Each week, WTOP is picking one student athlete to be featured on air and online as our Player of the Week. This week’s WTOP Player of the Week is Zachary Betts of Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland.

Betts plays in the trenches on both sides of the ball as a defensive and offensive lineman for Bishop McNamara. He’s played varsity football all four years of high school and is coming off an impressive junior season, earning Washington Catholic Athletic Conference First Team honors as a defensive lineman.

Betts has tallied 10 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in nine games this season. He’s received offers to play football at St. Francis University and St. Anselm University.

A two-sport athlete, Betts also competes on the wrestling mat for the Mustangs. He wrestles in the 215-pound weight class and boasts a 65-30 record, finishing as a runner-up in the WCAC and fifth in the state of Maryland.

In the classroom, Betts is also an accomplished student, attaining cum laude status his junior year and making the dean’s list freshman through junior year. Betts was awarded Bishop McNamara’s Daronte T. Jones ’96 Scholarship for his commitment to athletic and academic excellence.

Considering his imposing frame and athletic prowess, his success as a choir singer may come as a shock. Betts received the Director of Chairman’s Award for his role as a tenor in the choir and sang in his church youth choir from 2018 to 2021.

Betts is interested in pursuing a college degree in the field of medicine.

WTOP’s Player of the Week is sponsored by:

Are you the parent of an outstanding student athlete? Or do you know a student athlete who deserves recognition? Nominate your favorite high school student athlete from now until Nov. 30. Nominate here.