Recruiting: Warriors land 4 JC receivers
Craig Bell has undergone some good preparation to become a University of Hawaii football player.
As a junior college wideout at Cerritos College (Calif.), Bell has performed in three- , four- and five-receiver sets. That will come in handy in adjusting to the Warriors four-receiver run-and-shoot schemes.
Bell also has a head start in another area.
"We did a lot of the haka at Cerritos. It gets you amped and bonds you as a team," Bell said. "The one we do here is a little easier than the one at Hawaii, so I'll have some learning to do."
Bell is among four junior college receivers who orally committed to UH after visiting Manoa last weekend. The Warriors need an instant fix of pass catchers, since all four starters won't be back.
Bell is fully qualified, having earned an associate's degree last semester. He said he plans to arrive in time for the first semester of summer school.
The graduate of Gardena High School (Calif.) is 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds and has two years to play two.
Bell is listed as running the 40 in 4.4 seconds. He caught 21 passes for 275 yards last fall.
He drew attention from San Diego State and Idaho, among other schools. But Bell said, "playing at Hawaii has always been kind of a dream. So when Coach Mack (Greg McMackin) and then (quarterbacks) Coach (Nick) Rolovich came down here looking for me, that felt great."
The three other JC receivers who committed to UH:
» Potential slotback Dustin Blount (5-8, 175) of Compton College caught 74 passes for 1,103 yards and seven touchdowns in 2007. He also carried the ball six times for 42 yards. Blount returned seven kickoffs for 162 yards.
» Ryan Henry is listed at 5-10 1/2 and 190 pounds, and has a 4.37 in the 40. He had 54 receptions for 789 yards and nine touchdowns during the 2006 season at West L.A. (Calif.) College.
» Jovonte Taylor (5-9, 185) comes from Los Angeles Southwest College. He had two touchdowns on kickoff returns, averaging 29.2 yards per last fall. He caught 33 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games on a team that passed and ran nearly equally. He also rushed 13 times for 60 yards and projects as a slotback.
Meanwhile, three Hawaii high school players made their intentions known yesterday:
» Kamehameha lineman Daniel Ka'anana (6-5, 280) has committed to UNLV, according to a family member.
» Kalaheo two-way starter Bruce Andrews (receiver, cornerback) said he will go to the Naval Academy. The 6-foot, 185-pound senior has a 4.0 grade-point average and was a Star-Bulletin All-State third-team selection as a wide receiver.
» Michael Hoke committed to Southern Utah. The 6-2, 195-pound Kamehameha quarterback turned down offers from Weber State and Colorado-Pueblo.
Close to 50 Hawaii high school players are expected to sign letters of intent, beginning tomorrow, to accept college football scholarships.
Around 20 of them will likely be with Division I schools, with seven having made oral commitments to UH.
Recruiting
HAWAII HIGH SCHOOL COMMITS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
» Haku Correa, Damien, DE/OLB, 6-1, 240
» Paipai Falemalu, Kahuku, LB, 6-4, 215
» Geordon Hanohano, Saint Louis, DT, 6-2, 270
» Earvin Sione, McKinley, QB/WR, 6-5, 190
» Alema Tachibana, Kahuku, LB, 6-3, 220
» Tui Tuiasosopo, Saint Louis, OL, 6-1, 292
» Christian Vasconcellos, Damien, CB, 6-2
MAINLAND COMMITS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
» Craig Bell, Cerritos College, WR, 6-1, 185,
» Chris Black, College of the Canyons, DB, 5-11, 170
» Dustin Blount, Compton College, WR, 5-8, 175
» Jeramy Bryant, Los Angeles Harbor College, DB, 5-9, 175
» Steve Christian, Kennedy (Sacramento, Calif.), CB, 5-11, 190
» Ryan Henry, West L.A. College, WR, 5-10 1/2 , 190
» Kainoa LaCount, College of the Canyons (from Kailua High), OL, 6-7, 290
» Jovonte Taylor, Los Angeles Southwest College, WR, 5-9, 185
» Mike Tinoco, Saddleback College, WR, 6-2, 195
» Lewis Walker, Judge Memorial (Salt Lake City), CB, 6-0, 165
HAWAII HIGH SCHOOL COMMITS TO MAINLAND SCHOOLS
» Bruce Andrews, Kalaheo, WR/CB, 6-0, 185, to Navy
» J.J. Autele, Punahou, LB/DE, 6-2, 230, to San Diego State
» Ryan Eastman, Saint Louis, DT/NG, 6-0, 260, to Weber State
» Michael Hoke, Kamehameha, QB, 6-2, 195, to Southern Utah
» Mykenna Ikehara, Kamehameha, OL, 6-3, 275, to Washington
» Daniel Ka'anana, Kamehameha, OL, 6-5, 280, to UNLV
» Benji Kemoeatu, Kahuku, OL, 6-3, 315, to Utah
» Solomon Koehler, Castle, OL/DL, 6-2, 305, to Arizona
» Matt Shibata, Pac-Five, WR, to Naval Academy Prep School
» Charles Ekolu Soon III, Kamehameha, WR, 5-10, 170 pounds, to Army
» Sean Tesoro, Baldwin, OL, 6-3, 285, to UNLV
» Aaron Tipoti, Pac-Five/Word of Life, DE, 6-3, 250, to Cal