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St. Petersburg Catholic OL Jon Halapio has committed to Florida, said the school's athletic director, John Gerdes. Halapio also had offers from USF, UCF, FIU, Troy, UCF and Colorado State. According to Gatorbait.net, Halapio was named the offensive line MVP last month at the Gainesville Nike Camp. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds.
Plant quarterback Aaron Murray recently committed to Georgia. Alonso defensive tackle Demonte McAllister plans to trim his list of potential colleges to five very soon. Meantime, over at Armwood star defensive end Ryne Giddins, generally regarded as one of the area's three best prospects in the Class of 2009, is taking his time. In fact, he said Tuesday he has no favorite and has no intention of naming a leader or leaders any time soon.
"Everybody is the same right now," Giddins said.
At present time, "everybody" includes schools such as Florida, Florida State and Miami, all of which have offered scholarships. Giddins said he's "open" to any school and plans to take all of his allotted official visits this fall. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Giddins was the Times' Hillsborough Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.
--KEITH NIEBUHR
Remember when Nebraska was good? Back then the Cornhuskers did their best to recruit speed from the Sunshine State (think Tommie Frazier of Bradenton). Well, Nebraska, under first-year coach Bo Pelini (formerly the defensive coordinator at LSU), apparently is hoping to sink its teeth into the Tampa area. Last week, the 'Huskers offered a scholarship to Gaither running back Jarvis Giles. And today, they've offered Alonso defensive tackle Demonte McAllister. Either one would be a significant catch for Nebraska as it tries to re-enter the national scene. Both players are heralded prospects.
--KEITH NIEBUHR
Three Wharton football standouts -- Andrew Clifford, Jairus Jones and Hunter Stout, are starting to get serious attention from college coaches. As of this posting, none of the seniors-to-be have scholarship offers, but according to Wharton's staff that is likely to change during spring practice.
Here's the 411 on each ...
-Clifford, a 6-3, 205-pound QB, has strong interest from UCF, USF and Nebraska. The Cornhuskers, in fact, were in town today to watch video of him. Clifford performed well at a QB camp today in Alabama, and that could generate more action on the recruiting front.
-Jones, a 6-2, 205-pound strong safety, has UCF, USF, Florida and Nebraska interested. Florida spent two hours at Wharton practice Friday -- just to watch him. Jones' father, James Jones, played running back for the Gators in the early 1980s (many still remember his game-winning one-handed TD catch against Miami at Florida Field) and later was a starter in the NFL.
-Stout, a 6-4, 265-pound offensive lineman, is on the radars of UCF, FAU and Alabama.
--KEITH NIEBUHR
Alonso star Demonte McAllister can add two colleges to his ever-growing list of schools to have offered him a scholarship -- Alabama and Troy. 'Bama, which is coached by former LSU and Miami Dolphins head honcho Nick Saban, produced one of the country's top recruiting classes in February. McAllister, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive tackle, is a Rivals.com 250 prospect for the Class of 2009. Southern Cal offered him last week.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Boston College extended a scholarship offer to Hillsborough running back Lindsey Lamar on Monday, joining USF and Toledo. On Tuesday, Lamar called USF the favorite, but said not to count out Georgia. The Bulldogs are recruiting him in two sports -- football and track. As a sprinter, Lamar (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) is one of the state's best. He won regional titles last week in the 100 and 200 meters. In the process, he posted a career-best time of 10.35 seconds in the 100. Lamar is a standout tailback for the Terriers, but given his size and athleticism it wouldn't be a stretch for him to get a look at cornerback in college. "I can play anything," Lamar said. "I'm an athlete."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
If you follow recruiting, you'll love this story ...
In a recent article, Illinois coach Ron Zook (yeah, that guy) complained about a new rule that banned Division I-A head football coaches from recruiting during the current open period. But then he took things a step further by saying that recruiting websites work with the schools they cover to sway recruits. "Well, you know what a lot of them are saying," Zook told the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Ill.). "They're selling their school to these kids, and we're not able to talk to them. To me, we're losing this thing, in my opinion."
Rivals.com editor-in-chief Bobby Burton was quick to respond. And in doing so, he fired back at Zook -- and college coaches in general. He wrote: "Is the media or an Internet site such as Rivals.com perfect? No, we're not. But our eight-year record of following rules and acting judiciously is far better than that of several NCAA member institutions and the NCAA coaching fraternity as a whole." (You can read Burton's entire response to the Zooker HERE)
So tell me, who's right in this debate -- Zook or Burton?
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
What arguably is the biggest scholarship offer to a local football player in the Class of 2009 to date came today when national power Southern Cal extended one to Alonso star Demonte McAllister, the standout defensive tackle told the Times. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound McAllister already had offers from the likes of Florida, Florida State and Miami, but this has added significance because USC typically has its pick of players on the West Coast.
Rivals.com rates McAllister as the country's 131st best prospect. As a junior, he earned Times All-County honorable mention honors. Ravens coach Mike Heldt said last week McAllister would name his five finalists sometime shortly after the conclusion of spring practice, which ends in late May.
Florida State was the first to offer, and in February McAllister told the Times he was "leaning" toward the Seminoles. But according to Heldt, McAllister has an open mind and plans to take several official visits in the fall.
Southern Cal already has 10 commitments from players in the Class of 2009, including quarterback Matt Barkley, the country's consensus No. 1 recruit. Every player currently committed to the Trojans is from California.
"We're obviously excited," Alonso coach Mike Heldt said. "It's an honor that they think that highly of them. Demonte is a pretty good football player, so I'm not all that amazed he got an offer from Southern Cal. He can play for them."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
In continuing the trend of early commitments, Wesley Chapel lineman Kamran Joyer will announce his college choice June 21 at a party to celebrate his decision. Tennessee remains the No. 1 choice for the junior, but Joyer will visit South Carolina and Georgia during the second week of June. Florida and USF are also on his list of schools.
-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com
The recruitment of Armwood quarterback Mywan Jackson has picked up dramatically in recent weeks. "He is really skyrocketing," Hawks coach Sean Callahan said. Jackson (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) currently has about a dozen scholarship offers. South Carolina, Louisville and Middle Tennessee State are the latest to join the mix. Previously, he had offers from Nebraska and North Carolina.
Jackson is primarily being recruited as an athlete, which means he likely would end up at either wide receiver or defensive back given his size, speed and agility. But Callahan said Middle Tennessee State is recruiting him solely as a quarterback.
Also at Armwood. ... Hawks defensive back Angelo Hadley, who now has about 25 offers, picked one up from Auburn last week.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
For the most part, Hillsborough offensive lineman Darren Baker has flown under the recruiting radar. But that probably is about to change.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Baker, a two-year starter at tackle for the Terriers, told the Times on Thursday he has received strong interest from USF, Kansas and LSU and is under the impression a scholarship offer could be coming from one of them very soon.
"USF told me they like me a lot," Baker said.
Does Baker have Division I-A talent?
"Yes," said his former Hillsborough teammate, Moses McCray, who will play for Florida State this fall. "He's a real good pass blocker. He just needs to keep working hard."
Baker said his goals during the next few months are to improve his GPA, get stronger and add a little weight.
--KEITH NIEBUHR
Flavarsity.com has released its list of the state's top 100 football recruits for the Class of 2009. And as one would expect, several locals made it. They are:
No. 5. Aaron Murray, QB, Plant
No. 10. Ryne Giddins, DL, Armwood
No. 23. Petey Smith, LB, Armwood
No. 29. Orson Charles, TE, Plant
No. 31. Demonte McAllister, DL, Alonso
No. 43. Kamran Joyer, OL, Wesley Chapel
No. 46. Jarvis Giles, RB, Gaither
No. 52. Adaris Bellamy, RB, Dunedin
No. 54. Angelo Hadley, DB, Armwood
No. 58. Dontavious Pyron, DL, Chamberlain
No. 61. Dontae Aycock, QB, Chamberlain
You can find the complete list here.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Heralded Gaither tailback Jarvis Giles has picked up a scholarship offer from Clemson, Gaither coach Mark Kantor said Thursday. That's his 15th offer. Troy and North Carolina offered him earlier this week, following such programs as Florida, Florida and Tennessee. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound running back is rated as the 153rd best prospect in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com. He has produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
As we speak, Plant quarterback Aaron Murray, whom Rivals.com rates as the No. 43 prospect for the Class of 2009, is in California on an unofficial visit to UCLA. He left Tampa on Wednesday and will return Friday.
UCLA is one of three PAC-10 schools to have offered Murray a scholarship, Plant coach Bob Weiner said. The others are Oregon and Stanford.
The UCLA offer is significant largely because Bruins head coach Rick Neuheisel is considered to be one of the sport's elite QB coaches. It's worth noting that Neuheisel once played quarterback for the Bruins.
For those of you concerned about Murray missing class, don't be. His GPA is in the 4.9 range.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Brandon guard Tarron Stewart has one Division I scholarship offer, and it appears likely he will have a second fairly soon, Eagles coach Mark Hermann said. Longwood, which is located in Virginia, was the first to pull the trigger. Now, it looks like the Citadel will do the same. Stewart is expected to visit the school sometime in April. "Any time you bring a kid in on a visit, there's pretty much an offer on the table," Hermann said. The Citadel plays in the Southern Conference, the same league as Davidson, which just reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Stewart, a 6-foot guard, averaged 16 points a game as a senior for the Eagles, who reached the Class 5A final four. He led Brandon with 16 points in a state semifinal loss to Lakewood.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Tampa Prep senior forward David Waller, a first-team Times all-county pick, has committed to Amherst College, Tampa Prep coach Joe Fenlon confirmed Monday. The 6-foot-6 standout picked the Division III power over Princeton and Penn. The Lord Jeffs won the Division III national title in 2007 and were the national runnersup in 2008.
"They're perennial top five in the country," Fenlon said.
Waller averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds a game as a senior. He helped lead the Terrapins to the playoffs.
"He made the decision early on that he was looking only at highly academic institutions," Fenlon said. "He had many opportunities. He could have signed with mid-Division I programs. But he and his family know that eventually the ball is going to stop bouncing. Going to Amherst will open a lot of doors for him later in life."
Waller visited the school in November.
"I didn't want to try to play for an Ivy League championship and hopefully get in the NCAA Tournament," Waller said. "At Amherst, they play for a national championship every year. And the academics are fantastic."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Gaither running back Jarvis Giles has picked up scholarship offers No. 13 and 14. The latest teams to get into the mix? Troy and North Carolina. Because Giles, a 5-foot-11, 178-pound running back, already has offers from schools such as Florida and Florida State, this might not seem all that significant. But at the Times, it is. You see, two members of our staff are proud Troy alums -- high school sports editor Traci Johnson and staff writer Joey Knight. If by chance Giles makes a visit to Troy, Johnson suggests he check out the following eateries: Half-Shell, which also is a good place to catch a game, and either Mossy Grove (a converted 1850s schoolhouse) or Sisters' Restaurant, both of which are known for their fantastic Southern Cooking.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Standout Jesuit keeper Max Renaldo is close to picking a college. Right now, the senior has two schools in mind -- the Naval Academy and Loyola (Maryland). Renaldo, a Times first-team all-county selection after helping lead Jesuit to the Class 5A final four, recently visited Loyola, Jesuit coach Bob Bauman said Wednesday. In 30 games as a senior, Renaldo allowed only 11 goals while pitching 17 shutouts.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Josh Menendez, a midfielder for the Jesuit boys soccer team and one of the county's best players in the clutch, has committed to Stetson. A second-team Times all-county pick, Menendez helped lead the Tigers to back-to-back final fours as a two-year starter. This past season, he scored 15 goals -- third best on the team -- for a squad that went 27-3 and was nationally ranked at one time. In Jesuit's region final win against Bradenton Southeast, he scored twice. In the previous round against East Lake, he scored the game-winning goal. "I think he's a Division-I level player," Jesuit coach Bob Bauman said. "I think they can find a position for him on the field and he'll do a good job for them, like he did for us last year."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Jefferson running back Jamil Crews, one of the county's top dual-threat backs last fall, has signed with Division I-AA Bucknell. As a senior, Crews earned Times all-county honorable mention honors. He rushed for more than 500 yards and had 38 catches for 600-plus receiving yards. Bucknell plays in the Patriot League. The Bison went 3-8 last season. Former Robinson star Marcello Trigg is the team's starting quarterback.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Spencer Cavalieri, a standout offensive lineman for Gaither, will attend Marist College, Gaither coach Mark Kantor said. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Cavalieri was a second-team Times All-Suncoast selection. Behind his blocking, touted Gaither tailback Jarvis Giles rushed for more than 1,000 yards last fall. The Cowboys reached the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs. In college, Cavalieri most likely will play center.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Veteran Chamberlain football coach Billy Turner doesn't get wrapped up in recruiting rankings, so it wasn't a big deal to him when Chiefs defensive tackle Dontavious Pyron was named to the Rivals.com Top 250 for the Class of 2009. That said, he believes the 6-foot-1, 285-pound Pyron is deserving of any praise he gets.
"I go by what other coaches say," Turner said. "And every coach I see in this county talks about this kid. They all brag about how good he is."
Rivals.com ranks Pyron No. 132 among all prospects. On that list, he trails only two locals -- Plant quarterback Aaron Murray (No. 43) and Alonso defensive lineman Demonte McAllister (No. 128).
"He's a terrific player," Turner said. "He has been since his sophomore season. Last year, he pretty much dominated every game he played in. He never gets blocked. He plays hard and he's really quick."
Turner said Pyron compares favorably to former Chiefs defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, who played at Florida State and is now in the NFL.
"I think this year, he'll do as much for us as Bunkley did when he was a senior," Turner said.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Rivals.com, one of the country's most well-known recruiting websites, has released its list of the top 250 football prospects for the Class of 2009. And it was no surprise to find several locals on it. Here they are, along with their Rivals.com ranking ...
43. Aaron Murray, Plant, QB
128. Demonte McAllister, Alonso, DL
132. Dontavious Pyron, Chamberlain, DL
148. Orson Charles, Plant, TE
153. Jarvis Giles, Gaither, RB
176. Adaris Bellamy, Dunedin, RB
183. Dontae Aycock, Chamberlain, QB/ATH
189. Petey Smith, Armwood, LB
204. Ryne Giddins, Armwood, DL
In your opinion, whom did Rivals.com miss, who's rated too high and who's too low? Personally, I'm a little shocked Giddins isn't more toward the top. I haven't seen a better player in the bay area.
What do you all think?
--KEITH NIEBUHR
Jake Hunter, who did a little bit of everything last fall for the Cambridge football program, has committed to Midland Lutheran College, an NAIA program in Fremont, Nebraska. Hunter played on the offensive line, saw action at tight end and played on the defensive line for the Lancers. He is expected to play tight end in college. Midland's coaches became aware of Hunter after he participated in a recent combine at East Bay. Hunter will make it official when he signs with the program March 27 at the school.
-KEITH NIEBUHR
According to Gaither coach Mark Kantor, another scholarship offer has just arrived for heralded Cowboys running back Jarvis Giles ... (No, we're not going to post something every time he gets a new offer, but this one is big) ... It came from Arkansas, which if you didn't know has produced a bunch of great running backs through the years (you're heard of Darren McFadden haven't you?). By the way, that's now 12 offers for the 5-foot-11, 178-pound Giles, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher. If Giles, a junior, ends up signing with the Hawgs, lets all pray we never see him riding in this thing.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Will Plant quarterback Aaron Murray be the county's most highly recruited football player in the Class of 2009? Maybe. Maybe not. The way things are looking, three standouts could give him a run for that title -- defensive end Ryne Giddins of Armwood, linebacker Petey Smith of Armwood, and last but not least, defensive tackle Demonte McAllister of Alonso.
On Tuesday, McAllister picked up what arguably is his biggest scholarship offer to date when national champion LSU pulled the trigger (McAllister confirmed the offer to the Times). Auburn, Florida, Florida State (the first to jump on board), Georgia and Tennessee are some of the other programs that previously offered. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder is preparing for his college boards as we speak. He is scheduled to take the ACT in April and will take the SAT sometime after that.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR & JOE SMITH
Gaither running back Jarvis Giles can add another name to the list of schools that have offered him a scholarship: Duke. Gaither coach Mark Kantor said the Blue Devils have joined the likes of Florida, Florida State, Boston College, Tennessee and UCF -- all of which previously offered Giles, who is 5-foot-11, 178 pounds and considered one of the state's fastest player. Giles will enter his senior season gunning for his third straight 1,000-yard effort.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Brandon guard Tarron Stewart has received his first Division I scholarship offer. It came from Longwood, which is located in Virginia, Brandon coach Mark Hermann said. As a Division I independent, the Lancers don't belong to a conference, but their schedule this season included games against Boston College, George Washington, Indiana, Kent State and Virginia.
The team is 9-22.
Stewart, a 6-foot guard, averaged 16 points a game as a senior for the Eagles, who reached the Class 5A final four. He led Brandon with 16 points in a state semifinal loss to Lakewood. Longwood coaches are expected to visit with Stewart soon. Stewart also has interest from Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Boston University and South Carolina-Upstate.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
National signing day was a month ago, but the recruiting game continues for many in the class of 2008. At King, for example, outgoing coach Earl Garcia III reports that three Lion seniors, each of whom played in the county's all-star game, should know their college destinations within the next month. They are ...
Joe Level, DL: He's looking at Division II schools Mars Hill, Missouri S&T and Wingate.
Jarrel Livingston, DB: He has a full-ride offer from NAIA Cumberland.
Mike Jones, LB: Jones has Division III schools such as Methodist, Mount Union and Southwest Baptist interested.
If and when they sign, we'll let you know.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
If Vinny Zaccario doesn't own a winter coat, now's probably a good time to grab one. One week from today, Zaccario, a standout kicker at Newsome, will make an official visit to Division I-AA Idaho State. The Bengals, as the Times reported two weeks ago, offered him a scholarship last month. Zaccario continues to talk with I-A programs such as Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Memphis and Tennessee, but according to his mother there are no other scholarship offers. As a senior, Zaccario was six of nine on field-goal attempts with a long of 47. He had touchbacks on 26 or his 29 kickoffs. He was a Times all-county selection.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
John Weatherford never questioned if he would play football again. The Land O'Lakes senior suffered a season-ending knee injury on the third day of preseason practice, and he forecasted the end of his high school career. He also told the Times in August, "I'm going to play in college for sure."
Fast forward seven months: Weatherford orally committed to West Georgia on Thursday. Maybe he should consider studying meteorology?
Weatherford also received an offer from New Hampshire, which proved to be too far from home, and invitations to walk on at Florida and UCF where older brother Joe is a quarterback. He also is the younger brother of Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford, who was recruited by West Georgia coach Daryl Dickey.
The idea of Weatherford - a 6-foot-2, 210-pound running back/receiver - receiving any offers seemed crazy after he missed an entire season. Land O'Lakes coach John Benedetto credits Weatherford's success during his sophomore and junior years. As a junior he rushed for 264 yards on 49 carries and logged 102 tackles.
"He never gave up hope," Benedetto said. "He was down for
quite a while, but he rallied and worked hard."
-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com
Kamran Joyer
wants to make an oral commitment sooner than later and after a visit to
Tennessee last weekend the Vols could end up landing the Wesley Chapel
lineman before June, his father Jack Joyer said.
Yes, Kamran
was turned on by the gleaming facilities and monstrous Neyland Stadium,
which seat more than 102,000 fans. But the true draw has been
Tennessee's commitment to the 6-foot-3, 320-pounder. Joyer's first official offer came from the Vols in January when
Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer made a personal call to Jack Joyer to
extend an offer to his son.
That was preceded by a personal on-campus visit by Florida coach Urban
Meyer, who came through the bay area and made a stop at Wesley Chapel.
Meyer's visit impressed the Joyers making Florida their top choice. But
two issues could prompt Kamran to pick Tennessee
* Kamran wants to make a commitment by the end of his junior
year. Tennessee has offered him, and Florida has not. Gators assistant
Dan Mullen has told Jack Joyer that Florida likely won't offer Kamran
until a planned June visit. The only problem there is Florida has
reportedly offered another pair of linemen.
"The in-state people (Florida) aren't stepping up," Jack Joyer said. "He's (Kamran) kind of turned off by that.
He wants someone who wants him right now. We don't want to do a tryout."
* Kamran also wants to play college
ball with younger brother Hunter, who is a Wesley Chapel freshman. Tennessee has
expressed interest in pursuing Hunter, who is a fullback. Florida likes
Hunter as well, but the Gators' offense isn't fullback friendly.
Kamran is on pace to graduate in December, and he wants to be on campus
at whatever school he chooses in January. His parents plan to buy a
condominium near whatever school he picks. Joyer currently lists his
choices in order as Tennessee, Notre Dame and Florida.
Also of note, scouts from the 2009 Army All-American Bowl game have
been in touch with Wesley Chapel coach John Castelmare and have asked
for highlights of Kamran.
-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com
First, Tennessee and UCF offered scholarships to Gaither running back Jarvis Giles. Then Florida, Florida International, South Carolina and Florida State followed suit.
And now, Boston College has joined the club, Gaither coach Mark Kantor confirmed Thursday.
The 5-foot-11, 178-pound Giles has rushed for 1,000-plus yards each of the past two seasons, but some thought his lack of size might hurt his recruitment. The fact that has not been the case likely has to do with his speed. Giles was fourth at the 2007 state track and field meet in the 100-meter dash (10.86 seconds).
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Blake forward Chanele Patton does not yet have any scholarship offers, but Yellow Jackets coach Calvin Barr thinks it might only be a matter of time before that happens. Patton currently has interest from St. Leo and Hillsborough Community College. She is expected to visit St. Leo soon.
"St. Leo has been looking at her for quite some time," Barr said.
The 5-foot-9 Patton averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds a game in leading Blake to a 17-8 record. She has shown the ability to score both inside and outside the paint. Patton and several of the county's other top talents will compete in the United Negro College Fund All-Star Basketball Game Classic on Friday night at Jefferson.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Jo Dragotta, a standout forward for the Gaither girls soccer team, has committed to the Florida Gators. And she's only a junior.
"Technically, tactically and athletically, she has all the tools to be a very good Division I prospect," Gaither coach George Fotopoulos said. "She might be the best forward I've seen coming out of this area."
That's saying something.
Fotopoulos, it should be noted, previously was the head coach at both LSU and the University of Tampa. And he recruited locally for more than a decade.
"It's hard to highlight what she does best because she does everything well," Fotopoulos said. "But she really dominates the air.".
The 5-foot-8 Dragotta, a three-year starter, led the Cowboys during the 2007-08 season with 14 goals.
"There's no question (she can play at UF)," Fotopoulos said. "There's not a lot of players I've seen in this area I feel can play there, but I think Jo can play there.”
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Wharton center-midfielder Matt Montgomery, who helped lead the Wildcats to the Class 5A state title last month, has decided to attend Penn State and plans to try out for the men's soccer team, Wharton coach Scott Ware said Monday.
"He has had conversations with the (Penn State) assistants, which led him to believe he's got a strong chance of making it," Ware said.
Arguably Wharton's most valuable player, Montgomery had 10 goals and five assists as a senior despite missing four weeks with an ankle sprain. In Wharton's 2-1 state final win over Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, he had an assist.
Montgomery was a four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats.
"He does everything fundamentally well," Ware said. "He's got great vision, with a tremendous first touch. He's so composed in tight spaces."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Cambridge Christian linebacker Erik Shears has committed to Quincy University, Lancers coach Rick Shears said Monday via e-mail.
Shears visited the campus last weekend.
He pledged to head coach Bill Terlisner and the NAIA Hawks during his trip to the school, which is located in Quincy, Illinois (approximately two hours north of St. Louis, Missouri).
Shears will sign with Quincy this Friday.
The 5-foot-11, 230-pound Shears was a Times honorable mention All-County selection as a senior. He is the school record-holder for tackles.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Sickles guard Shawnta Snakovsky, who averaged 19.9 points and 6.2 steals a game as a senior, has scheduled a visit to Seminole Community College for later this month. Additionally, Hillsborough Community College has expressed interest, Sickles coach Mark Key said Monday.
The 5-foot-7 Snakovsky was a four-year starter.
"She definitely can play," Key said. "It's just going to take someone giving her a shot. She's not that big. But whoever gets her is going to get a find."
Behind Snakovsky, Sickles went 25-3.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Center Evan Ravenel is headed to Boston College. Forward Marcus Morrison has committed to the University of Tampa. Guard Blake Allen has one Division I offer and more are likely to come.
And now, another Brandon hoops player appears likely to play in college.
Guard Tarron Stewart.
Eagles coach Mark Hermann said Sunday night that the Citadel, Boston University and Lynn are each actively recruiting Stewart. Ravenel told the Times on Saturday that Florida A&M also is in the picture.
"He's going to get something," Hermann said.
The 6-foot Stewart scored 16 points a game this season for Brandon, which advanced to the Class 5A final four. He was one of four Eagles to average in double figures.
"He's just a great athlete," Hermann said. "He can take the ball to the basket and finish."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Plant junior quarterback Aaron Murray has already received his 50th scholarship offer.
The latest offer, received this weekend, comes from Oklahoma, Plant coach Robert Weiner said.
Murray continues to gather offers by the day, and Oklahoma's was expected. Murray is being recruited by Sooners quarterbacks coach -- and former Heisman runner-up -- Josh Heupel.
"That's a big offer," Weiner said. "Obviously, that's a school that can pick and choose."
An offer from Ohio State could be coming in the next few days for the 6-foot-1, 198-pound junior.
In the meantime, many top programs are holding out hope for Pennsylvania dual-threat quarterback Terrelle
Pryor, a top-ranked senior who has yet to commit. It appears that Pryor's decision, which appears to be coming down to Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, will have a trickle-down effect on the junior class. Murray already received an offer from Penn State last week and could start received offers from other schools like Ohio State and Michigan once Pryor's situation becomes settled.
-- Meanwhile, tight end Orson Charles, a transfer from Riverview, has received four offers. Last week he had offers offers from Iowa and Auburn, and now he has also received scholarships from UCF and Arkansas.
This weekend, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Charles went on an unofficial visit to Miami, where he was able to tour the campus and watch spring practice.
Other than Miami, Georgia and Tennessee also have expressed strong interest in Charles.
-- Speaking of Miami, Weiner also visited Coral Gables this weekend and was able to watch Plant’s former star quarterback Robert Marve back in action. Marve, who was involved in a car accident that ended his true freshman season prematurely, is the frontrunner for the Hurricanes starting quarterback job.
Marve will wear a glove on the left hand to help with the sensitivity of a skin graft, but Marve is participating in full football drills and is back in the weight room, trying to get his strength up to where it was before the accident.
“But as far as playing football, he’s back to 100 percent,” Weiner said.
-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA
Armwood senior guard Adam Sollazzo, one of the county's top basketball players, has committed to East Tennessee State, the Times has learned.
"I went up there to visit and I got along with the coaches really well," Sollazzo said.
A 6-foot-6 point guard, Sollazzo averaged 22 points and seven assists a game as a senior. He also considered USF, Longwood and Missouri-Kansas City.
"They told me I can come up there and compete (for a starting job) my first year," Sollazzo said.
Sollazzo recently was named the Hillsborough County Player of the Year by the Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association. He likely will earn all-state consideration.
"They have a big tradition of winning (at East Tennessee State) ," Sollazzo said. "They win their conference every year and when you do that you play in the NCAA Tournament. And it's always been a dream of mine to play in the big dance."
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Quarterback Aaron Murray isn’t the only Plant junior that’s a target of major college programs. Tight end Orson Charles, who recently transferred to the school from Riverview, has received scholarship offers from Auburn and Iowa, UCFSports.com reported Thursday.
Clemson, Florida, Miami, Tennessee and UCF are among those also showing interest.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Charles is both a solid receiver and an excellent blocker. Given the fact Plant, led by the record-setting Murray, throws the ball 30-40 times a game, Charles should see a substantial amount of passes go his way in 2008.
Auburn recently signed Plant receiver Derek Winter. The Tigers have targeted numerous county players in the Class of 2009, including several at Armwood. Through the years, Iowa has actively recruited the area.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Ali Van Gurp, the Jesuit soccer team's leading scorer this season, has committed to USF. Van Gurp, a 5-foot-10, 150-pound forward, made an official visit to the school last week.
He also considered American University, Loyola-Chicago and Stetson.
"I visited there and I was really impressed," Van Gurp said. "They have great facilities and they have the best team out of all the schools I was looking at."
In helping lead the Tigers to the Class 5A final four, Van Gurp scored 23 goals and had 12 assists. For much of the season, his squad was nationally ranked.
A three-year starter, Van Gurp, who carries a 3.5 GPA, was born in the Virgin Islands. He moved to Tampa as a sophomore.
"I'm extremely excited," he said. "From the time I came up here, I wanted to play at a really good soccer program, and I think USF is exactly what I was looking for."
The bonus?
"They said I'd get a lot of (early) playing time and even possibly start," Van Gurp said.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
College football coaches visit Armwood often to learn more about Hawk stars Ryne Giddins, Angelo Hadley, Mywan Jackson and Petey Smith. Many leave having also gathered information about some of Armwood’s other players.
Call it a trickle-down effect.
“When you have a number of good players, if you have other solid players they’re going to notice them,” Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. “Those players get noticed because of all the visitors that were brought in. And that’s happening (at Armwood).”
Justin Cabbagestalk and Casey Callahan, both juniors, are among the beneficiaries.
Cabbagestalk, a 6-foot-2, 275-pound offensive tackle, has interest from USF, UCF and Wake Forest, Callahan said. Casey Callahan, the coach’s son and a 6-1, 215-pound linebacker, is being recruited by Iowa State, UCF and Wake Forest. Neither player has a Division I-A scholarship offer yet, but the elder Callahan said he thinks the odds of that happening are strong.
“They’ve got a chance,” Sean Callahan said. “If they continue to improve like they’ve been and they stay healthy, the chances are very high.”
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Word has just come from Plant football coach Robert Weiner that Panthers quarterback Aaron Murray has four new scholarship offers -- and one of them is from Penn State.
The others came from Kentucky, Maryland and Michigan State.
Murray (6-foot, 200 pounds), as you might recall, threw for a state-record 51 TD passes last fall as a junior. In the process, he broke the previous record of 48, which was held by former Plant QB Robert Marve, who is now at Miami and might be the Hurricanes' starting signal caller this fall.
Murray has close to 50 offers. Florida and Florida State are among those that already have pulled the trigger.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Things are starting to pick up for Newsome placekicker Vinny Zaccario.
The senior standout landed a scholarship offer from Division I-AA Idaho State this week, and continues to talk with I-A programs such as Florida Atlantic, Memphis and Tennessee, his mother told the Times.
"He's pretty excited," Tracy Zaccario said. "But he's being patient and is going to see what else develops."
As a senior, Zaccario was six of nine on field-goal attempts with a long of 47. He had touchbacks on 26 or his 29 kickoffs.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Does Dunedin junior running back Adaris Bellamy, who is being recruited by many of the country's elite programs, already have a leader? According to Gatorbait.net, the answer is "Yes."
And it's the Florida Gators.
The website reports that Bellamy, who shined at the recent Tampa Rivals.com Five-Star Academy, has interest from schools such as Florida, Clemson, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Notre Dame.
"I've always liked Florida," Bellamy told Gatorbait.net. "I grew up liking Florida."
The 5-foot-9, 220-pound Bellamy was a second-team Times All-Suncoast selection last fall, when he rushed for nearly 2,000 yards.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Every major college football program on the east coast has offered a scholarship to Armwood standouts Ryne Giddins and Petey Smith. And now it looks like one could be coming from a prominent west coast school.
Southern Cal.
The Trojans called Armwood coach Sean Callahan first thing Wednesday morning and asked him to send video of Giddins, a defensive end, and Smith, a linebacker, Callahan said.
"They like them," Callahan said. "They just want more film."
As a junior, Giddins (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) had a school-record 21 sacks and was the Times Suncoast Defensive Player of the Year. Smith (6-0, 235) will be a four-year starter. Both players are likely to garner preseason All-American consideration.
California and Oregon also have started to show interest. That speaks volumes about the players' respective talents because schools from the west coast don't venture east for just anyone.
By the time it's all said and done, Callahan expects the standouts to have 100-plus scholarship offers between them.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
Justin Williams of Armwood has committed to Wingate and plans to sign with the Bulldogs next month when he makes an official visit to the school. A Division II program located in North Carolina, Wingate went 7-4 last season and won its final four games.
Williams, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound cornerback, started two years for the Hawks, who made the playoffs both seasons.
He also considered Webber International and Mount Union.
As a senior, Williams was a Times first-team all-county selection and second-team all-suncoast pick. He registered two interceptions and eight pass breakups.
-- KEITH NIEBUHR
