Here’s how Da’Shawn Long’s Hail Mary catch set the tone for success at Washington Township

Da’Shawn Long felt like a superstar walking the hallways of Washington Township High School on Monday. The junior receiver recalled a few teachers saying, “You’re a great player — might even be one of the best players that the school has ever seen.”

The complimentary remarks came after Washington Township’s 27-25 upset win over No. 19 Winslow Township on its home turf Friday night. Long made the game-winning play, when he snagged a deflected 40-yard Hail Mary pass from sophomore quarterback Cole Aquino in the endzone.

It was a grab Long referred to as, “the biggest of his football career.”

“I just got off the ground and started running towards the stands, trying to celebrate with my family,” Long said during a phone conversation on Monday. “And all my friends in the stands. I couldn’t even make it because my coaches and teammates came over, tackling me. It was an unreal feeling.”

Long has been a difference maker for a Minutemen squad that’s 5-2 and on a three-game winning streak. The 5-foot-10, two-year varsity starter has played on both sides of the field, taking reps at receiver and defensive back. He’s also served as a punt and kick returner.

In seven games played, the junior has totaled five touchdowns while averaging 37.4 receiving yards, and on the defensive side, forced a fumble.

“He’s going to be successful wherever he lines up,” said head coach Michael Schatzman. “He’s a tremendous athlete. He does freakish athletic type of things, whether it’s jumping up and making a one-handed catch.

“When the game is on the line or if there’s a situation where we know we need a play, it’s usually Da’Shawn who we’ll dial-up. He’s another player that’s going to have a really tremendous college career.”

The grab will certainly be added to the highlight reel of his junior campaign. While he hasn’t received a college scholarship offer yet, Long has drawn interest from Rutgers and Temple.

He credits his older brother, Chris Long, a junior receiver at Rutgers, as one of his biggest advisors, who’s helped him navigate the college recruiting process. Chris attended Willingboro High School, where he set a school and South Jersey all-time record for receiving yards (1,619).

Da’Shawn, who started playing football at age 5 for the Mapleshade Tigers, will chat with his older brother before every game. The conversation usually ends the same with Chris saying, “Go out there and play 100%, no matter what — even if you’re out there losing — just keep your head up.”

Those words resonated with Long this past weekend.

“He’s really taught me everything I know,” Long said. “I watch all his games, see what he does, then I just try to mimic that because he’s doing big things in college right now, and that’s exactly where I want to be, so I just keep following him. Listen to everything he says.”

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The catch marked a special moment for Long and is one that will be remembered amongst the team, school, and community. But Schatzman believes it proved that Washington Township should be in the discussion as one of the top football teams in the state.

“They’re not really accustomed to losing,” Schatzman said. “That’s the kind of culture that you want, that’s the feeling around the school that necessarily wasn’t there seven or eight years ago. Now we win against a team like Winslow, who’s Top 20 in the state, it kind of gives you that sense of we belong in that type of conversation.”

Schatzman, who’s a 2008 Washington Township alum, has been with the program for 13 seasons and works as one of the school’s physical and driver education teachers. He’s seen the uphill battle through the years of not always being on the winning side.

In 2021, the Minutemen finished 6-3, which marked their first winning campaign since 2015. But for the past five seasons, Washington Township has fallen in the first round of playoffs.

Schatzman hopes this year’s group can change that.

“We want to make sure we take that next step this year,” he said. “They have that belief and confidence in themselves that we can really make a run at this thing.”