Maryland
6 Maryland high school football storylines to watch in 2024
With the season set to kickoff this weekend, here’s some of the big storylines in Maryland high school football in 2024.
After one of the most successful runs in Maryland state public football history at Henry A. Wise, DaLawn Parrish has a new challenge at Westlake.
Parrish won 179 games and six Class 4A state titles in 18 seasons at Wise, including the 2023 championship. He stepped down in February to become coach at Westlake, near his home in Charles County (Md.).
Parrish, who started the Wise program in 2006, inherits a Westlake program that finished 6-6 last season with mostly underclassmen.
“There’s a lot of talent in the SMAC and there’s a lot of involvement from the community,” said Parrish, whose two daughters attend Westlake, and whose wife is an alum. “You can tell that athletics at Westlake has a great tradition and not just in football.”
Parrish’s tenure at Westlake will start with road games at Northern-Calvert, which won the Class 3A title in 2021, and 2023 state finalists Calvert (2A/1A) and Huntingtown (2A).
With Parrish now at Westlake, Steve Rapp has the coaching reins at the Prince George’s County (Md.) powerhouse. Rapp has been the Pumas’ offensive coordinator since 2013.
Rapp, who’s been part of five Wise championships, knows expectations remain high.
“Pressure is man-made. It’s only about us all the time,” said Rapp. “When we master us, we’ll master the situation.”
Wise will again be a title favorite in Class 4A, led by University of Oklahoma commit Trent Wilson (defensive end) and one of the state’s best two-way performers in running back/linebacker DeCarlos Young (Temple).
With Parrish leading a Westlake program that has championship DNA (won 3A state title in 2008), the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference could be the state’s premier public league.
Last year, Calvert (2A/1A), Huntingtown (2A) and North Point (4A/3A) played for state championships. In 2022, North Point claimed its first crown (4A/3A) while Patuxent was neck-and-neck with perennial state power Dunbar in the fourth quarter in the 2A/1A title match before falling. Northern-Calvert won the 3A championship in 2021.
Since the state football playoffs expanded from four to six classifications in 2021, seven SMAC programs have reached the state quarterfinals.
The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, the state’s largest private high school athletic league, will have several changes this season.
The A Conference will feature eight teams with Concordia Prep and St. Mary’s joining from the B. Concordia Prep won B titles in 2023 and 2021 while St. Mary’s claimed three championships (2022, 2018 and 2017) over the previous six full seasons.
The schools will join Calvert Hall, Gilman School, Loyola Blakefield, McDonogh School, Mount St. Joseph and Archbishop Spalding in the A. Spalding has won the last two A championships.
The B Conference will also have eight teams as St. Vincent Pallotti, who spent the previous three seasons in the A, returns to the B. After back-to-back titles in the now-defunct C, Severn School joins the B along with St. John’s Catholic Prep.
Archbishop Curley, Boys’ Latin School, John Carroll School, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Paul’s School make up the rest of the B field.
Annapolis Area Christian School, which was part of the C Conference, will play an independent schedule in 2024. St. Frances, another MIAA member school, has been playing as a national independent schedule since 2019.
With senior quarterback Malik Washington back, Spalding will try for the first championship 3-peat in A play since St. Frances (2016-18). Washington, who’s committed to the University of Maryland, is undefeated as a starter in league play (16-0; including playoffs).
The B Conference race in 2024 appears to be wide open. John Carroll reached the championship game last season while Curley may have the league’s top player in two-way linemen Skylar Harvey, who’s committed to Syracuse. Pallotti should be a factor in its return after taking lumps in the A (1-17).
St. Frances will be collecting more frequent flier miles in 2024. The Panthers, ranked 14th in SBLive/Sports Illustrated National Top 25, are set to travel over 18,000 miles over seven states including two trips to California.
St. Frances will play Orange Lutheran (Sept. 6) and consensus national No. 1 Mater Dei (Sept. 20). The Panthers go to Dallas for a national showdown with Duncanville (Tex.) on Sept. 14.
The small Baltimore City private school will play its first 10 games on the road, with stops in Florida, Indiana, and New Jersey. The Panthers, who don’t have an on-campus field, play their first “home game” Nov. 1 against IMG Academy (Fla.) at Morgan State University.
Last season, St. Frances (5-6) traveled over 7,500 miles, playing games in California, Florida, Georgia and Utah. The Panthers played in Florida, Hawaii, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas in 2022.
If able to successfully navigate its daunting road schedule, St. Frances will have a strong case to be the nation’s No. 1 squad.
Fort Hill and Dunbar, two of the state’s most successful public programs, seek to reach rarified air in 2024. Both schools will attempt to win a fourth consecutive state championship.
The Sentinels, who’ve won seven of the last nine Class 1A titles, ran off four in a row from 2013 to 2016 to join Urbana (1998-2001) as the only programs to accomplish the feat. The Western Maryland school is 39-1 over the last three seasons.
The Poets will start the season with the state’s longest winning streak at 38. The Baltimore City program claimed its state-best 13th championship with the 2A/1A crown last year.
Dunbar and Fort Hill will meet Sept. 13 at Morgan State University.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
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The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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