Here are The Baltimore Sun’s All-Metro football defensive teams for the 2023 season.
Defensive Player of the Year
Keyshawn Flowers, Archbishop Spalding, senior, linebacker
In 2022, Spalding won its first MIAA A Conference title, becoming the first team in the school’s history to do so. This year, Keyshawn Flowers and the Cavaliers’ special defense made sure they repeated the feat.
Flowers was the dominant player on a dominant defense that helped Spalding post a 10-2 record, with the two losses coming to out-of-state teams, to be named The Baltimore Sun’s All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year.
For the year, Spalding only allowed 13.1 points per game, and Flowers was a big reason why. In the playoffs, the Cavaliers only got better, allowing an average of 8.5 points in wins over Loyola Blakefield and McDonogh.
“The players before me, they set a standard. [My teammates and I] pushed that standard and tried to raise the bar,” Flowers said. “I think we did that by winning back-to-back titles.”
“He was the best player on our team the last two years,” Cavaliers coach Kyle Schmitt said. “His instincts are what set him apart. He would just make play after play. He was a game-wrecker at linebacker for us.”
Flowers’ stats were certainly impressive. This season, he posted 83 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, a year after registering 42 tackles, 11 for loss, and five sacks as a first-team All-Metro pick.
“I’m different when I’m on the football field,” Flowers said. “Something just clicks, and its game on. Off the field, I try to be humble and sportsmanlike. I’m just a different person.”
Flowers’ leadership ability was his best trait, his coach said.
“He also had an intimidation factor to his game,” Schmitt said. “He wasn’t big on speeches but he played and modeled our defense to a ‘T.’ He definitely led by example.”
In his time at Spalding, Flowers posted 162 tackles, 16 1/2 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries. He will continue his playing career at Maryland.
First team
Brian Collins, Dunbar, junior, lineman
Collins was a sack machine, registering 22 to lead the metro area. He also contributed 10 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble for the Class 2A/1A state champion Poets.
R.J. Duncan, Old Mill, senior, lineman
A state champion wrestler, Duncan spent a lot of time in the opposing offense’s backfield. He totaled 37 tackles, including four for loss, to go with a sack and a forced fumble.
Tyler McVicker, Archbishop Spalding, senior, lineman
Another anchor on the area’s best team, McVicker was a wrecking ball. He contributed 10 sacks for the Cavaliers, as well as 39 tackles and 6 1/2 tackles for loss.
Delmar White, Archbishop Spalding, junior, lineman
White, an accomplished wrestler who won an Anne Arundel County title while at Chesapeake last year, had 57 tackles, 6 1/2 sacks and eight quarterback hits for the Cavaliers. He also had 6 1/2 tackles for loss.
Ernest Willor Jr., Concordia Prep, senior, lineman
A four-star recruit defensive end, Willor did it all. The Wisconsin commit had 73 tackles, nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss to lead the Saints to the MIAA B Conference title.
Simeon Coleman, St. Frances, senior, linebacker
Coleman had a nose for the ball, evidenced by his 126 tackles and five sacks. He will play football next year at Cincinnati.
Braden McCassie, Broadneck, senior, linebacker
McCassie led the state finalist Bruins with 76 tackles, which included 11 for loss and eight sacks. He also had an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Noah Onkst, McDonogh, senior, linebacker
A two-time first-team All-Metro wrestler who won an MIAA title in February was the leader of the Eagles’ defense. He contributed 119 tackles, one interception, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one touchdown.
Sahir West, Mount Saint Joseph, junior, linebacker
West kept improving throughout the year and turned into a reliable leader for the Gaels. He had 71 tackles and eight sacks to lead Mount Saint Joseph.
Edrees Farooq, St. Frances, junior, secondary
This versatile junior was all over the field for the Panthers. The Tennessee commit recorded 87 tackles, five interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Dejuan Lane, Gilman, senior, secondary
One of the most underrated players in the MIAA A Conference, Lane had 61 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and a touchdown. He will attend Penn State next year and play football.
Ify Obidegwu, St. Frances, senior, secondary
Obidegwu had 61 tackles as a corner for the Panthers, as well as 14 pass breakups. The Oregon commit also had three interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Brian Checkley, Gilman, junior, punter
Checkley was a major part of one of the area’s best special teams units. He averaged 43.6 yards on 34 punts and put 15 inside the 20-yard line for the Greyhounds.
Second team
Moses Bailey, Reservoir, junior, lineman-linebacker
Dashawn Fields, Milford Mill, senior, lineman
Kamden Laudenslager, McDonogh, junior, lineman
Trevor Taylor, Perry Hall, senior, lineman
Kwadwo Boampong, Wilde Lake, junior, linebacker
Ray Chapman, Arundel, senior, linebacker
Casy Heisig, Westminster, senior, linebacker
Jonas Kligys, Loyola Blakefield, senior, linebacker
Adam Shefcheck, Patterson Mill, senior, linebacker
Carlton Smith, St. Frances, junior, linebacker
Byron Baldwin, Calvert Hall, junior, secondary
Kasir Hicks, Mervo, junior, secondary
Kevyn Humes, St. Frances, junior, secondary
Kamdyn Koch, Winters Mill, senior, punter