Team PA beats Team MD 31-7 in Big 33 Football Classic

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — South River coach Steve Erxleben knew the key to Team Maryland's success in Sunday night's Big 33 Football Classic would be “explosive plays.” He spent the last few years watching Max Jones make those plays every Friday night in the fall for Old Mill.

Jones shared the frustration of his passing teammates as Team Pennsylvania completely dominated the game, racking up 244 yards in the first half alone, including 211 through the air, and 10 first downs to start the clock running en route to a 31-7 victory. Those lopsided stats – Team Maryland had just 22 total yards in the first half and committed five penalties for 66 yards – are not unusual in the annual classic, as Team Pennsylvania, which led 31-0 at halftime, improved its record to 16-3 in the series. Maryland's last win was in 2018.

Jones, a two-time Rhodes Trophy nominee and Anne Arundel County's leading runner for the past two seasons, had planned to carry the brunt of the load against the northern opponent, but he only rushed the ball for 2 yards twice in the first half.

“We needed a spark,” Jones said. “Luckily, I was able to give them that.”

That spark came in the second half when Team Maryland quarterback Brenton Toles hit the 5-foot-10 Patriots star for his team's only point of the night. Jones began to cheer with his Maryland teammates, the only moment to celebrate on an otherwise dreary night.

For his work, Jones was awarded the trophy as the team's most valuable player by Big 33 officials.

“It feels good. It means the world to me,” Jones said. “But you have to stay humble. It's been four fun years [at Old Mill]but it's time to go to college.”

Erxleben said players don't always understand how much respect they receive from their opponents' coaches. Jones told his interim coach about his favorite play of his career: a nifty 2-point conversion that beat South River in overtime in 2022.

“I said, 'Me too,'” Erxleben laughed. “Max is a good kid. Bowie State is lucky to get him. He's done a really good job and it was nice to get to know him a little better than just a handshake after the game.”

Granted, Team Maryland was still far behind after Jones reached the end zone. But their defense, which consisted of players from the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, national rivals and public school powerhouses, held Team Pennsylvania scoreless in the second half. A goal-line stand saw to that.

That might not have happened if Team Maryland hadn't kept Jones' momentum going. Just a minute after the Old Mill senior's triumph, St. Frances cornerback Kevyn Humes stepped into the spotlight. The Mitchellville, Maryland native leapt in front of Team Pennsylvania's Aaron Enterline and intercepted the pass.

The ensuing drive missed the target by a few inches, despite a valiant effort by North Point's Kaleb Hart to force the final 2 yards.

“I'm proud that our boys stood on the goal line twice and scored a goal,” said Erxleben. “We had problems with that in the first half, but we fought back in the second half.”

Through the first 24 minutes, Team Maryland was unable to keep up with Team Pennsylvania's passing attack, led by wide receiver and Penn State player Tyseer Denmark, who finished the game with 95 yards on four catches and appeared to power through Team Maryland defenders on touchdown catches of 21 and 52 yards.

In the second quarter, he safely received a pass from Pennsylvania quarterback Hayden Johnson, fighting his way through a pair of Maryland defenders to extend the home team's lead to 30-0.

Team Maryland did everything they could to make sure he stayed there.