Week 8: Gavin Lavat, Frostburg State

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Frostburg State University running back Gavin Lavat, who played at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, has been named the DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week.

Lavat, a senior, rushed 19 times for a career-high 190 yards and tied both school and Mountain East Conference records with five touchdowns as the Bobcats beat Fairmont State, 49-14. He was named the Mountain East Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

“In 27 years of college football, he is the best tailback that I have seen,” Frostburg Coach DeLane Fitzgerald said. “Blue-collar work ethic and toughness are second to none. When I got to FSU, I was told that the rushing record would never be broken. God willing, he will break that record over the next three games and leave Frostburg as the all-time rushing leader.”

A 2015 graduate of DeMatha, Lavat twice missed seasons due to injury. As a sophomore in 2017, he was the third-leading rusher in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, with 716 yards. But a hand injury sidelined Lavat in 2018. As a junior in 2019, Lavat rushed for 1,126 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning second-team All-Mountain East honors after Frostburg moved from NCAA Division III to Division II. But Lavat dislocated his ankle and broke his tibia during practice leading up to the spring 2021 season.

Despite the injuries, Lavat needs just 281 yards to become Frostburg’s all-time leading rusher. He has rushed for 2,882 yards and 28 touchdowns in his career.

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week Honor Roll is:

  • Georgetown WR Cameron Crayton caught six passes for 136 yards and one touchdown as the Hoyas beat Bucknell, 29-21.

  • Christopher Newport QB Matt Dzierski (South County HS) completed 15 of 25 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 15 times for 59 yards, including the decisive five-yard touchdown run with four minutes left as the Captains beat The College of New Jersey, 21-14.

  • Navy CB Jamal Glenn (Maret School) made a career-high 11 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered an onside kick in the Midshipmen’s 27-20 loss to Cincinnati.

  • Shepherd RB Ty Hebron (Richard Montgomery HS) rushed 11 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams beat West Chester, 42-38.

  • Army West Point QB Jabari Laws (Wise HS) completed 9 of 11 passes for 140 yards and three fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Cadets lost to Wake Forest, 70-56.

  • Catholic QB Madden Lowe completed 35 of 46 passes for a career-high 384 yards and five touchdowns but the Cardinals lost to Merchant Marine, 44-34. WR Owen Shields had seven catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.

  • Bowie State RB Calil Wilkins (Potomac (Md.) HS) rushed 19 times for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Virginia Union, 27-7.