MIAA Weekend Preview: Oct. 4, 2008

Boys' Latin and Saints Peter and Paul soccer matched up on Sept. 23, 2008.  (Kyle Knopp)

By: Jeff Seidel

FOOTBALL

The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference standings will get shaken up after this weekend's games.

Gilman (3-1 overall, 1-0 in conference) goes to Calvert Hall (2-3, 0-1) to take on the Cardinals in a tough game. Calvert Hall is coming off a tough 14-13 loss at Eastern Tech where the Mavericks scored a touchdown with 27.6 seconds left and then kicked an extra point to win it.

Quarterback Patrick Fitzgerald threw a pair of touchdown passes, and the Cardinal defense slowed a strong Eastern Tech attack. The question now is how Calvert Hall will rebound.

Gilman also is trying to bounce back after a 28-19 loss to Bergen Catholic.

McDonogh (3-0, 1-0) will meet Loyola (5-0, 0-0) on the road Saturday at 4 p.m. in another game that is going to affect the standings.

Loyola comes in after an impressive 41-0 rout of Archbishop Curley. The Eagles, however, are trying to rebound after a 15-14 loss to Landon.

Mount St. Joseph (3-0) has a very difficult non-conference battle, hitting the road to play long-time public school powerhouse Allegany on Saturday.

SOCCER

McDonogh remains on top of the MIAA A Conference with an 8-0 mark in division (9-1 overall) heading into Thursday's action.

Julian Griggs had a hat trick to help the to a 4-1 victory over John Carroll, which has been slumping after a fast start, last week.

The Eagles are scheduled to play Loyola on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Gilman, Calvert Hall and Mount St. Joseph are battling for second place in the division heading into the weekend. St. Joe is scheduled to host Gilman Saturday at 2:30 in a game that should affect the No. 2 spot.

CROSS COUNTRY

The field is coming together for the re-scheduled Bull Run Invitational next Saturday. The final group won't be known for the next several days, more information to follow by the middle of next week.

This meet was supposed to have about 120 teams, but will likely be around 80 or 90. Stay tuned for more info in the coming days.

Moving the Bull Run back forced a number of very good teams to make some tough choices. The C.M. Wright girls and boys plus Bel Air's girls and boys, along with the Gilman boys and John Carroll's girls are among those that decided to stay at the Bobcat Invitational in Bel Air on the same day -- Oct. 11 at Jerusalem Mill.

The Doc Jones Invitational is set for this Saturday in Annapolis. More info on this next week.

Posted October 3, 2008