Everywhere they go, from now on, these young men will represent the Crab Bowl, the National Guard, and the State of Maryland. This was the closing sentiment of the 2013 All-star game featuring some of the best high school senior football players in Maryland. They came from all over the state to participate in a week of Crab Bowl events that consisted of a banquet and nighttime practices, culminating in a game on a beautiful, unseasonably warm first day of winter at McDaniel College in Westminster. The sunny weather was a gift that enabled athletes from both Washington and Baltimore teams to make big, exciting plays throughout the entire game.
Pure joy was fixed on the face of Parkside running back Dalonte Waters after his 65-yard TD run for Washington. Waters made breaking multiple tackles and outrunning everyone on the field look so easy, that he had nothing more to prove. On the list of Maryland’s all-time leading rushers, Dalonte Waters is third, close behind Ben Tate, who now plays in the NFL for the Houston Oilers. In first place is Crab Bowl alum Tavon Austin, who currently plays for the St. Louis Rams. But stats were unimportant to Waters as he struggled to contain his desire to get back out on the field again.
Standing behind Waters watching the game from the sideline was Gaithersburg running back Solomon Vault, in a purple Northwestern shirt. The Northwestern commit elevated football in Montgomery County, Maryland for the past four years. He made every team that had to prepare to stop him better. This year, his strength transcended a potentially season-ending injury, as opponents still anticipated meeting up with him, and his team had to rise up to play without him. Vault’s Gaithersburg teammates Avery Taylor and Anthony Combs each made vital contributions to the Crab Bowl, especially Taylor’s sack in the 2nd quarter.
All-stars from Montgomery County who played for the Washington team should be proud of their Crab Bowl appearances. The crowd was treated to stunning carries from Good Counsel’s CJ Carroll, Sherwood’s Elijah Spottswood, and Paint Branch’s Johnny Littlejohn (who was incredible on defense, as usual). MoCo players made their presence known on offense, best exemplified by the 2013 Crab Bowl MVP, Justin Herron from Bullis, a OT who has a bright future protecting quarterbacks at Rutgers. Seneca Valley quarterback Calvin Reighard led the offense at times, working with Herron, Spottswood, Carroll, Paint Branch center Chris Young, Damascus OG Christopher Whalen, Poolesville RB Charles Lyles, Wootton WR Jibri Woods, Good Counsel center Vince Gorgone, and various Washington team members. Reighard’s Seneca Valley teammates, DE Daniel Appouh, and LB Austen Herbert, along with Good Counsel DT Jemal Averette, and Damascus DE Stephon Jacob, were often busy giving the Baltimore offense trouble. ATH Perry Stephanelli was one of four players from Good Counsel to participate. Quince Orchard ‘s Malcolm Brown and Kevin Joppy also made the 2013 Crab Bowl roster.
National Guard values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage took the place of individual athlete’s names on all Crab Bowl jerseys. They wore their own helmets, but on this final game (for most of them) of their high school careers, many helmets were adorned with stickers from so many different schools, that it wasn’t always obvious where each player originally came from. Bitter rivalries of the past were abandoned and all Maryland teams morphed into two great teams of young men who aim to infuse their personal and professional lives with the values listed on their collective jerseys. Also, they will play their hearts out whenever possible because they truly love football.
Congratulations to the Montgomery County Crab Bowl All-stars! Their names can be found on the 2013 Crab Bowl Washington Team roster.
Scores for Washington: Jordan Crockett – 2 TD, Dalonte Waters -1 TD, Doug Baumann – 2 extra points and 2 field goals, Brad Dennis – 1 extra point and 1 field goal.
Scores for Baltimore: Fred Bopst – 1 TD, Isaiah Smith 1 TD, Reggie White – 1TD, Josh Bargsten – 3 extra points.
Final Score Washington 30 Baltimore 21
Story and Photos by Lisa Levenbach
Gallery Preview
All photos from the game can be viewed and purchased at https://mocodaily.smugmug.com/High-School-Sports/20132014-High-School-Sports/Football/12-21-2013-Maryland-Crab-Bowl