Dons-Gaels Saturday, But Who's No. 1?

By: Keith Mills

As Loyola and Mount St. Joe's square off in a rematch of last year's MIAA Conference football co-champions Saturday at Loyola-Blakefield, many fans are debating about the best team in the area.

River Hill, coached by Brian Van Deusen, is 6-0 and ranked ninth in USA Today's Top 25 national high school poll heading into Friday's game against Marriott's Ridge. The Hawks are defending Class 2A state champs and are averaging 53 points a game behind running back Michael Campanaro, who has committed to Wake Forest.

Dunbar lost its first game of the year to Gwynn Park, 33-32, but has ripped off five wins in a row. The Poets are averaging 45 points a game after a 56-0 win over Carver last week. The team features one of the best players in the country in Tavon Austin, who rushed for 203 yards and scored three touchdowns in the win over Carver. In his four-year career, Austin has scored 107 touchdowns and rushed for more than 6,200 yards.

Then there is Loyola. The Dons play in the tough A Conference and are a perfect 6-0 with 50-point games against Edmondson and McDonogh. Now the Dons get ready to play a Mount St. Joe's team that is 4-1, with its only loss at Allegany of Cumberland, historically one of the state's best teams.

Issue 3.42: Oct. 16, 2008