Two teams desperately trying to break three-game losing streaks clashed in a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference football opener when McDonogh traveled to Towson to take on Loyola Blakefield at Hargaden Field on Friday afternoon.

Riding a strong showing by freshman quarterback Braeden Palazzo and an aggressive defense, the Eagles made sure they were not the ones to blink first by claiming a 21-10 triumph.

McDonogh, which had scored 20 points combined in losses to Gonzaga (D.C.), No. 8 Concordia Prep and Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), broke out of its scoring slump with a 14-point third quarter that built a 21-3 lead midway through the period.

”It was great to see how much better we were in the red zone today,” McDonogh coach Hakeem Sule said.

That was true the first time that the visitors had the ball when they ripped off a 10-play, 55-yard drive capped by sophomore quarterback Braeden Palazzo’ 1-yard plunge for a 7-0 advantage with 6:02 left in the first quarter after junior Sam Arbaugh’s conversion kick.

The biggest play in the sequence was a 30-yard jaunt by junior running back Chase Green that gave the Eagles some much-needed momentum.

Loyola’s defense stiffened on the next McDonogh possession with senior lineman Jason Hill and junior counterpart Trevor Syzmanski making key stops to halt the advance at the Dons’ 21-yard line.

Syzmanski then authored a sack the next time the Eagles ventured deep into Loyola territory at the 5-yard line, prompting a field goal try that drifted wide to keep its 7-0 deficit intact.

The Dons then went on a 16-play sortie of their own, which was aided greatly by two personal-fouls penalties and three fourth-down conversions.

Sophomore running back Kendrick Worthington bullied his way for 4 yards to keep the chains moving early in the drive and sophomore quarterback Bradley Seiss connected with senior wide-out Shane Elliott for another first down later in the sequence.

However, McDonogh’s defense also was up for the challenge, holding Loyola to a 35-yard field goal by sophomore Owen Scheihing.

”The defense got after it today,” McDonogh’s Northwestern University-bound senior Mason Robinson said. “It was a great team win in all three phases of the game. We’ve gotten off to rough starts the last two years. It just felt so good to get the win.”

The 7-3 score held until McDonogh’s offense perked up in the third period, scoring on a 75-yard catch-and-run from Palazzo to junior wide-out Santino Sanchez after a 22-yard strike from Palazzo to sophomore wide-out Jefferson Exinor to build a 21-3 cushion.

McDonogh continued to hold the Dons at bay when senior defensive back Mathani Paul picked off Seiss, helping the Eagles put together another drive that stalled on a sack by Loyola sophomore lineman Aiden Smith.

Loyola’s final endeavor into McDonogh territory — snapping a touchdown drought of nearly two full games — reached paydirt when Seiss found Elliott in the corner of the end zone from the Eagles’ 29 with just under two minutes left in regulation.

The ensuing on-sides kick went out of bounds, sealing the Dons’ fate and upping McDonogh’s record to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

Loyola fell to 1-4 and 0-1.

”We’ve played two months of football,” Loyola coach Anthony Zehyoue said. “I told the team that we still have two months of football to go leading up to the Turkey Bowl (against arch-rival Calvert Hall). So we’re taking a week off, which will give us time to reset and reboot. And I really believe that we just have so many good football players, and I’m confident that we will right the ship.”