Recently in Verbal commitment Category

Colony athlete Bryan Harper committed to the University of Washington Tuesday according to a Rivals.com article. Harper, a 6-foot, 180-pound athlete who transferred to Colony after playing quarterback at Carter the last two seasons, chose the Huskies after a recent trip to the school with teammate Robert Wagner. The three-star prospect also had offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State, Montana and New Mexico State.

Harper is the second county player to pledge to the Huskies this month, joining Cajon defensive back Damontae Kazee. Kazee, a first-team all-Sun selection last year, formally introduced his commitment to Washington June 13 after being a silent commitment for a while according to Scout.com.

A little outside of my normal reach, but I just got an email from IEBP club basketball coach Keith Howard saying that former Damien guard Chris Adams has committed to the University of San Francisco. Adams, a 2010 graduate of Damien, has played for the last year at Mack Academy in Charlotte, N.C. Local fans might remember him from the 2010 CIF-SS Division 2-A semifinal against Eisenhower, as he valiantly scored 34 points in an 82-74 loss to the eventual CIF champion Eagles.

Even though National Signing Day for the football class of 2011 was only two weeks ago, 2012 recruiting is going at full force, with Upland wide receiver Kenny Lawler making a verbal commitment to Arizona State Monday according to Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Lawler, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound incoming senior, led the Highlanders in receiving a year ago with 42 receptions for 887 yards and nine touchdowns. He joins Osahon Irabor, a 2009 Upland graduate who started the second half of this past season at cornerback as a redshirt freshman, in Tempe.

Colton all-CIF offensive/defensive lineman John Taylor committed to Sacramento State last night, according to a text message received today by Colton coach Rick Bray. Taylor is the third Yellowjacket to commit to a Division I school, joining linebacker Rodney Hardrick (Oregon) and RB/DB Tyler Ervin (San Jose State). All three players will sign their letters of intent at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday in the Whitmore Auditorium on campus as part of National Signing Day.

Other signing ceremonies that have been announced are Summit's Devon Blackmon, who will sign with Oregon at 11:44 a.m. in classroom G101 on the Summit campus and Redlands' Jordan Smith, who will sign with San Diego State in a ceremony at Dodge Field at 12:30 p.m.

Etiwanda running back Marcus Mason committed to Washington State after getting a recent offer from the school and taking an official visit to the campus last weekend according to Rivals.com and Scout.com. Mason ran for 1,623 yards and 15 touchdowns and is the second Etiwanda player to commit to a Pac-12 school. He joins offensive lineman Jamal Prater, who committed to Oregon over the summer.

Chino wide receiver/defensive back Promise Amadi went through a wild ride this past week, committing to Hawaii on an official visit this past weekend after making a soft commitment to New Mexico State the weekend before. The situation is detailed further in Clay Fowler's blog here.

Either way, the commitment makes him the second Cowboy player to verbally commit during the past month, joining Arizona State commit Quentin Pedroza - who is still getting attention from Utah and USC. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior was a second-team all-Sun utility selection, as he caught 46 passes for 790 yards and 10 touchdowns while running for another 503 yards on 50 carries and 14 scores. Amadi also had 30 tackles and five interceptions in helping the Cowboys to an 11-1 record and a Mt. Baldy League championship.

Straying over into Clay Fowler's territory a bit with this post, but Damien sophomore pitcher/outfielder Christopher Kohler verbally committed to USC yesterday according to his parents, Michelle and Richard Kohler. Kohler, who is a lefthanded pitcher and a centerfielder, gave his commitment after a visit to USC.

"Christopher has been a huge Trojan fan all of his life, so this wasn't a hard decision," Richard Kohler said. "Because of his age they can't do anything but send us mail and questionnaires. We visited there a couple of times, they offered and we accepted."

Kohler, who doesn't turn 16 until May 4, is one of the top Southern California prospects in the class of 2013, getting USC's attention during a showcase this past summer at the Dodgers' spring training complex in Glendale, Ariz. While USC was his first scholarship offer, Kohler was getting attention from almost every notable baseball school on the West Coast, most notably UCLA, UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State.

Colton senior running back/defensive back Tyler Ervin made a verbal commitment to San Jose State this weekend on an official visit to the school, according to a text message I just received from Colton head coach Rick Bray. Ervin was a first-team all-Sun selection this past season, rushing for 1,436 yards and 13 touchdowns offensively while accumulating 34 tackles and three interceptions on defense.

The 5-foot-10, 167-pound Ervin chose the Spartans over offers from Utah State, Hawaii and Nevada. He becomes the second Yellowjacket to commit to a Division I-FBS school, joining tight end/linebacker Rodney Hardrick, who committed to Oregon.

Yucaipa star junior soccer player Kodi Lavrusky verbally committed to Stanford last week, according to a call received tonight from Thunderbirds soccer coach Sheila Huggins. Lavrusky is already the school's all-time leader in goals scored, having scored 92 after getting a hat trick in tonight's 4-1 victory over Redlands. She is a two-time All-Sun first-team pick, being named the Most Valuable Player as a freshman in 2009.

Chino wide receiver/defensive back Quinton Pedroza verbally committed to Arizona State Saturday according to this article by Rivals.com. Pedroza, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound athlete, was a first-team all-Sun selection at wide receiver, caught 54 passes for 1,078 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Cowboys this past season. Pedroza chose the Sun Devils over Utah and Utah State.

A few days after being part of Colton's first CIF-SS championship football team since 1978, Yellowjackets linebacker Rodney Hardrick made a verbal commitment to Oregon after an in-home visit with the Ducks Monday night according to Rivals.com.

Hardrick, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior who played tight end and outside linebacker for Colton, chose the Ducks over offers from Oregon State, Washington, New Mexico and Idaho. He is the second county player to commit to the Ducks, joining Chino Hills defensive back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

San Gorgonio offensive lineman/defensive lineman Paul Rodriguez verbally committed to San Diego State a couple of weeks ago according to San Gorgonio football coach Ron Gueringer. Rodriguez, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior, chose the Aztecs over offers from Washington State and Colorado State.

"He's the first of hopefully many kids that we send off to Division I colleges," Gueringer said. "I'm proud of him and what he did for this program. I know the San Diego State coaches came down a few weeks back to see him play and loved him. They had a great season and it's a great place for Paul to go."

Rodriguez starred on both offense and defense for the Spartans, who went 7-5 this season and finished second in the San Andreas League. San G advanced to the Central Division quarterfinals, where it was ousted by top-seeded Moreno Valley Rancho Verde. Gueringer thinks the Aztecs will use Rodriguez on the offensive line.

"That's where I would guess," Gueringer said. "He has a lot of potential with his frame to be a very good offensive lineman and I think he's an all-area guy at that position."

Cajon girls volleyball player Mackenzie Roddy has made a verbal commitment to Northern Illinois University according to a call received tonight from Cowboys coach Paula Bougie-Thomas. Roddy chose the Huskies over Cal State San Bernardino.

Summit basketball player Dorian Cason verbally committed to the University of Portland Wednesday according to Keith Howard, Cason's travel ball coach. Cason, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, averaged 12.5 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots a game for the SkyHawks last season en route to all-Sunkist League honors.

Etiwanda offensive lineman Jamal Prater, a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com, has verbally committed to the University of Oregon according to an article by Duck Sports Authority. Prater, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive tackle, gave the pledge after an unofficial visit to Eugene on Wednesday according to this article, which is available with a Rivals.com subscription.

Prater is the latest in a recent line of local prospects to commit/sign with the Ducks, who signed Los Osos DE Tony Washington, Colton S Derrick Malone and Colton K Alejandro Maldonado in February. Prater chose Oregon over offers from Oregon State, Washington State, San Diego State and San Jose State.

Arroyo Valley wide receiver Damon Ogburn, who committed to Idaho State after officially visiting the campus this past weekend, has reversed field and committed to San Jose State according to AVHS head coach Marcus Soward.

Ogburn's switch was based on logisitics, as he felt that San Jose State gave him better access to his family in San Bernardino.

"San Jose is about a five-hour drive to San Bernardino and that was the biggest factor," Soward said. "He thought about it and felt that Idaho State was a little too far away from his family."

Ogburn joins DE Keenan Brown, who signed with the Spartans two years ago, as Arroyo Valley players who have gone off to San Jose State. Brown's tale was similar, as he was committed to Utah State before switching to the Spartans in the 11th hour.

Arroyo Valley will have a ceremony for Ogburn and LB Ofa Fifita, who committed to Fresno State, Thursday as part of its senior assembly. Both players will fax their letters of intent to schools tomorrow though.

Colton kicker Alejandro Maldonado, verbally committed to Washington since the summer, decommitted Sunday to Oregon after officially visiting the campus according to Colton athletic director Harold Strauss. The Seattle Times also wrote a story about it, which can be read here.

"He cancelled a trip three weeks ago and was just going to stay with Washington, but we told him that you need to see (Oregon) and make a decision from that," Strauss said. "He went up for a visit this weekend, loved it, and now he's going to Oregon."

Maldonado will be joining teammate Derrick Malone, a safety who committed to the Ducks in November, in Eugene. They'll be signing their letters of intent in Colton's auditorium during second period Wednesday at roughly 8:30 a.m., hopefully joined by cornerback Jonathan Mack.

Mack, who has been offered by Nebraska, Iowa State, UNLV and Utah State, is in limbo right now, as schools who have previously offered may have filled their available slots in Strauss' opinion.

"He went up for an official visit with Derrick to Nebraska in October and everything seemed good, but we haven't heard from (Nebraska coach Bo) Pelini in a while," Strauss said. "We told Jonathan that sometimes its better to reserve a spot because things fill up, but he wanted to concentrate on the season. Things are happening for him all at once right now and hopefully it will work out."

Been working the phones a bit this morning and got information on a few signing-day press conferences. Redlands East Valley will be holding its press conference at the crack of dawn Wednesday, with a 7 a.m. signing with DE Andrew Hudson (Washington), QB Tyler Shreve (Utah) and OL David Peterson (San Jose State) set to be in REV's football office.

Serrano will be holding its signing at 10:30 a.m. in the performing arts room on campus. Set to sign are DE Everett Beed (San Diego State) and RB Dionza Bradford (UNLV), along with a few soccer players according to athletic director Ray Maholchic.

Kaiser linebacker Josh Shirley will be at the FOX studios in Los Angeles for his announcement Wednesday. While the exact time of the announcement hasn't been set yet, Shirley was told to be at the studios at 11 a.m. according to a text he sent me. Shirley is deciding between USC, Miami (Fla), Washington and Arizona.

Arroyo Valley wide receiver Damon Ogburn committed to Idaho State today after officially visiting the campus this weekend according to AVHS coach Marcus Soward. Soward indicated earlier in the week that Ogburn was blown away by the Idaho State coaching staff when they visited the campus. The All-Sun wideout was also offered by San Jose State.

Got a text message from Arroyo Valley head coach Marcus Soward this morning confirming the commitment of linebacker Ofa Fifita to Fresno State. Fifita, a three-star prospect according to both Rivals.com and Scout.com, chose the Bulldogs over Nevada, Colorado State, Hawaii and UNLV.

"This feels awesome right now," Soward said. "Ofa actually committed last night. Pat Hill came by the school a couple of days ago and was really impressive. He was a great guy who capitivated everyone - he was joking around with the secretaries and really made a good presentation.

"Fresno State is a very good program that goes to bowls and plays the upper-echelon teams and more importantly, they graduate players. That's what I really enjoyed about what he said."

Fifita visited Fresno State last weekend and was scheduled to go to Hawaii this weekend before pulling the trigger. His commitment marks the third straight year that the Hawks have had a player commit to a Division I FBS school, joining defensive end Keenan Brown (San Jose State) and quarterback Robert Fuller (Utah State) from two years ago and freshman All-American offensive lineman Michael Philipp (Oregon State) from last year.

"When I came here two years ago, my goal was to give kids the opportunity to go to college and hopefully, get them to graduate from college," Soward said. "If they do well and make it to the pros that's great, but getting them a college degree is what I want. There's plenty of talent around here and recruiters are picking up on it. If we hit the books a little harder around here this will continue."

Another Hawk, wide receiver Damon Ogburn, has also received Division I interest and could sign Wednesday. He is down to Idaho State, an FCS school that he is taking an official visit to this weekend, and San Jose State, where he has already visited. Soward expects to know Ogburn's decision Sunday when he comes back from Idaho State.

Fifita's commitment is also the third from a county player to Fresno State, joining Rancho Cucamonga quarterback Greg Watson and Los Osos wide receiver Sean Alston.

Serrano running back Dionza Bradford apparently is back with UNLV, recommitting to the Rebels last week after an official visit to the school that he originally verballed to over the summer.

Bradford, a first-team all-CIF and second-team all-Sun selection, verbally committed to UNLV coach Mike Sanford in July along with Serrano teammate Everett Beed but decommitted in November after Sanford was fired. Both Bradford and Beed committed to San Diego State in December after an official visit to the campus but changed back to UNLV and new coach Bobby Hauck last weekend according to Rivals.com

Beed is still solid with San Diego State after an official visit to Arizona State according to Rivals. com.

Eric Sonderheimer's high school notebook for Monday led off with the story of Etiwanda quarterback Angel Santiago's verbal commitment to Army and the factors that went into that decision. It can be read here.

All-Sun first-team quarterback Angel Santiago, the most potent dual-threat quarterback in the area in my opinion, verbally committed to Army this week according to a text message sent to colleague Clay Fowler by Etiwanda coach Steven Bryce. A writeup in Fowler's blog can be found here. Santiago is the second county quarterback to commit to a service academy in the last three seasons, joining Big Bear's Kriss Proctor, who committed to Navy in 2008 and just finished his sophomore year as the backup quarterback for the Midshipmen.

A day after Tyler Shreve committed to Utah, Redlands East Valley offensive lineman David Peterson committed to San Jose State according to scout.com. Peterson was a first-team all-CIF and all-Sun selection and a three-year starter for the Wildcats, playing primarily at center this year.

Redlands East Valley quarterback Tyler Shreve switched his verbal commitment from Colorado State to Utah after taking an official visit to Utah according to the Salt Lake City Tribune. The story can be found on the Tribune's blog, along with this quote by Shreve.

"The coaches seem like good guys, it's a similar system to what we have at my high school and I enjoyed hanging out with the players," he said. "I could see myself being there in Salt Lake no problem."

Shreve committed to Colorado State in October but will join a surging Utes program fresh off consecutive Top 20 finishes. He'll join Colony WR Kenneth Scott, Riverside North WR Dres Anderson and Norco athlete Joseph Smith as members of this Utah recruiting class.

Talked to Serrano defensive end Everett Beed this morning, as he was one of the San Bernardino county all-stars present at this morning's media day. During the conversation, Beed confirmed that him and teammate Dionza Bradford committed to San Diego State after an official visit to the school two weekends ago.

"We're committed," Beed said. "Dionza is all San Diego State. We really liked what they had and we liked that there are going to be four High Desert guys there."

Bradford and Beed join Hesperia WR Jay Waddell and Granite Hills TE Bryce Quigley as Aztec commits. They both initially committed to UNLV but decommitted after the Rebels' coach, Mike Sanford, was fired in late November.

Beed did leave the door open for a future change, as he indicated that he is taking an official visit to Arizona within the next month. However, he reiterated that it would take a lot for the Wildcats to sway him.

"I want to see what Arizona has to offer," Beed said. "But San Diego State is a great place and I'm committed to them."

Cajon offensive lineman Sebastian Tretola made a verbal commitment to the University of Nevada after taking his official visit to the school this past weekend according to an e-mail sent by his father Sunday evening. Tretola, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound offensive tackle, was the linchpin of a Cajon offensive line that led the Cowboys to their fourth straight playoff berth.

Subscribers can read about Tretola's commitment here.

Speaking of Malone, the senior safety made a verbal committment to the Ducks over the weekend according to Rivals.com, just over a month after Oregon offered the 6-foot-3, 195-pound 3-star safety.

Malone, who was considering Nebraska, Washington, Arizona State and Arizona, made his commitment after taking an official visit to Eugene for Oregon's rivalry game for Oregon State last Thursday.

Also, Serrano running back Dionza Bradford and defensive end Everett Beed informed me at the CIF-SS football luncheon that they will be taking official visits to San Diego State next weekend. Both Diamondbacks were committed to UNLV, but decommitted when the school fired head coach Mike Sanford in November.

Redlands defensive end Jordan Thomas verbally committed to San Diego State this past weekend, according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot-1, 240-pounder, a three-star prospect according to Rivals, chose the Aztecs over San Jose State.

Thomas joins Colony cornerback Jered Bell, who verbally committed to Colorado last week after paying a visit to the campus in Boulder, Colo., on Nov. 6, according to Colony head football coach Anthony Rice. Bell was drawing interest from Colorado State, among others, but Colorado made his only scholarship offer.

This week also saw Los Osos forward Khalil Kelley sign with University of Pacific. The 6-foot-7 power forward averaged 9.3 points and 7.3 rebounds last season in helping the Grizzlies to a second-place finish in the Baseline League.

Lost in the hubbub last night was the fact that Redlands East Valley defensive end Andrew Hudson committed to the University of Washington Friday afternoon. Hudson, a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com, chose the Huskies over a final three that included Arizona and Oregon State.

"I'm just happy to have this over," Hudson said after REV's 28-20 win over Miller last night. "I know where I'm going to college and it's a great feeling."

Hudson joins a virtual army of REV players that have made the trip up to Seattle, as he joins sophomore quarterback Ronnie Fouch, sophomore defensive back Marquis Persley and redshirt freshman running back Chris Polk on the Huskies. I'm at the Rose Bowl right now to work on a story on Polk and Fouch (Persley didn't make the trip) so this adds another possible angle.

Los Osos wide receiver Sean Alston made a verbal commitment to Fresno State today according to Rivals.com. Alston is one of the leading pass-catchers in the county this season, hauling in 31 passes for 552 yards and seven touchdowns for the Grizzlies.

Alston is the third Grizzly to go Division I in the last two seasons, joining QB Richard Brehaut (UCLA) and RB Arby Fields (Northwestern). Los Osos is almost assured of getting a fourth by National Signing Day in February, as defensive end Tony Washington holds several D-1 offers at this point.

Football recruiting also is going strong right now as Aquinas quarterback/wide receiver Jim Jones verbally committed to UTEP last week, according to Scout.com.

The 6-foot-1, 177-pound Jones, a first-team all-Sun pick at wide receiver last year, led the county with 64 receptions for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has played much of this season at quarterback for the Falcons and has run and passed for eight touchdowns.

With the fall signing period coming up next month, basketball recruiting is starting to pick up. Three county players have made verbal commitments to Division I schools.

Ayala senior Rhema Gardner verbally committed to UCLA earlier this week according to ESPN.com, joining her older sister and former All-Sun first-team selection Rebekah Gardner. The 6-foot-2 Gardner averaged 12.9 points and 11.1 rebounds for the Bulldogs last season.

Chino Hills guard Derek Brown also made his choice according to Scout.com and picked San Jose State after an official visit last month. Brown, a 6-foot-2 senior, won Sierra League MVP honors by averaging 16.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

But it wasn't just seniors who committed this week. Etiwanda junior swingman Byron Wesley, an all-Sun first-team selection at Cajon last year, committed to USC according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot-5 Wesley averaged 18.7 points and 7.4 rebounds as a sophomore.

Summit senior forward Maiya Michel has become the third SkyHawk girls basketball player in the last two seasons to commit to a Division I college, verbally committed to the University of Denver after an official visit to the school a couple weeks ago.

Michel, who averaged 11.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last year, joins Meghin Williams (Nebraska) and Adrienne Thomas (Arizona State) as Summit Division I basketball players.

"I'm definitely spoiled," Summit coach Alexis Barile said. "I came into this school and these type of players are here for me. It's a great thing to have as a coach."

Etiwanda wide receiver Bobby Ratliff verbally committed to Washington State Wednesday according to Scout.com. Ratliff, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver, called the Cougar coaches up to notify them of his decision.

"I told them I had good news, that I was committing to Washington State. I heard in the background a 'Yeah Bobby!' Ratliff said to Scout.com. "It was everything -- the coaches, how close the coaches and the players were, the college town, I just really liked all of it."

Ratliff, who has 20 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns this despite missing a game due to injury, was also offered by Nevada, New Mexico, New Mexico State and San Diego State. He joins WR Marvin Jones (California), RB Vince Minor (New Mexico) and DE Ike Nduka (Fresno State) as Eagles who have committed/signed to Division I schools over the past two years.

Chaffey College tight end Ricky Howard, a graduate of Hesperia High School, verbally committed to Iowa State Wednesday night, according to a phone call received from Howard's mother by colleague J.P. Hoornstra.

Howard, an all-Mojave River League performer for the Scorpions in 2006 and 2007, is entering his sophomore year at Chaffey. He's planning on enrolling at Iowa State in January and join the Cyclones for practice next spring.

Rim of the World sophomore shortstop Elizabeth Caporuscio, who helped lead the Fighting Scots to the Mojave River League title this past season, verbally committed to Arizona State according to an e-mail sent by Rim athletic director Josh Hill. Caporuscio was a first-team all-MRL selection for Rim, hitting .510 with three home runs, 26 RBIs and 10 doubles this season.

There is a lot going on in the world of football recruiting, as the May evaluation period is underway. According to Rivals.com, Colton kicker Alejandro Maldonado has verbally committed to Washington while teammates Derrick Malone and Jonathan Mack are receiving intersst from schools such as Nebraska.

Maldonado verbally committed to the Huskies after they saw him practice Wednesday, which he accepted. This is what Maldonado told Rivals:

"I accepted it right away," he said. "It feels really good. It was my first one. I told my mom and dad about it, and everybody is really excited. I would say I'm a soft commitment, but I was told that I could come in there right and be their starting kicker right away."

Malone, a safety, is up to five scholarship offers (Arizona State, Nebraska, Nevada, UTEP and Washington) while Mack, a cornerback, has an offer from the Cornhuskers.

Sometimes lost in the hoopla of the football signings on National Signing Day are soccer signings. But there will be three local girls soccer players signing this week.

Redlands midfielder Hannah Carroll and Yucaipa midfielder Kellie Bohner, who play on the same club team, will both sign with SMU this week according to Yucaipa athletic director Mark Anderson. Carroll has five goals and nine assists for the Terriers this year while Bohner - Yucaipa's leading scorer a year ago - has missed much of the season with an ankle injury.

Kaiser midfielder/forward Jessica Cortez is also signing this week, as she'll be heading to UC Riverside. Cortez has been the leader of a powerful Kaiser team for the past few years, Cortez has 12 goals and six assists for the Cats this season.

Wednesday morning at Cajon High School will be a busy one, as running back Walter Kazee and offensive lineman Daron Griffin will be signing letters of intent. Kazee, the All-County Most Valuable Player, verbally committed to San Diego State after taking an official visit there over the weekend according to Cajon athletic director Rich Imbriani, while Griffin verbally committed to Division I-AA Southern Utah over the weekend. Griffin, another all-County first-team selection, also made his commitment after an official visit.

The two will be joining cornerback Marlon Pollard, who is expected to sign with UCLA after verbally committing to the Bruins three weeks ago. Pollard was committed to Notre Dame, who is still recruiting him heavily, before he switched to UCLA.

Redlands East Valley defensive back Gary Walker recently committed to the University of Idaho according to REV coach Kurt Bruich. Walker, who was an all-CIF and all-County selection after transferring from Rialto High School last offseason, visited Idaho this past weekend and apparently loved every bit of his trip.

"After seeing Gary early this week, I had an idea of where he was going," Bruich said. "I know that he had a great time up there.

"He's a great pickup for Idaho. He's a special player. He plays fast and when you need an impact play, he'll come up with it for you."

Walker chose the Vandals over teams such as Arizona State and Fresno State. He had been to both campuses, but chose Idaho's instead. He is the third Wildcat to make that choice in recent years, joining kicker Trey Farquhar (2008) and linebacker Andre Ferguson (2007).

"We have a nice pipeline going there," Bruich said. "Gary knows those guys, which will definitely help him out."

Aquinas running back J.J. Ragan, the Christian League Offensive MVP and a third-team all-County performer, verbally committed to Northern Arizona University this past weekend according to Scout.com. Ragan, a bruising 5-foot-10, 215-pound senior, was one of the leading rushers in the County, rushing for 1,293 yards and 17 touchdowns in helping lead the Falcons to a Christian League championship.

The article detailing Ragan's commitment can be accessed here.

Arroyo Valley offensive lineman Michael Philipp, rated the No. 1 guard and the No. 38 player in the nation, has verbally committed to Oregon State, according to Arroyo Valley head coach Marcus Soward.

Philipp chose the Beavers over several suitors, most notably Stanford, UCLA, California and Oregon. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Philipp took an official visit to Oregon State this past weekend.

"Mike committed yesterday," Soward said. "He didn't have a big speech planned about why he chose Oregon State and why it was the best place for him. He went up there and just felt comfortable. They have a real family environment and he just felt like it was the best place for him. They were straight shooters with him and Mike feels like he can make a real impact."

Philipp is the next in a long line of brothers to emerge in the Division I ranks. Paul Philipp went to Arizona after playing at San Bernardino High while Hans Philipp will be a redshirt sophomore at Arizona after playing at Arroyo Valley.

Soward, who graduated from Arizona State and played defensive back for the Sun Devils in the 1997 Rose Bowl, was happy to see Philipp join the fraternity of Pac-10 football players.

"I was hoping that he would go to a Pac-10 school," Soward said. "The great thing about Pac-10 schools is that they are great academic institutions that also play some great football. The Pac-10 was undefeated during bowls this year, which is a pretty incredible accomplishment."

Michael Philipp joins Hans Philipp (2007), Keenan Brown (San Jose State, 2008) and Robert Fuller (Utah State, 2008) as Arroyo Valley players that have or will sign with Division I programs.

"It's huge for our program," Soward said. "Can you imagine the type of impact a guy like Michael Philipp, a player who is getting a full ride to a Pac-10 school, would have on a freshman? It shows that if you work hard and take care of business in the classroom, you can go off to a Division I college, even a Pac-10 one if things go well."

Redlands offensive lineman Brock Morris, a first-team all-CIF and first-team all-County selection, verbally committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo over the weekend after taking an official visit.

Morris, who was also looking at Army and Portland State, fell in love with the campus and committed right on the spot when asked.

"It was everything I was looking for," Morris said. "It's a great team, great school, great campus. I liked everything about it and I can't wait to get there (August 2). It feels good to have it over and be at a school that I really like."

A lot of the draw toward Cal Poly SLO was their hiring of former Pacific graduate Saga Tuitele as co-offensive coordinator. Tuitele, a standout for the Pirates in the mid-1990s and a graduate of Portland State, was hired this month after spending a two-year stint as the offensive line coach at Army - where he was Morris' main recruiter.

"Having coach Tuitele at Cal Poly is a pretty big deal," Morris said. "He's the one that got me interested at Army and I built a pretty good relationship with him. I can't wait to go and play for him."

Morris is the second Terrier to commit to a Division I-AA school of high academic standing, with all-CIF and all-County first teamer Michael Poage having already committed to Columbia. Both Morris and Poage will sign their letters of intent to make their choices official February 4.

When San Bernardino senior defensive back Aarein Booker went on his official visit to San Diego State this past weekend, he wasn't necessarily thinking about committing. But after spending an entire day on the campus, he knew that he wanted to be an Aztec.
"I was thinking about everything right before I went to bed," Booker said. "When I woke up, I knew what I wanted to do."
Booker, a 6-foot, 180-pound jack of all trades for the Cardinals this season, gave his verbal commitment to San Diego State Sunday morning, becoming the first Division I-A football recruit out of San Bernardino since Paul Philipp committed to Arizona in 2001.
"This is a big deal for us," San Bernardino coach Nick Monica said. "For Aarein to be the first D-I guy we've had in eight years is a pretty big deal for us, especially since we were 2-8 this year."
The Cardinals may have struggled on the field, but none of the blame could be placed on Booker. Along with playing cornerback for San Bernardino, Booker ran for 1,058 yards and even served time at quarterback.
San Diego State is looking at Booker, who is also an accomplished sprinter on the Cardinals' track team, to play at corner. After talking to the Aztec defensive coaches, including defensive coordinator and former New Mexico head coach Rocky Long, Booker was pretty excited about his new role.
"I loved the defense they ran and I loved all the players I talked to," Booker said. "I really feel like I connected with the players and coaches and I really enjoyed the campus."
The trip also included breakfast at the beach on Sunday morning, something his other main suitor, Division I-AA Idaho State, couldn't offer. Booker was planning an official trip to Idaho State this upcoming weekend, but canceled it after committing.

Marlon Pollard had already decided that he was going to come back to UCLA, with whom he had originally verbally committed to before decommitting to Notre Dame, during his official visit on Saturday.

But before the Cajon senior cornerback officially announced that, he had another comeback to take care of first.

"I was playing pool with (UCLA freshman defensive back) Rahim Moore and the stakes were that if I lost, I had to commit right away," Pollard said. "I didn't make any off the break and then he sunk five balls in a row. I thought I was going to lose for sure."

Pollard ended up making the miraculous billiards comeback, allowing him to keep his intentions quiet. But that's not something that Pollard could do for along as Bruin players, recruits, coaches and parents gathered together at head coach Rick Neuheisel's house.

"One of the other guys, I forgot his name, got up and announced his commitment 15 or 20 minutes later and I was like 'What about me, coach? What about me?'" Pollard said. "The coaches let me announce the commitment and everyone was happy."

Most importantly, Pollard is happy with being a Bruin, ending a nearly two-year recruiting saga. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound defensive back committed to UCLA coach Karl Dorrell before his junior year, only to decommit after Dorrell was fired. He then committed to Notre Dame over the summer, but UCLA kept up their pursuit. Stanford also joined in late.

"UCLA has been recruiting Marlon for over two years," said Marlon's mother, Rachael Pollard. "He was the youngest player ever to commit to UCLA. We just felt really comfortable with the players and coaches. We felt it was one big family. I'm very thankful to Stanford and Notre Dame for the interest they showed in Marlon."

Rachael Pollard also cited the job security, or lack thereof, of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis as a factor. But ultimately, it was where Marlon felt comfortable that won out in her mind.

"It definitely helped that coach Neuheisel is going to be there 3-4 years at the very least," Pollard said. "But if there's one thing I've learned in this process, it's that at the end of the day, it's his decision. As a parent, you have your opinions, but it's needs to be his decision. And Marlon is really happy about UCLA and I'm happy for him. It's a comfortable, family environment with great education opportunities."

With Pollard, UCLA has a big Inland Empire contingent, as he joins Los Osos quarterback Richard Brehaut, Bloomington fullback Jayson Allmond and Diamond Ranch cornerback Brandon Sermons as Bruin committs. That connection, plus bonds he made with other players in the class, was important.

"Richard and I talk a lot," Pollard said. "I also have a pretty good relationship with (Carson TE) Morrell Presley and (La Puente Bishop Amat CB) Sheldon Price. I can't wait to play with all those guys."

After talking to UCLA commit Jayson Allmond at the conclusion of the Inland Empire All-Star Football Classic, I learned that Cajon cornerback Marlon Pollard has switched his commitment back from Notre Dame to UCLA. A corresponding story has gone up on Rivals.com which can be read here.

"I just heard tonight," said Allmond after San Bernardino's 38-7 loss to Riverside County at Los Osos High School. "It's great to have him as a Bruin."

Pollard is on his official visit to UCLA this weekend, which is why he didn't take part in the all-star game. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound cornerback transferred to Cajon from Valencia last winter. He had verbally committed to UCLA in the summer of 2007 but decommitted over this past summer after Karl Dorrell was fired and Rick Neuheisel was hired. He committed to Notre Dame in July and said his commitment was solid when Charlie Weis visited the Cajon campus in early December, but concerns over Weis' job security and Neuheisel's persistence seems to have won out.

Pollard joins an Inland Empire-heavy Bruin recruiting class which includes Allmond, Los Osos QB Richard Brehaut and Diamond Ranch CB Brandon Sermons. I'll have a more in-depth account with Pollard himself up tomorrow.

Eisenhower wide receiver Alex Jefferies left for Fresno State on an official visit this weekend. After spending the weekend on the campus, Jefferies - who had official visits to Utah and Nebraska on his itinerary - knew where he wanted to go to school.

"I commited to Fresno State this morning," Jefferies said. "I wanted to go to a school that really was with me the entire time and showed that they wanted me. Fresno State was always around and I really liked my trip up there."

The Bulldogs indicated to Jefferies that they wanted him to play wide receiver, which seems to be a pretty smart choice. Jefferies has been an all-Citrus Belt League first-team performer the last two seasons, catching 47 passes for 815 yards and nine touchdowns this year. He also ran for 298 yards, playing quarterback at times because of an injury to starter Anthony Lucero.

"I really want to play wide receiver in college," said Jefferies, who was also being looked at as a safety. "I'm just so relieved to get this whole thing over."

With the verbal commitment, Jefferies is forgoing official visits to Utah - which he was set to go on this upcoming weekend - and Nebraska, which offered him recently and wanted him to visit in January. But Jefferies is content with that.

"I'm happy that I'll still be in California," Jefferies said. "It's close to family and I don't have to worry about it being cold."

Los Osos RB Arby Fields, a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com, committed to Northwestern over the weekend, becoming the second Baseline League player to verbally commit to the Big 10 school during the past month, as Upland RB Davion Fleming pledged with the Wildcats last week.

Fields' commitment came after officially visiting the Northwestern campus this week for the Wildcats' 45-10 loss to Ohio State. While the Wildcats got drubbed, Fields liked what he saw according to the Rivals.com article about his commitment.

"They run the same offense as my high school - I mean exactly the same," explained Fields. "They do a lot of the same stuff we do, so I'm going into an offense I'm very familiar with."

Fields has rushed for 614 yards and 14 touchdowns on 123 carries while catching 31 passes for 508 yards and another three touchdowns for the 7-2 Grizzlies.

Cajon coach Mark Lehman just confirmed to me that senior guard Layshia Clarendon and senior post Darshae Burnside were signing national letters of intent with California and Arkansas, respectively.

"I think we pretty much knew this day was coming," Lehman said. "They came in their freshman year and started right away. With their talent, you knew that they had a shot to have this happen for them."

Cajon is trying to set up an assembly in front of the student body for the formal signing sometime in the next week, as the Fall Signing Period starts Wednesday and runs through Nov. 19. Lehman indicated that a date hasn't been picked as of yet, but a few were under consideration.

The 5-foot-9 Clarendon, the CIF-SS Division II-A player of the year, was a first-team all-state selection by calhisports.com and was the Sun's All-County Most Valuable Player this past season. Clarendon averaged 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and four steals per game for the Cowgirls, who won their first-ever CIF title last March with a 51-47 victory over Ayala.

"It feels pretty great right now," said Clarendon, who chose from a final three of Cal, UCLA and Arizona State. "It's one of those things that I always hoped would happen, but I wasn't sure if it would come together like this. Cal was a perfect place for me and I feel as if everything is falling into place."

Burnside, a first-team all-state, all-CIF and all-County selection a year ago, averaged 15.5 points, 16.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocked shots per game. She has quickly climbed up the all-time state rebounding leaders, with Lehman saying that she is roughly 160 rebounds away from being the leading rebounder in state history.

I only got a brief word in with Burnside before her cell phone cut out, basically me congratulating her and her saying "Thanks." I guess that's as good of confirmation as any until I can speak with her more.