After suffering through a 2-9 football season last fall, Towson State went after some immediate help with this year's recruiting class, announcing five junior-college players among the 10 players it signed yesterday.
Yesterday was the the first day of the National Collegiate Athletic Association football signing period, which ends April 1.
Four of the five junior-college signees are defenders. The Tigers are seeking help for a defense that allowed 336 points.
Mike Curico (6 feet 2, 260 pounds) of Nassau (N.Y.) Community College and Bill Fisher (6-3, 270) of Camden (N.J.) County College are defensive linemen. Dan Smith (6-0, 235) of Dean Junior College in Massachusetts is a linebacker, and Russell Stoner (5-11, 190) of Potomac State College in West Virginia is a defensive back.
The other junior-college signee is split end Steve Wilkerson (6-0, 180) of Montgomery-Rockville College.
Among Towson State's high school signees are John Swigart (5-11, 215), a fullback and linebacker from Overlea, and Dan Crowley (6-1, 175), a quarterback from DeMatha, which was ranked nationally last season.
The other signees are two split ends from Virginia -- Marcellus Campbell (5-10, 160) of Petersburg High and Dedin Witherspoon (5-11, 180) of Newport News High -- and linebacker Dan Nate from Gateway Regional High in Woodbury, N.J.
All 20 recruits from whom Maryland had received oral commitments signed national letters of intent.
The group, rated as the best in coach Joe Krivak's four years, includes at least five blue-chip players. Among them are the two top quarterbacks in Pennsylvania, Tom Marchese of Dunmore High and Scott Milanovich of Butler High.
Maryland also signed running backs Larry Washington of Randallstown High and Raphael Wall of Wilde Lake.
Four players signed with Morgan State, including Ernest Johnson (6-0, 275), a lineman from DeMatha.
The others were: Oxon Hill linebacker Ronald Dixon (6-2, 230), Gwynn Park quarterback James Perkins (6-3, 175) and Anthony Byrd (6-2, 150), a defensive lineman from Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy.
Several local high school players signed yesterday, including a few who had not previously announced.
They included running back Obie Barnes Jr. and offensive lineman John Samuels, who signed with Hampton University, and offensive lineman Brian Bailey, who signed with Bowie State as did Alex Galiani, a fullback from Towson. Hammond wide receiver Cliff Epps signed with James Madison.
Nationally, traditional powers Penn State, Michigan and Florida State did especially well, said Allen Wallace, publisher of SuperPrep magazine.
"Penn State got the best group of running backs, some great people on the offensive line and a couple of outstanding linebackers," Wallace said.
Florida State's recruits include three home-state stars -- running back Marquette Smith, offensive lineman Greg Frey and defensive back Derrick Brooks. SuperPrep rated each as the best in the nation at his position.
Other schools with excellent recruiting classes were Georgia, Washington, Colorado, Texas A&M;, Texas, Auburn, Tennessee, Southern Cal, UCLA and Iowa.
The Associated Press and Mike Preston of The Sun's sports staff contributed to this article.
Morgan, Towson signings
Morgan State
Player . . . . . . .School . . . . . .. . .. . Pos.
Ronald Dixon. . . .Oxon Hill High. . . . .. . LB
James Perkins. . . .Gwynn Park High . . . .. . QB
Anthony Byrd III. ..Fork Union (Va.) Academy. . DL
Ernest Johnson. . . DeMatha High. . . . . . . . OL
Towson State Marcellus Campbell..Petersburg (Va.) High. . . .SE
Dan Crowley. . . . DeMatha High . . . . . . . . QB
Mike Curico. . . . Nassau (N.Y.) CC. . . . . . DL
Bill Fisher. . . . .Camden (N.J.) CC . .. . . . .DL
Dan Nate . . . . . Gateway Region High. . . . . LB
Dan Smith. . . . . Dean (Mass.) JC. . . . . . . LB
Russell Stoner . . .Potomac (W.Va.) College . . .DB
John Swigart. . . . Overlea High. . . . . . . FB/LB
Steve Wilkerson. . Mont.-Rockville College. . . SE
Dedin Witherspoon. .Newport News (Va.) High. . . SE
Area signings
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All-Metro first team
Player. . . . . High school. . . . . Pos.. . . . College
Josh Austin. . Forest Park. . . . . OL. . . . . Wake Forest
Obie Barnes. . Forest Park. . . . . RB. . . . . Hampton U.
Jamal Cox. . . Gilman. . . . . . . LB. . . . . Georgia Tech
Juan Dorsey. . .Glenelg. . . . . . . SE. . . . . James Madison
Lenard Marcus. .Poly. . . . . . . .. DB. . . . . Stanford
Ernest Rhoney. .City. . . . . . . . .OL. . . . . Minnesota
Ricky Rowe. . . Wilde Lake. . . . .. DB. . . . . Penn State
Korey Singleton. Oakland Mills. . . . RB/LB. . . Northwestern
Joe Speed . . . . Dundalk. . . . . . DB. . . . Navy
Raphael Wall. . . Wilde Lake . . . . RB. . . . .Maryland
Kevin Washington. Dunbar. . . . . . . TE. . . . Maryland
Larry Washington. Randallstown. . . . RB . . . . Maryland
Others
Brian Bailey. . . Forest Park. . . . OL. . . . .Bowie State
Cliff Epps. . . . .Hammond. . . . . . SE. . . . .James Madison
Alex Galiani. . .. Towson. . . . . . FB. . . . .Bowie State
Joe Guyton. . . . Wilde Lake. . . . DB. . . . .Delaware
John Samuels. . . . Forest Park. . . .OL. . . . Hampton U.
Antwaine Smith. . . Poly. . . . . . . DB. . . . . Northeastern
John Swigart. . . . Overlea. . . . RB/LB. . . . . Towson State