St. Mary’s running back Dimitri Koutsouflakis, or “DK” if you ask coach Sean Driscoll, has been around the block. He spent his freshman year at Catholic Memorial and his sophomore and junior seasons at Winthrop High.

“I just couldn’t get a chance at running back,” he said. “Coach Driscoll believed in me, brought me in, and had faith in me. It turned out very well for me this year. I deeply, greatly appreciate him for that – and the rest of the coaching staff.”

Well, he got his opportunity this fall. Koutsouflakis crossed the 1,000-yard threshold on the ground and polished it off with the performance of his career.

He only rushed for 188 yards to go with three touchdowns in Wednesday’s 46-32 win over traditional archrival Bishop Fenwick.

“They were loading the box on us and they know we like to pound it, which we did all game,” Koutsouflakis said. “We’ve got quick, shifty, gritty linemen and two big running backs (Rowan Merryman) who bull you over, so it’s really hard to stop that. My O-line, all year, has been great for me and all of our running backs. Maxwell (Parent) and Rowan are great running backs.”

Koutsouflakis – who has now been a part of three Thanksgiving rivalries – said St. Mary’s-Fenwick “was the best one yet.

“For sure,” he said. “It’s just a brotherhood. Right when I came here, everyone was open arms.”

When asked about his St. Mary’s experience as a whole, Koutsouflakis said the lockerroom, school, and football days were just “fun.

“I really couldn’t ask for much more,” he said. “I love those guys and they make me who I am.”

Koutsouflakis scored 12 touchdowns this season, also adding 51 tackles and a pair of interceptions defensively.