There are good days, and then there are really good days. DeMatha senior running back Marcus Coker (Iowa) had a really good day last Saturday. The 6-foot-1, 222-pound Coker set a DeMatha record by rushing 24 times for an outstanding 391 yards, which is the fourth most in Maryland history.
"The offensive line did a great job," Coker said. "I didn't expect the holes to be that big."
Coker, who also scored five touchdowns, has rushed for 564 yards in two games so far this season, but some of his success is due to his teammates leading the way. The average size of the starting offensive line at DeMatha this season is 6-4 and 284 pounds, which is bigger than the starting line of the 1991 Washington Redskins Super Bowl team.
Needless to say, DeMatha beat Gilman 56-35 to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Good Counsel also improved to 2-0 with an impressive 42-0 victory over Mount St. Joseph Saturday. The Falcons' defense pitched their first shutout of the season and set up the offense to succeed.
“We did our homework,” said Louis Young, Good Counsel's senior cornerback. “We prepared for their offense and felt like we knew most of the things they wanted to run. We are just trying to build and get stronger week by week.”
Georgetown Prep had their way with Paul VI, defeating the Panthers 32-3 and will turn their attention to Gonzaga this weekend in the Jesuit Gridiron Classic. The game benefits the Washington Jesuit Academy, which educates academically talented adolescent boys from low-income families, regardless of religious denomination, providing for them a disciplined, rigorous learning environment.
Basketball: Trio makes college choices
Last week, DeMatha seniors Jerian Grant and Victor Olapido and Good Counsel's Rodney Glasgow all made verbal commitments to various colleges. Olapido, a 6-4, 180-pound guard picked Indiana after making a visit to the Bloomington school.
“I just felt like that was the place for me,” Oladipo said. “The coaching staff has been with me. They stuck with me. I’ve grown a relationship with players and coaches, and I just feel like that’s my home.”
Classmate Jerian Grant followed suit a few days later when he announced his decision to play basketball for Notre Dame, and Glasgow rounded out the week by choosing Virginia Military Institute (VMI).
All three seniors are considered among the top basketball players in the WCAC's senior class and have contributed on the court since their sophomore seasons.