Watch: Ace Carter's City Player of the Week

Martin Luther King junior quarterback Salim Dixon has made great strides in just his first full year of high school football.

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Making the transition even more difficult, Dixon is doing it at a new school. Last season, Dixon said he played only in two scrimmages at Penn Wood.

"It's a big thing to handle," Dixon said. "I had to get used to my plays, knowing who to go to, how to defeat zones, different types of defenses and avoiding pressure."

Last week's 338-yard, 4-touchdown performance makes it clear he is handling it just fine. It also earned him my latest City Player of the Week (Catholic, Public and Inter-Ac Leagues).

"It's not like I expected," he said. "I'm used to Pee Wee. I played four years of that. This has been a fun experience to meet new people, make friends, form different relationships."

Dixon plans on forming even more bonds when he plays baseball in the spring.

Last week, he said, a coach told him he should pitch, which Dixon says he will try even though he has never played baseball.

It seems building chemistry won't be difficult. Before practice began Monday, Dixon and a few of his receivers practiced their route tree.

"Actually, I just met everybody on the team this year," he said. "This year, we had a lot of time to get to know each other. Just getting used to them.

"My favorite thing is helping my team come together as one," he added. "If practice is going wrong or something, I like to cheer my teammates up and show my leadership."

King (6-3, 4-2 Public) beat Overbrook last week and now faces Lincoln (4-5, 4-2) in a quarterfinal playoff matchup Friday, 6:30 p.m. at the Germantown super site.

Among Dixon's weapons will be speedy junior wideout Isaiah Allen.

On defense, the Cougars boast an opportunistic secondary that has 18 interceptions so far this season (20 total for the team). Tyrell Mims and Al'Mahi Ali lead the team with six apiece.

A strong defensive effort will be needed against Lincoln, whose senior running back, Sammy Karr, set a Public League rushing record with a 418-yard, 7-touchdown, 21-carry effort that earned him player-of-the-week honors in Week 7.

Conwell-Egan senior Patrick Garwo rushed nine times for 179 yards and three touchdowns and added an interception in the Eagles' blowout win against Bonner-Prendergast.

Neumann-Goretti senior Chris Wells finished with 149 yards and two scores on just 16 carries in the Saints' tight victory at Cardinal O'Hara.

West Catholic junior Jacir Savoy ran for 117 yards and two scores on 21 totes in the Burrs' runaway win over Bishop McDevitt.

St. Joe's Prep senior quarterback Marquez McCray finished 11 for 15 for 134 yards and a TD pass and added 56 yards and another score on the ground in the Hawks' win over rival La Salle.

The Martin Luther King secondary had four total interceptions, including a pick-6 by sophomore defensive back Tyrell Mims, against Overbrook, which had set a record for receiving the previous week.

*Coaches, want to nominate a player? Email cartera@phillynews.com by the end of Sunday each week with your player's name, height, weight, grade and stats from that week or why they should be considered. Coaches' submissions only.*