't won in four years, so I feel a lot of heat," said Kim. "The alumni's breathing down my neck. I've got to do the best I can, so I got the best guy available, Terry Changuris, who's been through them all."

Changuris is considered an offensive guru, and has led some of the best offenses in county history with Seneca and later Sherwood.

But two-way standouts such as Rankin (a halfback on offense) and Henderson (wide receiver) don't care which side of the ball shines brightest this fall, as long as one of them brings them a long-awaited trophy.

And another football.

"We've got to bring it back," Henderson said. "It's been a drought since 2002. It's been a recession actually."