Eastern Tech's Mark Mesaros Coach of the Week

Mark Mesaros, head coach of the Eastern Tech (Baltimore, Md.) varsity football team, has been named Ravens High School Coach of the Week for the eighth week of the 2007 season. Presented by Toyota, this is the 11th year of the Ravens’ award program.

The Mavericks remained undefeated (8-0) after their 58-8 shellacking of Lansdowne Friday (10/26) night. Mesaros has led the Eastern Tech team to a 327-41 point differential in eight games, holding opponents to no more than nine points in any game, including two shutouts. Lansdowne dropped to 2-6.

Mesaros' Maverics remain undefeated at 8-0.

“I think the best thing to ever happen was to get beaten by Hereford in the playoffs last year,” Mesaros acknowledged. “This team has more senior leadership than any team I’ve had in a long time. They’ve really dedicated themselves in the offseason, and that leadership is why we’re having the results that we’ve had. I mean, they’re good football players, but a lot of it is character, too.”

Mavericks QB Travis Crane and the triple-headed rushing monster of RBs Derryck Davis (4-yard TD), Andre Hall (3-yard TD) and Darian Conners (56-yard TD) took the game by storm, scoring 30 points in the first quarter.

When the game finished, six different Mavericks had scored a rushing TD, added to two Crane passing touchdowns of 6 and 12 yards. Eastern Tech’s defense tacked on a safety.

Mesaros gives a lot of credit to his defense.

“The defense has been stymieing some people this year,” he said. “We’ve played some teams that are really athletic, and we’ve done a good job of containing what they do. Our offense is going to score points. We’ve got athletes that are going to make plays, but our defense is stopping people from making plays, and I think that’s what has put us in the winner’s circle a lot.”

This is the second Ravens High School Coach of the Week honor for Mesaros, who earned the nod in 2003, his first year as head coach at Eastern Tech.

Each week during the season, the Ravens honor a high school coach who has made a significant impact on his athletes. Each of the season’s weekly winners will be present at the Colts vs. Ravens home game on Dec. 9, for the naming of the Ravens’ High School Coach of the Year.

A panel of area high school experts selects the coach of the week. The recipients receive:

* A $2,000 donation to the school’s football program
* An award certificate signed by Ravens head coach Brian Billick, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and Gene Washington, the NFL’s Director of Football Development
* A specially-designed hat

2007 Ravens HS Coach of the Week Recipients

Week 1 Lawrence Smith Dunbar
Week 2 Doug DuVall Wilde Lake
Week 3 Brian Abbott Loyola Blakefield
Week 4 Steve Turnbaugh Hereford
Week 5 Jeff Oeming North Carroll
Week 6 Skip Hartley Digital Harbor
Week 7 Chip Armstrong Mount St. Joseph
Week 8 Mark Mesaros Eastern Tech