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High School Notes

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Heart attack claims life of Ohio State recruit

Drushaun Humphrey, one of the nation's top prospects from the Class of 2002 and unofficially an early verbal commitment to Ohio State, died April 30 of an apparent heart attack during a pickup basketball game.

Humphrey, a standout running back/linebacker at Rogers High School in Toledo, arrived at the Medical College of Ohio in full cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead. An autopsy was planned to determine an exact cause of death.

Making the sudden death even more surprising was the fact that Humphrey, 18, was in tremendous physical shape. The 2000 all-district selection was 6-foot-3, 235 pounds and ran a 4.43 40-yard time. Humphrey rushed for 1,222 yards on 144 carries (8.5 average) and scored 21 touchdowns while leading Rogers to a 9-2 record and its first-ever city championship and playoff appearance last fall.

"We're talking about one of the top prospects in the nation,'' Bill Kurelic, publisher of Ohio Football Recruiting News, told the Columbus Dispatch. "For this to happen to an athlete of that caliber, it's just shocking."

Former Colorado QB Hagan will coach under a familiar name

As a player at the University of Colorado, Darian Hagan was tutored by legendary coach Bill McCartney. Now, as a young assistant coach across town at Boulder's Fairview High School, Hagan will be learning at the knee of McCartney's son, Tom.

After receiving a recommendation from the eldest McCartney, Hagan was hired this spring to join the Knights coaching staff for the 2001 season.

Hagan, who quarterbacked CU's 1990 national championship team, will assist with the quarterbacks and receivers at Fairview as well as coaching the J.V.

This will be his second job as a high school coach. Hagan was a full-time assistant at his alma mater, Los Angeles Locke, from 1994-96.

"I want to coach and I think I have a lot to give back," Hagan told The Boulder Daily Camera. "I was taught by some good coaches and blessed with a bright mind. I've retained a lot of information that's been passed down to me. Helping Tom and Tom knowing different people with the colleges that come through can only help me out."

NFL shines on Florida once again

In case you needed more proof that the attention college coaches pay the state of Florida during recruiting time is warranted, take a look at April's NFL Draft. Nine of the 31 first-round picks were players who prepped at Florida high schools, more than twice as many from any other state.

The high school football-crazy state of Texas, which has a population of about 4.5 million larger than Florida, had four homegrown first-rounders.

Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi and Virginia each had two. Surprisingly, California, which has produced more current NFL players than any other state, gave birth to only one first-round selection.

Overall, Florida was tied with Texas with a total of 33 draftees. California had 24.

An Eye to 2002

This month we continue our coast-to-coast trip to canvass the nation's top up-and-coming recruits from the Class of 2002 by examining the state of California. In alphabetical order, here are the Prep Recruiting Network's early top six list of prospects to watch from the Golden State.

Lorenzo Booker, RB 5-11, 180, 4.4
St. Bonaventure, (Ventura)

There might not be a better running back in the nation next season than Booker, who rushed for 3,364 yards and 48 TDs and was named state junior player-of-the-year in 2000. "He has great vision and is very elusive. Every college who has seen him on film has offered him," says coach Jon Mack.

Brandon Hancock, LB 6-2, 238, 4.5
Clovis West (Fresno)

A broken tibia during his junior season wasn't enough to keep colleges off the trail of Hancock, whose strength in the weight room (420-pound bench, 5% body fat) is matched by his work in the classroom (4.0 GPA). "He has speed, strength, reads very well and is very coachable," says coach Ed Lombardi.

Winston Justice, OT 6-7, 290, 5.0
Long Beach Poly

The football factory at Long Beach Poly will be loaded as never before, perhaps, this fall, and Justice, with his superior quickness and athleticism, will be a key factor in the Jackrabbits' bid for a national championship. "He's got great feet and great balance and is very skilled as a lineman," says coach Jerry Jaso.

Fred Matua, OG-DT 6-4, 290, 4.8
Banning (Wilmington)

Probably no lineman in the state will be recruited for both sides of the ball as heavily as Matua, whom Nebraska loves on offense and many others like as a DT. "He plays with a lot of enthusiasm and he loves to intimidate. He isn't out there to make friends," says coach Ed Lalau.

Rhema McKnight, WR 6-3, 195, 4.51
Kennedy (La Palma)

Like Finley, McKnight has excellent size and speed, and the numbers to go with the athleticism. Last season he accounted for 2,341 all-purpose yards and returned five punts for TDs. "His athletic ability is mind-blowing and he's very tough," says coach Mitch Olson.

Loren Wade , RB 6-2, 210, 4.48
Serra (Gardena)

Wade played in only eight games last season, but it was enough to rack up 1,431 yards rushing, 14 TDs and All-CIF honors. "He is quick, strong and elusive with great hands," says coach Scott Altenberg.





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