Kicker Perren commits to Stephen F. Austin
The Daily News
Published January 27, 2005
TEXAS CITY — It’s one of the most competitive times of the year in college football, and teams aren’t even playing.
Instead, the colleges are competing for the pick of the 2005 recruiting class, and several Galveston County high school seniors expect to play at the next level this fall.
Texas City kicker and punter Michael Perren has committed to Stephen F. Austin State University, making him the second Stingaree after James Olalekan (Texas-El Paso) to decide on a Division I or I-AA school before signing day Wednesday. Perren will join the Lumberjacks after a senior season at Texas City in which he was named District 23-4A special teams player of the year.
While Perren has decided on Nacogdoches, teammate Vincent Pervis may join him there or go to Natchitoches, La.
SFA and Northwestern State have both welcomed the 23-4A offensive player of the year for campus visits, but another option may be available closer to home at Rice. Owls head coach Ken Hatfield visited Texas City to see Pervis on Monday and the running back will visit the Houston university this weekend, said Stings head football coach and athletic director Tim Finn on Monday.
Finn said that Division I-AA schools are targeting Stings nose guard Thomas Huggins and receivers Austin Willis and Chaz Thompson, and that defensive end Jarrett Ashton and fullback Darrell Johnson were exploring junior college offers.
The Rice Owls’ eyes aren’t just on Pervis in Galveston County. Rice assistant coach Barney Farrar paid a visit to Santa Fe running back Patrick Henderson’s home, and Henderson is planning to take a trip to Houston.
The visit wasn’t expected for the senior back, a three-year starter for the Indians.
“I didn’t send much out to Division I schools, because I figured I would be more a Division II or Division III player,” said Henderson. “So for (Rice) to visit me was a surprise.”
If Pervis and Henderson both become Owls, the friends and former district rivals could reunite in the same backfield.
“That’s a possibility, and that would be pretty cool,” said Henderson.
Henderson will also take a trip to Texas Lutheran University in Seguin along with teammates Brandon Kraus-kopf, Jason Mehalko and Joel Garza. Krauskopf and Mehalko were offensive tackles for the Indians, but Krauskopf says he will likely play center at TLU.
At Friendswood, top Mustang prospect T.J. Jordan has narrowed down his options to Georgetown and Fordham, both Division I-AA football schools, according to Mustangs coach and athletic director Steve Van Meter.
