FOOTBALL: River Hill-Eastern Tech preview

By Andrew Conrad
Posted: December 5, 2008

I know everyone’s a little bummed out over Wilde Lake’s loss last night. Even county rivals become each other’s fans once they’re not playing against each other. And River Hill and Wilde Lake are two teams that respect each other a lot. River Hill wants nothing more than to win one for Howard County tomorrow.

For those without their head in the game, here is where you can find the details about the Class 2A state final between River Hill (13-0) and Eastern Tech (13-0), which will be played tomorrow at 3:30 at M&T Bank Stadium. It’s a rematch of last year’s final, which River Hill won, 14-7.

The big question on everyone’s mind is, will River Hill’s Mike Campanaro play?

I e-mailed Mike’s father, Til, on Thursday night, after Mike tested the hamstring he injured in the Hawks’ semifinal victory over Century last Friday. He told me that Mike did a little running in the afternoon practice, and that it was sore. He said Mike would give it a stronger test at practice today. He also said that Mike’s status is “probable.”

It made me think of a conversation I had with Mike when he was a sophomore, after his team had lost to Friendly in the state championship — the last game the Hawks have lost.

He said, “this is gonna stay with me for a long time. Basically my whole life, I’ll always look back on this. I probably won’t sleep tonight thinking of stuff I could have done to help the team out.”

So Campanaro is going to do his best to help his team out. To what degree, is the question.

In a perfect scenario, Campanaro wakes up tomorrow morning feeling just fine — he is a teenager, after all — and plays the best game of his high school career. Realistically, he’ll probably have to play more of a limited role.

As we saw in the state semifinal, when River Hill gave up a long touchdown pass on a ball that was up for grabs, Campanaro is just as valuable to the team, if not more so, on defense. So maybe he plays the entire game at safety. River Hill has another outstanding running back in Malek Redd, who had 278 yards rushing against Century, but they don’t have another player of Campanaro’s caliber on defense. Ryan Griffin could reprise his role from last year, but then that would leave a hole at linebacker.

On offense, I think it’s safe to expect Redd to get the majority of the carries. But as we saw last night, when Wilde Lake held Penn State-bound Devon Smith to 33 yards, every exceptional running back needs a second threat to keep defenses honest.

My guess is that Griffin, who carried the ball six times when Campanaro went down against Century; Kevin Moore, who has had the fourth-most carries this season and looks to be the team’s top returning athlete next year; and maybe even Leron Eaddy, who has been nursing a fractured rib, will combine to provide the thunder to Redd’s lightning.

Quarterback Luke Hostetler also should be able to loosen up the defense with the threat of a pass, and can scramble for yardage. Campanaro might even line up on offense as a decoy once or twice, and then strike with a big play late in the game.

No matter how much Campanaro plays, River Hill is still an excellent team, with strong lines, a multi-dimensional offense and a shutdown defense. Eastern Tech is strong, too, however. It has an effective passing game, led by senior Joe Jones (12 TDs, 1 interception); a balanced running attack, led by Emmanuel Gbor (917 yards, 13 TDs) and Darian Conners (739, 16); and a defense that has recorded more than 50 (FIFTY!) sacks and four shutouts.

Scoring differential — Eastern Tech: 510-75; River Hill: 553-54.

The Predict-a-Tron 3000 broke when I tried to use it for the Wilde Lake game. It got the Westlake score right but messed up Wilde Lake’s score (four touchdowns! Boy, did I underestimate the Westlake defense…)

I’ve adjusted a few servos and sprockets, so let’s give it another shot. Each team scores one more TD than when they played each other last year in the title game. River Hill 21, Eastern Tech 14.

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FOOTBALL: Wilde Lake state final preview

By Andrew Conrad
Posted: December 4, 2008

Across the nation, former Wildecats and Doug DuVall pupils are pounding their chests and yelling, “LET’S GO!”

Tonight at 7 at M&T Bank Stadium, the Green and Gold will go for its sixth state championship in DuVall’s last game. Oh, you haven’t heard? DuVall is retiring after 36 years and more than 300 wins. He told me the other day that he’s trying to keep his retirement out of this, make this state championship game about this year’s team, etc. So to respect coach DuVall’s wishes, I will save the career retrospective until after tonight’s game, and focus on the game itself. I will throw this out, though: Towson University football coach Gordy Combs was let go; it was announced Monday. The search for his successor is on. I’ll leave it at that…

Now, to break down the battle of the ‘Lakes: Westlake (11-2) vs. Wilde Lake (12-1).

Six of the eight teams Westlake defeated during the regular season won three or fewer games, but the Wolverines have had quality wins in the playoffs, including a 37-0 shutout of Friendly, and a 24-21 win over 12-time state champion Seneca Valley last week at Seneca Valley.

The Wolverines’ two losses — to North Point (8-3) and Lackey (8-3) — indicate some vulnerability. Wilde Lake’s only loss, by comparison, was to undefeated defending state champion River Hill, 12-0, at River Hill’s homecoming.

Wilde Lake had some sloppy performances early in the season, but still managed to win those games, beating Atholton, Glenelg, Long Reach and Marriotts Ridge by a combined eight points.

Here’s the six (or four, or whatever it is) degrees of separation: Westlake lost to North Point, 24-13, which lost to Douglass, 32-10, which lost to River Hill, 21-6, which beat Wilde Lake, 12-0. Helpful? I didn’t think so.

Anyway, enough with the semantics, let’s take a look at the teams.

Westlake has Devon Smith (No. 2 in the program). He’s listed at 5 feet 7, 150 pounds, but he is FAST! He was a state champ last year in the indoor and outdoor sprints and he has been recruited to play football for Penn State. He’s the guy you need to look out for. He has scored just about all their points this season.

The Wolverines don’t have much of a passing game. Their quarterback has thrown eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and most of his passing production has come by getting the ball into the hands of Smith and allowing him to make plays.

Let’s take a look at how Wilde Lake has done against a team with a strong running attack. There’s no better example than River Hill, which features Michael Campanaro and Malek Redd.

So how did that go? Well, it was a split decision: the ‘Cats’ defense held Redd — who resembles Smith in size, speed, stature, and jersey number — to 10 yards on six carries. If they can do that against Smith, they’ll likely be state champs, and you can bet that DuVall has watched plenty of film and worked on a game plan to do just that. However, in that same game, Campanaro rushed for 175 yards (5.6 per carry). Wilde Lake held him out of the end zone, though, so the defensive effort was considered a success. It should be noted that it was rainy, windy and muddy that day. The field at M&T should be in good shape.

What it comes down to is that Wilde Lake has the players on defense to at least slow down Smith. Then Westlake’s other offensive options will have to come into play: sophomore quarterback Chris Istvan (7); 6-2, 175-pound receiver Brian Richards (20); Evan Harris (17) — who is more of a fullback-type at 6-foot, 220; and Antoine Reese (5), another mighty mite running back. They’re all good players, but Wilde Lake is used to defending against good players.

Wilde Lake, meanwhile, will look to move the ball with its own version of Devon Smith, senior Jarrel Epps (6), who is a few pounds bulkier than Smith and has put up impressive numbers. Senior Danny March gives Wilde Lake the edge at quarterback.

A big key is that, on average, the Wilde Lake line outweighs the Westlake line by about 20 pounds on offense and 30 pounds on defense. The average Wildecat is listed at 5-11, 196 pounds; the average Wolverine is 5-11, 187 pounds.

MaxPreps ranks Wilde Lake 5th and Westlake 10th.

PREDICTION: I’ve punched these numbers into the PredictaTron 3000 and after releasing some steam and expelling a few busted springs, this is what it spit out: DuVall wins his final game and closes his high school coaching career with a sixth state championship, 27-13.

Check back tonight for an injury update on Michael Campanaro, who hurt a hamstring in the state semifinal, and coverage of the Wilde Lake-Westlake game.

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FOOTBALL: Week 10 Power Rankings

By Andrew Conrad
Posted: November 6, 2008

Week 10 Power Rankings

Last week I said spots 1-2-and-3 were sure things. Then No. 4 Howard beat No. 3 Marriotts Ridge. I should have known that “sure thing” comment was going to come back to bite me in the bottom. No. 9 Reservoir also rallied to beat No. 6 Atholton on a two-point conversion on a botched extra-point attempt, 15-14. Like I said, spots 6 through 9 are too close to call. There don’t appear to be any close matchups in Week 10, so this may be the final rankings, pending playoff matchups.

Speaking of playoffs, here’s the latest: River Hill and Wilde Lake in, Marriotts Ridge out, Howard and Long Reach keeping their fingers crossed. Glenelg is in fifth place in the 1A South, but plays undefeated River Hill this week. If the Gladiators could manage that monumental upset, they would have a good chance of getting in to the dance. Like last week, all games are Friday at 7.

1. (1-last week’s ranking) River Hill. (9-0, 423 points scored, 28 points allowed)

There’s not much to learn when an undefeated team beats a team that hasn’t won a game. River Hill’s streak of shutouts ended at three? Hammond’s Golden Bears can say they’re one of only four teams to score on the state champs, so that’s a feather in their cap.

Last week: Beat Hammond (0-9), 51-6. This week: home against No. 9 Glenelg (4-5).

2. (2) Wilde Lake. (8-1, 246-123)

The Wildecats have scored exactly twice as many points as they’ve allowed. I like it when things work out nice and neat like that. After some close calls earlier in the season, Wilde Lake looks strong going into the playoffs.

Last week: Beat Centennial (4-5), 28-12. This week: at No. 6 Reservoir (5-4).

3. (5) Howard. (6-3, 262-160)

I almost want to punish the Lions with a low ranking for fouling up my precious rankings, but that would be petty. Two weeks ago, they lost to Glenelg; last week, they beat Marriotts Ridge. How am I supposed to make sense of all this? They played inspired football last week, and deserve this spot. It’s also starting to look as though they’ve earned a spot in the 3A East playoffs.

Last week: Beat Marriotts Ridge (6-3), 31-21. This week: home against No. 10 Mt. Hebron (3-6).

4. (3) Marriotts Ridge. (6-3, 271-151)

I really thought they would beat Howard. They have a more dynamic offense, they’ve been solid on defense, great special teams, and it was senior night at the Ridge. I think what it came down to was Howard was playing for a playoff spot and was more motivated. The Mustangs are going to be tested again this week at Centennial.

Last week: Lost to Howard (6-3), 31-21. This week: at No. 7 Centennial (4-5).

5. (4) Long Reach. (6-3, 213-166)

The Lightning have a chance to finish the season with a five-game win streak. Right now, they are fifth in the 3A East and only one point behind Stephen Decatur. Long Reach will be rooting for Snow Hill (6-3) to beat the 5-3 Seahawks.

Last week: Beat Mt. Hebron (3-6), 35-6. This week: home against Hammond (0-9).

6. (9) Reservoir. (5-4, 134-192)

I think I owe the Gators an apology. I had them at 6, then dropped them to 9, then they proved they should have been sixth all along. I faulted them for not beating anyone above them, but they also haven’t lost to anyone now below them (thought they don’t play Glenelg this year. It’s too bad because that would be a good game.) If only their offense could score some more points to match their excellent defense.

Last week: Beat Mt. Hebron (3-5), 22-17. This week: home against No. 2 Wilde Lake (8-1)

7. (7) Centennial. (4-5, 170-197)

Aside from a one-point loss to Atholton, everything on the Eagles’ record is about what it should be — and outside of River Hill (55-0), they’ve played everyone tough. I think they’ve even have a chance to make it close with Marriotts Ridge this week (I don’t expect them to win, though).

Last week: Lost to Wilde Lake (8-1), 28-12. This week: at No. 4 Marriotts Ridge (6-3).

8. (6) Atholton. (2-7, 171-238)

Chuck Fales has to be pulling his hair out. His Raiders have now had two one-point losses (one of them to Wilde Lake) a three-point loss, and a seven-point loss. Reservoir botched what would have been a game-tying extra point on Friday, but Andy Bushong picked up the ball and ran it in for what turned out to be the game winning two-point conversion. Atholton has won only two games, and the Raiders lost to No. 10 Mt. Hebron. So why are they ranked here? They beat Centennial and Glenelg.

Last week: Lost to Reservoir (5-4), 15-14. This week: at Oakland Mills (1-8).

9. (8) Glenelg. (4-5, 232-196)

Looking at their record, their points scored and allowed, and their win over Howard, the Gladiators really should be ranked higher. Heck, if they can somehow manage to beat River Hill this week (team-wide case of food poisoning, some sort of hare-and-tortoise scheme), they’ll even make the playoffs! But there’s just no way around their decisive losses to Atholton and Centennial.

Last week: Beat Oakland Mills (1-9), 42-7. This week: at No. 1 River Hill (9-0).

10. (10) Mt. Hebron. (3-6, 149-248)

Good ol’ Mt. Hebron. The Vikings beat Hammond and Oakland Mills to earn this spot, and then they haven’t gone and messed things up by beating any of the other teams (though they did beat Atholton in mid-September). The Vikings have been close a couple times, though (Centennial, Reservoir), and I expect them to give Howard a good fight this week. They’ve got something to build on for next year.

Last week: Lost to Long Reach (6-3), 35-6. This week: at No. 3 Howard (6-3).

On the bubble: Hammond (0-9), Oakland Mills (1-8).

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A gallery of memories

By Carol Gralia
Posted: October 21, 2008

In a few days I will be heading back to my alma mater to help it take care of some unfinished business.

Butler University has decided to honor the female athletes who represented the school before its women’s sports teams there affiliated with the NCAA. Think pre-Title IX. The ceremony will take place during homecoming weekend, and I am looking forward to it.

I went to Butler to major in zoology, but quickly switched to physical education. Naturally, the PE majors were heavily involved in intramurals and intercollegiate athletics, including playdays. Participating in women’s sports then, even at the collegiate level, wasn’t like it is now. We practiced a few times a week and had just a handful of games. Our uniforms were hand-me-downs from previous years. No warm-up suits with our names on the back; no Under Armor or other high-tech synthetic fabric. On our feet, Puma and adidas had yet to edge canvas shoes like Sperry Topsiders or Keds as the footwear of choice.

There were inequities, and we knew it. Only once or twice were we women allowed to play on the “big” floor in our historic field house. That highly glossed surface was reserved for the men’s basketball team. Our gym was the West gym, an annex with dimmer lights, smaller scoreboards and no bleachers for fans to sit in — should any come to one of our games.

We knew we were separate, and not equal, but we accepted it because that’s simply the way it was. We hadn’t realized how liberating it would be to eventually burn our bras.

Still, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to represent our school. I remember playing  basketball, volleyball, field hockey and badminton. We played for the joy and camaraderie of it.

Our field hockey team made a deal with our coach. If we went undefeated she had to buy us tunics to replace the shorts that we wore as uniforms. Real field hockey teams then wore tunics. Since we were a start-up program, she thought she was safe. To her surprise, and ours too, we managed to eke out an unbeaten season as we learned to never underestimate the power of collective desire.

I’m sure when I’m back, standing among my former teammates, we will talk about these things and about how we wish that we had the opportunities now available to female athletes.

We’ll talk about how times have changed, and how lucky we were to be able to represent our school even if it has taken decades for Butler to officially recognize us.

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30-second Time Out with …

By Brent Kennedy
Posted: October 16, 2008

… Matt Seinfeld, Wilde Lake boys soccer senior midfielder.

One of the team’s captains, Matt Seinfeld has been a big reason why Wilde Lake has produced a 7-3 county record (8-3 overall) so far this season. Already committed to the Virginia Military Institute to play soccer next fall, he has excelled offensively and defensively. Against Hammond on Oct. 15, Seinfeld scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick with 15 minutes left in the second half of what turned out to be a 2-1 Wildecat victory. A day earlier, he helped the Wilde Lake defense shut out Oakland Mills, 2-0.

TV show I can’t miss: SportsCenter
Best on-field moment: Winning state cup
Favorite pre-game song: Heart of a Champion -Nelly
Hobby no one knows that I currently or used to have: Playing Ping-Pong
If you weren’t playing soccer, what sport would you play?: Tennis
Top professional athlete role model: Tiger Woods
Favorite movie of all time: Animal House
Hardest class you ever took: Economics AP
When I grow up I want to: Play professional soccer
Pepsi or Coke: Coke

Got an idea for a ‘30-second Time Out’ question? Know a local athlete who would be an ideal candidate for a ‘30-second Time Out?’ Send your suggestions to the sports staff at howardcountysports@patuxent.com.

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