Dec. 10: Evan Jones, Patuxent

photo courtesy patuxent football

Patuxent High senior Evan Jones spent most of the season playing wide receiver when the Panthers were on offense. He was a threat to score every time he touched the ball and Coach Steve Crounse knew the pressure that put on opposing defenses.

When a teammate suffered a broken collarbone in the regular season finale, however, Crounse knew the most logical replacement was Jones. But the veteran coach also didn’t want to compromise Jones’ ability to make plays on the perimeter of the field.

So Jones spent the season’s final few weeks shuffling between running back and wide receiver. And in the season’s biggest game, he delivered one more time. Jones rushed 22 times for 132 yards and one touchdown and caught six passes for 107 yards and another score as the Panthers rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to beat four-time defending champion Fort Hill, 35-28, in the Maryland 1A championship game.

“He went off,” Crounse said. “He did everything for us. He’s a super dynamic kid. He holds every receiving record for us at Patuxent.”

That included making three tackles with 1 ½ tackles for loss and breaking up two passes from his cornerback position on defense.

For his efforts, Jones was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

A three-year starter on offense and defense, Jones came up with several big plays as the Panthers (10-3) won their second consecutive state title after capturing the Maryland 2A/1A crown in 2024. The victory also ended Fort Hill’s four-year run as Maryland 1A champions.

“I would say that has to be up there as one of the best single-game performance in our school history,” said Crounse, who was honored as the Touchdown Club’s High School Coach of the Year following last season. “He put the program on his back and it was really the exclamation point on his career here. Being able to take down another upper-echelon juggernaut like Fort Hill made it more epic.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

DC
Eastern WR/DB Zion Hubbard caught a touchdown pass and forced a fumble as the Ramblers beat Coolidge, 19-8, in the DCSAA Class AA championship game.

FREDERICK
Linganore QB David Doy completed 16 of 21 passes for 266 yards and five first-half touchdowns as the Lancers beat Oakdale, 56-17, in the Maryland 3A championship game.

LOUDOUN
Loudoun County WR/S Reed Bianchini caught four passes for 48 yards, including the game-winning five-yard touchdown on fourth down midway through the final quarter and on defense made nine tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass as the Captains beat Lafayette, 25-23, in a Virginia 4A semifinal game.

MONTGOMERY
Quince Orchard QB William Drakeford Jr. completed 8 of 14 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 17 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns as the Cougars beat Wise, 26-21, to win their second consecutive Maryland 4A championship.

NORTHERN REGION
Madison RB Matthew Weiler rushed 26 times for 127 yards and three touchdowns as the Warhawks lost to Oscar Smith, 34-28, in a Virginia 6A semifinal game.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Wise RB Kameron Parker rushed 20 times for 141 yards and one touchdown and returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown as the Pumas lost to Quince Orchard, 26-21, in the Maryland 4A championship game.

Dec. 3: Bradly Matthews, Linganore

photo courtesy linganore football

While Bradly Matthews has spent the bulk of the past two seasons running through and around defenders, the Linganore High senior running back has occasionally gotten banged up. During one game, it was his shoulder. During another, it was his ankle.

Matthews, though, didn’t want to come out of a game or miss any playing time. Lancers Coach Rick Conner, however, noticed that Matthews just wasn’t himself.

“What’s the one thing you haven’t done?” Conner said, somewhat rhetorically. “Win a state championship.”

The message was simple: Listen to your body and get ready for the playoffs. Matthews sat out one game and Linganore had the benefit of a first-round bye in the playoffs. With some time to rest, Matthews appears back to his normal self. This past Friday, he rushed 29 times for a career-high 345 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Lancers to a 41-12 win over previously undefeated Milford Mill in a Maryland 3A semifinal.

For his efforts, Matthews was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

“He’s finally rested up enough and healthy,” Conner said. “He has excellent vision and he does have that extra gear. He’s a freak in the weight room. On the field, his feet are always moving. He’s just as fast laterally as he is vertically. He sidesteps and jump cuts and doesn’t miss a beat.”

With the five touchdowns, Matthews tied the Frederick County record for career touchdowns with 73, set by his predecessor at Linganore, Ethan Arneson. Arneson, though, accomplished the feat in three season. Matthews has done it in just two season, rushing for 2,484 yards and 36 touchdowns last season and 1,963 yards and 37 touchdowns this season.

Linganore (12-0) faces rival Oakdale in the Maryland 3A championship game on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

DC
Coolidge QB Aleem Moore completed 13 of 25 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown and rushed for another score and the game-winning two-point conversion as the Colts rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to win the DCIAA Turkey Bowl for the first time since 1986, 15-14 over Dunbar. 

LOUDOUN
Loudoun County QB Jake Miller threw two touchdown passes, including the tie-breaking, 37-yarder to Dominick Galddell midway through the fourth quarter, as the Captains beat Loudoun Valley, 28-14, in a Virginia 4A regional final.

MONTGOMERY
Sherwood DL Jefferson Serkfem, a Richmond recruit, made six tackles, forced one fumble and recovered three fumbles, returning one 69 yards for a touchdown as the Warriors beat Perry Hall, 42-14, in a Maryland 4A/3A semifinal. It was his third defensive touchdown this season.

NORTHERN REGION
West Springfield RB Dillan Wickham rushed 28 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns as the Spartans beat Lake Braddock, 28-14, in a Virginia 6A regional final. It was his eighth 100-yard game this season.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Wise RB Kam Parker rushed 16 times for 242 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 61 yards and another score as the Pumas beat Churchill, 45-7, in a Maryland 4A semifinal.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Patuxent RB-DB Evan Jones rushed 16 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns and on defense made four tackles as the Panthers rallied to beat Boonsboro, 35-27, in a Maryland 1A semifinal.

Nov. 26: Tristan Sabb, DeMatha

photo by amare parker

After four years with the same starting quarterback, DeMatha High football coach Bill McGregor knew that there would be an adjustment this season. Week by week, though, junior Tristan Sabb has grown into the position. And when the Stags needed him most, Sabb was at his best. 

Sabb completed 14 of 18 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for the game-winning one-yard touchdown with 1 minute 1 second remaining as DeMatha beat rival Gonzaga, 20-13, in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship game this past Sunday.

Sabb was a perfect 8 of 8 for 100 yards and one touchdown in the second half as DeMatha claimed its second consecutive WCAC championship.

For his efforts, Sabb was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

“He’s had a pretty good year, made first-team All-WCAC,” McGregor said. “What makes him so dangerous is he’s a dual-threat guy, he can run or throw, which is very important.”

Sabb opened the scoring with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Josh Parker midway through the second quarter. His 19-yard touchdown pass to Lavar Keys put the Stags back in front, 13-7, midway through the third quarter.

It was tied 13-13 when DeMatha drove toward the winning score. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 1, McGregor took into account that a high snap had spoiled DeMatha’s first point-after attempts and a long field goal attempt later in the game was blocked. So the Stags lined up to go for it and Sabb burrowed his way to get the ball across the goal line for his ninth rushing touchdown of the season.

“Anybody coming in this year, it was brand new with Denzel [Gardner] being a four-year starter,” McGregor said. “So it was a matter of reps, reps and more reps. Tristan got better each week. He was more dynamic, more comfortable in the offense and playing better. What makes him so valuable is his feet. He can bail himself out of trouble. And we have two really good wide receivers in Lavar and Josh. They could not have played any better than they both did.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Old Mill WR/LB Travon Pinkney caught a touchdown pass and on defense made 15 tackles with one sack as the Patriots beat Urbana, 36-0, in a Maryland 4A/3A quarterfinal game. 

DC
Digital Pioneers QB Fred Mcroy completed 10 of 14 passes for 136 yards and scrambled for the game-winning 13-yard touchdown with eight seconds remaining as the Pythons beat St. Albans, 14-7, in a DCSAA Class A semifinal. 

FREDERICK
Oakdale QB Alex Rodriguez, a Navy recruit, completed 10 of 14 passes for 104 yards and rushed 15 times for 66 yards and three touchdowns and a two-point conversion as the Bears beat previously undefeated South River, 28-22, in a Maryland 3A quarterfinal game. 

HOWARD
Glenelg RB/LB Russell McIntyre rushed 20 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns and on defense made four tackles as the Gladiators beat Howard, 17-0, in a Maryland 2A quarterfinal game.

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley WR/DB Mack Gaffney caught four passes for 74 yards and one touchdown and on defense made six tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown as the Vikings beat Woodgrove, 31-21, in a Virginia 5A second-round game. 

MONTGOMERY
Churchill QB Hunter Humphries completed 10 of 13 passes for 171 yards and four touchdowns and rushed four times for 32 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Blair, 42-7, in a Maryland 4A quarterfinal game. 

NORTHERN REGION
Lake Braddock QB Ty Jackson, a Norfolk State recruit, completed 10 of 14 passes for 129 yards and rushed 22 times for 190 yards and three touchdowns as the Bruins beat South County, 33-24, in a Virginia 6A second-round game. 

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Wise RB Kam Parker rushed 17 times for 207 yards and three touchdowns and caught two passes for 46 yards as the Pumas beat Glen Burnie, 46-20, in a Maryland 4A quarterfinal. 

PRINCE WILLIAM
Woodbridge QB Caleb Tucker completed 15 of 25 passes for 341 yards and five touchdowns as the Vikings edged Colonial Forge, 35-34, in a Virginia 6A second-round game.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Patuxent QB Brayden Watson completed 14 of 17 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for another score and made all six of his extra-point kicks as the Panthers beat Allegany, 42-0, in a Maryland 1A quarterfinal game.

Nov. 19: Noah Zhang, Churchill

photo by elijah goodman

As the Churchill High football team hit the field for practice Monday afternoon, Coach Joe Rydzewski found himself facing his usual weekly conundrum: How to prepare the team while also looking out for senior running back and middle linebacker Noah Zhang and trying to keep the team’s most important player fresh.

Zhang, the Bulldogs’ leading rusher and top tackler, had another strong performance this past Friday, rushing 26 timrs for a career-high 230 yards and three touchdowns and making eight tackles on defense as Churchill beat Richard Montgomery, 35-17, in a Maryland 4A second-round game.

For his efforts, Zhang was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

With their sixth consecutive victory, the Bulldogs (10-1) advanced to this week’s Maryland 4A quarterfinals against Blair. And the weekly challenge of how to ensure that their standout senior – perhaps generously listed at 5 feet 9 and 165 pounds – would be in prime condition for the next game.

“He’s so tough, but it’s usually not until Wednesday of the following week [after a game] before he feels normal,” Rydzewski said, adding that the coaching staff has tried to move Zhang to outside linebacker but always winds up leading him at middle linebacker because of his relentless play. “He was out there practicing full, but our major contact stuff we try to pull him on Mondays and Tuesdays.”

Churchill needed Zhang against Richard Montgomery. The Bulldogs trailed 14-0 early and 17-14 at halftime. Zhang’s touchdown run early in the third quarter gave Churchill its first lead and his 50-yard touchdown run sealed the victory in the fourth quarter.

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Glen Burnie RB Noah Mitchell rushed 19 times for 196 yards and two touchdowns and returned a punt 74 yards for the game-winning score late in the fourth quarter as the Gophers beat Meade, 41-35, in a Maryland 4A second-round game.

DC
Digital Pioneers RB Laroy Williams rushed 12 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns as the Pythons beat Kipp DC Legacy Prep, 26-21, in a DCSAA Class A quarterfinal game.

FREDERICK
Linganore WR/CB Chase Perry caught two passes for 40 yards and on defense intercepted three passes as the Lancers beat North Hagerstown, 42-0, in a Maryland 3A second-round game.

HOWARD
Guilford Park WR/CB Antonio Griffin caught touchdown passes of 34 and 18 yards, had a 64-yard kickoff return and on defense made seven solo tackles and intercepted a pass as the Panthers beat Stephen Decatur, 28-14, in a Maryland 3A second-round game.

LOUDOUN
Potomac Falls QB AJ Pawlowski completed 12 of 17 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat Lightridge, 37-22, in a Virginia 5A first-round game.

MONTGOMERY
Sherwood DL Jefferson Serkfem, a Richmond recruit, made three tackles with two tackles for loss, returned one fumble 68 yards for a touchdown and recovered another fumble in the end zone – all in the first half -- as the Warriors beat Kennedy, 49-6 in a Maryland 4A/3A second-round game.

NORTHERN REGION
Lake Braddock QB Ty Jackson, a Norfolk State recruit, completed 9 of 19 passes for 114 yards and one touchdown and rushed 11 times for 150 yards and three touchdowns as the Bruins beat Mount Vernon, 34-13, in a Virginia 6A first-round game.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Oxon Hill WR D’eor Ray caught six passes for 98 yards and four touchdowns as the Clippers beat Potomac, 34-18, in a Maryland 4A/3A second-round game. It was the second week in a row that Ray scored four touchdowns.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Woodbridge WR James Shaw returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes as the Vikings beat Patriot, 41-21, in a Virginia 6A first-round game.

PRIVATE
Spalding RB Antonio Ledbetter rushed 26 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns as the Cavaliers rallied to beat McDonogh, 30-22, to win their fourth consecutive MIAA A Conference championship.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Patuxent QB Brayden Watson completed 19 of 22 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns and rushed five times for 28 yards and another score as the Panthers beat Washington, 48-0, in a Maryland 1A game.

WCAC
Gonzaga QB Jason Lindsay bounced back from throwing an interception on the first play of the game and completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score as the Eagles beat Good Counsel, 31-28.

Nov. 12: Kosi Ukiwe, McDonough

photo courtesy mCDONOUGH FOOTBALL

Kosi Ukiwe is used to staying busy. During football season, that means being McDonough High’s featured running back on offense and then putting his hand in the ground and playing defensive end when the opponent has the ball.

In the winter, Ukiwe is a wrestler and last year qualified for the Maryland state tournament. In the spring, Ukiwe turns to track, where he runs sprints and throws the discus and shotput.

Add it all up and Ukiwe is in excellent shape to handle the unusual combination of running back and defensive end. He has been at his best late in the season and that continued in McDonough’s opening playoff game. Ukiwe rushed 13 times for 141 yards and one touchdown, caught the decisive 90-yard touchdown pass in the quarter and on defense made eight tackles with five sacks and forced one fumble as the Rams beat Northeast, 22-21, in a Maryland 2A first-round game.

“He’s had a lot of these type of games,” McDonough Coach Ryan Gick said. “He’s our best player. To be able to do it on both sides of the ball is pretty impressive.”

For his efforts, Ukiwe was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

At 6 feet 2 and 235 pounds, Ukiwe has the size to play defensive end and is garnering attention from college recruiters. Morgan State was the most recent school to offer Ukiwe a scholarship. However, it is quite a sight for defensive backs and other would-be tacklers to see Ukiwe speeding their way. In McDonough’s two previous games, Ukiwe rushed for 297 yards and then 254 yards.

“He doesn’t come off the field very often at all,” Gick said. “He’s playing defensive line and taking the hits over and over again. I think it’s impressive, the physicality and his ability to stay in the game. … He’s always active and working out, whether it is in the weight room or on the wrestling mat or on the track. He’s constantly preparing himself. He knows the season is long and his role is a very physical situation.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Meade RB Jayden Rumley rushed 25 times for 125 yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs beat Dundalk, 35-12, in a Maryland 4A first-round game. 

DC
Digital Pioneers RB Leroy Williams rushed 12 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns as the Pythons claimed the PCSAA title by beating Kipp DC Legacy, 42-6. 

FREDERICK
Urbana QB Joshua White completed 9 of 11 passes for 134 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for two touchdowns as the Hawks beat Tuscarora, 56-0, in a Maryland 4A/3A first-round game. 

HOWARD
Guilford Park RB Tyler Lee rushed 15 times for 158 yards and five touchdowns as the Panthers beat Chopticon, 48-0, in a Maryland 3A first-round game. 

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley QB Zach Detweiler completed 18 of 24 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns and rushed five times for 48 yards and another score as the Vikings beat Woodgrove for the first time in 15 years, 42-28. 

MONTGOMERY
Churchill QB Hunter Humphries completed 11 of 18 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown and rushed nine times for 52 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Clarksburg, 36-6, in a Maryland 4A first-round game. 

NORTHERN REGION
McLean RB Finn Thompson rushed 33 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns beat Wakefield, 35-32. 

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Oxon Hill WR D’eor Ray caught four passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns and rushed four times for 53 yards and another score as the Clippers beat Einstein, 72-6, in a Maryland 4A/3A first-round game. 

PRINCE WILLIAM
Woodbridge QB Caleb Tucker completed 23 of 29 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings beat Gar-Field, 42-14. 

PRIVATE
St. Albans QB Brett Paukstis completed 18 of 23 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Landon, 32-14. 

WCAC
Gonzaga QB Jason Lindsay completed 13 of 22 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns as the Eagles beat St. John’s, 24-21.

Nov. 5: Manny Iheanacho, Georgetown Prep

photo courtesy georgetown prep

As a high school freshman, when Manny Iheanacho first visited the Georgetown Prep campus he still thought of himself as a basketball player. He was tall and strong and figured his future in athletics was on the hardwood.

It did not take long, however, for the light bulb to go off: There was a very bright future for Iheanacho on the football field.

Now a senior, Iheanacho is considered one of the nation’s top high school football prospects. He is 6 feet 7 and 353 pounds, a prized recruit as an offensive tackle who has accepted a football scholarship to play at Oregon.

At Georgetown Prep, Iheanacho also plays on the defensive line. This past Saturday – with Oregon Coach Dan Lanning in attendance -- against visiting Episcopal as usual he made his presence known on both sides of the ball of a 36-15 victory for Georgetown Prep.

“They ran pretty heavy power, but you put him at nose guard in the middle and he fills the space and makes plays on top of it,” Georgetown Prep Coach Dan Paro said. “We jumped on them pretty quickly. Manny played well, with emotion. You’ll never coach a kid like that again probably. He’s uniquely large and he can run.”

For his efforts, Iheanacho was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

Paro notes that Iheanacho has blossomed during his time at Georgetown Prep. He has learned from teammates how to work hard in the classroom. He has learned to work hard. He has gotten tougher. And yet, Paro said, Iheanacho is one of the most welcoming students at the North Bethesda school, eating lunch with a wide variety of students throughout the week.

Considering it all, Paro said, he compares Iheanacho to former St. Albans star Jonathan Ogden, who went on to play at UCLA, was the fourth overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft and then played 12 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times.

“He’s just a big, athletic strong body and has unbelievable feet,” Paro said. “And on top of it, he’s very bright and he’s a great kid.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
South River QB Benjamin Raines completed 10 of 13 passes for 260 yards and five touchdowns as the Seahawks beat Northeast, 57-6.

DC
Bell QB Will Hewitt completed 14 of 18 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns as the Griffins beat Ron Brown, 48-0 

FREDERICK
Linganore QB David Doy completed 9 of 16 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns and rushed nine times for 110 yards as the Lancers completed an undefeated regular season with a 28-6 win over Urbana to claim the I-70 trophy.

HOWARD
Atholton QB Tyler Bell completed 14 of 23 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns and rushed six times for 68 yards and another score as the Raiders beat Glenelg, 40-28.

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley RB/DB Ethan LaFollette rushed 18 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted two passes on defense, returning one for another touchdown, as the Vikings beat Tuscarora, 47-0, to clinch the Dulles District title, its first outright district title in 20 years.

MONTGOMERY
Wheaton RB/CB Omari Hinds-Madden had touchdown runs of 71 and 60 yards and intercepted two passes, returning one 70 yards for a touchdown – all in the second half -- as the 7-2 Knights capped their best regular season since 2001 with a 40-6 win over Einstein.

NORTHERN REGION
Centreville QB Will Shields completed 20 of 28 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two more scores as the Wildcats beat South Lakes, 49-35.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Central WR/RB Cameron Jefferson rushed 11 times for 155 yards and one touchdown and caught five passes for 104 yards and another score as the Falcons beat Fairmont Heights, 38-30.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Woodbridge QR James Shaw III caught seven passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings beat Potomac (Va.), 47-6.

PRIVATE
Spalding RB Antonio Ledbetter rushed 14 times for 246 yards and four touchdowns as the Cavaliers earned their seventh consecutive win, 56-20 over Mount St. Joseph.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Northern QB Blake Pasik completed 10 of 18 passes for 119 yards and three touchdowns and rushed five times for 45 yards and another score as the Patriots beat Leonardtown, 35-14.

WCAC
St. John’s RB Dajon Talley Rhodes rushed 29 times for 198 yards and one touchdown as the Cadets beat Bishop McNamara, 28-7.

Oct. 29: Walker Littleton, Gonzaga

photo by ryan strike

When talking about senior safety Walker Littleton, Gonzaga football coach Randy Trivers keeps coming back to the word versatile. Littleton can cover a lot of ground in pass coverage, but he also excels at playing near the line of scrimmage as an extra linebacker.

It is that versatility that helped Littleton earn an opportunity to play football at the Naval Academy and this past weekend, it helped Gonzaga earn a needed victory. Littleton made 10 tackles and had two sacks as the Eagles beat Good Counsel in a game dominated by the defenses, 13-7.

“He can play high or come down in the box. He can be very good in coverage or can come down and play really physical like a linebacker,” Trivers said. “He’s a really adept blitzer, too. Just a really good all-around ballplayer. He can do a lot of things that give you some options when you have a player like that. He’s a smart kid, so he can do some different things for sure.”

For his efforts, Littleton was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

Littleton’s versatility extends beyond his contributions on defense. He’s also a key special teams performer on the punt coverage and return and kickoff coverage teams, where he is able to line up at multiple positions. He blocked a punt earlier this season.

“He’s a great leader and leads by example,” Trivers said. “His teammate love playing with him. One of those guys you enjoy coaching because he’s humble and hard working and coachable. He was a big part of the win we had last week.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Old Mill WR Makel Wilder caught nine passes for 98 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score as the Patriots beat Annapolis, 48-6. 

DC
McKinley Tech OLB Isaiah Riddick made nine tackles with five tackles for loss and three sacks and forced two fumbles as the Trainers beat Phelps, 49-28. 

FREDERICK
Linganore QB David Doy completed 7 of 9 passes for 230 yards and four touchdowns and rushed twice for 80 yards and another score as the Lancers beat Thomas Johnson, 62-6. 

HOWARD
Guilford Park WR/DB Anthony Griffin caught four passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns and on defense forced a fumble as the Panthers beat Howard, 38-7. 

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley RB/S Ethan LaFollette rushed 13 times for 167 yards and five touchdowns, caught a 22-yard touchdown pass and intercepted a pass on defense as the Vikings beat Rock Ridge, 67-6.  

MONTGOMERY
Paint Branch RB Alijah Bah rushed 25 times for 233 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat Blake, 20-7. 

NORTHERN REGION
Centreville QB Will Shields completed 10 of 18 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats beat Westfield, 35-28. 

PRINCE GEORGE’S
C.H. Flowers RB Kodi Gardner rushed 18 times for 183 yards and four touchdowns to lead the undefeated Jaguars to a 35-7 win over Potomac (Md.). 

PRINCE WILLIAM
Battlefield WR/DB Keaton Ramey rushed for a 46-yard touchdown, returned a punt 51 yards for a touchdown, caught a 37-yard touchdown pass and intercepted a pass on defense as the Bobcats beat Osbourn Park, 64-0.

PRIVATE
Landon RB/LB Matthew Rosner rushed 15 times for 189 yards, caught five passes for 33 yards and one touchdown and on defense made three tackles and recovered a fumble as the Bears beat Episcopal, 28-21.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Leonardtown RB/S Ryan Shawky rushed 18 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns and on defense made six tackles and broke up three passes as the Raiders beat Chopticon, 30-14.

Oct. 22: Tyler Lee, Guilford Park

photo by sydney jennings/@sydjflics

After Tyler Lee spent the offseason in the weight room and working hard to improve, Guilford Park High football coach Tom Montag expected his junior running back to improve. But as the regular season enters the final few weeks, it is safe to say that no one quite expected Lee to dominate the way he has.

Lee carried 27 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns this past week and scored a pair of two-point conversions as undefeated Guilford Park continued its terrific season by rallying from a 10-point deficit to beat Glenelg, 28-16.

It was Lee’s sixth 200-yard performance in seven games and the sixth time he has scored at least three touchdowns in a game.

“Nobody expects a kid to rush for 200 yards in a game, that’s wild to see,” Montag said. “I thought he was going to have a good year, but I had no idea what that meant. It’s definitely surprising to see week in and week out dominant performances.”

For his efforts, Lee was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

It has been a special season so far this fall at Guilford Park, which opened in August 2023, played its first varsity football last year and now has its first senior class. Lee, who is 5 feet 9 and 190 pounds, attended Meade High as a freshman before transferring to Guilford Park. He rushed for 444 yards and averaged about four yards per carry last year as the Panthers went 5-5.

Lee added about 15 pounds of muscle during the offseason and he also developed into one of the team’s leaders. Without a full complement of students until this year, not only was playing available for younger players but there also was a need for leadership. Enter Lee, who has rushed for 1,389 yards and 22 touchdowns already this season.

“As we’ve grown older as a program, more of our younger athletes are stepping up into leadership roles: What’s it like to be a leader on a high school football team,” Montag said. “Tyler has been consistently working hard and it shows up on Friday nights.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Crofton RB/LB Da’Juan Kinard made 10 tackles with five tackles for loss, returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown and recovered two fumbles, returning one seven yards for a touchdown, as the Cardinals beat Severn Run, 42-12.

DC
Bell QB Will Hewitt completed 16 of 23 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns as the Griffins beat Phelps, 36-8.

FREDERICK
Linganore RB Bradly Matthews rushed 27 times for 260 yards and six touchdowns as the undefeated Lancers beat Middletown, 56-42.

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley WR/S Mack Gaffney caught five passes for 70 yards, caught a two-point conversion, rushed for a touchdown, returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a pass as the Vikings beat Broad Run, 50-6.

MONTGOMERY
Northwest QB Jayden Vongprachanh-Nelson completed 13 of 15 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns and rushed seven times for 43 yards and two touchdowns as the Jaguars beat Walter Johnson, 41-6.

NORTHERN REGION
Falls Church RB Elijah Lewis rushed 18 times for 317 yards and five touchdowns, including a 96-yard score on the game’s first play from scrimmage, as the Jaguars beat Edison, 35-14.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Largo RB Tymond Foxx rushed 36 times for 226 yards and five touchdowns as the Lions beat Central, 62-28.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Gar-Field QB Marcus Troy Hamlin completed 14 of 22 passes for 153 yards and rushed five times for 131 yards and one touchdown as the Red Wolves beat Forest Park, 19-14.

PRIVATE
Georgetown Prep OL/DL Immanuel Iheanacho, an Oregon recruit, led the way in all phases of the game with nine pancake blocks, four tackles and blocking an extra-point attempt as the Little Hoyas beat St. Albans, 22-19.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Huntingtown RB/SS Gabe Copeland rushed 21 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns and on defense made nine tackles as the Hurricanes beat Patuxent, 21-12.

WCAC
Carroll QB Avery Glass completed 15 of 21 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions beat Bishop Ireton, 30-10.

Oct. 15: Jason Lartey, Westfield

photo by john caccivio/@ginginphotos

Jason Lartey began his Westfield High football career as a wide receiver. Even after switching to the defensive side of the ball, eventually settling at linebacker, it took a little bit of time for the transition to take place.

But now in his first full season as a starter, the promise that Lartey displayed is coming to fruition. This past Friday, the senior intercepted three passes, returning one for a touchdown, and made nine tackles, including a critical sack on a potential go-ahead two-point conversion late in the game, as Westfield  escaped with a 17-16 win over Madison.

“We thought the best thing about him was his motor and how hard he plays,” Westfield Coach Scott Vossler said. “We thought that pursuing the football, he would be great on defnese. He just had to see himself as a defensive player. A lot of guys grow up and think of themselves as one thing for so long that it’s hard for them to see themselves as something else.”

For his efforts, Lartey was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

Lartey moved to defensive back as a sophomore and played defensive end and outside linebacker last year, beginning to settle in and make more plays as the season went on. There were high expectations for him to be one of Westfield’s top players this season and he is trying to meet them.

“He has been an outstanding leader for us,” Vossler said. “He’s been one of our stalwarts on defense and came up big in one of our biggest games this week. We wouldn’t be where we are without him.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
South River QB Benjamin Raines completed 17 of 21 passes for 372 yards and seven touchdowns as the Seahawks beat Crofton, 56-16.

DC
Phelps WR Gabe Wiggins caught four passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns as the Panthers beat Ron Brown, 40-26.

FREDERICK
Linganore QB David Doy completed 10 of 12 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns as the Lancers beat Oakdale, 45-14.

HOWARD
Atholton QB Tyler Bell completed 16 of 22 passes 261 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score as the Raiders beat Long Reach, 32-7.

LOUDOUN
Loudoun County RB Montez Dyson rushed 41 times for 202 yards and four touchdowns as the Captains beat Loudoun Valley, 31-7.

MONTGOMERY
Bethesda-Chevy Chase RB Gabe Eisler rushed 19 times for 184 yards as the Barons beat Walter Johnson, 28-21.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Gwynn Park QB William Butler completed 12 of 16 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns and rushed nine times for 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Yellow Jackets beat Central, 37-28.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Woodbridge RB Marquece Sharpe rushed 20 times for 147 yards as the Vikings beat Forest Park, 17-3.

PRIVATE
St. Mary’s-Annapolis WR/FS Dylin Jackson caught eight passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns, returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown as the Saints beat Loyola Blakefield, 50-35.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
St. Charles RB/DB Christopher Quick rushed 15 times for 130 yards and one touchdown, returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and on defense made 13 tackles with two tackles for loss and broke up one pass as the Spartans beat Northern, 24-22.

WCAC
Bishop McNamara LB Jianni Davis made four tackles with two sacks, broke up three passes, forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass as the Mustangs beat Gonzaga, 21-0.

Oct. 8: Colton Amoriell, Walkersville

photo by jenni gilroy/@jkg.photography19

It’s a good thing that the Walkersville football team located a new kicker for this season, recruiting a player off the school’s soccer team. Senior Colton Amoriell, who kicked for the Lions the past three seasons, occasionally needs a rest.

In his first season playing running back at Walkersville, Amoriell has found plenty of success. This past Friday, he carried 19 times for a school-record 384 yards and six touchdowns as the Lions beat Thomas Johnson, 72-27. It was the second-highest rushing total ever for a Frederick County player.

“Last year we had De’Marques Ross, who rushed for 2,000 yards and Colton played wide receiver and was our backup running back,” Walkersville Coach Tyler Thompson said. “This year, we needed Colton to move inside and he’s been great.

For his efforts, Amoriell was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

In addition handling the kicking chores the past three seasons, Amoriell also is the Lions’ strong safety and kick returner. He was the team’s second-leading receiver last season, is third on the team in tackles this season and has thrived in the spotlight at running back. In five games, the 5-foot-8, 175-pound Amoriell has rushed for 837 yards and 12 touchdowns for Walkersville (3-2).

“We knew that he was going to run the ball very efficiently and that he was going to be an all-star pretty much right away,” Thompson said. “But did I know he was going to be able to do this? That was pretty much unheard of.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Broadneck RB/LB Aaron Foote rushed 12 times for 64 yards and one touchdown and on defense had six tackles all behind the line of scrimmage – 4 ½ sacks and 1 ½ tackles for loss – as the Bruins beat Glen Burnie, 30-13.

DC
Digital Pioneers RB King Williams rushed 10 times for 101 yards and three touchdowns as the Pythons beat Phelps, 58-6.

HOWARD
Guilford Park RB Tyler Lee rushed 13 times for 207 yards and four touchdowns as the Panthers beat Atholton, 45-12. Lee has rushed for more than 200 yards and at least three touchdowns in all five games this season for the Panthers (5-0), totaling 1,090 yards and 17 touchdowns.

LOUDOUN
Independence QB Nick Nassib completed 14 of 18 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns and rushed eight times for 121 yards as the Tigers beat Osbourn, 32-15.

MONTGOMERY
Blake RB Junior Rodriguez rushed 12 times for a school-record 315 yards and two touchdowns as the Bengals beat Blair, 25-0.

NORTHERN REGION
Lake Braddock TE/LB Zach Hibner caught six passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 12-yard touchdown in the final minute, and on defense made seven solo tackles with two sacks and two tackles for loss and broke up two passes as the Bruins beat Westfield, 29-23.

Herndon K Ryan Quick made three field goals, including the game-winning 50-yarder as time expired as the Hornets beat South Lakes, 23-20. Quick also connected on field goal attempts of 37 and 38 yards and punted three times, with a 51-yard punt and two others that were downed inside the 20-yard line.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Wise RB/LB Theodore Riley rushed five times for 112 yards and one touchdown, caught a 40-yard pass and on defense made nine tackles and intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown as the Pumas beat DuVal, 35-0.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Gainesville QB David Howe completed 8 of 10 passes for 145 yards and five touchdowns as the Cardinals beat Unity Reed, 55-0.        

PRIVATE
Maret QB Trysten Johnson completed 16 of 26 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns as the Frogs beat Allegany, 49-26.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Calvert QB Jordan Johnson completed 19 of 27 passes for 284 yards and five touchdowns as the Cavaliers beat Northern, 41-12.

WCAC
Good Counsel WR Kobe Ellis, a Towson recruit, caught 10 passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns as the Falcons beat St. Mary’s Ryken, 27-21.

Oct. 1: Damarion Baxter, Potomac (Md.)

photo by eric branch/@epixels_, @psychovisuals

To hear Potomac (Md.) High football coach Ronnie Crump say it, Damarion Baxter could line up anywhere on the field. The junior quarterback, in his first year on the varsity, has been begging to play defense, Crump said, but he is just too valuable on offense to risk injury.

Baxter showed his offensive worth again this past weekend. He rushed 24 times for 276 yards and four touchdowns and completed 10 of 13 passes for 183 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown pass to Malik Iracks with eight seconds remaining in regulation, as the Wolverines beat Oxon Hill, 32-26 in overtime.

“He’s just a football player, it doesn’t matter what position or what he needs to do,” Crump said. “But he’s playing a critical position. Quarterbacks aren’t a dime a dozen.”

For his efforts, Baxter was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

Potomac (4-0) had won its first three games easily, but found itself in trouble against Oxon Hill, which also entered undefeated.

The Wolverines trailed 26-18 in the closing seconds when Baxter eluded the rush and heaved a pass that Iracks caught near the back of the end zone. After two penalties moved the two-point conversion attempt back 10 yards, Baxter eluded the rush and outran to the defense to the left corner of the end zone to tie the game at 26-26 and force overtime.

Oxon Hill was stopped on its possession of overtime, then Baxter – who is 5 feet 8 and 170 pounds -- finished things off with a three-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal.

“He runs very well and he’s a leader too,” Crump said. “He’s trying really hard to do the right things and he’s maturing. He wants to get to the next level some kind of way. He might be a running back there.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Crofton RB/LB Drew Sani rushed for three touchdowns, including the game-winning one-yard score as time expired, rushed for two two-point conversions and on defense made two drive-ending fourth down tackles and blocked an extra-point attempt as the Cardinals beat Meade, 34-28.

DC
H.D. Woodson QB Amar’e Leonard completed 13 of 17 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns and rushed five times for 46 yards as the Warriors beat Ballou, 24-14.

FREDERICK
Frederick WR Paul Huff tied a school single-game record with 15 catches for 157 yards, including a pair of key fourth-down conversions, as the Cadets beat previously unbeaten Middletown, 17-14.

HOWARD
Guilford Park RB Tyler Lee rushed 21 times for 235 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 27-yard touchdown pass as the Panthers beat Reservoir, 42-37. Lee has rushed for at least 200 yards and scored at least three touchdowns in every game so far this season for Guilford Park (4-0).

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley RB/S Ethan LaFollette rushed 16 times for 216 yards and three touchdowns and on defense made four tackles and returned an interception 63 yards for a touchdown as the Vikings beat Potomac Falls, 51-6.

MONTGOMERY
Sherwood DL Jefferson Serkfem made seven tackles with two sacks and two tackles for loss and forced a fumble as the Warriors beat Blake, 21-12.

NORTHERN REGION
Meridian RB/CB Duke Dawson rushed eight times for 134 yards and two touchdowns, returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown and on defense made three tackles with one tackle for loss as the Mustangs beat Fauquier, 60-22.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Woodbridge QB Caleb Tucker completed 29 of 39 passes for a school-record 459 yards and six touchdowns as the Vikings beat Hylton, 56-6.

PRIVATE
St. Albans QB Brett Paukstis completed 7 of 9 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat McKinley Tech, 42-0.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Patuxent QB/K Brayden Watson completed 19 of 27 passes for 3690 yards and three touchdowns, made all four of his point-after kicks and made both of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner in overtime as the Panthers beat Northern, 34-31 in overtime.

WCAC
St. John’s DE Tariq Boney, a Michigan recruit, made nine tackles with one sack and one tackle for loss and recovered a fumble for a touchdown as the Cadets beat Friendship Collegiate, 28-26.

Sept. 24: Alijah Bah, Paint Branch

photo by elijah goodman/@e.goody.photos

Paint Branch High junior Alijah Bah bent over to field the ball at his own 45-yard line. With the call on for a punt block, no teammates were in sight as a few defenders raced toward him. One of the Washington area’s most elusive players, though, Bah made a quick move and burst through the initial wave, then scooted through traffic en route to a 55-yard touchdown.

It was just one more play on a special night as Bah also rushed for two touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes as the Panthers beat Blair, 61-14.

“He just has that ability to make a play out of nothing,” Paint Branch Coach Mike Nesmith said. “He’s old school, I don’t know how to describe it, but his feel for finding holes is really special.”

For his efforts, Bah was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

The son of former Paint Branch standout Mohammed Bah, Alijah is making quite a name for himself. Though just 5 feet 10 and 175 pounds, he has added about 15 pounds since last season and plays much bigger. Last season, he was selected the Montgomery County Offensive Player of the Year by voting among coaches.

Against Blair, on game’s opening series, Bah took a short pass to the right and turned it into a 69-yard touchdown. He then took a toss to the right for a 40-yard touchdown run, scored on the punt return, took another toss 51 yards for a score and finished with a 14-yard touchdown pass after he released from the backfield while staying in to block. Two other long touchdowns were negated by penalties, Nesmith said.

“His dad was a heck of a player and it looks like his son is even more talented,” Nesmith said. “He runs with a lot of power and he finishes runs, he’s not a scatback. He’s a really impressive player. He’s the best running back I’ve coached since I had Travis Hawkins when I was the offensive coordinator at Quince Orchard. That’s how talented he is.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Arundel RB Naseem Tention rushed 32 times for 233 yards and four touchdowns and had three catches for 68 yards as the Wildcats beat Broadneck, 49-48.

DC
Ballou QB Javon Poole threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two more scores as the Knights beat Anacostia, 50-0.

FREDERICK
Middletown RB/DB Ryan McLister rushed for a key fourth-down conversion on the game-winning drive and intercepted two passes on defense as the Knights beat Oakdale, 20-17.

HOWARD
Guilford Park RB Tyler Lee rushed 27 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns, his third consecutive game with at least 200 yards rushing, as the Panthers beat River Hill, 33-14.

LOUDOUN
Potomac Falls CB Omar El Maddah made five tackles, forced a fumble and intercepted two passes, including a game-sealing pick in the end zone, as the Panthers beat Lightridge, 26-20.

NORTHERN REGION
Falls Church RB Elijah Lewis rushed 29 times for 348 yards and three touchdowns as the Jaguars beat Annandale, 44-32, to win the Battle of the Beltway Trophy.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
C.H. Flowers LB Tyger Williams made 13 tackles with three tackles for loss as the Jaguars made three stops inside their own 10-yard line and beat Wise, 17-6.

PRINCE WILLIAM
With the team’s top two quarterbacks out with injuries, Forest Park RB Kellen Lewis made his first varsity start at quarterback and rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another score as the Bruins beat Gainesville, 29-13.

PRIVATE
Potomac School RB/LB Gus Tierney rushed for two touchdowns, caught a touchdown pass and on defense made 12 tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack and forced one fumble as the Panthers beat Bishop Ireton, 28-20.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
St. Charles RB/DB Christopher Quick rushed 10 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and on defense made 14 tackles as the Spartans beat Patuxent, 26-22.

WCAC
Gonzaga DB Langston Blair made five tackles and intercepted two passes as the Eagles beat Carroll, 42-7.

Sept. 17: Jaden McDuffie, South River

photo by Crystal shipley

South River standout wide receiver Jaden McDuffie faced a solid double team throughout this past Friday night’s game against Hereford.

“It wasn’t like they were bracketing him,” Seahawks Coach Steve Erxleben said. “They lined up one guy right him and another five yards behind him. It was like rec ball.

“Actually, they probably should have used three.”

Because while defenders were focused on McDuffie, the Northwestern University recruit still managed to impact the game in every phase. McDuffie caught three passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, returned a short kickoff for a 50-yard touchdown, returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown and on defense made four tackles and broke up three passes as South River improved to 2-0 with a 49-14 victory.

For his efforts, McDuffie was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

“He’s the best all-around player I’ve ever had in 23 years of coaching,” Erxleben said. “He affects the game so much – as a defensive back, as a receiver, returning kicks. You always have to worry about where Number 5 is.”

McDuffie enjoyed a breakout junior season in 2024, which in turn garnered plenty of attention from college coaches. Erxleben said that coaches from 47 schools visited the Anne Arundel County school in May to recruit McDuffie and 27 made scholarship offers.

McDuffie was held to two catches for 19 yards in a season-opening 35-8 win over Randallstown and wanted to make more plays moving forward. Consider that job done.

“He felt like the first game wasn’t up to his standard,” Erxleben said. “Last year, he was catching six or seven balls a game. This year we have three really good receivers and there’s one football. Spreading the ball around is a challenge. But what I told my offensive coordinator is, ‘When it gets crunch time, we’re thinking players not plays and we’re thinking Number 5 first.’ ”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

DC
Ballou DL Ryheem Benton made eight tackles with five sacks and three tackles for loss and broke up three passes as the Knights beat Phelps, 38-14.

FREDERICK
Walkersville RB Colton Amoriell rushed 22 times for 210 yards and four touchdowns as the Lions beat South Carroll, 35-14.

HOWARD
Howard RB/OLB Darius Moore rushed 19 times for 227 yards and one touchdown, scored a two-point conversion, made three tackles for loss and returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown as the Lions beat Reservoir, 40-14.

LOUDOUN
Loudoun County RB Montez Dyson rushed 32 times for 267 yards and two touchdowns as the Captains beat Millbrook, 28-21.

MONTGOMERY
Richard Montgomery QB Dylan Webster completed 12 of 18 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns as the Rockets beat Kennedy, 46-6.

NORTHERN REGION
Thomas Jefferson DB Liam Brougham made four tackles, broke up three passes and returned an interception 84 yards as time expired to lift the Colonials to a 20-14 win over Stonewall Jackson. The interception came after Jefferson blocked a potential game-winning field goal and a Stonewall Jackson player picked up the ball and tried to pass it.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Suitland LB Sai’Quan Olfus made 10 tackles with three tackles for loss and returned two fumbles for touchdowns as the Rams beat Northwestern, 49-0.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Battlefield WR/DB Keaton Ramey caught two passes for 30 yards, made six tackles on defense and returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining as the Bobcats pulled out a stunning 20-16 win over South Lakes, their 46th consecutive regular season victory.

PRIVATE
Severn QB Ty Bussard completed 20 of 28 passes for 286 yards and six touchdowns as the Admirals beat St. John’s Catholic Prep, 56-20.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Westlake LB Amari Compton-Jones made 13 tackles with 2 ½ sacks and intercepted a pass as the Wolverines beat Leonardtown, 31-9.

WCAC
Carroll RB TK Davis rushed eight times for 194 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions beat Bell, 41-18.

Sept. 10: Colton Dabkowski, Woodgrove

photo by sam mesecar/@studio1725_photography

It isn’t much of a surprise that Woodgrove High freshman quarterback Colton Dabkowski has burst onto the high school football scene.

Wolverines Coach Derek Barlow first noticed Dabkowski a few years ago as a middle schooler and surmised that his own son was going to have to be a wide receiver.

Opposing coaches noticed last year when Dabkowski, then in the eighth grade, quarterbacked Woodgrove’s freshman football team. “No offense,” one coach told Barlow, “but why aren’t you starting this kid on the varsity?” College coaches are well aware of Dabkowski, too.

If anyone else needed to know about Dabkowski, he made one more introduction this past Friday. Playing in just his second varsity game, Dabkowski completed 18 of 20 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 17 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolverines beat John Champe, 70-49.

For his efforts, Dabkowski was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

“I don’t know what it is – he’s ranked in baseball with his travel and team and he’s going to get baseball scholarship offers. He’s ranked in wrestling,” Barlow said. “He’s just that kid that everyone is jealous of because they work their ass off to be successful and he could just go and be a scratch golfer or pro tennis player if he tried. He has that ability, almost like a cheat code. He’s pretty special.”

Dabkowski’s father, Jerry, played defensive line on the West Virginia University football team and his mother, Missy, played basketball at Slippery Rock University. But Colton Dabkowski has more than just good genes. Barlow spoke glowingly about his work ethic and his willingness to be a leader even though he has been in high school for only a few weeks.

“He works like no kid I’ve ever seen,” Barlow said.

College coaches also have taken notice of Dabrowski. He will visit Penn State for this Saturday’s game against Villanova. The Nittany Lions quarterbacks coach is former Loudoun County star Trace McSorley, who culminated his four years as a starter by being named the Touchdown Club’s 2014 Virginia High School Player of the Year.

Starting four freshmen and 10 sophomores, Barlow expected the Wolverines (1-1) might take some lumps this season. But after just two weeks and with Dabkowski leading the way, he is rethinking that outlook.

“From what I’ve seen, this is where I expected to be next year,” Barlow said. “I know a lot of guys are combine warriors and then they get on the field and it’s a different story, but that’s definitely not him.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week honor roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Arundel QB Kaiden Schurr completed 22 of 31 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats beat River Hill, 49-28.

DC
H.D. Woodson RB Navell Harris rushed 13 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns, caught three passes for 46 yards and returned a kickoff 80 yards for another score as the Warriors beat Utopian Academy for the Arts, 38-26.

FREDERICK
Linganore RB Bradly Matthews rushed 32 times for 190 yards and three touchdowns as the Lancers beat Mervo, 36-27.

HOWARD
Atholton QB Tyler Bell threw five touchdown passes and rushed for another score as the Raiders beat Carter Vo-Tech, 42-20.

MONTGOMERY
Damascus RB MJ Sullivan rushed 13 times for 297 yards and three touchdowns and caught two passes for 85 yards and another score as the Swarmin’ Hornets beat Richard Montgomery, 43-26.

NORTHERN REGION
Westfield WR/DB Malachi Lee caught four passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns and on defense made seven tackles and forced a fumble that he returned 68 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs beat Fairfax, 31-15.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Eleanor Roosevelt DL Johnathan Smallwood had six sacks as the Raiders beat Digital Pioneers, 7-0.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Osbourn Park WR/LB Aidan Sloan made five tackles with one tackle for loss, forced two fumbles (returning one for a touchdown) and blocked a punt as the Yellow Jackets beat Hylton, 27-14.

PRIVATE
Severn WR Jack Fowler caught six passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns as the Admirals beat Annapolis, 28-14.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
St. Charles QB Jayden Wills completed 12 of 14 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score as the Spartans beat Lackey, 35-12.

WCAC
DeMatha WR Levar Keys, a Penn State recruit, had five catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns (and had two other touchdowns called back) as the Stags beat Imhotep Charter (Pa.), 30-14.

Sept. 3: Kellen Lewis, Forest Park

courtesy forest park football

Kellen Lewis earned accolades for his play as a defensive back last season at Forest Park High in Woodbridge. He was a physical presence who occasionally played quarterback when the Bruins went with a jumbo package in short yardage situations.

This season, though, Lewis has moved to linebacker, as first-year coach Brandon Benson looks for ways to get the dynamic player more involved. Offensively, Lewis has moved to running back, where he established himself with one of the opening weekend’s top performances.

Lewis rushed 18 times for 345 yards and three touchdowns and caught two screen passes for 62 yards – taking both for touchdowns – as the Bruins began their season with a 54-47 season at Centreville this past Thursday.

For his efforts, Benson was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.

“Last year we saw a little of what he could do with the ball in his hands,” Benson said. “This year we wanted to get him the more ball and the best way to make that happen was to have him at running back. He has shown flashes of strength and speed and once he gets in the open field, he’s hard to tackle.

“We think we have running back by committee, we have a lot of talented guys. But he took control this week. After that performance, he separated himself – not just from the kids on our team, but from a lot of kids in the area.”

Lewis has offers from Ferrum and Hampden-Sydney to play college football, though Benson thinks that list will expand if Lewis can have more games like the opener.

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week honor roll:

DC
Ballou WR-DB Javon Poole caught four passes for 70 yards and one touchdown, rushed for a two-point conversion and on defense made seven tackles and returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown as the Knights beat McKinley Tech, 24-13.

LOUDOUN
Rock Ridge K Elijah Mezzacappa made a 47-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Phoenix to a 23-22 win over Warren County.

NORTHERN REGION
Westfield LB Wesley Flamer made 15 tackles with three tackles for loss, broke up one pass and returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs beat Patriot, 17-14.

PRIVATE
Potomac School WR-DB Akim Iscandari caught 33- and 40-yard touchdown passes and on defense made four tackles with one tackle for loss, broke up three passes and returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown as the Panthers beat St. John’s Catholic Prep, 28-12.

WCAC
St. Mary’s Ryken QB Nick Reisinger completed 21 of 26 passes for 322 yards and four touchdowns as the Knights beat Severn, 42-28.