The River Hill boys? basketball team?s first practice is still more than three weeks away, but the defending 3A champions already have suffered two major losses.
Junior guards Michael Campanaro and Leron Eaddy, two of the team?s best players, told The Examiner on Sunday they will not play this season so they can each focus on earning a college football scholarship.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Campanaro and the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Eaddy were the starting guards who helped lead the Hawks to their first state title last winter by defeating Bethesda Chevy-Chase in the state final at Comcast Center. This year, they were expected to join senior Zach Serleth to lead a squad that graduated starters Tommy Brenton and Daniel Hostetler from last year?s team that finished a school-record 23-5.
“It was a tough decision, but I need to be in the best position I can when I go to combines in the spring,” said Campanaro, who is regarded by recruiting experts as one of the nation?s top junior football players. “I want to be bigger, faster and stronger, so I?m going to spend three months working out. I love basketball and I?ve played it since I was 5, but football is where my future is.”
Eaddy also is considered a player who has the potential to compete in college. Eaddy, a linebacker, and Campanaro, a running back and safety, are both standouts on top-ranked River Hill?s football team, which improved to 7-0 on with a 41-0 victory over Atholton on Friday.
“It wasn?t really that hard of a decision,” Eaddy said. “Football is my main sport. We talked to Coach [Matt Graves] and he said he understood. Mike and I might come back to play basketball our senior year, but we?ll have to see.”
Graves could not be reached for comment.
