They haven’t lost since the first game of the season. And they’re not planning to in the last.
"It's real emotional. Everybody's out here trying to make a name for themselves," said Dunbar wide receiver Ryan Wood Jr.
The Dunbar Poets are back in the State Championship game for the first time since they competed for the 2A crown three years ago. They’ll play in the 1A title game on Saturday.
"It's a great feeling. We knew what we wanted from the beginning of the season to get where we're at now. We're here so we just got to finish off strong," said Wood Jr.
"We feel like we can win it," added Dunbar fullback/defensive end Dion Crews-Harris. "That's the mentality you always want to go into a game with. Feel like you can win at all times. (If we) stay together we should be able to pull it off."
"The team came together from day one and wanted to play as a team, stayed away from the injury bug and did what we had to do in order to be successful for 13 weeks," said Dunbar Head Coach Lawrence Smith.
Dunbar last won the state championship in 2012.
If the Poets want to write the perfect ending to the story that is the 2017 season it’s going to take a near flawless performance. Their opponent this weekend is the juggernaut from Cumberland, four-time defending state champion Fort Hill.
"They are a powerhouse. We got our forms of power. They got theirs. It's all about who is a tougher team," said Crews-Harris.
"They are just a historic program. You're up against a good program just like we're a good progam. It should be a really good contest," said Smith.
Dunbar is 5-1 all-time against Fort Hill in the playoffs. Kickoff of Saturday's 1A state title game is at 3:30pm at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
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