By Steve Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
Our very own Mitch Stephens recently broke the story that the De La Salle (Calif.) versus Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) game is officially on for September 27 in California.
Everyone is familiar with De La Salle on the national scene. The Spartans had a 151-game winning streak that was snapped in 2004 by Bellevue (Wash.) and have won several mythical national championships. They’ve also produced a number of stars including Demetrius Williams (Baltimore Ravens), D.J. Williams (Denver Broncos), and Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars).
The current crop of Spartans is led by Kylan Butler, a diminutive running back with electrifying moves heading to the University of Arizona.
Fans across the country might be less familiar with the Ironmen of Don Bosco Prep, an equally talented squad that has been a hallmark of New Jersey football for the last decade.
Don Bosco boasts two running backs with breakaway speed, rising senior Dillon Romaine and rising junior Tony Jones. Jones, who played for the Ironmen as a freshman, is expected to have another big year, and will attract his share of Division I interest. Romaine has already heard from Boston College, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers among other schools.
Looking down the road, Paul Canevari, who will be a sophomore next season, could be a big time prospect at linebacker. Junior-to-be Ryan Cobb, also a linebacker, is another young player to watch.
The meeting between the cross-country powers is a long time coming. In 2003, Don Bosco Prep tried to schedule its first game of the season against De La Salle, but the other league teams voted against allowing them to break from their schedule.
Later in the season, the Ironmen sought to forgo the postseason playoff tournament, but the state rejected that idea. They eventually won the New Jersey Non-Public Group IV state title, edging Brian Cushing’s Bergen Catholic (N.J.) squad 14-13.
Dynamic Duo
Finding a more impressive duo than Good Counsel’s (D.C.) Jelani Jenkins and Caleb Porzel would prove to be a very difficult task.
After a monster junior season for Bob Milloy’s squad, Jenkins’ stock has skyrocketed. The 6-foot-1 rising senior excels at linebacker, but also sees some carries at running back.
However, the Falcons, the only league team to knock off eventual champ DeMatha (Md.), already have Caleb Porzel at running back. In contrast to Jenkins, who is used in more of a fullback role, Porzell is a 5-7 burner whose speed causes nightmares for opponents in the open field.
The buzz surrounding Porzel lately is that he was recently clocked in the 4.2 range several times. He’s got offers from several Big East and ACC schools, and his interest should continue to grow.
Out-of-State Challenge
Good Counsel will need big performances from both Jenkins and Porzel in an intriguing out-of-state matchup against St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.) Sept. 13.
The Marauders feature a bevy of top-notch talent as well, lead by rising senior Nyshier Oliver. Oliver plays both running back and defensive back, and could play either at the next level. He’s narrowing down his college choices, and Tenneessee is reportedly among his favorites.
Offensive lineman Khalil Wilkes, defensive tackle Daryl Greene, and defensive end Anthony Blake project to play on Saturdays as well. The Marauders also have Savon Huggins, one of the nation’s most impressive freshman, who will share carries with Oliver.
Summer Update
The summer 7-on-7 picture is becoming clearer as the school year wraps up and passing tournaments kick into high gear.
The National Select 7-on-7 Championships will be a Who’s Who of powerhouses from the South. Already committed to attend are: Shiloh Christian (Ark.), Springdale (Ark.), Prattville (Ala.), Hoover (Ala.), Foley (Ala.), North Gwinnett (Ga.), Olive Branch (Miss.), South Panola (Miss.), Evangel Christian (La.), Memphis University (Tenn.) and Plant (Fla.)
Also expected to attend are Columbia (Fla.), Arlington Lamar (Texas), Thomas Jefferson (Pa.), and Mountain Crest (Utah.)
Fourteen qualifying tournaments will be held around the country to fill the 18 remaining spots.
In the Nike 7-on-7 to held in July in Beaverton, Ore., Byrnes (S.C.), Mater Dei (Calif.), and Long Beach Poly (Calif.) will be joined by Plant (Fla.) and Henry County (Ga.), in addition to several other teams. Plant features star quarterback Aaron Murray, who has committed to Georgia.
Top Targets
Henry County will be a lot of fun to watch in a 7-on-7 format. That’s because the Warhawks have one of the best wide receiver duos in the country, with rising senior Jamal Patterson, and rising junior Markeith Ambles.
Patterson caught 11 touchdowns last season, and has caught the interest of most of the SEC schools.
Ambles, on the other hand, is a year younger and not as well known. He recently transferred to Henry County from Griffin (Ga.) Still, the 6-3 Ambles has been hearing from his fair share of both SEC and ACC schools as well. Though it’s early and no school is really standing out, Ambles likes Pete Carroll’s USC Trojans, and they appear to be in the lead.
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Carroll ventured south to pilfer a top recruit out of SEC territory. In fact, it wouldn’t be the first time the Trojans landed a top receiver from Georgia. Norcross (Ga.) star Brice Butler signed with USC and will be a freshman this fall.
2010 Stars Getting Noticed
In addition to Ambles, several sophomores from this past season have caught the eye of major college programs.
North Broward (Fla.) quarterback Brandon Doughty has heard from Ohio State, Florida, Wisconsin, and Boston College.
Doughty has good athleticism for a pro-style quarterback. He expects to visit both Wisconsin and Boston College this summer.
In Ohio, Ursuline’s (Ohio) Jamel Turner is the latest star in the talent-rich Youngstown area.
The 6-3 defensive end could be one of the top defensive players in the class of 2010. He was named to the Ohio Division V first team Defense after racking up 23 sacks as a sophomore.
Has Jim Tressel already zeroed in on Turner? Maybe. Ohio State normally does a good job building a fence and keeping top talent in-state. But Turner likes Michigan State early on. However, he’s focused on his junior season at Ursuline, where the Fighting Irish may have a shot to dethrone Cardinal Mooney as Youngstown’s best.