The Panthers
Photography by Kylie Cooper | Reporting by Alejandro Danois
St. Frances Academy football series - The Baltimore Banner
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St. Frances Academy doesn't have a football field. They don't have blocking sleds or tackling dummies. They're forced to practice at whichever local parks and recreation centers are available.
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But the St. Frances Academy Panthers are one of the best high school football teams in the country.
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Located in East Baltimore, St. Frances Academy is the oldest continually running Black Catholic school in the country. Schools in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference have refused to play the Panthers since 2018, citing unbalanced talent level and safety concerns for their players. Since then, St. Frances has been facing teams nationally.
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Last season, the Panthers ranked No. 2 in the country before losing their final game. Over the previous two seasons, they lost only two games overall.
With a younger team and multiple starting seniors injured this year, the Panthers knew heading into this season that they would be challenged. They ended the season 5-6, but for Head Coach Messay Hailemariam, what mattered most was that the team put in their all and enjoyed each game.
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I worked with sports reporter Ali Danois on this series from August to November 2023, the length of the team's home season.
