North Point's Crowell ejected

All-Met senior linebacker and running back Conner Crowell was ejected after an altercation with an opposing player during the first quarter of North Point's season-opening 38-7 win over Northern on Friday night, and he is suspended for the Eagles' next game Friday at Lackey pending an appeal.

"I was just blocking this kid and I guess I was pushing him," Crowell said when reached by phone Monday. "I was blocking him good but then I stopped and he just starts yanking on me. A second later he yanked my helmet off and then I fell to the ground. I got up and I was just trying to get up and get away from him and he was still yanking on me so I guess I retaliated and I hit him, but the ref didn't see what had happened before that."

Crowell said his punch hit the Northern player on the leg. He was the only player ejected from the game.

Crowell said his coaches are appealing the suspension; a ruling is expected Tuesday.

Multiple calls to North Point Coach Ken Lane, Northern Coach A.J. Berberian and Charles County Athletics Supervisor Jan Johnson were not returned.

The 6-foot-1, 223-pound Crowell is considered one of the top recruits in the area. The list of schools recruiting him includes Ohio State, Penn State, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

"I never thought anything would be worse than losing but that was a worse feeling than losing," Crowell said. "Sitting on the sidelines hurt a lot."

- Greg Schimmel

Ballou's Holbrook excels

With so many proven veterans at wide receiver and running back last season, it was tough for Darren Holbrook to find playing time on Ballou's path to the Turkey Bowl, in which it lost to H.D. Woodson.

Now, with many of those players having graduated, the stage is all his, and Holbrook is shining. In Friday's 36-7 victory over Dominion, Holbrook rushed 11 times for 269 yards and had scoring runs of 70 and 62 yards. Before all that, he caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from Delonte Edwards to open the scoring.

That followed up Holbrook's performance two weeks ago in Ballou's season-opening 38-0 victory over Theodore Roosevelt, when the 5-foot-7, 165-pound senior caught four passes for 126 yards, intercepted two passes and ran a punt back for a touchdown. In addition to his four touchdowns, Holbrook has five two-point conversions.

Holbrook initially was penciled in at wide receiver. Just before the opener, however, starting running back Gary Jones twisted his ankle, and Ballou moved Holbrook to the backfield.

Surprising W. Springfield

West Springfield, which lost 37 seniors, knocked off regional powerhouse Edison, 29-14, thanks to 336 rushing yards and 22 first downs. Unlike the West Springfield teams of previous years, this one is more willing to run the ball than pass. Quarterback Nicholas Pham and running back Mohamed Kamara combined for 255 yards on 41 carries.

"I have several guys that run the ball very hard," West Springfield Coach J.T. Biddison said. "And an O-line that was hitting on all cylinders.". . .

Hayfield had an all-around effort in a 32-14 win over Marshall on Thursday. Senior quarterback Jason Stewart completed 7 of 11 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Defensive back and wide receiver Hashim Sesay returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and Steve Lynch and Anthony Wilson each rushed for a touchdown.. . .

Quarterback Javonte Robinson accounted for four touchdowns - two rushing and two passing - to help Stuart topple George Mason, 48-29, on Friday. It was the Raiders' first season-opening win since 1996, according to Coach Roy Ferri.