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<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We always tell people that Signing Day is our favorite day on the sports schedule\u2014a day when four years of hard work on and off the field pays off for our local high school students. In the Moore League, there’s all the fun of pro sports\u2014high quality play, rivalries, championships\u2014and then, at the beginning of February, there’s a wonderful bonus for these athletes, when many of them get a chance to pursue their career at the next level, while also receiving the priceless gift of a college education. Here’s a quick whirlwind tour around the city, with a sampling of who signed where, and why. There’s a complete list at the top of the comment section below\u2014if we’re missing someone, please click Contact Us to let us know! In the meantime, please join us in congratulating and celebrating these 37 individuals as they embark on the next stage of their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n Wilson Brandon Robertson and Ezell Ruffin met in Wilson coach Mario Morales’ office to sign their Letters of Intent, and were quickly joined by proud family, and friends. Robertson, who has overcome a lot in his high school career, seemed incredibly pleased to get an offer to New Mexico Highlands, a Division 2 school that’s excited about his abilities as a running back. He’d also been offered by Colorado Pueblo, but New Mexico “is a little closer to home,” he said.<\/span> Ruffin is headed to San Diego State, where he’ll play receiver, return man, and probably a little Wildcat back as well. The school’s atmosphere, and the coach’s detailed plans for him were a big part of his decision.<\/span> Jordan After John Timu’s knee injury, there was some concern about the status of his offer from Washington, but as expected, the coaches up there did the right thing, and both Timu and Princeton Fuimaono will be Dawgs, joining fellow Moore Leaguer Talia Crichton, who graduated from Lakewood last year. <\/span> Lakewood Lakewood head coach Thadd MacNeal summed up National Letter of Intent Day perfectly as he watched fiveof his seniors continue their football careers: \u201cThis is just a great result of a lot of hard work. It\u2019s exciting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Smiles surrounded the scorer\u2019s table yesterday in the Lancer Gym as family members and Lakewood students sat in the stands to watch a few representatives from the most decorated class in recent Lancer history make some history. Quarterback Jesse Scroggins (USC) defensive back Dion Bailey (USC) defensive end Justin Utupo (Notre Dame) wide receiver Kevin Anderson (ASU) and linebacker Keanu Kalolo (Northern Arizona) all officially decided where they will be attending college.<\/span><\/p>\n Just how \u201cbig time\u201d was this signing day? Kevin Anderson\u2019s sister Summer might have hit it right on the head when she said, in all seriousness, \u201cI\u2019m just excited they\u2019re going to be on a video game now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Surely, Anderson and his #19 will soon be familiar on EA Sports NCAA Football, and in Tempe, Arizona. \u201cI\u2019ve known it was going to be Arizona State for awhile, but I was thinking some other places, like LSU\u2026 Arizona is a lot like here,\u201d said Anderson with his fitted Sun Devils hat in tow. \u201cThe people, the lifestyle, and I really liked the coaching staff. [ASU receivers coach Eric] Yarber is a lot like my receiver coach [Anthony] Tucker\u2026 and yeah, coach [Dennis] Erickson is cool. He\u2019s funny.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Also headed to the Pac-10 with Anderson are Scroggins and Bailey, but obviously their road to college was a little bumpier. After already being verbally committed to USC\u2014 and then with all the coaching staff musical chairs\u2014 the two took the high road for a few weeks in January.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI just listened to my family and took it one day at a time,\u201d said Scroggins. \u201cI just kept telling people \u2018All I can do is me. I\u2019m just trying to do me\u2019 \u2026 they were going to make a good hire, and they did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Both had Tennessee on their short list, so they were already familiar with Lane Kiffin and his father, Monte.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt worked out perfect,\u201d said Bailey, who plans on majoring in Business so he can one day be a sports agent. \u201cIt\u2019s Monte Kiffin\u2026 I couldn\u2019t ask for more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI really liked coach [Lane] Kiffiin when I went on my visit to Tennessee,\u201d said Scroggins. \u201cHe was nice with my family, and then he pulled me aside and made sure I was comfortable. I feel really comfortable with him and his program.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Kalolo is just as excited as anyone to keep playing football, and got offers from multiple Division 1AA schools like Stony Brook in New York. But the talented linebacker decided on Northern Arizona University where the Lumberjacks are competing every year in the Big Sky conference.<\/span><\/p>\n