Football preview

Even though Wilde Lake has a team capable of competing for championships, and a coach in Doug DuVall who is retiring after 34 years, the 2008 Howard County football conversation has to begin with defending Class 2A state champ River Hill. The Hawks have everything they need, and are doing all the right things, to not only repeat as state champs, but improve on last season's impossibly high standards (551-21 scoring differential, 11 shutouts).

But if any team in the county does derail the Hawks from their goal, it will be Wilde Lake. QB/DB Danny March and RB/DB Jerrel Epps form one of the few duos in the county that can hold up to the kind of Division I talent that River Hill throws at opponents -- players such as RB/DB Michael Campanaro, RB/DB Malek Redd and RB/LB Leron Eaddy.

"I think we can go all the way," said DuVall, who added that there is no more pressure to win this season than any other season. "We think we've got enough talent to really make a run at it."

With its first real senior class, headlined by RB Derek Coleman, FB Vince Testerman and WR Kyle Williams, Marriotts Ridge has the look of a playoff team that could also give River Hill and Wilde Lake a real battle.

Tip drill

In one of the biggest seasons of turnover in recent memory, nearly half the teams in the county (five) have first-year coaches. Here's how the teams look as the season begins:

Atholton

(7-3 county, 7-4 overall, 3A East playoffs)

Coach: Chuck Fales, eighth season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Jon Gardenhour (QB), Kevin Gordon (OT) and Tom Hart (WR); junior Matt Robinson (WR/FS).

Top players (defense): Seniors Steven Bean (LB/FB), Ross Durham (DE), Jake Stull (LB/RB) and Dan Williams (DL).

What you need to know: Robinson looks to be the Raiders' best athlete. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds he is a Division I prospect and will be Gardenhour's best chance for a big play in a fairly deep receiving corps. Stull will shoulder the running game, replacing Kelechi Odocha, the county's top rusher in 2007, who is now at West Point. Fales likes his defense and says the team's younger players will be a strength. The Raiders have a chance to return to the playoffs.

Key number: 243 (Odocha's carries last season. It could take several players to replace that number).

Centennial

(2-8, 2-8)

Coach: Ken Senisi, first season.

Top players (offense): Senior Greg Ortman (RB); juniors Greg Edmonds (QB) and Marcos Ocadiz (WR); sophomore Bray Benning (RB).

Top players (defense): Seniors Conor Moe (SS) and Preston Schryer (OLB); junior Kyle Young (MLB/RB).

What you need to know: The Eagles are young all around, especially on the line, where the team is starting two sophomores and its average weight is 220 pounds. They are strongest and fastest at the skill positions, with wingback Ortman, Edmonds and Young driving the offense. Ocadiz, a 6-foot-4 basketball crossover, impressed coaches in the preseason with his hands and is poised for a breakout season. Moe and Schryer look to cause many problems for teams trying to move the ball up the middle.

Key number: 13.3 (Average yards per reception last season for Ortman, who is also the team's big play threat as a kick returner).

Glenelg

(6-4, 6-4)

Coach: Butch Schaffer, third season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Ricky Dubois (RB/WR/DB) and Taylor Sones (WR/DB); juniors Shannon Maura (RB/WR/DB) and Gage Trawick (QB).

Top players (defense): Seniors Tyler Brittain (LB/RB), Billy Hall (DL/OL) and Jon Mullinix (LB/RB).

What you need to know: Positions don't mean much at Glenelg, where a running back is just as likely to go deep to catch a pass as he is to take a handoff. And just about everyone plays both sides of the ball. Brittain and Dubois are those kinds of players and Trawick should be even more efficient hitting receivers Sones and Maora as a junior. Last year's record was misleading; after starting the season 0-4 against teams that eventually made the playoffs, Glenelg finished 6-0. With size, speed, strength and seasoned players, Glenelg should pick up where it left off and make a playoff run.

Key number: 31.8 (Average points scored the last five games of 2007, compared to 6.2 over the first five).

Hammond

(1-9, 1-9)

Coach: Tim Cullen, second season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Luke Petrusic (WR/FS) and Sam Plazak (QB); juniors Roger Bryan (OL) and Taylor Kopnitsky (WR).

Top players (defense): Seniors Nate Gant (MLB/RB/WR), Anton Haynes (OLB/WR/QB) and Quinton Powell (CB/RB).

What you need to know: With two sophomores on a young, inexperienced line, the Golden Bears may be bullied by the bigger, stronger teams. Bryan, a transfer from Virginia, will help out as a starter, even though he has never played football before. They're also hurt by the loss of leading tackler Nick Walker who has moved from the area. The Bears' strong points will be speed and athleticism. Gant and Haynes have each won county championships in track. With Plazak in his third season as starting QB, Hammond should have a dangerous aerial attack.

Key number: 25 (Number of players on the roster).

Howard

(7-3, 7-4 3A East playoffs)

Coach: Bruce Strunk, first season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Mark Covington (RB/OLB), Dionté Jones (RB), Adam Mease (OL/DL) and Mike Slavotinek (OL/DL); junior A.J. Bonavitacola (RB/DB).

Top players (defense): Seniors Justin Darden (LB), Corey Ford (LB), John Lord (DE) and Brandon Yurechko (DT/OT); junior Quinn Porter (DL/OL).

What you need to know: Strunk is installing his own system at Howard, so the Lions' success could depend on how fast the team can adjust to it. The Lions have strong lines, but have a new QB (senior Chris Keenan) and inexperienced DBs, so they will run a Wing T with three different running backs on the field at all times.

Key number: 12 (Receiving touchdowns combined by Jeff Javier and Taylor Landrum (six each) last season, tops in the league for a pair of receivers).

Long Reach

(5-5, 5-5)

Coach: Pete Hughes, 13th season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Aaron Dailey (OT/DT), Urijah Johnson (RB) and Carl Joseph (RB); juniors Travis Preston (RB) and Kwasi Sarpong (RB).

Top players (defense): Seniors Pat Blackmon (CB), Michael Franklin (DT/OT) and Mark Myrick (LB); junior Rashon Sanders (DE); sophomore Phillip Rhoden (LB).

What you need to know: Sanders transferred from Texas. With eight capable rushers, Long Reach looks to run the ball quite a bit. Sarpong turned 101 carries into 688 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. For what it's worth, the Lightning blanked its opponents in two scrimmages. As juniors Dailey (280) and Franklin (330) combined to tip the scales at more than 600 pounds, giving the Lightning one of the biggest lines in the county.

Key number: 0 (Number of times that the Lightning has had a losing record since the school opened in 1996).

Marriotts Ridge

(6-4, 6-4)

Coach: Ken Hovet, third season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Tim Blair (QB), Derek Coleman (RB/DB), Chris West (TE/LB) and Kyle Williams (WR).

Top players (defense): Seniors Matt Banta (LB), Aaron Dunn (DB/RB), Jae Kim (DL/OL) and Vince Testerman (LB/FB).

What you need to know: In their first season with a formidable senior class, the Mustangs will look to make the playoffs for the first time. Coleman, Williams and Testerman give Marriotts Ridge one of the strongest sets of skill players in the county. A bigger and stronger line should push the Mustangs over the top and into the playoffs.

Key number: 275 (Points allowed by Marriotts Ridge last season, fourth most in the league. With a more mature roster, that number should go down and the number of wins should go up).

Mt. Hebron

(1-9, 1-9)

Coach: Ross Hannon, first season.

Top players (offense): Senior Jackson Jordan (RB); juniors Matt Gaines (RB), Clint Huber (QB), Michael McCarthy (WR) and Spencer Wilkins (WR).

Top players (defense): Seniors Chris Schoon (DB) and Jameson Zacharias (DB); junior Tevin Van De Cruize (DE); sophomore Jon Iwaskiw (LB).

What you need to know: Hannon is keeping it simple in his first season at Mt. Hebron, so look for the Vikings to play straightforward, grind-it-out football without the razzle dazzle. Jordan and Gaines -- a transfer -- will key the running game. Still, with several talented receivers (Wilkins led the team with 381 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2007) and Huber, up from the junior varsity, the Vikings should also be able to also mount a passing attack. Wilkins and Zacharias paired to make five interceptions last season, giving the Vikings a strong defensive backfield, though Wilkens has a knee injury.

Key number: 14.86 (Jackson's winning time in the state Class 2A 110 hurdles).

Oakland Mills

(3-7, 3-7)

Coach: Jim Riss, first season.

Top players (offense): Senior Maurice Hockaday (WR/RB); juniors Damon Daniels (WR/DB), Shamal Marryshow (WR/RB) and Neko Rynn-Mason (QB); sophomore Adam Reed (WR/RB).

Top players (defense): Seniors Glen Ashe (LB), Michael Daniel (DL), Khalil Norris (DB) and Peter Petties (LB); junior Gage Ealey (LB).

What you need to know: At 5-foot-9, Rynn-Mason will be a little more mobile than 6-foot-3 Justin Sottilare, who completed 206 passes for 2,777 yards last season and earned a scholarship to play in Canada. Rynn-Mason has 4.5 speed, but also has a group of strong receivers led by Reed, who racked up 765 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a freshman. Hockaday was the team's top kick returner last year and looks to lead the running game. The Scorpions look stronger on defense with five returning starters, four of them seniors.

Key number: 205 (Combined tackles by Ashe, Norris, Ealey and Petties in 2007).

Reservoir

(4-6, 4-6)

Interim coach: Sean Jones, first season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Tyler Howell (FB), Khoa Huynh (QB) and DeOnte Shepherd (WR/DB); junior Chris Morris (WR).

Top players (defense): Seniors Dontay Davis (MLB), Eric Schuster (DB) and Tim Willman (G); junior Yao Adantor (DL).

What you need to know: Howell missed the last three games of the 2007 season with a leg injury after scoring nine touchdowns on 452 yards rushing. His return will boost an offense that staggered in the second half of the year. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Willman is a legitimate Division I prospect. He moves to the line from TE so that he can be involved on every play.

Key number: 36.6 (Average points scored by Reservoir in the first three games of 2007, all victories. The Gators finished the season losing six of seven games while scoring an average of seven points per game).

River Hill

(10-0, 14-0, 2A state champs)

Coach: Brian Van Deusen, ninth season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Michael Campanaro (HB/CB), Malek Redd (HB/CB), Luke Hostetler (QB) and Patrick McCleaf (G/LB)

Top players (defense): Seniors Leron Eaddy (LB/HB), Ryan Griffin (S/HB) and Sean Hull (NG/C); junior Max Coale (DE/T).

What you need to know: With the seven seniors listed above, a second straight state title is reachable. River Hill has the most stacked lineup in the league, featuring a pair of backs that rushed for 3,183 yards in Campanaro (1,820) and Redd (1,363); Hostetler, who threw for 14 touchdowns; a pair of receivers (Campanaro and Eaddy) who caught 21 passes for 523 yards and 10 touchdowns; a defensive secondary, led by Campanaro and Redd, that did not allow a single touchdown pass, and strong lines led by returners Hull, McCleaf and Coale. The Hawks have won five straight county titles and have been regional champs in three straight.

Key number: 32 (Number of touchdowns scored by all-state halfback and Wake Forest signee, Campanaro last season).

Wilde Lake

(8-2, 10-3, 3A East region champs)

Coach: Doug DuVall, 34th season.

Top players (offense): Seniors Matt Bounds (C), Jerrel Epps (RB/CB/KR), Danny March (QB/CB/PR) and Lucas Place (LT); junior Christian Hough (RB).

Top players (defense): Seniors Adonis Baxter (CB), Chaz Cousins-Lee (SS/WR), JoJo Ma (LB), Conley Naiker (NG) and Juma Richards (S).

What you need to know: Look for Wilde Lake to send Doug DuVall out in style. The Wildecats have a play-making quarterback in March (1,054 combined rushing and passing yards in 2007). They have a big line of experienced seniors (Naiker is 6-foot-5, 330 pounds). They have a corps of dynamic running backs (Epps rushed for 1,268 yards and 10 scores; Hough had 74 yards on only two carries as a late-season call-up). They have a passing game (WR Steven Miller, a transfer from Montgomery County, is the team's best newcomer). They even have a kicker, senior Graham Spicer, who can hit 50-yard field goals. DuVall, who has announced he will retire this season, said this attacking defense reminds him of the old days.

Key number: 4 (The number of wins needed for DuVall to reach the 300-win plateau).

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