By Michelle R. Martinelli
St. John’s College High School was well represented at the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game with three Cadets — adding to the seven total players from the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area — standing out among the nation’s top high schoolers.
Dual-threat quarterback Kasim Hill — a four-star Maryland commit and the Gatorade District of Columbia State Football Player of the Year — helped lead Team Armour to a 24-21 victory over Team Highlight on Sunday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Although he shared the quarterback spotlight with LSU commit Myles Brennan and Notre Dame recruit Avery Davis, Hill completed four of his seven passes for 50 yards and led his team’s run game with five carries for 35 yards, including a 26-yard burst.
Fellow Cadets offensive lineman Calvin Ashley and defensive end Tyree Johnson — both All-Met players this year — took the field for Team Highlight, playing opposite Hill.
Cadets Sighting: @MikeWard71 @Tyguwwop_ @Khillqb11 @whiteboii_Cali @gogowezzy for Posterity ⚔️⚔️⚔️@SJCGridiron pic.twitter.com/2OH6anMhRX
— Coach Ty. (@BeaconHouseHoop) December 31, 2016
Ashley, an Auburn commit, was part of an offensive unit that allowed six sacks but opened the door for Team Highlight to run for 210 yards and two touchdowns in their loss. Johnson, a Texas A&M commit, finished with one solo tackle Sunday.
Other DMV-area players on the rosters included Westfield kicker Brian Delaney and Episcopal defensive end Luiji Vilain for Team Armour and Lackey linebacker Nathan Proctor for Team Highlight — all named to the All-Met football first team this season.
DeMatha running back Anthony McFarland was also listed on Team Highlight’s roster but did not play, the Washington Post reported, because he still is recovering from a broken fibula early this season. In December, he tweeted his college choices are narrowed down to Maryland, Alabama and Miami.
Wow. One of Westfield's greatest. Brian "Deleg" Delaney pic.twitter.com/qayaS3bNrg
— Westfield Dog Pound (@WHSDOGPOUND) December 28, 2016
Delaney — a three-star commit to Virginia listed as the No. 5 kicker in the country, according to 247Sports — punted twice for 85 yards and kicked off four times for 243 yards. Vilain finished with three solo tackles and a team-high three quarterback hurries.
With his decision to join the Virginia Tech Hokies, Proctor was among the handful of players who committed to schools at the game. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound outside linebacker received offers from 30 programs, according to 247Sports, including Maryland, Notre Dame, Louisville and Wisconsin.
But the Terps did get some good news Sunday when four-star, New Jersey prospect Markquese Bell committed to Maryland at the game. He is the 29th member of the Terps’ No. 17 recruiting class, and although the 6-foot-3, 194-pound player is ranked No. 7 as an “athlete,” he is expected to be part of Maryland’s secondary.
Having 19 offers, Bell went on official visits to Clemson, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Rutgers, in addition to Maryland.
