Mepham's Mayo stars at Offense-Defense football camp

For a second straight year, Mepham High School’s Peter Mayo made an impression at Offense-Defense Football Camp, and was invited to participate in the Offense-Defense Regional and National games at the Las Vegas Raiders’ and Dallas Cowboys’ stadiums, respectively, next February and March.

Mayo, a rising sophomore, was selected as the MVP of all high school quarterbacks in last week’s Offense-Defense camp held at Cantiague Park in Hicksville. Approximately 250 kids participated in the four-day event.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet and compete against other kids from Long Island,” Mayo said. “I’m happy with how I played and I know I can always improve. All of the coaches basically had the same philosophy, and they teach life skills as well as football skills.”

Mayo’s selection came three weeks after he participated in the 14th Annual Offense-Defense Bowl Week festivities at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. On June 29, the left-handed throwing quarterback completed 11 of 13 passes, including a pair of touchdowns, in one of the All-American Bowl games for underclassmen. He also played in the Regional game held in Miami last February.

“It was a very exciting experience, and I was proud to represent Mepham and Long Island,” he said. “Being on the field and looking up at the seats is a lot different than sitting in the stands at a game.”

The Offense-Defense All-American Bowl is the culmination of a weeklong worth of events, and the All-American game is just one of the many things the week encompasses. Also included is an All-Star football game showcasing 88 of the top high school seniors in the country, which once featured current NFL pros like 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, recent New England Patriots free-agent addition Cam Newton, cornerback Joe Haden of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, among others, before they were collegiate and later professional stars.

Mayo started playing football when he was 7-years-old with the Bellmore Braves. Last fall, as a freshman, Mayo started every game for Mepham’s junior varsity team and led it to a 4-4 record.

“He’s a great kid who works really hard and has all the attributes,” Mepham varsity coach Anthony Cracco said. “He’s a leader on the field and can make big plays.”

Mayo said Pat Mancini, a member of Mepham’s coaching staff, has been instrumental in helping him learn how to read defenses. Mayo is a fan of the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants, and lists former Colts star Andrew Luck, Hall of Famer Steve Young, and Miami Dolphins rookie first-round draft pick Tua Tagovailoa as players he likes to emulate.