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: Noah Kim, Westfield High School, Chantilly, Va.
As quarterback Noah Kim has led the Westfield Bulldogs to yet another undefeated regular season, head coach Kyle Simmons has been impressed with Kim’s ability to take care of the football, and himself.
Kim’s season came to an end last year on a sack during the Virginia 6A semifinals that left him with a broken femur. There was surgery to insert pins and plates, then a few months of healing, followed by rehabilitation.
A three-year starter who has accepted a scholarship offer to play for Michigan State, Kim was back on the field in plenty of time to get ready for this season and has made the most of it. Kim continued his strong play this past Friday, completing 14 of 24 passes for 210 yards and five touchdowns, leading Westfield to a 47-34 victory over Chantilly.
Once again, it was a fairly clean night for Kim. While he has thrown 21 touchdown passes this season, he has thrown just one interception. Equally remarkable – and a testament to the Bulldogs’ offensive line, as well as Kim’s determination not to hang onto the ball too long in the pocket – he has been sacked just once.
“Which is interesting,” Simmons said, “because getting sacked is how he broke his femur. He’s been pretty diligent about getting rid of the ball and not getting hit.”
For his efforts, Kim was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week.
Kim was selected the Concorde District Offensive Player of the Year on Sunday, a nod to his prolific offensive ability, as he’s thrown for 1,700 yards and added seven rushing touchdowns despite rarely playing a full game, because the Bulldogs have built comfortable leads and turned things over to the second string.
Simmons noted that Kim – who doubles as Westfield’s scout team quarterback — also has helped the Bulldogs’ defensive backs improve – with one exception.
“Our defensive backs have really struggled playing poorly thrown balls,” Simmons said. “Our corners and safeties are not used to seeing those. Noah is having a great year. The injury has done what I was anticipating and hoping it would do – he has a chip on his shoulder after facing some adversity he had not seen in his career. He’s shown a desire and really come back strong.”
Kim, now 38-1 in his career as a starter, leads Westfield against Wakefield in a Virginia 6A North Region first-round game this Friday.
Others receiving Player of the Week consideration were:
ANNE ARUNDEL:
Arundel RB Jordan Andrews rushed 36 times for 187 yards and three touchdowns as the Wildcats beat Broadneck, 45-23, Maryland 4A East Region first-round game.
FREDERICK:
Linganore RB Xander McClure had his third consecutive 200-yard game, rushing 18 times for 281 yards and a touchdown as the Lancers beat Frederick, 49-14, in a Maryland 3A West Region first-round game.
HOWARD:
Wilde Lake QB Doniele Cooper threw two touchdown passes to Justin Avinger as the Wildcats upset top-seeded River Hill, 14-10, in a Maryland 3A East Region first-round game.
LOUDOUN:
Broad Run QB Mitch Griffis passed for 367 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two more scores as the Spartans rallied to beat Stone Bridge, 35-21, in a regular season finale between previously unbeaten teams.
MONTGOMERY:
Damascus RB Chris Shaw rushed for four touchdowns as the Swarmin’ Hornets beat Magruder, 49-7, in a Maryland 3A West Region first-round game.
PRINCE WILLIAM:
Brentsville QB Guy Hayes passed for 185 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers beat George Mason, 34-21.
PRIVATE:
St. Mary’s-Annapolis RB Ki’Sean Gray-Dantzler rushed 41 times for 247 yards and three touchdowns as the Saints beat John Carroll, 28-24, in an MIAA Conference B semifinal game.
SOUTHERN MARYLAND:
St. Charles Klayton Batten rushed for one touchdown and two two-point conversions as the Spartans earned the first playoff win in school history by beating Northern, 24-21, in a Maryland 3A South Region first-round game.
VOTE FOR THE GAME OF THE WEEK
Congrats to Coolidge vs. McKinley Tech, this week’s DMV Game of the Week, presented by The St. James. See you in D.C. Friday night!
