In Upper Marlboro, where the routs come by the dozen, it didn't take Trent Wilson long to kickstart another. On a cold, rainy Friday night, the Wise Pumas were motivated to pour it on if only so they could start a running clock. But only a few players, and certainly not including Wilson, understood the history that would be made with a win.
If there's an offensive line in Maryland that can block Wilson, he has yet to find it. It certainly wasn't Dundalk. As the Oklahoma commit forced a strip sack on Dundalk's second drive of the game, he turned a strong start into the foundation of what would be a 39-14 win.
"When he gets that mindset where it's, 'Hey, I'm not gonna get blocked,' it's completely different," Pumas defensive coordinator Tre Sullivan said of Wilson. "He's unstoppable."
The history? This win sent Wise to a ninth straight Maryland semifinal -- a new milestone for the most successful Maryland Class 4A program this century. Only three other Maryland programs have reached that mark: Fort Hill, Seneca Valley and Dunbar.
Dunbar, the Baltimore powerhouse, has done it twice. But Wise is the only 4A program to hold such a streak.
Five of Wise's previous eight trips have ended in state championships. In 2021, Wise lost in the state final. In 2018 and 2022, the Pumas lost in the semifinals.
The last team to beat Wise before the state semifinals was DuVal in 2014.
Even without DaLawn Parrish, the coach who built this dynasty, Wise did not lose a step. This run to the state semifinals was built in large part on the defensive strength that remained from the Parrish era.
"When you follow the architect, Coach Parrish, who built the program from ground up -- I don't know that I'll ever fill his shoes," first-year coach Steve Rapp said. "But, as I've said before, it's about not so much rebuilding the house but ripping up the carpet and putting down hardwood floor."
Since the Pumas' season-opening loss to Maury (Virginia), they have allowed just 27 points, 14 of which came Friday. Their dominance starts at the defensive line, where Wilson and West Virginia commit Taylor Brown set the tone.
"It's a big advantage; we're able to play off each other," Wilson said. "If one gets double teamed, the other is making the play."
After Dundalk's first touchdown Friday, members of Wise's defense were visibly mad on the team's bench. It was the first points they'd allowed since a 28-7 win over C.H. Flowers on Oct. 19, and just about everyone on the sideline seemed to know it.
What they didn't know was, at that moment, Flowers led Paint Branch by three touchdowns in one of the other 4A quarterfinals. The Jaguars ended up holding on for a 21-14 win, setting up another meeting between the Prince George's County rivals. This time, a spot in the Maryland Class 4A title game will be on the line.