For the 2019-2020 school year, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s varsity football team welcomed junior Matthew O’Dowd as their new quarterback. O’Dowd has played in every varsity football game of the season so far and has contributed to the team’s undefeated, four game winning streak.

O’Dowd, a transfer from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, has been playing football for approximately 10 years, and has not stopped training since.

“I’ve been playing since you’ve been able to play football, so basically since Pee Wee years,” O’Dowd said.

In addition to training with the team, O’Dowd also practices during the weekends and on his free time when he is done with his school work.

“On Sunday[s], I train at a place where I practice to be a receiver and then I also train specifically on being a quarterback at a different location,” O’Dowd said.

The varsity football team was in search of a new quarterback since the team lacked a set one.

“[O’Dowd] has put in a big role because before we didn’t have a determined quarterback,” Varsity Kicker Mason Hall said.

O’Dowd was selected to be the quarterback for this season because of his defensive abilities and his overall knowledge of the game.

“He allows us to be balanced on Offense, we can now run [the ball] and throw it and just his football IQ makes a big difference to the team,” Head Varsity Football Coach Quentin Short said.

With the help of O’Dowd, the varsity football team hopes to continue their undefeated streak for the rest of the season.