WHO NEEDS THE SPOTLIGHT?
Steel-High quarterback excelled without the attention
By Joshua Funk
For PA Football News
It’s probably safe to say that Andre Campbell was the least talked about quarterback in the whole landscape of Pennsylvania high school football this season.
Everyone was focused on Campbell’s backfield mate, Jeremiah Young, and his quest for the state’s career rushing record.
Even after Young surpassed the record a month ago in the district title game against Camp Hill, the question shifted to something like, “Will he hit 9,000 (career rushing yards)?”
Campbell even admitted it himself after Steel-High claimed its second PIAA football title with a 35-16 victory over Clairton.
“Jeremiah makes it easy for me,” Campbell said. “Sometimes, I’ll score, and everybody’s chasing Jeremiah.”
Fair enough. Young, the state’s only career 9,000-yard rusher, would draw a lot of attention for obvious reasons. But what made Steel-High so very dangerous during this latest PIAA title run – and the one last year, was the play of Mr. Campbell.
Consider it a multi-pronged attack, if you will. Campbell was the dual-threat quarterback, which has become the standard among the high school quarterbacks of the present day.
Campbell entered the state title game against Clairton having thrown for 994 yards while adding 517 yards rushing. He accounted for 15 total touchdowns.
It wasn’t just this 2008 season - #10 put up solid numbers in 2006 and 2007 as a sophomore and a junior, respectively, leading the Rollers to District 3 titles and the state playoffs each year.
He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in passing yardage and hit over 400 rushing yards each of the last three seasons, an impressive feat to say the least.
But it was his performance in the state title game that will have people talking. He accounted for four touchdowns, running for three and throwing for another. He tallied 129 yards of offense (all passing), while carrying the ball 10 times for zero yards.
“Andre made big, big plays for us,” Rollers’ head coach Rob Deibler said.
Big isn’t an understatement. Clairton had played Steelton-Highspire extremely tough through the first 24 minutes, outgaining the defending PIAA champs 179-73, an ratio of 2.45:1.
The locker room at halftime, Campbell said, was silent.
“Nobody said anything. No players, no coaches,” Campbell said. “Actions speak louder than words.”
That formula equaled one of the most dominating quarters of any state title game. Campbell’s 56-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Smith broke the 8-8 tie, giving Steel-High a lead it wouldn’t give back.
Again, remember how #10 said things were easy for him because of Mr. Young? Consider that sound byte as he broke down that scoring pass.
“On that play, I play-actioned it (to Jeremiah) and the receiver was wide open,” Campbell said. “Once we did that, I knew it was enough for our defense.”
But just to be sure it was enough, Campbell added three touchdown runs and a two-point conversion. His scoring runs of 5, 5 and 1 yard ballooned the Rollers’ lead to a commanding 35-8.
Campbell said the Steelton senior class of athletes, one of which he is a part, had a goal of four PIAA championships when they were in eighth grade.
“Right now, though, we’ve only got three (titles),” Campbell said. “We need one more. We’re not happy – we’ve got some unfinished business.”
Steel-High can finish that business on the basketball court this spring. No PIAA team has ever won back-to-back football and basketball titles in consecutive academic years.
And for this football-crazed borough, owners of 679 all-time victories, nine District 3 championships, and now a pair of PIAA titles, life is very, very good.
They’ve done it with the motto of their quarterback.
Actions do speak louder than words.