Photography by Tony Lewis, Jr.
This Archbishop Spalding senior quarterback will sign with the Maryland Terrapins this fall
Archbishop Spalding has produced its share of great athletes over the past decade, and then there’s senior Malik Washington.
Washington could play Division I football or basketball in college. He’s that good an athlete and has dominated both sports.
Washington, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound quarterback, decided this year that his future was in football. He received 24 scholarship offers, including offers from Top-25 programs such as Penn State University and Oregon University. He also could have gone to UCLA, Texas A&M University, or the University of Colorado.
Washington threw for more than 5,000 yards during his two years as starter. The Cavaliers went 21-3 during that stretch and 16-0 in conference play.
“These were some of the teams I watched growing up,” Washington says of the colleges recruiting him. “It was surreal. It was a really long recruiting process, and I am glad that it is over,” he adds. “A weight was lifted off my shoulder. It was a lot to keep up with; you are getting calls, texts, and emails from coaches.”
The four-star recruit ended up picking the University of Maryland and committed to the school in late June. The 17-year-old will sign a National Letter of Intent in December.
“I like to build things,” Washington says of one of the reasons he chose the Terrapins. “Especially some players that are going to Maryland, I know. And I really liked the coaching staff. They have the same goals as I.”
Washington turned into a hot college recruit in his first year of varsity in 2022. He threw for 2,903 yards and 21 touchdowns while running for six more scores and 225 yards to help the Cavaliers to their first Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship in school history.
“Is he the best quarterback the county has ever produced?” Archbishop Spalding Offensive Coordinator Anthony Messenger asks. “You would be hard pressed to find a resume that’s as good as his at this point of his career.”
Washington’s best game that season came against Gonzaga of Washington, D.C. He tossed five touchdown passes and threw for more than 400 yards in a blowout victory. Washington earned Baltimore Sun First-Team All-Metro honors and County Player of the Year honors. He is a two-time co-captain of the Cavaliers.
“I love his leadership abilities,” Messenger says. “He is great with adults. He does a great job of being endearing to the people around him regardless of age. He can galvanize a group and make them feel confident when he is on the field. He is someone you really want to follow.”
Washington had another stellar year as a junior. He threw for 2,979 yards, completed 59 percent of his passes, and accounted for 29 rushing and passing touchdowns. He repeated as County Player of the Year, the Sun’s Offensive Player of the Year, and Spalding won the A Conference title again.
He became The Touchdown Class of Annapolis’ two-time Rhodes Trophy winner. It had been 19 years since another county player accomplished the same feat.
“He can make every throw on the field,” Messenger says. “He has a real effortless release. It never looks like he is straining to throw the ball hard when he just putting a little touch on the ball or throwing it down the field. And he can really damage a team with ability to run the ball.”
Washington also has made quite an impact for the Spalding boys basketball team. The forward averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds per game in 2023. He recorded 15 double doubles. As a sophomore, he averaged 17 points and nine rebounds.
“He did it all for us,” Archbishop Spalding Boys Basketball Coach Josh Pratt says. “He helped set the culture for our program. He could pass, rebound, and defend well. He could guard any position on the floor. I think he could have played at Maryland.”
He just chose the school for another sport.
