Dover High QB Triston Harris (13) will attend Towson University this fall. (Delaware State News file photo)

When college coaches asked how the game went, Triston Harris knew he couldn’t hide anything.

Harris told them he had separated his shoulder, which could have influenced colleges’ interest in the Dover High senior quarterback.

But Towson University’s interest never wavered. As a result, Harris has committed to play Division I football for the Tigers next season despite suffering the injury in his second to last game of his senior season.

“I was straight up with schools and told them I separated my shoulder and that did affect some schools, but Towson stayed strong,” Harris said. “I really like the coaching staff there because they showed they care about you as a person, as a student and as an athlete.”

Harris is a two-time first team All-Henlopen Conference Northern Division honoree and was selected as a member of the All-State second team this past season.

His shoulder is fine now. He’s in the middle of baseball season with the Senators, as one of their starters in the outfield.

Continuing to play football in college is something Harris wanted to do for his whole life.

“It was always one of my dreams to play at the next level,” Harris said. “It didn’t matter if it was Division I, Division II or Division III, but it’s a real blessing to be able to be a Division I athlete.”

He’s been Dover’s starting quarterback the past two seasons, although he received multiple starts as a sophomore when the quarterback ahead of him on the depth chart, Nick Spadafino, was unavailable.

Harris’s first start came in a crucial nonconference road game as a sophomore at St. Mark’s when Spadafino was sick and couldn’t play. Harris stepped in and helped guide Dover to a 20-12 victory.

“It seems like just yesterday coach (Colin) Thomas was telling me I was starting that game,” “At that point, I just knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity. Whenever there’s an opportunity like that, you have to take it.”

Harris is just the latest in a line of Dover quarterbacks he grew up watching that were honored on all conference teams.

“Those guys like Nick really helped mold me into what a quarterback should be,” Harris said. “Watching guys like Kamal Abrams, Ian Gory and then learning under Nick really help me learn about the work ethic it takes. They helped a lot with my preparation.”