Sports

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s 120th football game between the Army West Point Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen. The X factor Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry is the X factor going into Army-Navy game. “I think he’s the X factor and he has been every year,” Army West Point linebacker Cole Christiansen said when asked about Perry. “He’s a super-fast, super-slippery runner. A lot of our success will come down to whether or not we’re able to stop him.” Story Advertisement When’s the game? Photos: Army-Navy game ball run Friends most days, opponents today Friendship between Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo and Army head coach Jeff Monken is put to the test on gameday. Story Wagner: Perry should be a Heisman finalist At no point this season has Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry received serious consideration for the Heisman Trophy, and that’s a darn shame. It reflects a bias on the part of the national media against players from the so-called Group of Five conferences. Column ‘Greatest sports rivalry’ The Army-Navy football game is the greatest sports rivalry because it is still relevant. It exists. It goes on and thrives in this atmosphere of hyperactive and rabid sports fanaticism, mega-teams and dynasties, writes John Schofield, former Navy Academy public affairs officer. Column He “looks like he’s shot out of a slingshot” Navy Head coach Ken Niumatalolo decided to move Jamale Carothers to fullback prior to spring practice of his plebe year and that has proved to be a wise decision. The 5-foot-9, 203-pound sophomore has been a remarkable revelation, ranking second on the team with 637 rushing yards despite only seeing significant action in the last seven games. Story “His energy, his athleticism, his toughness” Senior center Ford Higgins is grateful and thankful for Navy football career. “Before we finished warmups, we knew this was the kind of guy we wanted on our team. You could see the energy and enthusiasm Ford possessed,” Navy assistant Ashley Ingram said. Story ‘A selfless human being’ Navy defensive end Jackson Pittman has improved under tutelage of three different position coaches. “He understands his role within the defense and his role is what really keeps us strong, especially in the run game being able to take on double teams and anchoring us in there allows the linebackers to be free and do their jobs making tackles," said Navy assistant coach Jerrick Hall. Story An honor for Watson Ensign Joshua Kaleb Watson attended last year’s Army-Navy game as a senior midshipman at the Naval Academy. At this year’s game on Saturday, he’ll be honored along with two other sailors shot and killed last week in a classroom at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. Story What about Army? The Black Knights have won three straight Army-Navy games, but is struggling this season. Army (5-7) is assured of its first losing season since finishing 2-10 in 2015 and enters Saturday’s showdown with archrival Navy hoping to salvage one last goal. If the Black Knights beat the Midshipmen, they would retain the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy since there will have been a three-way tie among the service academies. Story

Country Hill Farm is accepting new students into our lesson and lease program. Riders beginning at age 5 thru adults, may sign up for evening lessons, Tuesdays through Saturdays. No experience is necessary. CHF has a large indoor, so we ride all year round, rain or shine, with great lesson ponies and horses. For more information, please go to www.countryhillhorsefarm.com or call 410-876-2950.

Westminster Elks 2277 Annual Hoop Shoot, Dec. 15 at McDaniel College. Registration begins at noon, shooting at 12:30. There is no cost to participate and every participant will get a Hoop Shoot T-shirt. Winners advance to the District Shoot Jan. 12 at McDaniel at noon. Contestants must be at least 8 and no older than 13 as of April 1, 2020, in order to participate. Contestants will compete in one of six divisions: Boys ages 8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Girls ages 8-9, 10-11, 12-13. For more information contact Phil Popielski at ppopielskijr@gmail.com or call 410-599-1319.

» Said Edgewood coach Matt Rankin: “Ryan is the consummate field general who makes the right play on the field time and again. She communicates effectively to her teammates on offense and defense. With the ball at her feet, we are going to get a good shot, good cross, or a good through ball.”

In earning All-Metro first-team honors last year, she polished off a 25-goal, 12-assist sophomore season with three goals in a 5-0 win over Spalding in the title game. For her career, DeSmit takes 56 goals and 28 assists into her senior year with a chance to lead the Eagles to an unprecedented fourth straight crown.

Coach Matt Smoot was impressive in meshing the team’s talent and pushing the right buttons. On offense, he got younger players up to speed and confident as two sophomores and a freshman finished as the team’s top scorers. At midseason, he put most of his experienced players in back, led by two-time All-Metro standout Aya Neal, and they produced four shutouts in the postseason.

“We made some very good adjustments, started running their shooters off the line, and we got ourselves right back in it. Credit to Centennial in the end, though, because their kids made some very clutch shots,” Reservoir coach Ian Pope said. “We came up short, but this is a very resilient group of kids and if there is such a thing as a good loss, this is it. Early in the season, on the road … we learned a lot tonight.”

North County boys, Old Mill girls sweep tri-meet: The Knights boys swept Southern, 76-14, Old Mill, 51-43, and Chesapeake, 68-26, while the Old Mill boys defeated Southern, 77-10, and Chesapeake, 69-24. Meanwhile, the Chesapeake boys beat Southern, 50-28.

Jaidyn Harris, who missed the 2018-19 season with an injury, broke out today in the Scorpions’ first county win of the season. Harris, a senior, scored 23 points and made six 3-pointers. Joining Harris in the win was Jazmine Washington, who chipped in with 20 points. Atholton, who was led by Natalie Blair’s 11 points, led at halftime, but the Scorpions scored 16 and 18 points in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

The Knights, led by Noah Riley and Spencer Copley, used a collective effort to defeat the Falcons 62-30 in their Carroll County Athletic League opener. Riley, a junior guard, scored 19 points and added three rebounds — Copley, a senior forward, had 14 points and five rebounds for the Knights (2-1, 1-0 CCAL).