Sept. 30: Brayden Dalton, Stafford

photo by andrew roberson/@andrewr_pics

As it became apparent during the offseason to Brayden Dalton that he was going to be the Stafford High starting quarterback this fall, he had one important questions for the Indians’ new coach.

“He wanted to make sure that I wasn’t going to take playing linebacker away from him,” Coach Brad Womack said. “I told him not to worry. I was excited about having a quarterback that plays like a linebacker, who is smart and a leader.”

It was less certain just how well Dalton would fare as a passer, but through the season’s first month he has answered any lingering questions.

This past Friday, Dalton completed 18 of 27 passes for a school-record 416 yards and three touchdowns and rushed five times for 20 yards. He also continued to be a force on defense, making 11 tackles and intercepting a pass as Stafford remained undefeated with a 37-7 win over Mountain View.

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

“His passing opportunities last year were limited and honestly, this year for our team they’ve been limited,” Womack said, noting that the Indians’ used their rushing game to spark victories against their previous two opponents.

But Dalton had shown something in the season opener, leading consecutive late scoring drives with his arm as the Indians ralled to beat Woodbridge, 16-15. So when Mountain View loaded the box with defenders and dared Stafford to throw, Womack had no reservations.

“They pretty much made Brayden throw and he was able to take advantage of those matchups,” Womack said. “He can throw the ball well and has shined through our first four games so far.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Crofton RB Dominic Jackson rushed nine times for 89 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 27-yard touchdown pass as the undefeated Cardinals beat Meade, 42-6.

DC
Digital Pioneers RB Laroy Williams rushed eight times for 207 yards and four touchdowns and caught a 23-yard pass as the Pythons beat Paul VI Catholic, 50-7. Williams had touchdown runs of 53, 55, 53 and 14 yards.

FREDERICK
Oakdale LB Nick Russell made 14 tackles as the Bears beat Damascus, 30-3.

HOWARD
River Hill RB Logan Shatzer rushed 19 times for 150 yards and four touchdowns, his fourth 100-yard game this season, as the Hawks beat Long Reach, 35-7.

LOUDOUN
Heritage LB Lucas Olszewski rushed 24 times for 170 yards and three touchdowns and caught two passes for 26 yards as the Pride beat Broad Run, 30-23.

MONTGOMERY
Paint Branch RB Alijah Bah rushed 28 times for 181 yards and three touchdowns, caught three passes for 64 yards and on defense made three tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass as the Panthers beat Northwest, 28-14.

NORTHERN REGION
Lake Braddock RB Sam Rhye rushed 25 times for 241 yards and four touchdowns as the Bruins beat Robinson, 35-21. Rhye’s 51-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 with two minutes left sealed the win.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Oxon Hill RB/LB Graham Cleveland rushed for a touchdown and on defense made 14 tackles and recovered a fumble as the Clippers beat Potomac (Md.), 28-26.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Gainesville RB Jayden Taylor rushed 11 times for 181 yards and four touchdowns as the Cardinals beat Osbourn Park, 35-0.

PRIVATE
St. Albans QB Brett Paukstis completed 5 of 8 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown and rushed 20 times for 154 yards and four touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat McKinley Tech, 46-0.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Huntingtown TE/LB Spencer O’Callaghan made 24 tackles and broke up two passes as the undefeated Hurricanes beat Lackey, 10-6.

STAFFORD
Brooke Point WR/DB Aviance Young Jr. caught two touchdown passes, including the decisive score in the third overtime, and on defense made 12 tackles with four tackles for loss as the undefeated Black-Hawks beat Riverbend, 35-28.

WCAC
DeMatha Catholic DB Logan Brown made five tackles, broke up two passes and made his fourth interception of the season as the Stags beat Riverdale Baptist, 28-12.

Sept. 23: Jayson Allen, Howard

photo courtesy howard football

There are times when it might appear that Jayson Allen is moving at less than full speed on the football field. It is a figment of the imagination, Howard High football coach Ross Hannon can assure you.

“He’s a step ahead and just playing a little faster than the rest of the kids,” Hannon said. “He’s 6 feet 2 with long arms, and so it doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast because he’s so long and he’s a strider. But he’s moving. He’s a physical player.”

Howard’s opponents can vouch for Allen, too. This past week, against Marriotts Ridge, the senior was all over the field. Starting at running back this season, he rushed 24 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He’s probably more impactful from his inside linebacker spot on defense, where Allen made 13 tackles with four tackles for loss and forced two fumbles, recovering one of them, as the Lions beat Marriotts Ridge, 28-0.

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

“He is so rangy,” Hannon said. “We noticed in 7 on 7 this summer that he just covers a lot of ground and he can get in the air and get into passing lanes. He’s going to be a good college football player. He’s bigger and heavier than he looks.”

With only 28 players on the roster, including a handful of newcomers playing the sport for the first time, Hannon has stressed the need for the Lions’ defense to force turnovers and get off the field whenever they have a chance. Allen followed through early on against Marriotts Ridge, making a critical sack after the Mustangs had driven deep into Howard territory. Later, after a teammate made the initial hit on a wide receiver, Allen followed by stripping the ball. His play has helped Howard to a 3-0 start and three consecutive shutouts to start the season for the first time since 1974.

“He doesn’t run to the ball carrier, he’s running through people,” Hannon said. “He looks like a three-year ballplayer who has stepped his game up and is ready to move onto the next level.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Annapolis MLB Roman Stramanak made 10 tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack, broke up two passes and blocked a punt as the undefeated Panthers beat Glen Burnie, 28-27.

DC
Theodore Roosevelt WR/DE Isaiah McVea caught two passes for 30 yards and one touchdown and on defense had seven sacks and forced two fumbles as the Roughriders beat McKinley Tech, 30-7.

FREDERICK
Oakdale WR/DB Charlie Alt caught five passes for 104 yards and one touchdown, made seven tackles with wo tackles for loss and intercepted two passes as the Bears beat Middletown, 35-7.

HOWARD
Wilde Lake WR/DB Jaydin Gore caught four passes for 68 yards and one touchdown, returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown, returned another punt 49 yards and on defense made 15 tackles with three tackles for loss as the Wildecats beat Glenelg, 26-21.

LOUDOUN
Broad Run QB Paul Layne completed 10 of 14 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and rushed three times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-clinching 23-yard score on fourth-and-goal, as the Spartans rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat Colgan, 36-27.

MONTGOMERY
Damascus RB MJ Sullivan rushed 14 times for 217 yards and six touchdowns as the Swarmin’ Hornets beat Clarksburg, 42-14.

NORTHERN REGION
West Springfield RB Dillan Wickham rushed 23 times for 200 yards and one touchdown as the Spartans beat Robinson, 55-19.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Laurel QB/LB Demerius Custis completed 3 of 5 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns, rushed three times for 125 yards and three touchdowns and made four solo tackles with one sack as the Spartans beat Northwestern, 67-6.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Manassas Park WR Ethan Casey caught 10 passes for 205 yards and one touchdown as the Cougars lost to Jefferson, 14-12.

PRIVATE
Maret QB Trysten Johnson, a Citadel recruit, completed 10 of 18 passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 22 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns as the Frogs beat Bell, 43-30.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
North Point LB Lawtrell Bowlding made 21 tackles with four tackles for loss and two sacks and forced a fumble as the Eagles beat Northern, 14-6.

STAFFORD
Brooke Point RB Anthony Robinson Jr. rushed 23 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns as the Black-Hawks beat Spotsylvania, 32-14.

WCAC
Gonzaga WR Lincoln Shelton caught two passes for 63 yards, ran for a 46-yard touchdown and returned a punt 53 yards for a touchdown as the Eagles beat Carroll, 47-27.

Sept. 16: Joshua-Benjamin Dagbe, South Lakes

photo by pj ross/@rossvisualzz

Even before he had a driver’s license, Joshua-Benjamin Dagbe was a leader on the high school football field.

“He couldn’t drive a car,” South Lakes Coach Jason Hescock said jokingly, “but he could drive a team.”

Indeed, Dagbe has proven wise far beyond his years – and he’s still only 16 years old. A three-sport athlete and now a junior at South Lakes, Dagbe is in his second season as a football team captain. In basketball, he plays guard and also is a team captain. He runs track in the spring.

Now, though, it is football season and Dagbe is making an impact all over the field. He plays wide receiver on offense, cornerback on defense and is the Seahawks’ kick returner. This past week, Dagbe caught nine passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns and returned an interception 48 yards for another score as undefeated South Lakes beat Battlefield, 34-12.

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

“He’s definitely opening up some eyes right now,” Hescock said.

Dagbe played on the freshman team in ninth grade, though his season was cut short by a broken collarbone. It was during a practice last preseason when Dagbe – then a sophomore yet to play in a varsity game – caught the coach’s attention.

“There was something about our tempo that he didn’t like and he’s saying to the other players, ‘You can’t do that at the level we play football!’ ” Hescock said. “We didn’t even have captains picked out yet and he’s teaching the other players. I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ It was like having another coach on the field.”

Needless to say, Dagbe was selected as a captain last season and again this year.

“We believe in a player-led team and he has no problem letting people know if they aren’t meeting our standard,” Hescock said. “He doesn’t get caught up in all the nonsense. He’s very business-like on the field.”

Against Battlefield, Dagbe’s interception return for a touchdown – his second in two weeks – came in the first quarter. In the second quarter, he had touchdown catches of 46 and 42 yards. Whether Dagbe is better on offense or defense is tough to measure, Hescock said.

“That’s like trying to pick your favorite child,” he said. “We’re so dangerous and have so many guys we can get the ball to on offense. He’s valuable on offense but we have so many weapons. On defense, we don’t have many corners who can just go shut down the opponent’s best kid every week.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Crofton RB/OLB Dominic Jackson rushed 16 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 54 yards, scored two two-point conversions and on defense made five tackles as the Cardinals beat Old Mill, 16-15.

DC
McKinley Tech RB/DB Jayden West rushed four times for 23 yards, caught nine passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for three two-point conversions and on defense made 12 tackles with one tackle for loss as the Trainers lost to Bishop Ireton, 40-30.

FREDERICK
Walkersville RB Taylor Patten rushed 23 times for 263 yards and four touchdowns as the Lions beat South Carroll, 50-18.

HOWARD
Mount Hebron RB Cam Douglas rushed 12 times for 139 and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings beat Centennial, 34-6.

LOUDOUN
Independence RB/OLB Jeremiah Yao rushed 16 times for 215 yards and five touchdowns and made five tackles on defense as the Tigers beat Briar Woods, 43-20. Yao was filling in for last week’s Touchdown Club Player of the Week Robert Kellen, who sustained a serious knee injury earlier in the game.

MONTGOMERY
Sherwood LB London Hardy made seven tackles, intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble as the Warriors beat Seneca Valley, 21-6.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Wise RB Les Williams rushed 11 times for 116 yards and four touchdowns and caught two passes for 30 yards as the Pumas beat Laurel, 53-6.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Patriot K Parker Kim made a 31-yard field goal with one second left to lift the Pioneers to a 38-35 win over Mountain View.

PRIVATE
Spalding QB Brian Snowden completed 16 of 21 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns and rushed five times for 20 yards and three touchdowns as the Cavaliers beat Good Counsel, 45-21.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Calvert WR/SS Tristan Thomas caught five passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns, returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and on defense made 11 tackles for with one tackle for loss and broke up a pass as the Cavaliers beat McDonough, 35-15.

STAFFORD
Colonial Forge LB Mason Cachola made 9 ½ tackles with one sack, forced a fumble and blocked a potential game-winning 27-yard field goal in the final minute as the Eagles beat Gainesville, 14-13.

WCAC
Gonzaga LB Jago Woodards, an Army recruit, made seven tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble as the Eagles shut out Eastern, 18-0.

Sept. 9: Robert Kellen, Independence

photo by james torrenzano

Robert Kellen burst onto the Loudoun County high school football scene as a freshman in Independence High, rushing for nearly 1,000 yards before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the regular season finale.

Kellen, whose two older brothers also shined on the football team at Independence, returned midway through last season, but Coach RJ Windows could sense some apprehension as Kellen tried to dodge the defenders. Kellen rushed for 527 yards in six games, but Windows knew it was going to take some time for Kellen to return to form.

After a full “offseason” that included going 35-15 on the wrestling mat as well as winning a rugby state championship and going on an international tour, Kellen was more than ready for this football season. This past Friday, he rushed 19 times for 345 yards and four touchdowns and on defense made four tackles and also had a 51-yard punt as the Tigers beat Potomac Falls, 40-21.

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

Perhaps the most notable measure of Kellen’s recovery, Windows said, is that in addition to stiff-arming defenders or running through their tackles, the junior now has the speed to just outrace would-be tacklers.

“He didn’t used to have the pull-away speed,” Windows said, noting that Kellen had touchdown runs of 80, 65 and 60 yards against Potomac Falls. “He used to bust through guys and plow them over. Now he has the pull-away speed on top of it.

“When we scrimmaged Westfield [last month] he was running well. Last year, coming back, I felt he was a little timid. Now, I said, ‘Freshman Robert is back.’ “

In addition to excelling on the football field, Kellen is a standout wrestler and rugby player. He placed fourth in the Virginia 6A Region B wrestling tournament last year. This past summer, his rugby team competed in Spain, France and Ireland. 

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Broadneck DE Grayson Whitney, who missed last season while recovering from brain surgery after falling off a golf cart, blocked a potential game-winning field goal in the closing seconds as the Bruins beat St. Mary’s-Annapolis, 29-28. 

DC
Theodore Roosevelt QB David Anderson completed 12 of 15 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a touchdown and two two-point conversions as the Rough Riders beat KIPP DC Legacy, 40-15. 

FREDERICK
Linganore QB David Doy completed 13 of 22 passes for 105 yards and three touchdowns and rushed seven times for 47 yards as the Lancers edged Mervo, 29-28, in a meeting of teams that won state titles last season. 

HOWARD
Howard RB/DB Jayson Allen rushed nine times for 131 yards and two touchdowns, caught a 10-yard touchdown pass and on defense made six tackles with two tackles for loss and intercepted a pass as the Lions beat Mount Hebron, 43-0. 

LOUDOUN
Broad Run SS Cooper Fox made eight tackles with two tackles for loss and intercepted three passes as the Spartans beat Riverside, 26-15. 

MONTGOMERY
Northwest QB Eric Odina completed 6 of 10 passes for 102 yards and rushed 14 times for 161 yards and four touchdowns as the Jaguars beat Blake, 29-14. 

NORTHERN REGION
West Springfield TE/LB Brennan Telfer caught a 55-yard touchdown pass and on defense made 22 tackles (17 solo) with three tackles for loss and one sack as the Spartans beat Chantilly, 41-7. 

PRINCE GEORGE’S
Oxon Hill LB Matthew Gbllah made 10 tackles with three tackles for loss as the Clippers beat Largo, 21-20. 

PRINCE WILLIAM
Osbourn QB Jonah Howells completed 7 of 9 passes for 82 yards and rushed 15 times for 112 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles beat Hartwood, 32-26 in overtime. 

PRIVATE
Bullis LB Kevin Ouedraogo made nine tackles with four tackles for loss as the Bulldogs beat Gilman, 29-23. 

SMAC
Patuxent RB Antoine Wilkins rushed 27 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 51 yards as the Panthers beat Westlake, 12-6. 

STAFFORD
Stafford DE KJ Hitt made five tackles with 3 ½ tackles for loss and broke up a pass as the Indians held Unity Reed to minus-21 yards rushing in a 70-0 win.

WCAC
DeMatha DB Logan Brown made five tackles and intercepted two passes, including one on the game’s final play in the end zone, as the Stags set a school record with their 23rd consecutive win, beating Imhotep Charter, 21-20.

Sept. 2: Berry Johnson, KIPP DC Legacy

photo by amare parker/@digmyvision

After emerging as one of KIPP DC Legacy’s top players last season, Berry Johnson dedicated himself throughout the offseason. That hard work, combined with a timely growth spurt, has the fourth-year varsity player intent on showing how talented he is.

Johnson, who plays wide receiver and safety, was repeatedly in the spotlight during the Bulldogs’ season opener this past Friday. He caught five passes for 95 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown for the game’s only score and on defense delivered several big plays, with seven tackles that included three tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble as KIPP Legacy beat McKinley Tech, 6-0.

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

“He dominated the game,” Bulldogs Coach Andrew Isaacs said. “He was flying all over the field, making big hits right and left, making plays on special teams.”

Isaacs said that Johnson started earning playing time as an undersized 5-foot-5 sophomore and began to shine last season, leading the team in receiving and earning DCSAA All-State honors as a returner. He has grown to 5 feet 9 and 165 pounds while retaining all of the intangibles that helped him stand out.

“He just has a knack for being around the ball,” Isaacs said. “He plays really fast, has great ball skills and his play recognition is amazing. And now he’s had a bit of a growth spurt and is starting to fill out his body more.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:

LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley RB/LB Ethan Lafollette rushed 25 times for 214 yards and four touchdowns and on defense made nine tackles as the Vikings beat Millbrook, 39-37.

NORTHERN REGION
Washington-Liberty QB Tyler Flint-Steinig completed 22 of 30 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns as the Generals beat O’Connell, 35-21.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Colgan DB Gabe Huber set a school record with three interceptions as the Sharks beat Osbourn, 17-14.

PRIVATE
Bullis QB Braden Nyce completed 14 of 21 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns and had a 31-yard run as the Bulldogs beat Bishop Ireton, 49-14.

STAFFORD
Brooke Point WR/DB Aviance Young returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, caught four passes for 78 yards and one touchdown, returned one of his two interceptions 25 yards for a touchdown and made seven tackles with two tackles for loss as the Black-Hawks beat King George, 60-0.

WCAC
DeMatha RB TJ Grant, a Maryland recruit, rushed 18 times for 136 yards and three touchdowns as the Stags beat Spalding, 35-14.