The Military Bowl Foundation and DC Touchdown Club are partnering with WTOP during the 2020-2021 high school football season to honor a Player of the Week. Read about this week’s Player of the Week below.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kameron Hawkins, Calvert High School
As the Calvert High football team began a pregame ceremony to honor its seniors, Coach Rick Sneade and standout running back Kameron Hawkins were chatting in the school’s weight room. While Hawkins was one of the players being recognized as a member of the Class of 2021, he preferred to avoid the spotlight and remained behind for a few extra moments.
“He has a very good football IQ, so I asked him what we should run for our first play,” Sneade said.
Hawkins, who led the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference in rushing in 2019, has a goal of rushing for 1,000 yards in five games, Sneade noted.
“But he said, ‘They’re going to expect us to run the ball the first play so if we call waggle [a pass to the tight end] it’s going to be open all day.’ That speaks to the way he is. He’s a great teammate.”
That pass was complete for 20 yards, but soon enough the 6-foot, 230-pound Hawkins was rumbling downfield. He rushed 25 times for 295 yards and four touchdowns as the Cavaliers beat Chopticon, 36-0, in the season opener for both teams.
“He’s got a huge lower half, great legs,” Sneade said. “We’re hoping this season is good enough for him to latch on [to play in college]. This is a tough year for a guy like him.”
Calvert wore its gold jerseys and blue pants against Chopticon — a throwback combination to the 2000 team that won the school’s only state football championship. Sneade was an assistant coach on that team, while Hawkins’ father, Chris Johnson, played defensive end.
Sneade hoped to honor the 20th anniversary of that championship during the 2020 season, but that was delayed with the season rescheduled to this spring.
“That team was the first that donned the gold jerseys and blue pants,” Sneade said. “Maybe we’ll wear that combination all year.”
Others receiving Player of the Week consideration were:
Frederick County
Middletown QB Gage Queen rushed for three touchdowns and threw for a fourth score as the Knights beat Brunswick, 37-0.
Howard County
Wilde Lake kicker Grant Gladden, suiting up for his first-ever football game, made three field goals, including an 18-yarder in the closing seconds, as the Wildecats opened their season with a 9-6 win over Hammond.
Northern Region
McLean running back and linebacker Ryan Jessar rushed for 132 yards and made 10 tackles as the Highlanders beat rival Langley, 16-7, to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2010.
Prince William County
Gar-Field quarterback Bishop Fitzgerald rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 245 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Colgan, 59-12.
WCAC
Gonzaga linebacker Kadari Machen made six tackles, three tackles for loss, had a sack, recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal as the Eagles rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit to beat rival DeMatha, 24-17, in both teams’ season opener.
Josh Barr is the director of external relations for the Military Bowl Foundation.
