Patuxent Denies Dunbar Its 17th Maryland Football State Championship

Navy commit Evan Blouir caps an sensational high school career with a game-winning 71-yard touchdown pass

Patuxent outlasted perennial Maryland state champion Dunbar, 8-6, in a defensive struggle at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium to win the 2024 MPSSAA Class 2A/1A state championship. / Derek Toney

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND - Compared to his previous games, Evan Blouir wasn't overwhelming  Friday. But, only one thing that mattered for the Patuxent (Md.) High standout: winning a championship.

Blouir capped his brilliant career in style as Patuxent defeated Paul Lawrence Dunbar, 8-6, in the Maryland Class 2A/1A state title game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Blouir’s 71-yard touchdown pass to Keiden Gutierrez in the first quarter and a couple of key defensive stops was all the Panthers - ranked No. 11 in this week's SI on High Schools Maryland Top 25, needed to win their first state championship and complete a perfect season (14-0). 

Blouir, who will play for the Naval Academy next fall, finished with 220 total yards, about 200 yards below his average. The 6-foot-2 dual threat quarterback converted a pair of third downs, helping the Panthers run out the final 5 minutes and 32 seconds of regulation.

Evan Blouir is hugged by a Patuxent coach after Friday’s Maryland Class 2A/1A state title game. Blouir rushed for 114 yards and threw for a touchdown as the Panthers completed a 14-0 season with a 8-6 victory over three-time defending champ Dunbar at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Derek Toney

Nate Sands had a fumble recovery and Kionte Johnson added an interception for Patuxent, which denied No. 9 Dunbar five times inside its 30-yard line. 

Coedae James rushed for 162 yards and a touchdown for the Poets (13-1), who had their 51-game winning streak snapped. The Baltimore City school, seeking its fourth straight 2A/1A title, failed to score three times inside the 10.

MARYLAND CLASS 2A/1A STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 11 Patuxent 8, No. 9 Dunbar 6

Dunbar 0 0 6 0 - 6

Patuxent 8 0 0 0 - 8

First quarter

Patuxent - Gutierrez 71-yard pass from Blouir (Blouir run)

Third quarter

Dunbar - James 18 run (pass failed)

Team Statstics

First downs - Dunbar 12, Patuxent 15

Rushing yards - Dunbar 177, Patuxent 129

Passing yards - Dunbar 138; Patuxent 106

Total yards - Dunbar 315, Patuxent 235

Offensive plays - Dunbar 49, Patuxent 46

Individual stats

Rushing - Dunbar (Coedae Jones 23-162, Savion Witherspoon 10-16, Team 1-minus 1; Patuxent (Evan Blouir 29-114, Evan Jones 3-15, Gutierrez 1-9, Team 1-minus 1

Passing - Dunbar (Witherspoon 9-15-1-138); Patuxent (Blouir 6-12-0, 106)

Receiving - Dunbar (Brian Collins 5-84, James 2-14, Jalen Gause 1-20, Samuel Eades 1-20); Patuxent (Jones 3-22, Guitierrez 2-76, Tayton Garvin 1-8)

Tackles - Dunbar (Darian Edmonds 7, Samuel Eades 5, Jabari Torbit 5, Eli Turpin 3; Patuxent (Duane Jack 11, Marques Reid 7, Garvin 6, Jordan Dargun 3)