After losing a wrestling match earlier this winter, Portage senior Anthony Maceo realized he had reached a crossroads.
“I knew I could beat that guy, but my shoulder was holding me back,” he said. “At that point, I had to make a decision. I wanted to play college football, but I had to let my shoulder heal. I was rushing it.”
Maceo was a state qualifier in wrestling as a junior, but also was a heavily recruited football prospect after starring as a quarterback in Portage’s option offense.
And when his separated shoulder — an injury suffered in late October — hampered his wrestling ability, Maceo opted to rest that shoulder and focus on football.
Now, Maceo is fulfilling his dream of playing Division I football by joining this year’s class of recruits committed to Valparaiso University. He was thrilled about the opportunity to play so close to his friends and family.
“In the long run, I guess everything turned out positive for me,” he said.
After guiding VU to its first winning season since 2003, coach Dave Cecchini said he took a different approach to recruiting this time.
“We have a lot of returning players,” Cecchini said. “In years past, when our depth wasn’t quite the same, we were looking for players who’d come in and play as freshmen. This is the first class where we didn’t have to take that type of mentality.”
The incoming class includes 28 players from nine states, stretching from Florida to California, indicative of the wide net Cecchini has wanted to cast as part of his recruiting efforts.
Along with Maceo, two more Region players will be Crusaders next season: defensive lineman Adrian Guzman and defensive back Michael Scarsella, both from Valparaiso.
“We’re excited about our local guys,” Cecchini said. “They have tremendous upside. Scarsella is a tall, rangy defensive back who has the body and athleticism to play a number of different positions. Guzman is just growing into his body and had a great senior year.”
Guzman will be following multiple family members to the school. His older sister, Alejandra, is a senior at VU and his mother, Marcie, works in the science department after serving as an administrative assistant for the football team.
“I was always surrounded by VU, so that helped,” Guzman said. “I really got to know the coaches well, and it’s a great group. I got to meet and hang out with some of the football players, and they’ve been telling me great things about the program.”
Scarsella is coming off a knee injury suffered at the end of his high school season. Cecchini said it was likely both Scarsella and Guzman would take redshirt seasons as freshmen.
Maceo will be a running back at VU. Cecchini said the graduation of leading rusher Jarrett Morgan means Maceo could find playing time as a freshman.
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Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.