Maryland School for the Deaf Claims
2023 KSFL Championship
For the second year in a row, Coach Neal Dimarco and the Orioles of the Maryland School for the Deaf are the reigning champions of the Keystone State Football League. The Orioles were slowed but not stopped by some staunch defense by the Eagles from Model Secondary School for the Deaf.
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This year's KSFL Championship featured 2 of the nation's strongest deaf institute athletic departments.
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The Orioles got on top in the first quarter 8-0. Model responded to cut the lead to 8-6 in the 3rd quarter before MSD responded with 16 points of their own, closing out the championship 24-6.
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Both teams displayed a 'bend, don't break defensive posture, as evidenced by the Orioles scoring just 24 points on 399 yards of total offense. The difference in the game was that Maryland School for the Deaf held Model to 3 total rushing yards on the day, forcing the Eagles to the air, where they managed 125 yards of offense, but without the balanced attack they displayed in the previous weekend's 36-28 win over Perkiomen School.
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Maryland School for the Deaf arrived in the final after avenging their only league loss, just one week previous, to Delaware County Christian School, 34-6.
From Coach Dimarco:
Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) grabbed their second straight Keystone State Football League championship against Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD). MSD offense steamrolled MSSD with 399 total offense yards with 372 on the ground. Zavius Junc had himself a hell of a night with 25 carries for 249 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. Zeke Ortiz had 14 carries for 103 yards. He also threw 3 out of 3 for 27 yards and 1 passing touchdown. Jayden Orsi-Pedersen had 2 catches for 23 yards and 1 touchdown.
MSD continues to play with a stout defense with a 'bend but don't break' defense mentality. MSD managed to limit MSSD offense with a total of 128 yards; 3 yards on the ground and 125 in the air. Josue Sanchez led the team with 5 tackles including a sack. Zeke Ortiz and Mark Gwynn III also had 5 tackles each. Zeke snagged a crucial interception in 4th quarter.