HIGH ACHIEVERS: Running back Hugo Djeumeni has exceptional prep-school football season at Tabor Academy

By Martin Cleary

Hugo Djeumeni has had a short, but remarkable high school football career.

In the fall of 2022, he transferred to St. Matthew Catholic High School for Grade 11 because College catholique Mer Bleue didn’t have a football program. He joined the Tigers’ football program and was a key part of their Season of Success.

As a running back, he helped St. Matthew win the 2022 National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association senior title. In the season-ending OFSAA Football Series National Capital Bowl, the Tigers outlasted Toronto’s Northern Red Knights 24-15 as Djeumeni ran for an amazing 297 yards on 31 carries and three touchdowns.

Having city and provincial football championships to his credit, Djeumeni wanted to take his young game to the next level by attending a prep school in the United States. He chose to study at Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts and play for the Seawolves.

As a junior for Tabor, he had an unbelievable season under first-year coach Jeff Moore and was a cornerstone player in helping the Seawolves go from being considered pre-season outsiders to championship contenders.

Djeumeni’s season was filled with eye-popping statistical numbers as an offensive player as well as subsequent game and season awards.

The Seawolves finished first in the Independent School League with seven wins and were 7-2 overall. Tabor lost its season-closing John Papas Bowl game 63-43 to Buckingham Browne and Nichols.

Individually, Djeumeni rushed for a breathtaking 2,026 yards on only 190 carries in nine games for an average of 10.67 yards a carry. When he wasn’t taking the ball behind his talented offensive linemen, he made 32 receptions for another 327 yards and a 10.2-yard average.

And his calculated running through the holes made by his linemen and his open field manoeuvres produced 32 touchdowns for a 3.6 average a game.

For his stellar season, Djeumeni was named the Independent School League MVP, which he shared with another junior running back Bo MacCormack of Buckingham Browne and Nichols. In the John Papas Bowl, MacCormack rushed for 430 yards on 41 carries and ran for eight touchdowns as well as passing for one and making an interception to set up the other touchdown.

The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council also had an eye on Djeumeni and named him its class B Player of the Year as well as a member of the All-New England team.

After Djeumeni won those two awards, Moore posted an important message on X (formerly Twitte), aimed specifically at university coaches: “ELITE football player, do not miss out on (this) 2025 RB.”

His performances also earned him five league Player-of-the-Game honours, three Boston Herald Stars of the Week rewards and two Boston Globe Players of the Week recognitions.

As a six-foot, 190-pound junior running back, Djeumeni has already received offers from Boston College and the University of Massachusetts.

In his final regular-season game against Brooks, Djeumeni accumulated 427 yards on 24 carries and seven touchdowns. It was the fourth most yards gained by a running back in Massachusetts state history.

“Had to rub my eyes to make sure that I had this correct,” Globe high school reporter Cam Kerry wrote on X.

“What a special player, @HDjeumeni is a name to remember,” wrote Moore in an X message.

Djeumeni also recorded two other big-number games. In a 46-29 Tabor win over Rivers, Djeumeni ran the ball 31 times for 451 yards and four touchdowns. The 54-17 victory over Middlesex saw Djeumeni cover 367 yards on 21 carries leading to four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, there have been a number of other Ottawa football players earning special recognition for their prep-school seasons. Here are the players High Achievers has seen:

· Luca Farinaccio, Episcopal High School, Alexandria, Virginia, linebacker, named All-Interstate Athletic Conference and First Team All-State linebacker for second year in a row, 106 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, four sacks, one field goal blocked.

· Alex Fletcher, Saint James School, Hagerstown, Maryland, offensive lineman, First Team All-Washington County Athletic Association and First Team All Conference for second year in a row, Washington County offensive lineman of the year.

· Brice Ebaneth, Episcopal High School, Alexandria, Virginia, linebacker, All-Interstate Athletic Conference and All-State linebacker for second year in a row, 91 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, three punt blocks, one forced fumble.

· Cordel Epale, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, cornerback, All-League cornerback in Northeast Prep Football Conference, received offers from Carleton University, Queen’s University, Western University.

· Armand Burris, Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, Illinois, wide receiver/defensive back, Lake County All-Area football team and First Team Offence Northern Lake County Conference, 47 catches, 780 yards, 10 touchdowns.

· Khalid Campbell, Clearwater Academy International, running back, received offer from Rutgers University.