Penn State Bound Ricky Slade is RecruitNoVA.com's Player of the Year

For Hylton running back Ricky Slade, a winter of accolades for accomplishments past is slowly transitioning into a spring of conditioning for accomplishments future.

Slade, who has been selected as RecruitNoVA.com’s Player of the Year, is ready to start the next chapter of his life, one that promises a lifetime of memories, perhaps more than 100,000, which happens to just about equal the number of fans that will fill Beaver Stadium at his next football home – Penn State.

On December 20, Slade, who rushed for 1,978 yards and 30 TD’s for Tony Lilly’s 9-4 Bulldog team, officially signed with the Nittany Lions, solidifying a commitment that has verbally been in place since February. Having his college choice in place before the start of his senior season, Slade was able to avoid distractions and reach for greater heights than his junior season, which saw over 1,500 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. With over 2,500 total yards and 40 TD’s (rushing, receiving, and returns) this season, the 5-9, 185-pound senior usually played a level above his competition, and his noteworthy games saw numbers that would constitute a good season for many of this peers.

Take the game against Colgan, for example. In a 64-35 win against the Sharks, Slade took the teeth out of the opposing defense on just 13 carries, gaining 353 yards with five touchdowns. That didn’t count the touchdown reception and two kick return scores. In all, the fleet tailback gained over 500 total yards and scored eight times.

Amazingly, he had previously scored eight TD’s in a game, three years before, as a freshman. However, Colgan was a young team, only in its first varsity season, and there were some fans who wanted to see Slade produce video game numbers in a contest of consequence.

The moment of truth came in this season’s second playoff game. Against previously undefeated Freedom, Slade sliced and diced the Eagle defense, gaining 326 yards on the ground and four touchdowns as Hylton upset Freedom 45-28.

According to Slade, the game served as the high point in a season full of them.

It only took eight days to hit the low point. Against a stifling Woodbridge defense, Slade was held to 34 yards on just 12 carries and a pair of short receptions, as the Vikings put an end to the Bulldogs’ Cinderella playoff run, winning the 6A region championship game 28-14.

In the end, Slade’s career numbers speak for themselves – 5,400 rushing yards and 91 combined touchdowns. The fans of Happy Valley are in for a treat.

Since the end of the Hylton season, Slade has maintained a busy schedule. He played in the Under Armour Bowl in Orlando, Fla., and scored a 14-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass against some of the best defenders in the nation.

Asked about his experience at one of the premier national All-Star games, the quietly confident Slade spoke of the game as another step in his upward trajectory.

“Everybody is fast,” said Slade, who has been timed at 4.48 in the 40-yard dash. “It’s not like high school where you can just outrun everybody.”

The other highlight was getting to play with some of his future Penn State teammates, including receivers Justin Shorter and Shaquon Anderson-Butts, along with end P.J. Mustipher. As fellow blue-chip players, the three new Nittany Lions are not strangers.

“We’ve known each other for a while. We’re real close!”

Last week, Slade traveled to Hawaii to take part in the Polynesian Bowl, keeping him away from most of the snow and slush that surrounded many of his friends and family in Prince William County.

The transition continues.

Slade will begin his tenure at State College when he leaves Virginia on June 23^rd. In the meantime, he is heavy into his preparation phase.

“They gave me my (off-season) workout program, and I just switched over” said Slade, who has noted in the past that he plans on bulking up from his current 185 points to 205-210. “I have been working out four times a week.” Asked about the changes in the Penn State regimen compared to what he was doing previously, he noted that “it’s not really much different, with the (amount of) lifting and the running, but there’s just a little more.”

In essence, the Slade era at State College may have already begun. The Nittany Lions Class of 2018 football commits has been ranked as high as fourth nationally, and Slade, ranked as the second best all-purpose back in America as a five-star recruit is at the top of the crop.

Penn State, under coach James Franklin, just completed an 11-2 season which concluded with a 35-28 Fiesta Bowl win over Washington. In spite of their success, Slade has been asked to be ready to play --- soon.

“They have told me to expect a lot of early reps,” said Slade speaking of game reps and not practice.

Asked if he was nervous, exhilarated, or excited about the prospect to play in front of 106,572 fans at Beaver Stadium, Slade concluded with another understated, but frank response.

“All of the above.”

RecruitNoVA.com Defensive Player of the Year - Spencer Alston (South Lakes)

Spencer Alston finished his junior year at South Lakes as one of the most prolific scorers in the
state of Virginia. The Seahawk running back found the end zone 20 times as a rusher and nine more times as a receiver, tallying just over 1,800 total yards in the process. Combined with fellow back Albert Mensah, the pair were the highest scoring teammates in Northern Virginia, if not the whole state, with their 49 touchdowns.

But for their entire collective offensive prowess, both Alston and Mensah were also defensive standouts, Alston as a safety, and Mensah as a 205-pound havoc-wreaking defensive end.

Mensah continued to excel at both positions in 2017, serving as the Seahawks main ball carrier and all-region defensive end. However, Alston played in a higher stratosphere, on both sides of the ball. At offense, he averaged over 12.6 yards on 119 carries for a total of 1,509 with 22 TD’s. His receiving duties were curtailed a bit, as the senior back caught 43 passes, as opposed to 54 as a junior, but gained 824 yards with 11 more scores. Altogether, Alston’s total yardage boosted by over 500 yards, and he scored four more times. His final tote – 162 touches, 2,333 yards, and 33 touchdowns.

However, Alston was also the Seahawks shutdown cover in the secondary, picking off three passes while holding down most team’s top receivers, leading to All-Region and first-team Washington Post All-Met honors as a defender. For this reason, Alston has been chosen as the recruitNoVA.com Defensive Player of the Year.

South Lakes, under coach Trey Taylor, finished the 2017 campaign with a record of 11-2, losing to eventual state champion Westfield 27-7 in the regional final. The offense was prolific, topping 40 points on ten occasions. Yet it was the defense, with Alston leading the secondary, that allowed 14 points or less in all but two of South Lakes’ games – not so coincidentally, both of them losses. In their 11 wins, the Seahawks allowed a mere 72 points (6.5 ppg).

Perhaps the most amazing statistic of all is that Alston, although a tinge smaller than some college coaches would like (5-10, 185) for a running back, will not be playing football in college, which would seem to be a travesty as he will be attending Ohio State in the fall. As it turns out, Alston may be a better lacrosse player, one who has made All-Conference since his sophomore year, and he has verbally committed to the Buckeyes as a midfielder.

Whether he’s carrying a football or a lacrosse stick, Spencer Alston is arguably one of the top-three all-around athletes in Northern Virginia.

RecruitNoVA.com Loudoun Player of the Year -- Daniel Thompson (Stone Bridge)

Photo by Rick Wasser - Loudoun Times-Mirror

At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Stone Bridge’s wide receiver Daniel Thompson stands out among his peers. With his 4.46 speed in the 40-yard dash, route running ability, and Velcro-like hands, seeing Thompson catch balls on the gridiron is like watching Larry Fitzgerald play against high schoolers.

And after a stellar senior campaign, with 57 catches for 1,454 yards and 21 touchdowns, the senior left little doubt that he stands out among the players of his region, which makes him the RecruitNoVA.com Loudoun County Player of the Year.

Thompson was better known as a tight end last year, and rated just behind Lake Braddock’s Andrew Park as the top among Northern Virginia position players. With the move to wide out, Bulldog coach Mickey Thompson was hoping to take advantage of his star’s enhanced speed, and the receiver was quick to come into his own, as the Dogs rattled off 12 straight wins, before falling to Tuscarora in a heartbreaking 28-27 region final.

In Week 2, he scored three touchdowns, catching four passes for 147 yards, while adding two more as a rusher, as Stone Bridge thumped Lake Braddock 46-13. He followed that performance with six catches for 237 yards and three scores in a surprisingly easy 35-10 win over a Madison team known for its defensive prowess.

But the coup de grace for the speedy ball catcher came with his playoff performance. In the Bulldogs three games, Thompson caught 22 passes for 498 yards and nine touchdowns, as Stone Bridge easily manhandled Lee (42-21) and John Champe (45-22) before the disappointing finale in Ashburn.

However, it was Thompson’s clutch catches and sturdy hands that kept Stone Bridge even with Tusky. Many of his nine catches for 162 yards came on balls that forced him to leap and dive, while maintaining possession of the football with his hands acting like a vice grip – holding on to passes from Mason Tatum that a lesser receiver would have dropped.

Thompson would normally have moved on to basketball season, but has decided to hone his football skills, which are drawing increased interest. To date, he has visited JMU and ODU, while Towson and Howard have extended scholarship offers.

Westfield's Eugene Asante is RecruitNoVA.com (Northern VA) Offensive Player of the Year

As if being the featured running back for the two-time defending state champion wasn’t cause for enough pressure, Westfield running back Eugene Asante started his off-season training for the 2017 season with one more responsibility added on his to-do list.

The way the rising junior handled the pressure, coupled with a season that saw the Bulldogs pull off the three-peat for the 6A state title, with Asante’s 1,866 rushing yards playing a large role in their perfect 15-0 season are grounds for his selection as this season’s Northern Virginia Player of the Year.

Asante’s rise to a leadership role started in 2016, soon after Westfield had defeated Oscar Smith 35-28 for its second championship.

Photo by Joe Barnes

“We were into off-season workouts, and Coach (Kyle) Simmons said that he was looking for someone to step up.,” recalls the 6’1” runner, who bulked from 175 to 202 as part of his own personal training. “Every team that I have been on has a coach that has looked for leaders on the team.”

It was a role, and a challenge, that the young back eagerly accepted.

“I felt like it was my responsibility to hold everyone accountable.”

The Westfield offense, in particular, was going to be much younger. Rehman Johnson graduated and was going to be replaced by a sophomore, Noah Kim, who had seen limited playing time as a freshman. Receivers Sean Eckert and Ivory Frimpong were also college-bound, and would be replaced by a pair of fellow juniors in Taylor Morin and Bizzet Woodley. Senior linemen, such as Harmon Saint Germain and tight end Nolan Cockrill were returning, but the Bulldogs were going to be young at the skill positions, and Kim needed a veteran back to rely on while he adjusted to the starting role.

But as the winter turned into spring, another event, this one tragic, gave Asante a new outlook on what it meant to be a team player and a leader.

On April 13th, Samuel Kwarteng, a 20-year-old VCU student, who majored in electrical and computer engineering, was shot and killed during an altercation in the Carver neighborhood of Richmond, adjacent to the campus. The assailant, Emmanuel Jordan, was charged with involuntary manslaughter as he had never met his victim before the incident, and the gunfire was deemed to be accidental. Kwarteng, an Alexandria resident and graduate of Mount Vernon High School, was more than Asante’s friend – the two were cousins, and the older cousin was someone he looked to for advice and encouragement.

“I was able to do what I did because of my dedicated cousin,” said Asante, in a thoughtful recollection. “I’d see him at church, and he was surprised that we had already won two (titles). He motivated me to go out (to train) last year. Sometimes, it’s hard to get motivated for an 8 AM workout.”

Asante decided to dedicate the season to his late cousin, and he continued to train, with the assistance of another cousin, Nana Marfo, a personal trainer, and assistant football coach at Hayfield. As the season started, Westfield got off to another good start, but not without challenges. In Week 2, South County took the Bulldogs to the hilt, before Westfield escaped with a 28-27 decision. A 46-33 win in Week 5 against a tough Patriot team saw Asante gain 195 yards with two touchdowns, but it was in their next game that the junior realized his team might be in contention for the 6A title once again.

It was the following week, with a hard-fought 10-6 win over Madison, that he began to see the possibilities.

“It was after the Madison game that we knew we could complete. They were similar to us, and a tough defensive team. After that game, I realized that we could be special.”

The Warhawks defense did hold strong, keeping Asante out of the end zone, but he gained 130 yards on 31 tough carries.

“The defense had our backs,” said Asante. “Coach (Defensive coordinator, Jon) Shields plans some vigorous stuff during the week for them.”

West Potomac provided a scare in week 9, but Asante’s 184 yards and a score helped the Bulldogs eke out a 21-14 win. Entering the playoffs, Westfield carried a perfect 10-0 record, and the realizations of another 6A crown started to take form.

There would be some stiff competition along the way. The first two wins against Battlefield (28-14) and Patriot (35-6) led to a matchup against the powerful offense of South Lakes, led by Spencer Alston and Albert Mensah, one which was accustomed to scoring 40 points a game. Against the Bulldogs, they only managed a single touchdown, as Westfield rolled to a 27-7 win. With the region championship in hand, it was on to the state semifinals, and Woodbridge, a team that had held USA Today Virginia Player of The Year Ricky Slade to just 34 rushing yards the week before.

As per custom, each team exchanged six or seven films from previous in-season games, but Asante was only interested in one.

“I didn’t watch any of the other films, except their game against Hylton. I wanted to see if there was any way we could exploit their defense. They are very fast and have some athletic guys, who are physical against the run. I figured that I’d be OK with four or five-yard gains, and just hoped I could break one.”

Asante didn’t break any long runs, but provided both touchdowns in the second half on ten and one-yard runs to propel the Bulldogs from a 7-6 halftime deficit to an 18-7 win. For the game, he gained 140 yards on 23 carries, 106 more than Slade had gained the week before. Still, Asante gave credit to the Penn State commit.

“Ricky is the best running back in the state,” said Asante of Slade, who scored a receiving touchdown in the Under Armour All-American game on Wednesday.

The opponent for the championship game would be a familiar one – Oscar Smith, the same team Westfield had defeated in both previous title games. The Tigers had beaten previously unbeaten Colonial Forge to earn their third berth to the final, and now had a collective chip on their shoulder.

It’s hard enough to beat the same opponent twice, but three times? Proper planning would be the key.

“We have great coaching and great preparation,” said Asante, who also noted that while the Bulldogs didn’t stray far from the conservative and methodical game plans that had helped Westfield win 42 of their previous 44 games, there was always room for a tweak. “Playing against Woodbridge was a big help because they are like Oscar Smith on defense. Looking at the film, I saw some things I could use.”

That information didn’t help immediately, as the Tigers contained the back, who gained only 11 yards on seven carries in the first half. However, Kim’s two touchdown passes – one to Morin and the other to Joe Clancy, gave Westfield a 14-7 lead. More importantly, establishing the passing game started to open up the Smith defense.

“We made an adjustment at halftime. Their corners were in man coverage and they put an extra guy in the box.”

Less than four minutes into the second half, Asante got his break, taking a Kim handoff and rambling 44 yards into the end zone, to give the Bulldogs a 20-7 lead. Although the Tigers retook the lead, an 88-yard pass from Kim to Gavin Kiley, followed by a two-point conversion provided the winning points at 28-21 with 3:42 left in the game.

“Two years ago, we won in triple overtime. Last year, it was double overtime. I was really happy that it didn’t go to overtime this year,” added Asante in a classic understatement.

Recruiting has been a slow process for the Bulldog runner so far, but several schools do have Asante on their radar, including ODU and West Virginia. Army and Navy have also expressed initial interest. Rutgers appears to be the early front-runner, as Asante’s cousin Kofi Marfo currently plays for the Scarlet Knights, and the family has made the trip to New Brunswick on several occasions for games.

“I’ve met most of the coaching staff, and plan on heading up there again this winter.”

For now, there will be more work with his trainer, as Asante looks to improve on his 4.59 40-yard speed and bench press of 325. Soon, the questions about a possible four-peat will vocalize and with Kim, Morin, Woodley and himself returning, the challenge will begin again.

Asante, and the Bulldogs, plan to be ready. Again.

Flint Hill RB Jordan Houston is the RecruitNoVA.com Private School Player of the Year

Flint Hill RB Jordan Houston is the recruitNoVA Private School Player of the Year
by Jim McGrath, recruitNoVA

For Flint Hill running back Jordan Houston, the 2017 season was about more than comeback
and redemption. For the all-NoVA Private School Player of the Year, it was a chance to prove once and for all that the high expectations cast upon him as a freshman were fulfilled and that his first college offer had not been a fluke offering.

Houston’s case is unique. Many high school players wait until their junior or senior year to receive a first offer from perhaps a Division III school, followed by a Two, and then maybe an FCS school. More often than not, the offers get better as time passes. However, the first school to reach out to Houston did so in his freshman year and sent their request from Pennsylvania. It wasn’t from Susquehanna or Gettysburg, or even Lehigh. No, in fact, the first team to express interest in the 5’9”, 155-pound back was none other than Penn State.

While the Nittany Lions offer put Houston on the map as a collegiate prospect, so did his ninth grade stats, which included over 1,600 rushing yards. He was well into gear through the first two games of his sophomore season, but his campaign was cut short suddenly in Week 3.

“I had two kids tackling me, and I fell in an awkward position,” recalled Houston. “Suddenly, I felt my leg crack, and I couldn’t get back up.”

The off-balance fall had broken his ankle and tibia, resulting in an injury that would keep him in a cast for 2½ months. Since the cast was removed with a game or two left in the season, Houston decided to practice on his newly healed leg.

The experiment was short. “I tried to practice and tweaked it again,” adding that “it was probably late spring or early summer before I was 100 percent again.”

In his absence, junior Mark Lewis emerged as a backfield force, gaining over 1,500 yards and leading the Huskies to the VISAA Division I playoffs and a 7-3 record.

Huskies coach Tom Verbanic was presented with an unusual situation as the team started practicing for the 2017 season. Should he find a way to utilize both Lewis and Houston at running back, or should he simply pick one back to carry the load?

Verbanic, who won two state championships with Westfield in 2004 and 2007, opted for the latter, putting Houston back in his featured position and moving Lewis to receiver. But Verbanic was faced with another dilemma, being that his quarterback was brand new, as Miles Thompson, another sophomore, had recently transferred from Woodberry Forest and was primed to become Flint Hill’s signal caller.

There was only one problem. To the Huskies offense, he was an unknown variable.

“I had never met him,” said Houston of Thompson. But he’s very smart with the ball and he knows the game. He’s a quick learner.”
Quickly, Houston could see the signs of a special team. “I knew before the season started that we weren’t going to lose, just based on how good we looked in the pre-season.”

He was correct. A 35-13 opening day win over Paul VI was followed by a four-game stretch that saw Flint Hill outscore Blue Ridge, Collegiate, St. Albans and Sidwell Friends by a 196-54 margin, as Houston ran for 896 yards and 12 touchdowns. After a 42-0 shutout over Bishop Ireton put Flint Hill at 6-0, the question turned not from whether the Huskies could return to the VISAA playoffs, but if they could go undefeated and beat last year’s champion, Collegiate, a second time.

The Huskies finished the regular season with easy wins over St. James, Potomac School and Maret to capture the MAC title, leaving only the elusive state independent school title as a challenge.

As the #1 seed, they hosted Benedictine, another recent two-time champion, in the semifinals. While the Cadets became the only team to hold Houston to under 100 yards rushing (10 for 93), he did score on the ground and added two long touchdown catches totaling 126 yards as the Huskies pulled away for a 35-21 win, setting up a rematch with Collegiate, who they had beat 41-28 in Week 3, as Houston rushed for a season-high 281 yards, with 107 more on receptions and four total touchdowns.

In the final, it was Houston’s four touchdowns, three on the ground and the fourth on a 75-yard passing play with Thompson that sparked the Huskies 33-21 win over Collegiate giving the Vienna school its first state title.

It was a great accomplishment for the team, nicknamed the “Dirty Thirty” because of its small team size. Flint Hill finished the season at 11-0 with 475 points (43.2 ppg), fueled largely by Houston’s 30 TD’s on the ground and through the air.

With 1,971 yards on 166 carries, and 11 catches for an unprecedented 38-yard average, Houston’s list of post-season accomplishments is growing. He was a first team Washington Post All-Met at running back, and second-team USA Today All-Virginia kick returner.

Houston has added seven more offers to his original, with Tennessee, Boston College, Michigan State and Virginia Tech adding their name to the suitor list. The Penn State offer still stands, and Houston was asked if he might change course on that offer now that the Nittany Lions have successfully recruited fellow Northern Virginian Ricky Slade of Hylton.

Bluntly, he replied, “No. I will train hard and work for my spot, regardless of where I go.” However, Ohio State and Michigan are on his own list of hopefuls, which could make for a most interesting recruiting chase if both schools become interested in Houston.