NATIONAL SIGNING DAY | Local football players ready to make commits official

Staff report

Among those celebrating today’s National Signing Day will be Boardman’s Travis Koontz who said Tuesday he will be signing a national letter of intent to play football for Bowling Green.

“I had a great visit at Bowling Green,” Koontz said. “Head coach Mike Jinks and the entire coaching staff made me feel comfortable and I like this is the best fit for me as I begin my college career.

“Our incoming recruiting class is top-ranked in the MAC and that’s exciting as well.”

Many other Mahoning Valley high school athletes will be officially signing their letters today.

Youngstown State will be hosting a press conference for the football team at 2:30 p.m. where head coach Bo Pelini will speak.

Several local athletes are expected to be suiting up for the Penguins football team this fall, including Boardman’s Donovan Turney, Campbell’s Yianni Koullias, Canfield’s Jake Cummings, Cardinal Mooney’s Jaylen Hewlett and Darrell Jackson, Champion’s Noah Bayus and Warren JFK’s Jacob Coates.

A.J. Musolino from Struthers has verbally committed to Kent State. Warren Harding’s Lynn Bowden has verbally committed to Kentucky and Ursuline’s Jeff Marx from Ursuline has verbally committed to the Naval Academy.

Others football players expected to sign are: Boardman’s Koby Adu-Poku (Walsh) and Stephen Taylor (Waynesburg); Brookfield’s Xaiver Bailey (Ohio); Crestview’s Jordan Murphy (Bowling Green); and Howland’s Victor Williams (Toledo), Stephen Baugh (Walsh), Tyriq Ellis (Malone) and Ryan Jones (Case Western).

Others are: Hubbard’s David Hernandez (Slippery Rock); LaBrae’s Tariq Drake (Ohio); Lakeview’s Hayden Lazzari (Coast Guard); Niles’ Marlon Pearson (Malone), Justin Beatty (Notre Dame College), Tyler Srbinovich (Waynesburg) and Jasson Faison (Muskingum); West Branch’s Ian Sharp (Wayne State); and Struthers’ Adam Sedzmak (Robert Morris).

Ursuline has several players signing: Dakota Hobbs (Malone), Dawalyn Washington (Heidelberg), Daylen Harris (Heidelberg) and Spencer Warren (Wheaton).