Ravens RISE High School Coach & Game of the Week
Bruce Strunk, varsity head football coach of the Howard (Ellicott City) Lions, has been named the Ravens High School Coach of the Week. Strunk is the ninth recipient of the honor in 2014.
Last Friday (10/31), Howard (9-0) earned a gritty 7-0 victory over the perennial Howard County power River Hill (Clarksville) Hawks (7-2). With the score deadlocked at 0-0 entering the fourth quarter, Lions RB Najee Savage put his team on the board with a 9-yard touchdown run on the first play of the last frame. While its offensive attack notched over 200 yards on the ground, it was Howard's defense that preserved the Lions' win.
Recording its fourth shutout of the season, Howard's defensive unit held the host Hawks to under 100 yards of total offense. On the year, the Lions have given up a mere 47 points in all nine contests combined.
"We had six starters coming back from our defense last season," Strunk explained. "We have some very good players on that side of the ball, but they all play as a unit. They take care of their responsibilities every day, and they picked a great time to play such a great game against a team with as much talent and is as well-coached as River Hill."
The Lions host the Long Reach (Columbia) Lightning this Friday (11/7) when they look to claim the outright Howard County football championship.
Each week during the season, the Ravens honor a high school coach who has made a significant impact on his student-athletes. Each winner will be in attendance at the Ravens-Jaguars home game on Dec. 14 for an opportunity to be named the Ravens High School Coach of the Year. In addition, each coach receives a donation to the school's football program and an award from head coach John Harbaugh.
In addition to the Ravens Coach of the Week, the Baltimore Ravens and The Baltimore Sun continue to recognize one local high school football game each week as their "Ravens RISE High School Game of the Week." A preview of the game is featured in the paper and online each Friday, with a photo gallery from the game posted following the matchup. (The Baltimore Sun hosts a poll for fans and schools to vote for their favorite game.) The chosen matchup also receives a visit to the game from the Ravens Cheerleaders and team mascot, Poe, and both participating schools are awarded a donation to their respective athletic programs.
This week, the Gilman (Baltimore) Greyhounds host the McDonogh (Owings Mills) Eagles for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Saturday (11/8). In the 99th meeting of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association "A Conference" rivals, the Greyhounds (8-2) look to avenge a 37-6 loss at the hands of the Eagles (6-3) last season.
These initiatives are just a piece of the Ravens' football outreach program, Ravens RISE. With programs for all football players in Maryland, from youth to high school, Ravens RISE provides an opportunity to "Play Like A Raven" all year long through clinics, tournaments, grants, ticket donations, and exclusive opportunities to play at M&T Bank Stadium and interact with Ravens players and coaches. To learn more about Ravens RISE, go to www.BaltimoreRavens.com/RISE.
