Week 12: Anthony Giordano, South Lakes

As South Lakes Coach Jason Hescock sees it, there is not much secret to the success of Seahawks running back and linebacker Anthony Giordano.

“He’s everything you want in a football player,” Hescock said. “He’s a coach’s dream.”

A leader in the weight room and the practice field, Giordano also excels in the classroom, carrying a 4.4 grade-point average and a 1530 SAT score. He’s also darn good on the football field, where this past Friday he enjoyed one of the best performances by any player this season.

In South Lakes’ playoff opener, Giordano rushed 28 times for 303 yards and five touchdowns on offense. On defense, he made 10 tackles (four for losses), sacked the quarterback twice and forced one fumble as the Seahawks advanced with a 36-21 win over Yorktown.

For his efforts, Giordano was named the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week. The Player of the Week is honored throughout each Wednesday on WTOP Radio.

Giordano joined the South Lakes varsity as a sophomore and started both ways as a junior. This season as a senior, though, he has taken things to another level, rushing for 1,570 yards and 23 touchdowns, while making 90 tackles (13 for losses) with five sacks. He has also caught one touchdown pass and returned an interception for a touchdown.

“He’s a throwback,” Hescock said. “We don’t have many two-way players. He’s one of three and one of the strongest guys on the team. He does the little things right. He trains hard in the offseason and the way he prepares carries over to his performance. He’s a downhill runner, but he’s elusive at the same time. He attacks you at the same speed the whole game.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Player of the Week High School Football Player of the Week Honor Roll:

ANNE ARUNDEL
Chesapeake RB Victor Listorti rushed 22 times for 141 yards and four touchdowns as the Cougars beat Long Reach, 39-12, in a Maryland 3A East Region second-round game.

DC
H.D. Woodson QB Novaun Lee rushed for one touchdown and threw a touchdown pass as the Warriors beat Dunbar, 20-18, in a DCIAA semifinal game.

FREDERICK
Linganore RB Ethan Arneson rushed 50 times for 309 yards and three touchdowns as Linganore beat Oakdale, 44-27, in a Maryland 3A West Region second-round game.

HOWARD
Atholton RB Kevin Smitson rushed eight times for 59 yards and one touchdown and caught six passes for 129 yards as the Raiders beat River Hill in a Maryland 3A East Region second-round game.

LOUDOUN
Broad Run RB Aslin Shipe rushed 30 times for 187 yards and one touchdown as the Spartans beat Sherando, 41-13, in a Virginia 4A Region C first-round game.

MONTGOMERY
Blair QB Kendell Anderson completed 13 of 21 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 56 yards and two touchdowns as the Blazers beat Laurel, 56-35, in a Maryland 4A North Region second-round game.

PRINCE GEORGE’S
C.H. Flowers LB Kendric Council made 10 solo tackles, had three tackles for loss, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble as the Jaguars beat Bowie, 38-6, in a Maryland 4A South Region second-round game.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Unity Reed QB Blake Moore completed 12 of 22 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions beat Patriot, 49-35, in a Virginia 6A Region B first-round game.

PRIVATE
Georgetown Prep RB/LB Isaiah West rushed 24 times for 260 yards and three touchdowns and made five tackles as Georgetown Prep beat Bullis, 28-13, to win the Interstate Athletic Conference championship.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Northern RB Nathan Torres rushed 17 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and returned a kickoff 67 yards to set up another score as the Patriots beat St. Charles, 48-34, in a Maryland 3A South Region second-round game. The Patriots rushed for 358 yards and did not allow a sack.

WCAC
St. John’s QB Wyatt Hagan completed 17 of 22 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns as the Cadets beat Gonzaga, 28-0, in a WCAC semifinal.