Propelled by Confidence in Third-Year Starter Enders, Old Mill Remains Unbeaten

Old Mill's Grant Enders knows there are certain advantages to being a three-year starting quarterback. He's played in the big games, faced the full crowds and just about anything Anne Arundel County teams can run at him.

More important perhaps is not that Enders knows he can handle any situation but that his teammates know it, too.

"I feel comfortable with him back there," Patriots wide receiver Devante Sanders said. "When it comes down to it, I know Grant's going to get rid of the ball regardless of what's going on. And he knows when he needs to run. It's not like he's tiny, he's a big guy who can run, too."

Last night, Enders showed composure and consistency confirming his experience. He passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for two more to lead Old Mill to a 26-12 victory over Meade.

The Patriots improved to 3-0 (2-0 Anne Arundel) and grabbed an even stronger claim to being the team to beat in the county.

Enders's strong performance seemed to carry over from the Patriots' win over Arundel the week before. During the first drive against the Mustangs (2-1, 1-1), Enders needed four plays to reach the end zone. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Enders connected with Sanders for a 50-yard touchdown that put the Patriots up, 7-0.

While Old Mill was composed, upstart Meade found itself flustered early in the game and fumbled on its first two drives.

When the Patriots gained possession at the 7-yard line after the second fumble, it was Enders who squeezed over the line of scrimmage for one yard and Old Mill's second touchdown to go up 13-0. He finished the first half 16 of 21 for 178 yards.

"Grant was on fire," Patriots Coach Damian Ferragamo said. "He's out to prove something."

Each time the Mustangs gained momentum, Enders and the Patriots quickly found a way to snatch it back -- whether it was another touchdown pass, a third-down conversion or a scramble off a broken play.

"I guess I'm a lot cooler than I used to be," Enders said. "Now I'm trying to keep the guys around me calm and just let them know that we're going to come through no matter what."

Old Mill 26, Meade 12 Heads Up: Patriots Coach Damian Ferragamo saw a dejected Josh Gross with his head down early in the game after dropping a few passes and encouraged him to persevere. Gross finished with eight receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown. Cotton Shines: Ray Cotton had 206 yards passing and two touchdowns, bringing his three-week total to 706 yards and eight touchdowns.