Trailing by 17 points entering the fourth quarter in a matchup of undefeated teams, the Oakton Cougars had to dig deep. With their opponent stacking the box and trying to stop Oakton’s potent running game, it provided several opportunities for junior wide receiver Collin Henriques to make an impact.
Henriques got the comeback started with a trick play, throwing a 36-yard touchdown pass to star running back Deylen Jones. After another touchdown helped the Cougars draw closer, Henriques hauled in a 44-yard touchdown pass with two minutes left to give Oakton the lead.
Henriques wasn’t done, though. He made a terrific one-handed interception to thwart South Lakes’ final drive, allowing Oakton to escape with a thrilling 42-38 victory.
For his efforts, Henriques was named the Military Bowl Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
“I’m just lucky to coach a kid like him,” Oakton first-year coach Said Aziz said. “He kind of gets overshadowed by Deylen, who is pretty damn good, too.”
While Jones, a senior, has committed to play at Harvard next year, Henriques is just beginning to sift through the recruiting process. At 6 feet 2 and 185 pounds, the playmaker has generated plenty of interest from colleges and holds eight FBS scholarship offers, the first of which came from Maryland.
In addition to his talent on the field, Aziz said that it was quickly apparent how hard Henriques works off the field. Upon being hired at Oakton, Aziz began reviewing last season’s game films. As he introduced himself to the players, he immediately noticed that it seemed Henriques was always in the weight room.
“He’s a freak of nature,” Aziz said. “He’s got a 4.0 GPA, a 40-inch vertical jump and runs a 4.4 [second] 40 [yard dash]. Right away you look at him and you’re like, ‘This kid is a player.’ ”
This week’s DC Touchdown Club Honor Roll:
ANNE ARUNDEL
Annapolis CB Dwain Gray made four tackles, broke up two passes, intercepted a pass and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown as the Panthers beat Meade 28-16.
DC
Anacostia QB Zephan Pittman completed 24 of 37 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns and rushed nine times for 63 yards as the Indians beat Phelps, 33-32.
FREDERICK
Oakdale TE/DE Graydon Beaver caught two passes for 95 yards and a touchdown and on defense made five tackles with three tackles for loss and one sack and broke up a pass as the Bears beat Linganore, 35-7, in a meeting of unbeaten teams.
HOWARD
Marriotts Ridge WR Emanjuel Williams caught 10 passes for a school-record 170 yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs won their third consecutive game, 42-0 over Mount Hebron.
LOUDOUN
Loudoun Valley QB Zach Detweiler completed 11 of 15 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns, setting the school record with 3,605 career passing yards, as the undefeated Vikings beat Loudoun County, 23-20.
MONTGOMERY
Richard Montgomery QB Davis Bowen completed 18 of 24 passes for 394 yards and six touchdowns as the Rockets beat Wootton, 59-27.
NORTHERN REGION
Langley RB Aiden Mejia rushed eight times for 172 yards and three touchdowns and caught seven passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns as the Saxons beat Wakefield, 49-7.
PRINCE GEORGE’S
Suitland RB/LB Anthony Coad rushed five times for 77 yards, two touchdowns and two two-point conversions and on defense made 11 tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks as the Rams beat Bowie, 37-0.
PRINCE WILLIAM
Gar-Field RB Warren Freeman rushed 20 times for 108 yards and four touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass as the Red Wolves beat Potomac (Va.), 42-14.
PRIVATE
Potomac School QB Carter Reynolds completed 25 of 33 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers lost to Maret, 36-33.
SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Lackey QB/SS Cyrus Felton completed 5 of 10 passes for 75 yards and one touchdown, rushed 20 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns and on defense made 10 tackles with one sack and caused a fumble as the Chargers beat North Point, 27-25.
STAFFORD
Colonial Forge QB Mason Fine completed 5 of 16 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 21 times for 104 yards and four touchdowns, including a 10-yard score on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage in overtime as they beat previously undefeated Brooke Point, 40-34.
WCAC
Gonzaga CB CJ Simms made four tackles, returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown and forced a fumble that he recovered and returned 86 yards for another score as the Eagles beat Bishop McNamara, 38-6.
This week’s DC Touchdown Club College Player of the Week Honor Roll:
- UNC Pembroke QB Josh Ehrlich (Broadneck) completed 18 of 27 passes for a career-high 355 yards and touchdowns and rushed nine times for 86 yards and another score as the Braves beat Erskine, 44-3.
- Navy QB Jackson Gutierrez overcame two lost fumbles and an interception to complete 5 of 7 passes for 95 yards and one touchdown and rush 41 times for a career-high 232 yards and three touchdowns as the Midshipmen scored the game’s final 20 points, rallying from a 12-point deficit to beat Tulsa, 34-26.
- Shippensburg QB Roman Jensen (Maret) completed 16 of 26 passes for 242 yards and five touchdowns as the Raiders beat Millersville, 35-27.
- Coastal Carolina RB Dominic Lee-Knicely rushed 25 times for a career-high 169 yards and one touchdown and caught three passes for 42 yards as the Chanticleers beat Marshall, 27-21.
- Ohio LB Jermaine Minnis (DeMatha Catholic) made a career-high 12 tackles as the Bobcats beat Central Michigan, 31-14.
- Frostburg State QB Peyton Murphy (St. Charles) completed 19 of 21 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns in his first collegiate start as the Bobcats beat Glenville State, 56-7.
- Penn State LB Tony Rojas (Fairfax) made 10 tackles with one sack as the Nittany Lions lost to USC, 31-23.
- Bowie State LB Michael Thompson III made five tackles with two tackles for loss and 1 ½ sacks, forced a fumble and returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs beat Winston-Salem State, 21-0.
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 Freedom Mortgage 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.