Graduate On Verge of Making SVHS History

No other Maryland public school football program can boast more state championships than Seneca Valley High School where the Screamin’ Eagles have won 12 state titles since the school opened in 1974.

Although Seneca Valley hasn’t captured a state championship since 2002, the Screamin’ Eagles are playoff contenders every year.

Despite the Germantown school’s success on the gridiron, rarely has the football program produced an NFL Draft prospect – until this year.

Virginia Tech tight end and Seneca Valley graduate Andre Smith is poised to become the first player in school history to be selected in the NFL Draft.

“That speaks volumes of its own,” said Smith, who graduated from Seneca Valley in 2006. “We’ve had a lot of great football players come out of that place. I just can’t put into words what that would mean to me and that high school.”

Smith attended Waters Landing Elementary School and then Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School before arriving at Seneca Valley. He played junior varsity football in ninth and tenth grade and was moved up to the varsity squad as a junior in high school.

Smith also suffered through a personal tragedy when his mother, Julida Kilafwakun, died of leukemia the summer before his senior campaign.

“His attitude was outstanding despite what occurred,” said Seneca Valley head coach Fred Kim. “He was very focused.”

Smith emerged as a top college prospect and was recruited by numerous Division I college programs before opting for Virginia Tech.

The 6-foot-5, 272-pound dynamo has blossomed into an NFL prospect because of his unique skills as a blocker. He’s also shown an ability to be an effective receiver, catching 19 passes for 187 yards and five touchdowns last season. His performance on the gridiron helped Smith earn an honorable mention All-ACC selection.

However, Smith was not among the players invited to attend February’s NFL Scouting Combine, reserved for elite prospects.

“I feel like I should have been one of those guys invited,” he said.

The combine snub has given Smith, who has worked out for various NFL teams including the Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears, a chip on his shoulder as he heads to the next level.

“For me that chip is extra big and I feel like I have something to prove for sure,” he said.

Smith’s journey to the NFL began during his high school days in Germantown, working out after school with then-Seneca Valley teammate Christian Stahl.

“We’d be there running the hallways and stairs while teachers were working on work,” Smith recalled.

The 2011 NFL Draft is a three-day event and Smith could be selected as high as the fifth round but would welcome any opportunity to catch on with an NFL club.

“I’ve always dreamed of playing in the NFL,” he said. “It would be an absolute dream come true.”