During each week of the 2016 regular season, the Baltimore Ravens will recognize one local high school football game as its Ravens RISE High School Football Showdown.
This week's Showdown will feature the Francis Scott Key (Union Bridge, Md.) Eagles (0-2) at the Walkersville Lions (2-0). Kickoff is scheduled for Friday evening (9/16) at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles are in search of their first victory over the Lions since 2006, while Walkersville hopes to keep its unblemished record intact after an impressive start to the season, outscoring opponents 64-8.
In conjunction with The Baltimore Sun, a voting poll will be established each week to help select a game that will receive a visit from Ravens Cheerleaders and mascot Poe, have the stadium outfitted in Ravens banners and flags and obtain Ravens giveaways for fans in the stands. Additionally, a $1,000 donation will be awarded to each participating school's respective athletic program. Following the matchup, each Showdown will be highlighted with a detailed game recap and photo gallery.
Voting is now open for next week's Ravens RISE High School Football Showdown and will close Tuesday (9/20). The games available for Week 4 are:
- Meade at Northeast-AA (9/23 at 6:30 p.m.)
- South River at Annapolis (9/23 at 6:30 p.m.)
- Severna Park at Southern (9/24 at 1:00 p.m.)
To vote, please visit www.BaltimoreRavens.com/RavensRISEShowdown.
Matt Miller, varsity head football coach of the Winters Mill (Westminster, Md.) Falcons, has been named the Ravens High School Coach of the Week. Now in its 20th year of existence, Miller is the second recipient of the award in 2016.
Last Friday, Winters Mill (2-0) earned a thrilling 40-36 victory over the Bohemia Manor (Chesapeake City, Md.) Eagles. In the first quarter, the Falcons notched one touchdown from each phase of the game – offense, defense and special teams – and quickly jumped to a 21-0 lead. The Falcons were able to add three more touchdowns, while Bohemia Manor tallied five scores of its own. Clinging to the lead with less than three minutes remaining in the game, Winters Mill made its most important stop when junior defensive end Casey Rowe and senior defensive end Dawson Wisner combined for a sack on fourth down to preserve the victory.
The 2-0 start for Winters Mill marks its first back-to-back wins since 2012.
"We try to challenge our kids every day and put them in tough games against good teams," Miller explained. "We challenge them to make plays, and this year we've had guys stepping up and making those plays for us. The kids have always known what they have to do, but now, they are making the plays too."
Winters Mill hosts Poolesville this Friday (9/16) as they look to avenge a 24-13 loss to the Montgomery County school in 2015.
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 for the Ravens-Eagles game at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 18 for an opportunity to be named the Ravens High School Coach of the Year. In addition, each coach receives a $2,000 donation to the school's football program and an award from Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
These initiatives are just a piece of Ravens RISE, the team's football outreach initiative presented by Wendy's. The program impacts a range of area football players from youth to high school, providing them with a year-round opportunity to "Play Like A Raven" 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, please visit www.BaltimoreRavens.com/RISE.
