The DC Touchdown Club and WTOP are partnering all high school football season to honor a Player of the Week and help choose a DMV Game of the Week, presented by The St. James. Read about this week’s Player of the Week below and vote in our Game of the Week poll at the bottom of the article.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Andrew Bolfek, Washington-Liberty High School, Arlington, Va.
Washington-Liberty football coach Josh Shapiro has known Andrew Bolfek since Bolfek was in preschool; Shapiro has a daughter the same age.
And Shapiro knew that Bolfek was a solid athlete. As a sophomore last fall, he was the starting quarterback on the junior varsity. Bolfek moved up to varsity this season, but Shapiro said that Bolfek now only slightly resembles the player he used to know. Since last fall, Shapiro said, Bolfek has grown nearly five inches, to 6 feet 2, and the increased size has made a difference in Bolfek’s performance.
This past Friday, Bolfek completed 20 of 36 passes for a school record 409 yards and six touchdowns, each longer than 20 yards, as the Generals beat Langley, 41-21. For his efforts, Bolfek was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
“It’s incredible how well he’s doing considering how much he has grown,” Shapiro said. “A lot of times, you sacrifice coordination when you have that kind of growth spurt. I’m in shock seeing this kid play so well.”
Bolfek had entered the Langley game with just six touchdown passes in the season’s first seven games with a season-high of just 200 yards passing in a game, though Shapiro said that was the result of things beyond Bolfek’s control.
“I call the offense and we’re normally run heavy,” Shapiro said, adding that the Generals’ offensive line improved its pass protection against Langley. “But after this week, rest assured, we might come out slinging it.”
Others receiving Player of the Week consideration were:
ANNE ARUNDEL:
South River WR-DB Sean Leonard caught two touchdown passes, intercepted a pass on defense, and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown as the Seahawks remained undefeated with a 47-9 win over Old Mill.
FREDERICK:
Linganore RB Xander McClure rushed 19 times for 238 yards and two touchdowns and returned a kickoff 88 yards for another score as the Lancers beat Tuscarora (Md.), 54-15.
HOWARD:
Glenelg RB Kyle Dry rushed 22 times for 147 yards and a touchdown as the Gladiators beat Wilde Lake, 35-16.
LOUDOUN:
Tuscarora (Va.) QB Ethan Gick passed for 118 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 135 yards and another score as the Huskies beat Loudoun County, 42-7.
MONTGOMERY:
Richard Montgomery RB T’Kai Ayoola rushed 42 times for 297 yards and two touchdowns as the Rockets beat Rockville, 15-12.
PRINCE GEORGE’S:
Wise QB Jayden Sauray completed all six of his passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns as the Pumas beat Parkdale, 51-0.
PRINCE WILLIAM:
Freedom-Woodbridge QB Quest Powell completed 20 of 27 passes for 324 yards and five touchdowns as the Eagles beat Potomac (Va.), 63-8.
SOUTHERN MARYLAND:
Huntingtown WR Anthony Smith had touchdown catches of 70 and 25 yards as the Hurricanes beat Northern, 17-13.
WCAC:
Gonzaga WR Aaron Turner caught three passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, rushed twice for 12 yards and a touchdown and returned a kickoff 78 yards for a third score as the Eagles beat Bishop McNamara, 49-21.
VOTE FOR THE GAME OF THE WEEK
Vote now for the WTOP DMV High School Football Game of the Week, presented by The St. James. Poll closes at noon Thursday.
