By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
John Henson has not yet played a prep basketball game in the Tampa Bay area.
But that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the biggest recruits to come out of the area. Henson, a 6-foot-10 forward who transferred to the area from Texas this year, took advantage of the early signing period to officially cast his lot with the University of North Carolina and head coach Roy Williams.
Considered among the top 10 high school players in the nation by several media outlets, Henson was the Tar Heels’ first commitment to sign in the early period. He is among an incoming UNC group considered one of the best recruiting classes in the country.
Henson, who will play at Sickles this year, was also recruited by Arizona, Memphis and UCLA among others.
But Henson wasn’t alone in inking with their college choices this week. Bay area athletes signed college scholarships in basketball, soccer, softball, wrestling, baseball, golf and swimming.
Among those inking;
* Brandon wrestler Eric Grajales, a three-time individual state champion at 135 pounds who went 52-0 last season, signed with Michigan.
* Tampa Plant golfer Doug Letson signed with Florida State. Letson, who averaged 36 strokes over nine holes this season, twice led Plant to the state tournament and placed 12th at the event last year.
* Tampa Sickles baseball player Gregg Cooke has signed with the University of Central Florida. Cooke, a right-handed pitcher, was 6-2 last season with a 2.91 ERA and 59 strikeouts. Cooke had five complete game performances and no-hit Trinity Mitchell last February.
Other signings included;
Baseball
Marlon Mitchell, Tampa Hillsborough, North Carolina State
Greg Dupell, Tampa Jesuit, Navy
Nick Lockwood, Tampa Jesuit, South Florida
Ray Delphey, Tampa Alonso, South Florida
Trent Tagliarini, Tampa Cambridge, Quincy University
Swimming
Jason Taylor, Lithia Newsome, Florida
Meg Anderson , Tampa Plant, Clemson
Volleyball
Christina Theofilos, Tampa Berkeley Prep, Notre Dame
Danielle Erb, Tampa Plant, James Madison
Ariel Ley, Tampa Plant, Davidson
Softball
Marissa Menendez, Tampa Chamberlain, Central Florida
Samantha Holle, Tampa Chamberlain, Florida
Alexandra Hartshorn, Tampa Chamberlain, UNC-Pembroke
Kayla Suskauer, Tampa Plant, Furman
Kelsey Horton, Plant City Durant, Florida
Corinne Gordon, Plant City Durant, Florida A&M
Basketball
Sheldon Cooley, Tampa Plant , East Tennessee State
Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, Tampa King, Georgia Southern
Katie Davis, Tampa Academy Holy Names, Penn