Previewing the 2025 MIAA football season

Nine months and five days after Archbishop Curley and Archbishop Spalding each raised MIAA football championship plaques at Calvert Hall’s Russo Stadium, a new season is set to begin.

Thursday afternoon, Boys’ Latin will make a five-minute bus ride up Roland Avenue to play Gilman at Sotir Stadium’s Brown Field.

Spalding and Curley were the last teams standing in the A and B conference, respectively, at the end of the 2024 campaign. Both squads will be different as they look to repeat.

After putting together the most dominant season in MIAA A football history last fall, the Cavaliers (12-0 last season) no longer have three-time league Athlete of the Year Malik Washington (now at University of Maryland) directing the offense. Senior Blake Howell, Washington’s backup the past couple of seasons, is now the point-man.

Howell will have a veteran line, led by Kyle Lucas, a Baltimore Touchdown Club Super 22 pick and a commit to the Naval Academy. Howell will also have wideouts Aaron Igwebe, who’s committed to Towson University, Myles McAfee, the state’s top receiver in the Class of 2027, and senior running back Antonio Ledbetter, who’s also a BTC Super 22 selection.

Sean Johnson, a cornerback committed to Florida State, and BTC Super 22 pick Justin Snell (defensive back/linebacker) will anchor the defense. Last season, Spalding didn’t allow a touchdown in MIAA A play until McDonogh scored on the opening drive in last November’s title game.

The Cavaliers, who didn’t lose a MIAA A game (24-0 including playoffs) during Washington’s three years as starter, will try to become the first team to win four straight A league championships outright. Gilman won five straight (1998-2002), sharing the 2001 crown with McDonogh.

McDonogh (10-2), which lost in the 2024 and 2023 MIAA A title games (0-4 overall in championship matches), is determined to break through this fall. Braeden Palazzo, a four-year starter, is set to replace Washington as the league’s “QB1.” The Eagles also have the area’s top linebacker in Nick Abrams, who’s committed to national powerhouse Georgia. 

Calvert Hall (7-5) is under new direction with Tyler Ward who replaced Josh Ward (now at Mount Carmel). The Cardinals, the only program to reach all six A Conference postseason tournaments, return seven starters.

Chris Hewitt, a Rutgers commit, is a game-changing threat at wide receiver and defensive back. Junior quarterback Oliver Noll, and seniors Josh Ritter (line), Micha Morozov (wide receiver), Azuriah Holmes (running back) and Harry O’Connell (running back) will key the offense. The defense will be led by senior linemen Kaleb Davis and linebacker Jaiden Falcon (senior).

Loyola (5-5) also has a new sideline leader in Rich Holzer. He guided Mount St. Joseph to the 2019 MIAA A championship before going to Southern Maryland and Northern of Calvert County for five seasons, winning the Class 3A state title in 2021.

Notre Dame commit Khary Adams (wide receiver/defensive back), an All-MIAA A selection in 2024, is one of the state’s elite two-way impact performers. All-MIAA A and BTC Super 22 picks Brayden Pross (wide receiver/defensive back) and Cole Mosier (linebacker), Brady Murn (senior defensive back) and junior two-way linemen Jason Block are among 11 returners for the Dons, who’ll have highly-touted sophomore quarterback Carlos Spencer directing the offense.

Concordia Prep (4-6) had a rough initiation to the A last fall. The Saints look to have a better handle through the league grind this year and make a run at a postseason berth with BTC Super 22 picks Rodney White (defensive line), an Indiana commit and Isaiah Hall (defensive back/wide receiver). Junior quarterback Justin Dixon, who’s verbally committed to Syracuse, also returns.

Gilman (4-6) started the 2024 campaign strong (4-1) before hitting a wall in league play. The Greyhounds look to have staying power in 2025 with nine returning starters, led by senior and BTC Super 22 pick Isaiah Trusty (running back/linebacker), senior Messiah Jews (linebacker/fullback), juniors Marcus Turpin (wide receiver/defensive back) and Jacob Webster (offensive/defensive line), and All-MIAA A and BTC Super 22 kicker Connor Souryal (senior).

Mount St. Joseph (4-6) has made five of the six MIAA A postseasons (playoffs started in 2017 with no postseason in 2018 and 2020). The Gaels return 13 starters including Boston College commit Xavier Myers (defensive back), defensive linemen Carlos Shird (Kent State) and Bryan Iwuoha (Columbia) and senior linebacker Ian Wells (BTC Super 22 pick) on defense. 

Seniors Malik Moore and Kaleb Davis (running backs) and BTC Super 22 selection Jabari Berry (line) highlight the offensive returners for Mount St. Joseph.

St. Mary’s (0-10), which moved up to A with Concordia Prep last year, also took its lumps. Seniors Xander Dowell (wide receiver/defensive back), Mason Kravitz (linebacker/tight end) and Paxton Cho (linebacker) are returners on a roster featuring 30 underclassmen.

The Saints will have the pleasure of three matches at Pascal Field in Annapolis to start the 2025 campaign, including a non-league match with nearby Anne Arundel County public power Broadneck, and Concordia in the MIAA A league opener.

Curley (9-3) ended a decade-long drought with a perfect run (9-0) in B play in 2024. The Friars will try to go back-to-back for the first time since claiming the 2003 and 2004 B crown.

Rich Stichel, an assistant the past couple of seasons, is the Friars’ new coach after Bobby Jones relocated to New Jersey with his family. Jones was hired as offensive coordinator at the College of New Jersey earlier in the summer.

New Archbishop Curley football coach Rich Stichel is flanked by Tavon Anthony and Zion Harris.

Curley return 24 letter winners, led by offensive linemen Tavon Anthony, who was selected the league’s Athlete of the Year last season. Jack Athas (linebacker/tight end), Bailen Boutz (defensive line/running back) and Zion Harris (defensive line/tight end) were all-league selections.

Athas was picked to the BTC Super 22 squad. Senior quarterback Adam Cook also return for the Friars. 

Pallotti (8-3), which reached the B final in its first season back after a three-year run in the A, will have 2024 all-league performers Sekou Davis, John Faison, Kamal (defensive back/wide receiver) and Kareem Fisher (wide receiver) among its returnees. Senior quarterback Xavier Brookins, who’s committed to Hampton, will again direct the offense. 

Boys’ Latin (1-9) will look to build on promising momentum at the end of last season. After starting 0-8, the Lakers gained their only win against St. John’s Catholic Prep before dropping a tight 13-7 decision to St. Paul’s in the finale.

The Lakers return all-league performers Colt Erdos (junior wide receiver/defensive back), senior kicker/punter Matt Meredith (BTC Super 22 selection) and junior Blake Griffith (defensive line/linebacker). Boys’ Latin has 35 underclassmen on its 2025 roster. 

John Carroll (5-5), which missed the postseason by one game last year, will have only three seniors on its roster, led by Wyatt Shifflett (defensive back/running back) and Anthony Modeste (quarterback/linebacker). The Patriots have a combined 23 freshmen and sophomores on their roster.

Mount Carmel (3-6) will be in transition as Josh Ward, who won the 2021 MIAA A title at his alma-mater Calvert Hall, has the reins. Ward is the Cougars’ third coach since 2021 as previous coach, Courtney Bridget, left for Baltimore City public powerhouse Dunbar. 

St. John’s Catholic Prep (1-9) will look for improvement after going winless (0-7) in B play last year. Seniors Nate Diomi (running back/linebacker) and Darius Hollie (wide receiver/defensive back) headline the returners along with promising underclassmen SJ Wilson (sophomore quarterback) and junior linemen Donovan Dowling.

St. Paul’s (6-4) have 11 starters back, seeking a second straight postseason berth. The Crusaders will be led by seniors Johnny Miles (defensive line) and Landon Blue (defensive back/wide receiver), who were both all-league picks last fall. 

Senior quarterback Eli Livingston will lead the offense with senior Lamar West, Dean Speight (center) and Jackson Angulo-Bartlett (wide receiver). Senior linebackers Liam Barganski and Hayden Myers and sophomore Rashad Jones are back on defense. 

Severn (7-4) continued its renaissance under coach Demetrius Ballard (2024 MIAA B Coach of the Year) last season, reaching the semifinals in its first season after winning the C title in 2023. The Admirals defeated St. Mary’s in their regular season-ending Anne Arundel County rivalry match for the first time since 2015.

Their momentum should continue in 2025 with all-league selections Jules Floyd (senior running back/linebacker), Talin Krashoc (junior offensive/defensive line), Charlie Runco (senior running back/linebacker) and Lincoln Watkins (junior tight end).