Maryland High School Football - Digital sports

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

Campanaro's father, Attillio, an assistant to Van Deusen whom the player said, "has coached me just about my whole life," told Michael, "I knew very on that you were very athletic, and that you had ability, that you had great coordination, and that you had desire -- all of those things."

Michael Campanaro's mother, Lisa, said of her youngest of three sons, "he believes in himself, and he inspires that in his teammates to believe in themselves and in their goals, and he's going to do something really special."

Today, as of a few minutes ago, Wake Forest University is calling Michael Campanaro it newest scholarship football committment.

Campanaro, who is 27-1 in a River Hill football uniform, and who helped to key the Hawks' run at last year's Class 2A state championship with a 14-0 record after being Class 3A state runners-up the season before at 13-1, has committed to a full scholarship to play for Wake Forest after he graduates in the spring of 2009.

"After my senior year, I'm going to be attending Wake Forest. I think it's going to be a fun time. I think that it's the right fit for me," said Campanaro, who was named The DigitalSports Overall Player of The Year for Howard County.

"With their academics, it's a no-brainer. They're up there with some of the Ivy League Schools. When I went down there, the feel was right, the campus, and the coaching staff, definitely," Campanaro said.

"What really attracted me was that Spread Offense, that's big for me. And that slot, you know, running back. I talked to a lot of their coaches, and they have a lot of big plans for me," Campanaro said. "I just feel like this is the right fit for me, and the right school, and I can't wait to start at that school."

And then, Campanaro added, "but I still have one more year left at River Hill," which he want to help to become a two-time state football champion.

The University of North Carolina, Northwestern, Akron and Towson also had offered scholarships, and Notre Dame, Syracuse, Connecticut, Maryland, Duke also were high considerations for Campanaro.

In addition, Campanaro had received letters from Notre Dame, USC, Northwestern, Illinois, Rutgers and Oregon, among others.

"Each school has been great. I'm definitely going to have a few tough phone calls to make because I developed such great relationships with so many different schools," said Michael Campanaro.

"I visited probably have of these schools, and I've been to a lot of different ones," Campanaro told DigitalSports on April 13, at his Clarkville home as he sat at his dining room table covered with the many letters from the variety of colleges and universities. "But obviously, I can only go to one."

Wake Forest "offered him as a running back or a slot back," said Campanaro's father, Attilio, in February, adding, "We have visited twice, and it could be a great fit for Mike on and off of the field."

Campanaro, who, earlier this year, became the first Maryland player to be named to participate in next year's U.S. Army All-American Bowl, said he "really had a special bond with Wake Forest and their coaching staff."

"I have Wake Forest's letter, and it's handwritten. I feel that that school's shown the most love for me," Campanaro said. "I'd like to thank my family, my parents, definitely, because they've been with me throughout the whole ride and the recruiting process."

Campanaro's selection for that game followed an excellent perform at a seven-hour-long combine one day before being on hand at The Alamo Dome for a first-hand view of the nationally-televised, U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 5.

Campanaro was considered among the top 60 performers at the combine, based on the reccomendations of US Army selection committee.

This past fall, Campanaro led the Hawks to a 14-0 record that included a state record-tying 11 shutouts and ended with a Class 2A state title-winning, 14-7 victory over Eastern Tech of Baltimore County.

Offensively, Campanaro rushed for 1,820 yards and 22 touchdowns on 205 carries, and caught 15 passes for 366 yards and six more scores for a Hawks' team that outscored its opposition by a combined, 551-to-21.

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.

Campanaro, who bench presses 290 pounds, clocked as low as a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at a number of camps last summer.

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

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

"I think my coach, Coach Van, letting me play as a sophomore, that really got me out there," said Campanaro.

"I was able to go on recruiting trips and getting invited to things because he gave me the chance to play, and I had a lot of film and people saw what I could do as a sophomore. And that really helped me out a lot."

Last summer, Campanaro attended a number of camps and combines. 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 the Hawks' strength coach, Tom Gruneberg as well as weight-training guru, Joseph Haden, whose sons, Josh, and Joe, were members of Friendly's state title-winning squad.

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.

Campanaro never has experienced a loss at River Hill, where the Hawks have a 21-game winning streak. Their last last loss in front of their home crowd was against league rival Long Reach, 15-14 on Oct. 29, 2005.

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www.digitalsports.com/article/type/state/typeid/25/id/25307.aspx by Lem Satterfield

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