NOV. 13, 2015
A19
T he C oast News
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McWilliams, Seck are Division 1 bound after signing day By Aaron Burgin
REGION — After five years of playing youth basketball, Johnny McWilliams said he knew that the class of 2016 had a chance to be a special group of players. “I grew up playing with guys like TJ (Leaf) and Justin (Moore) and all of the guys, and I knew that all of them were good enough to go D1,” said McWilliams, now a senior at San Marcos High School. “I’m not surprised by anyone here.” “Here” is the San Diego Hall of Champions, where the annual Signing Day Ceremony was held on Nov. 11. It’s a moment that student athletes in San Diego like McWilliams dream about since they were old enough to have dreams of playing sports in college, the moment when they can sign their national letters of intent to play their sports at the collegiate level in front of family, friends and peers. McWilliams a decorated shooting guard who signed with Fresno State University, was joined by six fellow basketball players who signed their letters of intent to NCAA Division 1 universities, the largest basketball contingent at signing day in recent San Diego history. He is one of two of the group from North County: Aziz Seck, who attends Army and Navy Academy
in Carlsbad, is the other. He signed his letter of intent with Northern Arizona University. The other signees were: • Justin Davis of Morse High School, who signed with Cal State Bakersfield • Tim Harrison of Francis Parker High School, who signed with Rice University • Eric Monroe of St. Augustine High School, who will attend Yale University • Justin Moore of Mission Bay High School, who signed with Tulane University • Thomas Rutherford of Grossmont High School, who signed with the University of California at Irvine An eighth player, Foothills Christian senior TJ Leaf, who is widely considered to be the best of the entire lot, will announce his college choice Oct. 12 on national television. Leaf will choose between the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Oregon and San Diego State University. McWilliams chose Fresno State over several universities, including the University of Nevada at Reno, Colorado State University and Montana University.
He said the ultimate decid- sold on his college choice to go to a football game, talked about not only being which was a lot of fun,” he a team, but being part of a ing factor was a visit to the after an official visit. “I really liked the staff said. “The coaching staff family, and I wanted to be a university in October. “I got to know the and the community, I got was very friendly, and they part of that family.” coaches and staff, and they really embraced me,” McWilliams said. “I felt loyalty to them since they were my first legitimate offer as The San Diego community is invited to attend our a sophomore, and they truly do believe in me as a player.” According to a number of experts, the 6-foot-5 McWilliams — whose father was a star tight end at the University of Southern California and played for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League — is one of the top shooting guards in the state. th With the exception of Seck, who is a native of see the new school traditional music & instruments Senegal who arrived in Kung Fu demonstrations free trial class Carlsbad two years ago, lion dance performance learn about Chinese culture the seven signees had been competing against and with meet the Kung Fu Monks refreshments served one another since they were in elementary school. Seck, an athletic 6-foot7 forward, said the community at Army Navy embraced him, however, like he was a native son. “Ever since I’ve been here, the coaches and administrators and my teammates have made me feel at home,” Seck said. “The Amituofo! coaches have put in a lot Shaolin Kung Fu is more than self-defense and physical conditioning. It is a way of life where one of hard work with me, and improves health, fi tness, strength, calmness, wisdom and compassion through rigorous physical I felt the way I could pay training of self-defense, self-control and discipline, in the unique 1500 year old Shaolin style. them back was to play as The one and only Shaolin Kung Fu school in San Diego, CA, provides all this by one of the most hard as I could.” outstanding 34th generation of S Shaolin monks! Seck said he was also
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