By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
If Tampa Plant quarterback Aaron Murray had any jitters about being in the same showcase as some of the nation’s other top prep quarterbacks, he never showed it.
In fact, Murray not only showed up, he stole the show.
A 6-foot-2, 205-pounder already committed to the University of Georgia, Murray was among 12 prep signal callers at the recent EA Sports Elite 11 quarterback camp in California.
After four days of detailed classroom instruction and on-the-field exercises, Murray was named camp MVP. The players went put through passing drills, accuracy exercises and seven-on-seven simulations.
Murray, who earned the Golden Gun accuracy contest at last year’s Elite 11 camp, participated this year with high-profile quarterbacks from Michigan, Alabama and California.
As a junior last season, Murray help guide Plant to its third straight district title and a regional final. He threw for a state-best 4,013 yards and state-record 51 touchdowns.
This summer, Murray and his Plant teammates won state and national seven-on-seven tournaments.
Wrestling: Brandon's Grajales Priming For Big Senior Year
Standout Brandon wrestler Eric Grajales has had a busy summer.
He finished as the overall runner-up at U.S. Junior World team trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.
A senior when school starts this month, Grajales placed second in the Greco-Roman category at the event to Kyle Dake of New York. The 130-pound Grajales also wrestled at the Olympic trials, being eliminated after an 0-2 start.
The 130-pound Grajales starts his last year of prep wrestling as a three-time defending state champ. He was unbeaten in 58 matches last season with a state-record 53 pins while helping Brandon win the state championship. He has not lost a high school wrestling match since the 2006 season.
College Announcements
Two standout Tampa track athletes have made their college selections.
Tampa Wharton’s Keyon Jones will attend University of Louisiana-Monroe while Brandon’s Megan Fenzau committed to the University of South Alabama.
Jones, a long jump specialist, finished eighth in that event at last year’s Class 3A track and field. Jones also participated on the Wildcat relay teams that placed third (4x800 relay) and fifth (4x400) at the state meet.
Fenzau placed third in the discus at the state meet.
Tampa Sickles football player Kyle Blum has signed with Division II Maryville College in Tennessee. A 6-foot-1, 240-pound player who lined up at tight end, defensive line and center during his prep career, Blum will play defense in college.
And Tampa Robinson defensive back Andrew Hall is headed to Southwest Baptist University, a Division II school in Missouri. Hall had 48 tackles and one interception on defense and ran for more than 200 yards with two touchdowns as a running back.
A trio of Tampa baseball players signed scholarships as well.
Tampa Freedom’s Zac Goodrich will play at Concordia University in Nebraska. Goodrich, an outfielder, hit .436 for Freedom as a senior last year, adding 24 hits and 10 stolen bases.
Also, Gaither outfielder Steven Graf and Berkeley Prep infielder Kevin Rea both signed with Eckerd College in nearby St. Petersburg.
Graf hit .257 with 18 RBI last season. Rea had 12 RBI and scored 13 as a senior.