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.

2025 High School Player of the Week

Sept. 24: Alijah Bah, Paint Branch

DC Touchdown Club