Game photo of Graham Walker courtesy: Michael Ferrara/BURG Sports Network
The DC Touchdown Club and WTOP are partnering all high school football season-long to honor a Player of the Week and help choose a DMV Game of the Week. Read about this week’s Player of the Week below.
WASHINGTON — Graham Walker had to come out of the game for a few plays in the first quarter after a hard hit in the ribs knocked the wind out of him. Later in the Virginia 4A championship game, the Woodgrove senior quarterback headed to the sideline with a bloody throwing hand that needed to be taped up in order for him to continue playing.
Through it all, though, head coach Mike Skinner remained confident that Walker would be back on the field shortly and leading the Wolverines to the biggest win in school history.
“He’s just that guy, he’s an old school tough kid,” Skinner said. “Our kids rally around him. He’s a leader on our team. He’s not your typical quarterback.”
So it was not much of a surprise that each time he was shaken up, Walker was back on the field shortly thereafter. He completed 14 of 33 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed 37 times for 133 yards and another score as Woodgrove beat Lake Taylor, 38-33 to earn his school’s first state championship.
For his efforts, Walker was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
“He’s a real put together kid, 6-foot, 205 pounds,” Skinner said. “Most of his runs, he’s getting hit at two yards and trying to get four. The biggest thing is that he has a college arm.”
