DigitalSports
Howard County
Football Player of
the Year
Michael Campanaro,
River Hill

Click here for highlights of River Hill's Class 2A state championship win over Eastern Tech

Click here for Michael Campanaro's post-game interview following the Class 2A state championship

Click here for highlights of No. 5 Michael Campanaro and River Hill vs. Howard High.

River Hill's eighth-year coach Brian Van Deusen, whose Hawks won their first state title, called the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Campanaro, "an all-around great player," and, "probably the best big play threat we have ever had."

Campanaro, last year, racked up 2,022 all-purpose yards for 20 touchdowns for the Hawks, whom he helped to post a 13-1 record on the way to last year's Class 3A state runner-up finish to Friendly of Prince George's County.

Defensively, last year, Campanaro made six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

Campanaro hit a number of camps during this past summer, when he officially ran times that were below a 4.4-second 40-yard dash on four different occasions. During a camp at the Unversity of Illinois, Campanaro clocked an all-time low of  a 4.35-seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Those efforts were the result of Campanaro's committment, since this past January, to working with strength and weight-training guru, Joseph Haden, whose sons, Josh, and Joe, were members of Friendly's state title-winning squad.

As a result of similar dedication, Joe Haden has played as a true freshman at Florida, and Josh is headed for Boston College.  And Campanaro, who bench presses 285 pounds, appears headed in a similar direction.

 Even before stepping stepping onto the field, competitively, for his junior season, Campanaro already had received early scholarship offers from Northwestern and Akron.

Campanaro's accomplishments over the ensuing season did nothing but validate the interests of those programs.

Offensively, Campanaro rushed for 1,820 yards and 22 touchdowns on 205 carries, and caught 15 passes for 366 yards and six more scores.

Campanaro, who also threw a touchdown pass, was part of a three-pronged backfield that included Zach Martin and Malek Redd, and which generated 4,701 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns. The Hawks scored 551 points.

As a defensive back, Campanaro was part of a unit that did not allow a touchdown pass during the entire season.

Campanaro intercepted four passes, recovered four fumbles and made 35 of his 51 tackles by himself as the Hawks allowed only 21 points in 14 games, and tied a state record with 11 shutouts.

"I think, looking back, maybe I surprised myself a little bit, being so successful against everyone," said Campanaro. "Next year, I think we all want to be known not only as among the best in the state, but also, nationally known. We want to come back and try to be the best to ever come out of River Hill."

As a result of his accomplishments, Campanaro also has received scholarship offers from Wake Forest, North Carolina and Towson, which, like Akron and Northwestern, like Campanaro as a slot receiver, running back or corner back.

The University of Maryland also has offered Campanaro -- as an athlete.

  "[Campanaro] is the fastest kid we have ever had in our program.  He just does it all and he's only a junior," said Van Deusen, whose Hawks won their fifth straight Howard County title, reached the playoffs for the fifth straight time and earned their first state title. "We are fortunate to have him back for another year."