DigitalSports
Howard County
football Co-Coach
of The Year
Brian Van Deusen,
River Hill
During each of his previous three seasons, Van Deusen and his Hawks had advanced a step farther into the playoffs than they had the year before.
In 2005, the Hawks lost in the state semifinals to eventual Class 3A state champion Gwynn Park of Prince George's County, a team that went unbeaten the rest of the way after having come from behind to defeat River Hill.
And in 2006, the Hawks took a 13-0 record into their Class 3A state title game against Friendly of Prince George's County, where they suffered their lone defeat of the season.
But Van Deusen was determined to achieve something with this year's Hawks that had hadn't with any previous River Hill team.
And this time, when the Hawks reached the state title game, they were able to seal the deal.
The Hawks outscored their opposition by a combined, 551-to-21, with a state record-tying 11 shutouts on the way to a 14-0, Class 2A state title-winning season.
And the Hawks did so, despite having to completely revamp an under-sized offensive line whose lone returning starter was Ryan Bounds, and whose tiniest starter was 5-foot-7, 155-pound Pat McCleaf.
Bounds, at 6-1, 245 pounds, is not only the fourth largest player listed on River Hill's roster, but he is also among only eight members of the squad who weighs more than 200 pounds.
Senior linebacker Andrew Donoghue, for example, is generously listed at 5-10, 155.
The Hawks, nevertheless, benefitted from a talented backfield rotation of junior running backs Malek Redd and Michael Campanaro, junior quarterback Luke Hostetler and senior running back Zach Martin -- their combined efforts generating 4,701 rushing yards and 57 rushing touchdowns.
Down, 7-0, at halftime of their state championship clash against
Eastern Tech of Baltimore County -- the first time the Hawks trailed in a game at any point
during the season --- Van Deusen and his coaching staff reacted calmly.
The Hawks' defense tightened up, and then, they received two scoring efforts from Redd.
Redd's first score was off of a 69-yard touchdown pass from Hostetler,
who is 34-0 as a high school player counting two 10-0 seasons on the
junior varsity. Redd's second touchdown was a 6-yarder off of a reverse handoff from Campanaro.
"We made some adjustments. They were hurting us inside, getting some
push on our defensive line. They were moving the ball, so you've got to
give them credit. Nobody's been able to push us around like that," said Van Deusen, who is 75-18 for his career. "We
have only given up two touchdowns, and our first-team had only given up
one touchdown all year. So Coach [defensive coach Todd] Martin was able to take the
inside run away and make them do something different."
But the win wasn't secured until Alex Turner made a game-saving tackle at his own 15-yard line.
"I think that this will mean a little more when we look back on it as, say, more than a 28-0 win or something like that," said Van Deusen. "Knowing that we were actually tested this year. Knowing that we were able to stick together as a team and to pull out a close game."
On the way toward winning their fifth straight Howard County League title, the Hawks improved to 50-4 against the county since the start of the 2003 season, having won 27 of their past 28 games --including last year's 13-1 mark.
In addition, the Hawks raised their county league winning streak to 25 games on the way toward earning their fifth straight playoff berth.
Van Deusen's Hawks have a 21-game winning streak at home, with their last loss in front of their home crowd being against league rival Long Reach, 15-14 on Oct. 29, 2005.
In addition to Redd, Hostetler and Campanaro, next year's Hawks should return linebacker Leron Eaddy,
defensive back Ryan Griffin, offensive linemen McCleaf and Sean Hull as well as placekickers Carlos Griffin-Benitez and Scott Trench as seniors.
Offensive lineman Max
Coale should be back as a junior.
