DC Touchdown Club Players of the Week
There are not many secrets when it comes to the Gaithersburg High football team’s offensive game plan.
The Trojans have 5-foot-10, 240-pound senior running back Gideon Ituka, a big, strong powerful runner who has accepted a football scholarship offer from Wisconsin – and he is going to get the ball. A lot.
While opponents know what is usually coming, stopping Ituka is another matter. This past Friday, he rushed 26 times for a career-high 304 yards and four touchdowns, carrying Gaithersburg to a 28-14 win over Seneca Valley.
For his efforts, Ituka was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
“Everybody is keying on him, we know that every week,” Gaithersburg Coach Shawn Prather said. “That’s nothing new. But not a whole lot is going to change. We have to keep people honest by throwing the ball, but there is no mystery.”
Ituka has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of seven games this season, and the Trojans have won each of those games. Ituka has tallied 1,405 yards and 21 touchdowns so far this season leading Gaithersburg to a 6-1 mark and securing the team’s first winning record since 2013.
Prather said that Ituka has worked hard to get to this point, adding more than 10 pounds of muscle and improving his speed.
“You know what is coming and he is still doing it,” Prather said. “He’s a power runner with speed, so he can run away from people, too.”
This week’s DC Touchdown Club Player of the Week High School Football Player of the Week Honor Roll:
ANNE ARUNDELBroadneck WR Eli Harris caught seven passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns as the Bruins beat Annapolis, 35-28.
DCH.D. Woodson DL Deonte Harrison made 10 tackles with five tackles for loss and three sacks as the Warriors beat Theodore Roosevelt, 14-8.
FREDERICKOakdale WR Hunter Thompson returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes as the Bears remained unbeaten with a 41-22 win over Walkersville.
HOWARDMount Hebron RB Aidan Hauf rushed 10 times for 101 yards and one touchdown, caught a 25-yard touchdown pass and threw a touchdown pass as the undefeated Vikings beat Centennial, 50-8.
LOUDOUNBriar Woods QB Brady Carmical threw four touchdown passes as the Falcons defeated Potomac Falls, 28-0.
NORTHERN REGIONSouth Lakes QB Nick Harris completed 20 of 31 passes for 332 yards and five touchdowns and rushed three times for 52 yards as the Seahawks improved to 7-0 by beating Oakton, 56-18. It was his fourth game this season with five touchdown passes.
PRINCE GEORGE’SLargo RB Tymond Foxx rushed 31 times for 244 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions beat Friendly, 24-20.
PRINCE WILLIAMFreedom-Woodbridge QB Tristan Evans-Trujillo completed 12 of 14 passes for 203 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles beat Woodbridge, 63-7.
PRIVATELandon WR-DB-K Chase Robertson, a Utah lacrosse recruit, caught a 32-yard touchdown pass, returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown, made 12 tackles and kicked three extra points as the Bears beat Episcopal, 21-14.
SOUTHERN MARYLANDPatuxent WR-DB Evan Jones caught 10 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns and on defense made seven tackles and intercepted a pass as the Panthers beat Northern, 53-39.
WCACGood Counsel WR Demarion Fowlkes caught an 80-yard touchdown pass and then caught a 32-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds left in regulation as the Falcons sent the game to overtime where they prevailed, 35-28 over previously undefeated DeMatha.
This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week High School Honor Roll:
- Florida Atlantic LB Jackson Ambush (Linganore) made nine tackles with 1 ½ tackles for loss as the Owls beat USF, 56-14.
- Christopher Newport DL Jordan Cokley (Alexandria City) made five tackles with 3 ½ tackles for loss and one sack and forced a fumble as the Captains beat Rowan, 21-18.
- Bowling Green DB Davon Ferguson (Pallotti) intercepted two passes and made five tackles with one tackle for loss as the Falcons beat Buffalo, 28-14.
- Gallaudet LB Jacob Hartman made 11 tackles with one tackle for loss as the Bison rallied from a 20-point deficit in the final 11 minutes to beat Vermont State University Castleton, 24-23.
- Georgetown QB Tyler Knoop completed 26 of 32 passes for a career-high 332 yards and one touchdown as the Hoyas beat Lehigh, 17-7.
- Navy P Riley Riethman averaged 46.3 yards over 11 punts, including a 59-yarder, and had four punts downed inside the 20-yard line, as the Midshipmen beat Charlotte, 14-0.
- James Madison DB Jacob Thomas (Stone Bridge) made eight tackles and broke up two passes as the Dukes beat Georgia Southern, 41-13.
- Pitt QB Christian Veilleux (Bullis), making his first collegiate start, completed 12 of 26 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat previously undefeated No. 14 Louisville, 38-21.
Washington Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller, who starred at Good Counsel High School and Virginia Tech, has been named the DC Touchdown Club Pro Football Player of the Week after making seven tackles and intercepting a pass to help the Commanders snap a three-game losing streak with a 24-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Fuller’s second interception of the season came early in the third quarter, as he picked off a Desmond Ritter pass at midfield and returned it 23 yards. One play later, Sam Howell threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robinson Jr., giving the Commanders a 24-10 lead.
“The good thing about today is that we made more plays,” said Fuller, now in his eighth NFL season. “I just had good vision on the quarterback and was trying to make a play to help our team and created good field position for our offense to get points on the board. It was good to get momentum for our team.”
After allowing more than 30 points in each of the past four games, the Commanders defense repeatedly made plays at Atlanta, inclduing three interceptions in the second half. After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, the Falcons did not score another touchdown until the middle of the fourth quarter.
“We protected the football and we took the football away — that gave us the opportunity more so than anything,” Commanders Coach Ron Rivera said. “The defense bowed up when it had to and made a couple plays that were really good that really helped us. When you need to make plays, you have to [players] step up when you have the opportunity. A lot of guys did that today.”
About the Military Bowl FoundationThe Military Bowl Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates premier events in the National Capital Region to benefit our nation’s service members. Originally formed to create the region’s first-ever college football postseason bowl game, the Foundation now not only runs the Military Bowl but additionally operates the DC Touchdown Club and Patriot Point, a retreat for recovering service members, their families and caregivers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Foundation hosts engaging events throughout the year to raise money and awareness for military service members, directly impacting those who give so much of themselves for the country.
About the DC Touchdown ClubThe DC Touchdown Club honors the best in Washington Metro football, with year-round events highlighted by an annual awards dinner. Operated by the Military Bowl Foundation, the Club promotes the game of football, hosts entertaining social events and generates a significant philanthropic impact for Patriot Point. To learn more about the Touchdown Club, visit dctouchdownclub.com or follow Touchdown Club on Twitter and Instagram @DCTouchdownClub and like Touchdown Club on Facebook.
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