Douglass shuts out Dunbar in Md. Class 2A HS football championship, 38-0

Frederick Douglass, PG County, came in to Saturday night’s 2A State Championship game with not a single state title to their name. Their opponent, Paul Laurence Dunbar Poets, who have nine championships, and have the most playoff wins in state history.

This was the second loss by a Baltimore-area team in a championship game this weekend. Earlier Saturday, the Frederick Douglass Mighty Ducks lost to Fort Hill in the 1A Championship.

Senior running back Akiva Wedge boosted Douglass with an early lead two minutes into the game, taking a run to the house 60 yards and a touchdown. Douglass averaged 44.2 points per game this season and allowed just 4.6/Game.

The touchdown by Wedge put the team up 6-0, when the Eagles opted not to kick the point-after in rainy conditions and failed on a designed run.

On the Poets’ ensuing drive gave the appearance that this was going to be a back and forth game, however, they turned the ball over on downs after they failed to convert on 4th-and-goal on Douglass’ 4-yard line.

Wedge gashed the Poets’ again on a 32 yard run, and backup Mikale Makle followed up thsat play with a 50 yard pickup. The Eagles QB Devin Butler (Jr.), put Frederick Douglass up by 12 with a designed run for a touchdown, capping a four-play, 98-yard drive. The Eagles failed for a second time on the two-point conversion with 1:21 left in the first quarter.

To finish the first quarter Douglass had 155 total rushing yards to Dunbar’s 59.

It didn’t get any better in the second quarter for Dunbar. Junior quarterback Zionnez Spencer, was continually hit throughout the game, and threw an interception with 8:31 left in the second, allowing the Eagles to take over on the Poets’ 45.

Wedge made an explosive play again on Douglass’ next drive, picking up 19 yards on a dive play. Butler followed that up with a 10-yard touchdown run. The Eagles failed on the conversion for a third time, but they went up 18-0 with 5:55 remaining in the first half.

Immediately in the second half, Douglass took the ball down the field and scored once again, with Butler taking it in for his third rushing touchdown of the day, making it 24-0.

The Eagles went on to score multiple touchdowns into the fourth quarter, where the mercy rule running clock went into effect for the remainder of the game, draining out the final seconds of the shutout.

The Frederick Douglass Eagles won the game 38-0, winning their first ever 2A Class State Title. Congratulations to the Douglass football team on a great season!