PENNINGTON, NJ–After his freshman year at South Plainfield, Dontae Johnson went in a different direction. Following a rookie season that got him an all Diaper Dandy Team honor, and his teammates to the 2007 Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament Final Four in basketball before losing to eventual champion Piscataway, Johnson decided to put more of his efforts into football. He transferred to Pennington Prep, and this year things have paid off.
In a recent 29-28 loss to Calvary Christian Academy of Philadelphia, Johnson caught two touchdown passes of five and 66 yards. So far this season, Pennington is 1-2 with a 25-6 victory in its opener over Lower Moreland of Pennsylvania, and losses to Peddie (10-0) and Calvary Christian (29-28). The Red Raiders have outscored their opponents by a slim 53-45 margin. Johnson, who still plays basketball at the Mercer County Prep school, has 12 catches for 206 yards, and two touchdowns. Only teammate, Harold Spears is faring better with 16 catches for 308 yards, and two touchdowns. In the loss to Peddie, Johnson had 7 receptions for 106 yards.
Johnson also doubles up as a safety in the defensive backfield, and was ranked among the top players at that position prior to the start of the season. He currently has offers from five Division I schools including Maryland, UConn, North Carolina State, Virginia, and Stanford. On the basketball court, Johnson still holds his own. Johnson along with fellow wideout, Spears, led the Red Raiders to the Championship Game of the Prep B State Tournament. On the way, Pennington defeated Gill St. Bernards of Somerset County (72-53), and won the Mercer County Tournament by defeating the likes of Hopewell Valley (62-51), Trenton (56-43), Princeton (53-48), and Central Jersey Group IV Champion, West Windsor-Plainsboro South (58-43). The Red Raiders were 23-6 in boys hoops last year including a loss to Rutgers Prep (79-72) in the Prep B State Final.
Back on the gridiron in 2008, Pennington was 4-5 overall including four losses to end the season.