DeMatha Earns Statement Win

The DeMatha Stags are on a roll , and they are now 2-0 in WCAC conference competition after defeating Bishop McNamara this past weekend. Freshman quarterback Denzel Gardner is absolutely sensational for his age, and he put on a clinical performance against McNamara. The DeMatha defense also dominated, especially at defensive line, and as a whole they’re only allowing about three points per game over their last five games. The Stags face-off against the #1 team in the WCAC, St. John’s, this Friday with a chance to even up the conference standings. &nbsp; <strong><u>DEMATHA</u></strong> Offense: <strong>2025 6’0 175 QB – Denzel Gardner </strong> Denzel Gardner is making a compelling case for himself to earn All-WCAC honors at the end of the season with the way he has played in his first two conference games. The phenom Freshman performed flawlessly, and he has shown zero signs of slowing down anytime soon. What Gardner does best is protect the football and, with his mature decision making and extremely high football IQ, he rarely turns the ball over. Gardner faces the toughest test of his career this Friday when he squares off against Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="134896" first="Wyatt" last="Hagan"] and #1 St. John’s Cadets. There’s no question, however, that Denzel Gardner and the Stags have a chance to spoil St. Johns’ perfect season. This game has the potential to be the game of the year, and scouts everywhere should have their eyes on DeMatha jersey #19 Denzel Gardner. <strong> </strong> <strong>2023 6’2 170 WR – Kristian Tate </strong> Kristian Tate is proving himself to be one of Denzel Gardner’s favorite targets. The Junior wideout secured a bunch of passes for key yardage in this contest against McNamara, and his quarterback looked to throw his way a lot during the game. Tate faces a tall order this week in St. Johns’ secondary, however, he possesses the ability to evade their dominant coverage and find the open space. Depending on his matchup, Kristian Tate could be the X factor for DeMatha this Friday against St. John’s. <strong> </strong> <strong>2022 5’10 185 K – Daniel Holbrook </strong> The Senior kicker deserves a lot of praise for his incredible all-around accuracy and high field goal percentage. His kicks always have a chance because of his leg strength, and he even covers punting duties as well. Holbrook is currently the fourth highest ranked kicker in the state of Maryland, and there’s no doubt that he’s ready to kick at the division 1 level. &nbsp; Defense: <strong>2022 6’0 190 DB – Robby Hart </strong> The entire DeMatha secondary played absolutely lockdown defense against Bishop McNamara, but Robby Hart was still able to standout with his dominant performance. The Mustang pass catchers were rendered useless, and they were barely able to secure any receptions. Hart won all of his matchups, and he even found himself in the backfield making big tackles at various points in the game. The St. John’s receiving corps sure is good, but Robby Hart and the DeMatha secondary will be ready to give them their toughest test of the season on Friday night. The question is, will it be enough to win? Robby Hart and the Stags might be underdogs in this matchup on paper, however, it also has the potential to be a game of the year candidate with the matchups that are in store. &nbsp; <strong>2025 6’2 215 DL – [player_tooltip player_id="218626" first="Nathaniel" last="Owusu-Boateng"] </strong> [player_tooltip player_id="218626" first="Nathaniel" last="Owusu-Boateng"] is a relentless pass rusher, and he is unbelievably athletic for the position. His leanness allows him to maneuver through the offensive line in such a way it’s like he just flows through it, in order to breach the backfield and make the tackle. Owusu-Boateng was extremely impressive against McNamara specifically, and it was definitely his best game of the year so far. His big play making really energizes the entire team, therefore his presence on the defensive line will be crucial this Friday against St. John’s. The Cadets’ offensive line must bring their best effort if they’re to effectively neutralize [player_tooltip player_id="218626" first="Nathaniel" last="Owusu-Boateng"] and his fellow Stag defensive linemen who’re playing their very best football right now. &nbsp; <strong>2025 6’1 285 DL – Anthony Chuman </strong> Anthony Chuman had an eye-opening performance against Bishop McNamara. He made his presence felt early, and the McNamara offensive line simply could not handle him. Chuman is an offensive lineman’s worst nightmare, and the reason is because of his tandem of size and speed. His quickness is impressive to say the least, and once he’s got a hold of the ball carrier then the play is over for them. It’s nearly unprecedented how good Anthony Chuman is as a Freshman, and scouts everywhere should write his name down because he is going to be a force over the years for this DeMatha defensive line.