As summer gets ready to officially start, the recruiting scene is scorching for several area student-athletes.
Thomas Dale High’s defensive lineman/linebacker Rick D’Abreu has a total of 16 scholarship offers. The four newest offers for the rising senior are from Campbell, William and Mary, and two schools from the academically prestigious Ivy League, Penn and Yale.
Thomas Dale running back Chris Tyree picked up his 25th scholarship offer when Ohio State came calling May 14. Then Oklahoma and Stanford extended full scholarship offers to him. He also received an invite to The Opening, one of the nation’s top high school football recruiting events.
Tyree broke two school records in track and field May 27 that were formerly held by Dennis Boone. Tyree’s new marks include a time of 10.66 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.57 seconds in the 200-meter dash.
Defensive end/linebacker Dusan Stjepanovic formally announced his signing with James Madison May 25. He had been recruited by several Football Championship Series schools including Delaware State, who extended him his first offer as a junior.
“Beyond excited to be attending James Madison University for the next four years,” Stjepanovic said via his Twitter account. ”It is such a blessing to be continuing my academic and athletic career at JMU!
Stjepanovic made his mark on the Thomas Dale defense, first as a linebacker during his junior season and then as a defensive lineman when he led the team in sacks.
Matoaca High’s super recruit Immanuel Hickman, a rising senior defensive end, has tallied four more offers and now has 18. Richmond, Buffalo, James Madison and Marshall all extended offers to Hickman in May.
Also for the Warriors, brothers Aaron and Ryan Walker both signed with Division II Concord University in Athens, W. Va.
Aaron, 6-3, 325 pounds, will play on the offensive line, while Ryan, 6-2, 255 pounds, will play on the defensive line. The brothers have a sibling rivalry filled with love and competition. Ryan was selected all-region after his senior season, while Aaron was selected to participate in the 2018 Blue-Grey All-American Bowl on ESPN3 in Tampa.
L.C. Bird High’s rising senior Jayden Payoute has received five more offers. Towson, Richmond, James Madison, Kent State and Norfolk State have added their names to his list.
L.C. Bird also has a lineman headed west for “The Opening” as Hakeem Beamon, who holds offers from Alabama and a number of others, will compete. Beamon is being recruited both on the offensive and defensive lines.
