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, sponsored by The St. James. Read about this week’s Player of the Week, and vote in the poll at the bottom of the article for the DMV Game of the Week.
Jaylin Moore moved from Connecticut to Howard County prior to last school year, enrolling at Marriotts Ridge High and starting at cornerback for the school’s football team.
Moore showed potential and played a bit of wide receiver, but “it took him about a year to get adjusted to his surroundings,” Mustangs Head Coach Marcus Lewis said. “Last year, he was just a player on the team. This year, he’s moved to being a focal point for us on offense and defense.”
Moore was more than just a focal point this past Friday. He made two key interceptions on defense, scored the game-tying touchdown late in regulation, rushed for another touchdown in overtime, and caught the game-winning two-point conversion as Marriotts Ridge rallied to beat River Hill for the first time in school history, 15-14.
Moore intercepted one pass in the end zone and the other interception ended a long drive by River Hill. He caught a five-yard touchdown pass with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, tying the game 7-7 and forcing overtime.
After River Hill scored in overtime, Marriotts Ridge answered on its first play when Moore ran 10 yards for a score. Following an offsides penalty on River Hill on the point-after attempt, Mustangs quarterback Casey Pung passed to Moore for the two-point conversion.
For his performance, Moore was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
“A year ago, he wasn’t very mature, wasn’t working out like he should have been and wasn’t taking things as serious as we would like,” Lewis said. “It was a year trying to change his mental makeup. A button finally went off for him. He’s a totally different person this year than he was a year ago and it’s all because of the work he put in.”
Others receiving Player of the Week consideration were:
ANNE ARUNDEL
Northeast K Kayla Alexander booted a 42-yard field goal as the Eagles beat Glen Burnie, 37-26.
D.C.
KIPP QB Joh’Quel McQueen passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another as the Panthers beat Richard Wright, 54-8.
FREDERICK
Linganore RB Xander McClure rushed 12 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns and returned a kickoff 99 yards for another score as the Lancers ended Oakdale’s 17-game winning streak with a 30-17 victory.
LOUDOUN
Broad Run QB Mitch Griffis threw four touchdown passes as the Spartans beat Urbana, 56-7.
MONTGOMERY
Walter Johnson QB Josh Forburger threw four touchdown passes as the Wildcats beat Bethesda-Chevy Chase, 42-7, to improve to 4-0 for the first time in 45 years.
NORTHERN REGION
Yorktown QB Grant Wilson completed 19 of 31 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner with 30 seconds left, as the Patriots beat Hayfield, 28-21.
PRINCE GEORGE’S
Fairmont Heights RB Jamal Lone rushed 19 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns as the Hornets beat Largo, 35-22.
PRINCE WILLIAM
Freedom-Woodbridge QB Quest Powell completed 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles beat Battlefield, 47-0.
PRIVATE
Spalding RB Shamar Smith rushed 24 times for 196 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Cavaliers beat Malvern Prep, 43-12.
VOTE FOR THE GAME OF THE WEEK
Congrats to Richard Montgomery vs. Walter Johnson, this week’s WTOP DMV High School Football Game of the Week, presented by The St. James. See you in Bethesda Friday night!
