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The Gazette Player of the Year in 2007 Ryan Bonheyo will be a marked man in MSD's game against Baltimore Lutheran.
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While the majority of area high school football teams kickoff their regular seasons in the first week of September, both the Maryland School for the Deaf and St. John's-Catholic Prep will begin their campaigns a week earlier.
MSD, the reigning Deaf School National Champions, will put its 28-game win streak on the line when they travel to take on Baltimore Lutheran. Meanwhile, SJCP will visit Laurel to take on MIAA non-conference foe St. Vincent Pallotti in a 7 p.m. matchup at Suplee Field.
Undersized senior quarterback Billy Seymour (5 foot 7, 135 pounds) and running back Akil Thomas (5-7, 165) key Lutheran's offensive attack. Other key components include tall, lanky receivers Cody Chamberlain (6-3, 170) and Ryan McNamara (6-2, 150). Steve Grueninger (6-0, 210), Jordan Cutchins (6-0, 240) and Kenny Baker (6-1, 250) are the leaders on the offensive line as well as the Saints defensive unit.
Despite the departure of several standout athletes on both sides of the ball, the Orioles return The Gazette's Player of the Year, Ryan Bonheyo. The Towson University-bound athlete rushed for nearly 1,600 yards last season and accumulated 82 tackles as a linebacker.
The Vikings will step up a notch to take on Pallotti, members of the MIAA B Conference. The host Panthers however, went 1-9 last season and look to regroup for this season.
On the contrary, St, John's-CP has seen resurgence under head coach Jimmy Ward, adding six wins to its overall total last year after suffering through a 1-9 season in 2006.
The Vikings have a dangerous running back in Lamont Wims (5-9, 180), a first team All-Gazette running back during his freshman season who totaled 2,000 all-purpose yards, along with a big play defensive threat in junior lineman J.R. Ferguson (6-4, 275).
Ferguson, who was also an All-Gazette first teamer, also lines up at tight end and at fullback to help lead the way for Wims.
Including Ferguson, the Vikings have a sizeable offensive line which averages 6-2, 269 per man. Junior Luis pierce is a two-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back.
