The senior from Washington Township has plenty of speed and strength. He just needs some good fortune.

"Last year was my unlucky year," Colavita said. "Maybe this year will be different."

Colavita missed most of last football season with ankle injuries. He has already missed one of the Minutemen's first three games this season after an asthma flare-up led to concerns about a heart condition and a week's worth of testing, waiting and worrying.

He was cleared to play last week and ran for a career-best 244 yards in a big victory over Rancocas Valley.

Tonight, Colavita will lead No. 5 Washington Township against No. 4 Pennsauken in an early-season showdown of Group 4 and Olympic Conference American Division unbeatens.

"He's kind of a sleeper kid because he hardly played at all last season," Washington Township coach Mark Wechter said. "But he's something special. He'll run around you, and he'll run over you."

A muscular, 5-foot-10, 205-pound athlete, Colavita is known as "B-Col" around Washington Township. He has a 100 average, lists economics as his favorite subject, and ranks 27th in a senior class of more than 700.

He's looking at Penn, Harvard and Brown as possible colleges, although Wechter expects schools such as Delaware and Villanova to make a big push for Colavita once word gets around that the former sophomore sensation is healthy as a senior - and making up for lost time.

"After last season, Brandon was so determined to make the most of his senior year," Wechter said. "He worked so hard in the off-season, rehabbing his ankles, lifting, preparing for this season.

"Last year was hard for him. He loves football. I don't think he got over it until his first snap this year."

Colavita ran for more than 1,000 yards in just eight games as a sophomore. He was an emerging star, with the look of the next big thing in Washington Township, in the loaded Olympic American, and maybe in all of South Jersey.

But he sprained his right ankle in a preseason practice as a junior, aggravated it twice in attempted comebacks, and then sprained the left one in an injury that finished his season. He ended up playing exactly one full game and parts of two others.

"That was a bad time," Colavita said. "I love the sport so much. I've been playing football since I was 5, and that was the most I ever had to sit out.

"I was happy for the team because we had a good year. But it was so tough for me to stand there on the sideline and watch."

In 13 years of playing football, Colavita ranks Washington Township's Sept. 13 opener against Winslow Township as his favorite game of all time. He was back with a vengeance, running for 180 yards and scoring a late touchdown that sealed the victory for the Minutemen.

"That was the most fun game I ever was part of," Colavita said.

Maddeningly, that exciting start was derailed by a scary stop. After a summer of tightness in his chest because of asthma, Colavita had to undergo a series of tests because of concerns that his symptoms were related to a heart condition.

Fortunately, the tests proved negative, and Colavita missed just one game. He was back in business last weekend, scoring the game's first touchdown on a 68-yard run and impressing his coach with his blocking.

"He cleated two kids on one play," Wechter said, using football jargon for knocking an opponent out of his shoes. "He cleated one kid at the point of attack, then ran downfield and cleated another one."

Pennsauken coach Reggie Lawrence has been impressed by Colavita.

"He's one of the most aggressive running backs you'll see," Lawrence said. "He's got power, and he's faster than people think. We've got our hands full trying to handle him."

Colavita knows Washington Township is facing a big challenge in Pennsauken, one of the surprise teams of September. The Indians shocked Eastern on opening day and followed that with victories over Cherry Hill East and Lenape.

It's No. 4 at No. 5. It's a clash of 3-0 teams in a game loaded with conference and playoff implications.

It's the kind of game that fills the dreams of kids who have been playing football in their hometown since they were 5.

Brandon Colavita says he won't be thinking about his run of bad luck tonight. He'll be too busy smiling as he suits up.

or panastasia@phillynews.com.