Marshall’s Antonio Washington Wins ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Defensive Player Of The Week

Marshall and Dallas South Oak Cliff spent the early portion of Saturday's Class 5A Division II area round playoff game trying to establish running games.

Chavis Mills and Cameron Haller ultimately clicked for the Mavericks. Of course, they weren't having to go up against defensive tackle Antonio Washington.

South Oak Cliff never hit the end zone, and its season ended at DeSoto's Eagle Stadium.

Washington (6-0, 260) recorded four tackles for loss, one sack and forced a fumble during the game to lead a dominant Marshall defensive effort for ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Defensive Player of the Week. The senior and company had South Oak Cliff running in the fourth quarter just to get out of the game rather than for yardage.

Washington recorded a fifth tackle for loss. An offensive chop block penalty negated that takedown.

Trouble started for South Oak Cliff early. The center-quarterback exchanges were off and two snaps were bobbled on the game's opening drive ahead of a third which safety Micahh Smith was able to recover.

Washington blew up a routine power run South Oak Cliff's next drive on third-and-1 for a three-and-out.

Down 7-0 to Marshall in the first minutes of the second quarter, South Oak Cliff regrouped and reached the 3-yard line. Washington got back-to-back tackles for loss to force the opposition into a successful 27-yard field goal.

South Oak Cliff reached the red zone a third and final time in meaningful time its next possession. Washington derailed that drive with a 9-yard sack on third-and-18 from the Mavericks' 21-yard line. Marshall got the ball back on a punt.

The Mavericks scored touchdowns on their next three possessions ahead of Washington's big hit for a fumble recovered by linebacker Deondre Osborne. A fourth-consecutive touchdown was scored a few plays later.

Washington dominated, but it didn't come as a huge surprise. He won Defensive Most Valuable Player at the ETSN.fm + APEC Football Recruiting Combine in May.

The senior now has 36 tackles for loss through 12 games and 4.5 sacks in addition to 90 total tackles. Those are all incredible numbers for a position most valued in high school for jamming the interior running lanes.

Marshall will play past Thanksgiving for the first time since 2009 Saturday against Frisco Lone Star at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

ETSN.fm/Dairy Queen Defensive Players of the Week

• Week 13 (Nov. 19-Nov. 21) -- Antonio Washington, DL, Marshall
• Week 12 (Nov. 12-Nov. 14) -- Kollin Hurt, DB, Gilmer
• Week 11 (Nov. 5-Nov. 7) -- Malik Estell, LB, Hooks
• Week 10 (Oct. 29-Oct. 31) -- Brazos Hesskew, LB, Canton
• Week 9 (Oct. 22-Oct. 26) -- Breylan Bradford, DL, Spring Hill
• Week 8 (Oct. 15-Oct. 17) -- Kevin Jones, DB, West Rusk
• Week 7 (Oct. 8-Oct. 10) -- Devon Goguen, DL, Mineola
• Week 6 (Oct. 1-Oct. 3) -- Chase Boyd, LB, Winona
• Week 5 (Sept. 24-Sept. 26) -- Pierre Leonard, DL, John Tyler
• Week 4 (Sept. 17-Sept. 19) -- Noah Sneed, DB, Mineola
• Week 3 (Sept. 10-Sept. 12) -- Joe Wright, LB, West Rusk
• Week 2 (Sept. 3-Sept. 5) -- Brewster Griffith, LB, Carthage
• Week 1 (Aug. 27-Aug. 29) -- Ameron Dean, DB, Longview