Robbie Engelberg spent the summer trying to figure out his college path. A standout wide receiver and safety in football, the Maret School senior was being recruited by many Football Championship Subdivision programs, and was garnering interest from college baseball recruiters after starting at catcher for the school in Northwest D.C.
After a trip that included a football visit to Army and a baseball visit to Yale, Engelberg traveled to Charlottesville to visit with the University of Virginia football coaches. The Cavaliers offered the opportunity to join the team as a preferred walk-on.
“He took it on the spot,” said Mike Engelberg, the longtime Maret football coach and Robbie’s father. “It’s his dream school. We live in Virginia. He was being recruited by everybody at the [FCS] level and was like, ‘I don’t care. I want to go to Virginia.’ He knew what he wanted and he went for it.”
Robbie Engelberg has been on the sidelines with his father since he was a toddler, and while Mike Engelberg fondly recalled pictures of his oldest child on the sidelines while “always eating something,” the pair enjoyed one more special moment on the field together last Saturday night.
Robbie Engelberg caught 11 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, and made 16 tackles on defense, as Maret edged Bell, 11-8, in a thrilling DCSAA Class A championship game.
For his efforts, Engelberg was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week. The Player of the Week is honored each Wednesday on WTOP.
For the season, Engelberg caught 86 passes for 1,049 yards and 17 touchdowns, while making 77 tackles, forcing three fumbles and intercepting three passes.
“We kind of all thought that baseball was the path he was going to go, but being the son of a football coach pushed him the other way,” Mike Engelberg said. “It was the right decision with the year he has had. He’s going to be in good shape.”
This week’s DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week Honor Roll:
DC
Theodore Roosevelt QB Kerry Burns Jr. completed 10 of 18 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead the Rough Riders to a 37-22 victory over H.D. Woodson in the DCIAA Turkey Bowl.
Frederick County
Linganore RB Josh Little came off the bench and rushed 35 times for 228 yards and the game-clinching touchdown as the Lancers beat Frederick, 23-14, in a Maryland 3A semifinal.
Loudoun County
Stone Bridge QB Jacob Thomas completed 11 of 13 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Mountain View, 37-0, in the Virginia 5A Region D final.
Montgomery County
Quince Orchard DB Jalen Husky was matched up with Northwest’s top receiver all night and blocked the potential game-tying point-after kick as the Cougars held on for a 14-13 victory in a Maryland 4A semifinal.
Northern Region
Madison RB Alex Jreige rushed 24 times for 113 yards and three touchdowns as the Warhawks beat Centreville, 35-7, in the Virginia 6A Region D final.
Prince George’s County
Wise DE Amar Thomas made 16 tackles (four for losses) and had three sacks as the Pumas beat C.H. Flowers, 28-6, in a Maryland 4A semifinal.
Prince William County
Brentsville RB-DB Bryce Jackson rushed 12 times for 53 yards and one touchdown and caught the game-winning 49-yard touchdown pass on the game’s final play as the Tigers advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in school history with a 13-7 win over Meridian in the Virginia 3A Region B final.
Southern Maryland
Northern WR-DB Tyler Baskett caught six passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns, averaged 44 yards on three kickoff returns, and made four tackles and intercepted a pass on defense as the Patriots beat Chesapeake, 16-13, in a Maryland 3A semifinal.
WCAC
Carroll RB-LB Shon Reid rushed 11 times for 127 yards and made nine tackles as the Lions beat Dunbar, 32-12, in a DCSAA Class AA semifinal.
