Spalding Wins MIAA Championship

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Archbishop Spalding Cavaliers won the MIAA championship over the weekend, and they dominated Calvert Hall by a score of 34-10. Spalding finished the season with an 11-1 overall record, and they went undefeated, 6-0, in MIAA conference play. Let's take a closer look at some of the standout performances from Spalding's MIAA championship victory over the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 6'4 190 QB - [player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington'] - Archbishop Spalding</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington'] was absolutely the best overall quarterback in the state of Maryland this season. Along with leading the Cavaliers to an MIAA championship, Washington threw for 2,971 yards and 29 TDs. He led the state of Maryland in passing yards, and he held that spot firmly throughout the season. If you watched Washington play this season then you definitely saw him throw a touchdown pass to wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='251380' first='Maxwell' last='Moss']. Washington and Moss were the best quarterback-wide receiver tandem in Maryland this season, and they connected for 21 touchdowns this Fall which is certainly a program record and maybe a state one too. [player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington'] truly played one of the best seasons at quarterback that we've seen in quite some time. His main weapon, [player_tooltip player_id='251380' first='Maxwell' last='Moss'], will graduate this Spring, so Washington will have to move forward next season without his favorite receiver and long time friend. However, there's no doubt in my mind that if anyone can thrive without their #1 option, it's phenom dual-threat quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington']. [player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington'] is the top quarterback prospect from the 2025 class in Maryland, and scouts nationwide must know who he is if they don't already. He's one of the most elite prospects in the state, and he absolutely has one of the highest ceilings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlights: <a href="https://t.co/2txkecAbJH">https://t.co/2txkecAbJH</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 6'1 185 WR - [player_tooltip player_id='251380' first='Maxwell' last='Moss'] - Archbishop Spalding</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='251380' first='Maxwell' last='Moss'] played an absolutely spectacular season at wide receiver this Fall, and he achieved 1st Team All-MIAA honors. He put up mammoth numbers with 72 catches 1,416 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. Moss and his quarterback, [player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington'], showed us that their chemistry is on another level. Moss announced this week on social media that he'll be posting his commitment on December 19th. He has offers from schools such as Kent State, Ohio, and Campbell, however, after the season he just had, I have very little doubt that he will receive some power five conference offers if he hasn't already. [player_tooltip player_id='251380' first='Maxwell' last='Moss'] is an elite receiver coming out of the Senior class, and whichever program receives his commitment should ecstatic because he has massive potential at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlights: <a href="https://t.co/D5ydACgCjz">https://t.co/D5ydACgCjz</a> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 5'10 175 RB - [player_tooltip player_id='475680' first='Hakim' last='Simms'] - Archbishop Spalding</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior ball carrier [player_tooltip player_id='475680' first='Hakim' last='Simms'] was consistently great all season long for the Spalding Cavaliers, and he averaged about 6 yards per carry and a touchdown per game. Simms earned 1,351 rushing yards this Fall, and he also added 13 touchdowns as well. With a dual-threat quarterback like [player_tooltip player_id='272253' first='Malik' last='Washington'] under center, [player_tooltip player_id='475680' first='Hakim' last='Simms'] thrived out of the read-option formation. Spalding consistently stifled defenses with that scheme, and it was Simms's vision and elite rushing attack that made it so effective for the Cavaliers. [player_tooltip player_id='475680' first='Hakim' last='Simms'] is an elite running back with huge upside in the receiving game, and he absolutely belongs at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlights: <a href="https://t.co/YJ2EOJdB94">https://t.co/YJ2EOJdB94</a> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 6'1 180 DB - [player_tooltip player_id='251401' first='Jayden' last='Shipps'] - Archbishop Spalding</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sophomore defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='251401' first='Jayden' last='Shipps'] continuously matched up with the #1 receiver on opposing teams this season, and his incredible performances each game were integral to the Cavaliers achieving their MAA championship. Shipps showed us that his abilities are far beyond his years, and that goes along with his maturity and work ethic. The sky is the limit for [player_tooltip player_id='251401' first='Jayden' last='Shipps'], and, with Shipps on the roster, the Spalding Cavaliers have a very bright future ahead of them. [player_tooltip player_id='251401' first='Jayden' last='Shipps'] has elite power five conference potential, and he truly demonstrated just that this Fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlights: <a href="https://t.co/5FOAfFeAel">https://t.co/5FOAfFeAel</a> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 6'1 175 DB - Alijah Jones - Archbishop Spalding</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alijah Jones was one of the total tackles leaders for Spalding this season, and that's even more impressive considering he's just a Sophomore and the fact that he's playing out of the secondary. Jones possesses an incredible ability to read defenses, and he's able to adjust accordingly on the fly which is not common at this level. He's phenomenal at sniffing out rush attempts and making big plays, and that's exactly what we saw in the championship game on Sunday. Alijah Jones made a huge impact on the Spalding defense this season, and he will continue to do so next season. Jones is a leader for this Cavalier defense, and it wouldn't surprise me if he takes the majority of his snaps at safety as his career at Spalding continues. He has next level potential without question. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlights: <a href="https://t.co/51inck99pK">https://t.co/51inck99pK</a> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->