Some of the top games in the Washington area this season:
SEPT. 3
Patuxent at Huntingtown, 7: The Panthers visit Calvert County's new school,
which already has a combined 137 players from the freshman to varsity team. Huntingtown will be coached by Jerry Franks, the 2000 All-Met coach of the year; Jim Esposito -- Patuxent's coach from 1997 to 2001 -- is an assistant.
SEPT. 10
Linganore at Damascus, 6:30: Last year's Maryland 3A champion visits the defending 4A champ. Enough said.
SEPT. 17
Hylton at Osbourn Park, 7:30: Osbourn Park is 0-14 in the series but led in the fourth quarter of both losses to Hylton last year. Four of Osbourn Park's five losses the last two seasons have been to the Bulldogs, including in the past two Virginia AAA Northwestern Region Division 6 championships.
SEPT. 18
Gonzaga at Georgetown Prep, 1: First meeting between the Jesuit schools since 1988, which was a 14-14 tie. Teams were scheduled to play last fall, but scheduling complications after Hurricane Isabel forced the schools to call it off. Tickets will only be sold in advance; for information see www. jesuitgridironclassic.org. Also, D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association favorite Dunbar hosts Washington Catholic Athletic Conference favorite DeMatha at 1 p.m. If there were a football City Title game, this likely would be it.
SEPT. 24
Eleanor Roosevelt at C.H. Flowers, 3: The Raiders won both meetings last season (41-0 in the regular season and 40-20 in the playoffs) and are 4-0 all-time against Prince George's County's newest school, but speedy C.H. Flowers has enough talent back to make things more interesting this fall.
OCT. 1
Mount Vernon at Yorktown, 7:30: Game between two teams that made the playoffs out of the Virginia AAA National District last year; this meeting could decide the district champion this fall. Fans in Maryland may be interested in seeing Damascus play at Northwest at 6:30.
