Oliver Pierce has become quite used to making adjustments during his outstanding athletic career at
Allen (Texas).
Oliver Pierce will be playing
quarterback this season.
Photo by Keith Owens
The No. 2 football wide receiver last year, he will take over at quarterback this fall as a senior. Last year he hauled in 50 passes for 601 yards and six touchdowns.
He will make his signal-calling debut during the biggest game in the country on Aug. 31 against defending Class 5A Division I state champion
Carroll (Southlake, Texas). Adding plenty of drama - and pressure - the 5-foot-9, 170-pounder will be running the show before a sellout crowd of 18,000 at the unveiling of Allen's new $60 million palace.
Earlier this summer Pierce left his mark in wrestling by winning the Greco-Roman and folkstyle national championships at 152 pounds. An eight-time All-American, he has committed to the University of Oklahoma for wrestling.
Pierce's father, Geno, told the Dallas Morning News, "I tell him he's the only kid who is going to feel like he gets a break in his schedule when he goes to college. He's been doing both sports for so long, it's a normal summer day for him to lift weights with the football guys in the morning, practice 7-on-7 in the afternoon and go to a couple of hours of wrestling at night."
Because of his speed and toughness, he also will return kicks and punts.
Top cornerback picks FloridaThe University of Florida received a commitment this week from highly-coveted
Vernon Hargreaves III of
Wharton (Tampa, Fla.), according to the Tampa Tribune.
The 5-11, 185-pounder is ranked as the nation's No. 1 cornerback and No. 29 overall player by MaxPreps/CBS recruiting expert Tom Lemming. He had offers from 40 Division I colleges and also considered Notre Dame, Clemson, Miami and Vanderbilt.
As a junior he made 49 tackles, two interceptions and blocked three kicks. He demonstrated great versatility by also catching 13 passes for 313 yards, rushing 35 times for 237 yards and averaging 44.4 yards on seven kick returns, including a 99-yard touchdown.
* Later in the week, the Gators received a commitment from senior safety
Jamal Carter of
Southridge (Miami, Fla.). The 6-2 standout who has gone from 180 to 215 pounds this summer through weight training, also considered LSU, Florida State and Hawaii. He returned seven punts for touchdowns as a junior.
*
Marcus Farria, a 6-5, 235-pound defensive end from
Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.), has made a commitment to the University of Washington, according to the Arizona Republic. He is the No. 91 player in Tom Lemming's top 100 for 2012.
* If the Orange County School Board gives its approval on Tuesday,
Lake Nona (Orlando, Fla.) will receive $100,000 to allow Nemours Children's Hospital to name its new football stadium "Nemours Stadium" for the next five years. The district's athletic preservation fund will be given $10,800 of that total.
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