Click here to view additional photos of Dunbar’s victory over Havre de Grace.
The Paul L. Dunbar High School Poets of Baltimore, Md. successfully extended their championship
Dunbar celebrates 2010 Championship dynasty with a 22-12 win over the Havre de Grace Warriors of Harford County, Md. in the 1A state title game at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 4.
Dunbar coach Lawrence Smith said it’s the one and only goal that his team set out to accomplish on day one of summer training camp.
“They wanted to sketch their names in the rich history of Dunbar football,” Smith said, “And now they have their own special place in greatness.”
Dunbar (13-1) has now won five state championships in six years, but this title didn’t come any easier than the previous ones. Dunbar struggled offensively throughout the entire first half of the game, turning the ball over four times and recording just 23 yards of offense, giving Havre de Grace a 12-0 lead at halftime.
It got so bad that Dunbar moved star junior receiver and safety DeonTay McManus—the team’s best athlete—to quarterback to try to generate more offensive production, but he also committed a fumble and tossed an interception.
“That first half was the worst half of football we played all season long,” Smith said. “But I’m proud of how we stuck together and kept fighting. We didn’t turn on each other, we kept at it and that’s why we’re champions.”
Late in the second half, Dunbar managed to erase Havre de Grace’s 12-point lead with 22 unanswered points. Their late-game surge started with a trick play that featured Dunbar running back Terrance Williams on what looked like a double reverse, tossing it back to fellow running back Epe Henriques, who then launched a 81-yard touchdown pass to receiver Andre Davis to cut the lead to 12-6.
Dunbar used a little trickery on special teams, too, as running back/punter Travon Garrett ran a fake punt for 30 yards deep into the Warriors’
