Malverne’s running back Donovan Ishmael is Newsday’s Athlete of the Week

When Donovan Ishmael steps on the football field, it’s showtime. Opposing defenders just don’t usually enjoy the show.

The senior was a catalyst for Malverns against Seaford on Oct. 26, scoring all four of his team’s touchdowns in a 28-14 win. Seaford, a perennial Nassau IV powerhouse, couldn’t prevent Ishmael from breaking big plays on the outside.

He rushed 13 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 56-yard pass for another score against Seaford. In the following game, a Nassau IV quarterfinal loss against East Rockaway, 24-14, Ishmael had 13 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown run of 58 yards. For his efforts, he is Newsday’s Athlete of the Week.

“We felt like if we were able to get the ball in his hands, he’d be able to have success,” Malverne coach Kito Lockwood said. “He’s a tremendous athlete. He wanted to carry the load.”

A threat in the open field, Ishmael doesn’t limit himself to a single position. Although most of his production has come as a running back, Ishmael calls himself an athlete.

Lockwood finds ways to get him the ball, depending on the situation. He can take snaps out of the Wildcat formation and run the option, he can split out wide as a receiver and he’s always a threat to rip off a big gain on a screen.

“He’d say, ‘Coach, just put the ball in my hands however,’ “ Lockwood said.

When he gets the ball, it’s off to the races.

“I just feel like I’m faster than everybody else, to be honest,” he said. “I have speed, and I can catch, and I can run.”

Ishmael first used that speed as a sophomore playing defense. Despite the presence of much more experienced athletes, Lockwood did his best to get Ishmael reps at safety. Lockwood “saw the potential from Day 1,” but wanted Ishmael to adjust to the physicality of varsity football before thrusting him into a larger role.

As a junior, Ishmael began to get more involved in the offense. He rushed 24 times for 273 yards and four touchdowns as the Mules finished 3-6 with a first-round playoff exit. Despite another early playoff defeat, Malverne took strides this season with the ball in Ishmael’s hands.

“We definitely expect to see him light it up,” Lockwood said.

With his focus solely on playing offense, Ishmael went into each week with a confident mindset. “He understands what it means to prepare himself,” Lockwood said, and that bodes well for Malverne’s chances.

After all, when he takes the field, there’s just one thing on his mind: Showtime.

“Throughout the whole week of practice, I just knew what I had to do,” Ishmael said. “When gameday came, it was just showtime.”