Stephen Decatur Downs Huntingtown to Win First Ever Maryland State Football Championship

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Phil Myers | December 1, 2023

The Stephen Decatur Seahawks from Berlin, Maryland on the Eastern Shore won their first ever state football championship Thursday night at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium when they defeated Huntingtown 21-13.  Decatur jumped out to a 14-0 first half lead and did what they needed to do in the second half to come away with the victory.

Seahawk QB Brycen Coleman, the Vanderbilt commit, led the charge offensively by accounting for all three touchdowns, passing for 229 yards, and rushing for 66 more.  His 3-yard run opened the scoring in the first quarter and his 3-yard pass to Trybe Wise in the second sent Decatur into the intermission with a 14-0 lead.

Touchdown Decatur. They lead Huntingtown 14-0 with 3:20 left in second. @PaFootballNews @decatur_fb @CanesHtown pic.twitter.com/NFS7gUNPnD

— Phil Myers Sr. (@Protime_PFN) December 1, 2023

Huntingtown cut into that lead when Landon Cawley scored on a 6-yard run on the Hurricanes’ first possession of the second half.  Decatur responded like champions do when Coleman rolled out around the right side and found the end zone on a 4-yard scamper to regain their two-score advantage 21-7.

A long run by QB Evan Kuntz at end of third set up Huntingtown’s last score at beginning of last quarter.  Trent DePompa snagged a pass from Kuntz that covered 9 yards and the score, but the PAT was blocked.

Evan Kuntz of Huntingtown (far left in white) throws a pass. Ball is spiraling in upper right of picture.

The Seahawks then drove deep into H’Town territory but a penalty and a QB sack pushed them back and they had to punt.  It was their first of the game.  Subsequently, the Canes found themselves facing a third and three from their 23.  Having run the ball every offensive play in the second half up to this point, they proceeded to throw two passes both of which were incomplete giving Decatur excellent field position.

Decatur looked to ice the game, but Roger Jones, Jr. intercepted a 3rd down pass by Coleman and Huntingtown took over at their eight with 3 minutes left.  The Hurricanes drove all the way to Decatur 20 with mostly short sideline passes.  Eventually third and fourth down passes fell incomplete and Decatur took over with 44 seconds remaining.  And the celebrating began as the Seahawks took a couple of knees to cap an undefeated 14-0 season and win their first state title.

Notes: Decatur had two touchdowns called back because of penalties.  But a real key to the outcome of the game was in the first half.  Huntingtown had a first down at the Seahawk two.  Kuntz ran a keeper, got inside the one, and eventually fought his way into the end zone.  The thing was, the referees had blown the play dead because his progress was stopped.  To top it off, the Hurricanes were flagged for a personal foul penalty putting the ball back at the 15.  A couple five-yard penalties set them back more and they failed to convert on fourth down.

Total yardage for the game was virtually even with Decatur gaining 361 yards and Huntingtown 335.  Kuntz was the man for the Hurricanes as he ran for 147 net yards and threw for 79 more.  Huntingtown finished the 2023 campaign with a 10-3 record.

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