Each week and for the duration of the season, The Washington Informer will feature our choices for the top five high school football programs in the greater Washington area, specifically the DCSAA (District of Columbia State Athletic Association) and WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference), for their efforts based upon win/loss record, strength of schedule and winning streak:
Friendship Collegiate Academy (1-0), DCSAA
Last week, Friendship Collegiate Academy bolted off to a 45-0 victory over Wilson in the Pigskin Classic to start their season off on the right foot. Dontay Demus, Jr, a University of Maryland commit, led the charge for Friendship as he racked up 5 catches for 152 yards and 3 touchdowns. Friendship squares off against Eastern next on Fri., Sept. 8 at 6 pm.
DeMatha Catholic (1-1), WCAC
After squaring off against the No. 2 ranked team in the country last week, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), DeMatha bounced back by pounding Avalon 28-0 over the weekend. DeMatha junior running back Myles Miree, Sieh Bangura, and Anthony Toro were the primary contributors for the Stags as they each added scores to the deficit, inking a 21-0 lead before the half. Next week DeMatha faces Franklin High School of Reisterstown, MD in Baltimore County.
St. Johns (1-1), WCAC
After smashing Jones High School (Florida), who holds the No.21 ranking in their state according to Maxpreps.com, St. Johns ran into a roadblock named De La Salle. Known for their illustrious 151-game winning streak that lasted 12 years, De La Salle outlasted St. Johns 35-31 in Concord, California over the weekend. Kevin Doyle was the lead man for the Cadets as St. Johns led by 17 points early in the contest; but a late rally led by running back George King and quarterback Erich Storti, finessing a win from under St. Johns’ nose. St. Johns, ranked No.18 in the country by USAToday, next travels to New Jersey to face powerhouse St. Joseph’s in a highly-contested matchup.
HD Woodson (1-0), DCSAA
HD Woodson began their 2017 campaign by dominating the Haverford School (Pennsylvania) 43-12 on Saturday. Woodson, led by University of Southern California commit Mychale Salahuddin, took Haverford by storm in route to their decisive victory. Woodson soon faces St. Edwards (Ohio) who boasts the No.8 ranking in the state according to Maxpreps.com. Mark your calendar for the following week when they face top rival Friendship Collegiate.
Gonzaga (1-1), WCAC
After dismantling Baltimore powerhouse Gilman last week 38-0, the Eagles faced challenges against nationally ranked Viera (Florida), falling 21-6. Viera quarterback Tim DeMorat minced the Gonzaga defense on his way to 326 yards and two passing touchdowns. The Eagles have a date with the Peddie School (Pennsylvania) before returning home to meet Georgetown Prep the following week.
The Washington Informer Top Five is strictly based upon the opinions of The Washington Informer sports division and will run continually throughout the duration of the DCSAA and WCAC football seasons, concluding in late November.