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.