Jalen Gross (with ball) prepares to throw the ball after a play action handoff

In the opening weekend of Maryland High School Football, all eyes in Calvert County were on the Patuxent-Huntingtown game. Ever since the schedules came out over the summer, this game was one of the many hyped up games of the season’s opening day. As the game progressed, it became clear that it was a heavy one sided affair as Patuxent’s passing offense was too much for the Hurricanes to handle.

The game started off with Greg Leonard giving the Panther’s a great opening field position following a kick return that ended at the ‘Canes 42 yard line. After a 31 yard completion from junior quarterback Jalen Gross to senior wide out Greg Leonard, senior running back Chris Long put it in on an 8-yard scoring run to give the Panthers their first score of the season. The extra point was good, and the Panthers led 7-0.  In the second quarter, Patuxent kicker Andrew Kalinoski banged a field goal through the uprights to push the Panthers lead to 10-0. Before the half, Patuxent put together another touchdown drive, this one capped off by a 39 yard touchdown throw and catch from Gross to Leonard once again to push the lead to 17-0. This 17 point lead didn’t last long as Huntingtown made a 2 minute drive before the half, and put a touchdown on the board on a 1 yard rushing TD by quarterback Andrew Pawlowski. Huntingtown missed the point after, and we went to half with a 17-6 score.

In the second half, Patuxent used several Huntingtown turnovers to set them up. On Huntingtown’s  first possession of the second half, they fumbled the ball away, and set the Panthers up with a first and 10 at the Cane’s 33 yard line. Once again, Patuxent drove down the field and scored a touchdown; this time on a seam route to tight end Vonnie Watkins, who reached out with one hand to pull in the pass from Gross.

Watkins(10) stares in at the Huntingtown offense before the snap

Patuxent slammed the door from any comeback by the Cane’s when they forced them into a turnover on downs, and on the next play, Gross teamed up with Leonard once more, and hit him with a post pattern over the middle that Leonard reeled in, turning on the jets on his way to a 65 yard touchdown reception. Reese Crounse converted a two point conversion, and pushed the lead to 32-6. On Huntingtown’s first offensive play of their next drive, quarterback Andrew Pawlowske threw an interception right into the gut of one of Patuxent’s defensive linemen, who rumbled and stumbled his way down to the Canes’ 21 yard line. Gross tacked on one more score in the third to make the score 39-6 going into the fourth. The fourth quarter was full of runs by both teams to try and keep the clock going to end the game. Huntingtown eventually got the ball within the Panther’s 5 yard line, but time expired before they could put the ball in the end zone.

Standout performers from Patuxent would be Jalen Gross, and Greg Leonard of Patuxent.  The Gross finished the game 11/15 for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns. Leonard had 4 catches for 142 yards and 2 scores. Huntingtown quarterback Andrew Pawlowski finished 12/21 for 106 yards with 1 interception. The Panthers improve to 1-0, and will play Northern (0-1) next Friday night at Patuxent. Huntingtown falls to 0-1, and will take on Calvert (1-0) at Huntingtown next Friday.

THE REST OF THIS WEEKEND’S SOUTHERN MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

Calvert 20  Northern 7

Westlake 12 St. Charles 7

North Point 9 Thomas Stone 6

Lackey 18  Leonardtown 6

Chopticon 53  La Plata 0

Great Mills 13  McDonough 7

St. Mary’s Ryken 49  Woodson 21