DC Touchdown Club Players of the Week
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.
This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week honor roll:
- Christopher Newport QB Connor Barry (Madison) completed 22 of 29 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns as the Captains beat Gettysburg, 49-14.
- Penn State LB Amare Campbell (Unity Reed) made seven tackles and had one sack as the Nittany Lions beat Villanova, 52-6.
- Susquehanna QB Josh Ehrlich (Broadneck) completed 21 of 29 passes for 188 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another score as the River Hawks beat Bridgewater, 56-17.
- USC S Bishop Fitzgerald (Gar-Field) made five tackles and intercepted two passes as the Trojans beat Purdue, 33-17.
- Michigan State LB Wayne Matthews III (C.H. Flowers) made a team-high 10 tackles as the Spartans beat Youngstown State, 41-24.
- Navy LB MarcAnthony Parker made a career-high 11 tackles with two tackles for a loss and half a sack as the Midshipmen beat Tulsa, 42-23.
- Maryland DB La’khi Roland made two tackles and returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown as the Terrapins improved to 3-0 by beating Towson, 44-17.
- East Carolina WR Anthony Smith (Huntingtown) caught 11 passes for 136 yards as the Pirates beat Coastal Carolina, 38-0.
Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross, who played at DeMatha Catholic High School and the University of Maryland, has been named the DC Touchdown Club Pro Football Player of the Week after his strong defensive performance helped the Colts beat the Denver Broncos, 29-28, on Sunday.
Cross made a team-high seven tackles and broke up a key third-down pass to force a punt as Indianapolis improved to 2-0.
Now in his fourth year in the NFL, Cross was selected by the Colts in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He moved into a starting role last season and has excelled. He made 133 tackles and intercepted five passes last season.
ABOUT THE MILITARY BOWL FOUNDATION
The 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 Go Bowling 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 CLUB
The 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 Touchdown 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 the Touchdown Club on Twitter and Instagram @DCTouchdown Club and like the Touchdown Club on Facebook.
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