DC Touchdown Club Players of the Week
Manassas Park High School sophomore Daniel Cuthbertson had never played organized football before this fall. Coach Mark Teague talked Cuthbertson into coming out for the Cougars’ team this season, hopeful that the teenager might be able to contribute as the first-year coach attempted to resurrect team after the school cancelled the 2022 season because of low turnout.
There have been plenty of learning curves along the way, but Cuthbertson made sure to leave one final mark on the 2023 season.
This past Friday, he carried 33 times for a school-record 445 yards and seven touchdowns as Manassas Park finished its regular season with a 49-27 victory over Richard Wright Public Charter School.
For his efforts, Cuthbertson was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
“He earned that 445,” Teague said. “On our roster, 98 percent of the team had never played football in any organized fashion. They didn’t know the game. It’s a testimony to these guys take it on and win two games this year.”
Cuthbertson, who is 5 feet 10 and 165 pounds, rushed for 232 yards and two touchdowns in the Cougars’ previous victory, a 21-20 win over Jefferson that snapped a 21-game losing streak. He had contributed mostly on defense in the season’s first few games before a strategic change put him in the shotgun in Manassas Park’s single-wing offense.
Cuthbertson quickly made up for lost time. He started just seven games but finished the season with 213 carries for 1,625 yards and 15 touchdowns.
“He’s a tough kid,” Teague said. “He’s still raw and has a lot to learn, but he’s a natural at it. We need to polish up a few things as far as fundamentals, but he’s going to be a problem for opposing teams the next two years.”
This week’s DC Touchdown Club Player of the Week High School Football Player of the Week Honor Roll:
ANNE ARUNDELOld Mill RB Max Jones rushed 27 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots beat North County, 30-0, in a Maryland 4A first-round game.
DCPhelps RB-LB Gabriel Wiggins rushed 16 times for 111 yards and one touchdown and caught a 53-yard pass and on defense had a sack, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass as the Panthers beat McKinley Tech, 12-0.
FREDERICKLinganore RB Ethan Arneson rushed 13 times for 218 yards and five touchdowns as the Lancers beat Rockville, 63-6, in a Maryland 3A first-round game.
HOWARDWilde Lake LB Aamir Stewart made 12 tackles with two sacks, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble to clinch the victory as the Wilde Cats beat Centennial, 17-6, in a Maryland 2A first-round game.
LOUDOUNJohn Champe QB Dominic Plush completed 28 of 35 passes for 517 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for another score as the Knights beat Freedom-South Riding, 50-7.
MONTGOMERYEinstein RB-S Raymon Bent rushed seven times for 257 yards and four touchdowns and returned an interception 100 yards for another score as the Titans beat Northwood, 52-0, in a Maryland 4A/3A first-round game.
NORTHERN REGIONChantilly RB Avery Chow rushed 40 times for 207 yards and four touchdowns as the Chargers beat Oakton, 31-12.
PRINCE GEORGE’SDouglass RB-DB DeRae Edwards rushed 14 times for 275 yards and one touchdown and intercepted a pass on defense as the Eagles beat Friendly, 22-7, in a Maryland 2A/1A first-round game.
PRIVATEEpiscopal LB Luca Farinaccio made nine tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble as the Maroon beat Bullis, 23-20 in overtime.
SOUTHERN MARYLANDLeonardtown RB Zach Meade rushed 25 times for 209 yards and three touchdowns as the Raiders beat Howard, 42-12, in a Maryland 4A/3A first-round game.
WCACPaul VI RB Gavin Colby rushed 21 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat O’Connell, 30-9.
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Penn State University offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, who starred at Gonzaga College High School in Northwest Washington, has been named the DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week after leading the Nittany Lions to a 51-15 victory over Maryland this past Saturday.
Fashanu, who is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, helped Penn State reach the 50-point mark for the third time this season. Fashanu, who is 6 feet 6 and 317 pounds, often led the way as the Nittany Lions averaged 5.3 yards per play and had only two offensive plays go for negative yardage.
“With how we played today and everyone executing their jobs, it was a complete game, complementary football,” Fashanu said. “We just have to build on it.”
Fashanu, who is from Waldorf, said that there were a few fleeting moments during pregame warmups when he started to get excited about playing a game close to home in front of friends and family. But as kickoff neared, Fashanu said he focused squarely on the task at hand.
It was another stellar performance for Fashanu, who was recently named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy given to the nation’s top student-athlete and a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top offensive lineman.
“For me and a lot of the guys, this was somewhat of a homecoming game,” he said. “So for us to go out and perform the way we did in this environment, on the road, a Big Ten matchup, what more could you want?”
This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week High School Honor Roll:
- Salisbury LB Casey Counts (Madison) made seven tackles with two tackles for loss, forced a fumble and blocked a punt that led to a short touchdown drive as the Sea Gulls beat McDaniel, 59-20.
- Akron WR Daniel George (Oxon Hill) caught nine passes for 104 yards and one touchdown as the Zips beat Kent State, 31-27.
- James Madison DE Jamree Kromah (C.H. Flowers) made four tackles with 3 ½ tackles for loss and one sack as the Dukes beat Georgia Southern, 41-13.
- Catholic QB Madden Lowe completed 40 of 47 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers as the Cardinals beat Wilkes, 40-35.
- Towson RB Devin Matthews (Justice) rushed 17 times for 98 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers beat North Carolina A&T, 42-32.
- UCF DE Tre’Mon Morris-Brash (St. John’s) made five tackles with 2 ½ sacks as the Golden Knights beat Cincinnati, 28-26, for their first Big 12 Conference win.
- Bowie State QB Jordan Morse (Northwest) completed 19 of 28 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Lincoln, 46-39.
- Gallaudet LB Zefan Nathanson made 10 tackles with two tackles for loss and blocked a punt as the Bison beat Dean, 38-16.
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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