ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Brandon Cherry — Football

By ANDREW JOHNSON Staff Writer

With the Johns Hopkins Football team off to an explosive 3-0 start, it seems like a different offensive player has put on a brilliant performance each week for the multi-talented Jays attack. Most recently, standout senior running back Brandon Cherry had four touchdowns on only 12 total touches, racking up nine carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns including a 73 burst during the third play of the contest. He also added three receptions for 47 yards and another touchdown. In the 45-23 victory at Moravian College, Cherry became only the ninth player in school history to score four touchdowns in a single contest. After his standout performance, The News-Letter sat down with Cherry to discuss his Hopkins career and his goals for the team in his final campaign.

The News-Letter: What has been your favorite part of Johns Hopkins, either athletically, academically or socially?

Cherry: My favorite part has been being blessed with the opportunity to be on such a great team with genuine people and dedicated coaches. Academically I've enjoyed the fact of having the opportunity to challenge myself at an elite university.

N-L: How have you improved as a runner since your freshman year? Is there anyone specifically who was instrumental to your development?

Cherry: Since freshman year I have focused on the physical aspect in regards to getting bigger, stronger and faster. However, I have focused on the mental aspect just as much in knowing the schemes of defenses and the timing of our offense.

It is apparent that Cherry has had a wonderful experience at Hopkins and is looking forward to a prolific and highly successful final season with the rest of his teammates.

Going forward for the rest of the season, look out for Cherry and his backfield running mate, junior Stuart Walters, to make opposing defenses dizzy with the combination of Walters’ “thunder” and Cherry’s “lightning”. Junior quarterback Jonathan Germano adds another running threat that defenses must account for.

With a mixture of strong defensive contributors and a dizzying array of offensive weapons, Hopkins appears once again to be a serious contender both for a Conference Championship and for a deep playoff run. Saturday Sept. 26, the 8th ranked Jays (3-0, 2-0 CC) will welcome perennial challenger Muhlenberg College (2-1, 1-1 CC) to Homewood Field at 2 p.m. This will be a critical matchup, as the Muhlenberg Mules and Blue Jays have collectively failed to capture the Centennial title only once since 2001.