Recruiting Roundup: Football players announce top schools
This past week saw three local football prospects give updates on their recruiting situations by listing their top schools on socia media.
Central wide receiver Justyn Ross, a five-star prospect who is considered the top player in Alabama, announced via Twitter his top five schools over the weekend. Ross listed Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Florida State as his top choices. Ross will return to the national stage at the end of the month when he competes in Nike’s The Opening camp, featuring the top high school players from around the country.
Another standout Alabama wide receiver, Glenwood’s Cameron O’Neil, also shared his top schools via Twitter. O’Neil announced his top five as Illinois, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Troy and Virginia. O’Neil also attended a camp at Auburn on June 18.
Kendrick running back Kayleem Bonds announced his top six schools. The rising senior said Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State and Shorter.
Manchester linebacker Jontavious Ferguson received his first Big Ten offer via Rutgers. Ferguson now has 13 offers after recently re-opening his recruitment.
Carver quarterback Xaiyhir Jacobs recently visited North Carolina, Louisville, and Marshall.
Central defensive lineman Deanthony Miles visited Jacksonville State on Wednesday and is visiting Kennesaw State on Thursday.
Central quarterback Peter Parrish recently discussed his visit to Mississippi State with Scout.com. Parrish, who is a rising junior, also has an offer from the Bulldogs.
“I learned a lot of stuff that I can take back home to my high school and perfect,” Parrish said. “(Mississippi State quarterbacks coach Brett Elliott) is a very good coach. He knows exactly what he is talking about with everything. He is an exciting coach and the kind of coach that everyone would want on their team.
Central defensive back Ray Thornton talked to The Clemson Insider about his recent camp at Clemson.
“I enjoyed being there and competing with the other players,” Thornton said. “Being coached by some of the best coaches was an honor. Also knowing that they had one of the best coaching staffs made me work harder.”
Thornton has been extremely busy this month, also participating in camps at Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and Florida.
Central outside linebacker Jalen McWhite participated in a camp at Auburn on June 18. He had previously worked at a camp at Valdosta State earlier this month.
Central rising sophomore Phillip “PJ” Ramsey participated in the Auburn camp as well, the outside linebacker’s first university camp.
Shaw long snapper T.J. Harvey has a workout scheduled with Georgia Southern. According to Harvey, he is ranked as one of the top five of long snappers in the state by Rubio Long Snapping.
Smiths Station’s Kelcy Allen recently posted a 4.7 40-yard dash. The 6-foot-2, 265-pound rising senior has offers from The Citadel and Jacksonville State.
Baseball
Former Glenwood pitcher Amaury Telemaco Jr. was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Telemaco, whose father was a Major League pitcher for nine seasons, threw 13.1 innings in his only season with the Gators after moving from the Dominican Republic. He had been committed to play baseball at Hillsboro Community College in Plant City, Fla.
Calvary Christian’s Cody Russell will play baseball at Alabama A&M. Russell played in the outfield and pitched in his senior season, hitting .541 with two home runs and posting a 3-1 record with 46 strikeouts and a 2.63 ERA.
Northside pitcher Camden Mathis has signed to play baseball at the Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala. Mathis pitched 45.2 innings in his senior season, going 4-1 with 43 strikeouts and a 3.22 ERA.
Russell County pitcher Hunter Milam participated in a Perfect Game showcase in Ft. Meyers, Fla. Milam, who is spending the summer playing baseball in Ohio, threw two innings and hit 90 miles per hour on the radar gun, according to high school coach Tony Rasmus.
Smiths Station’s Jerry Bowman took home MVPitcher of the 2017 Perfect Game Super 25 16U Georgia Super Qualifier last weekend. Bowman’s squad, Game On West Yankees, was ultimately the qualifier’s champion.
Girls Basketball
Carver rising seniors Alicia Reese and Mariah Igus have been been offered scholarships to Columbus State. Both players were instrumental in the Lady Tigers’ push to the Class 4A state championship game in the 2016-2017 season.
Softball
Former Marion County player Madison McPherson participated in the GACA North-South All-Star Softball Game at West Georgia on June 14. McPherson, the daughter of Marion County assistant softball and head girls basketball and track coach Fran McPherson, graduated from Marion in December and is a softball player at Georgia. She redshirted in her freshman season of 2017.
This story was originally published June 22, 2017 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Recruiting Roundup: Football players announce top schools."