Several more Palisades High varsity football players made their college commitments last week and head coach Tim Hyde could hardly contain his excitement.
“I love the looks on their faces when they find out they’re going to play college ball, Hyde said. “It’s one of the joys of coaching.”
Nick Lunn, a 6-foot-3, 270-lb. senior offensive guard, will play at Occidental College in Eagle Rock next fall.
“Nick had tons of offers, including the University of Chicago, but he got a great package from Occidental,” Hyde said of Lunn, an All-City first team choice after being selected Western League Lineman of the Year last fall. “It’s also a great business school and that’s what he wants to study.”
Carlos Herrera, a 6-foot, 250-lb. senior and All-Western League offensive lineman, will also stay in the area. He is headed to Cal Lutheran, a private liberal arts university in Thousand Oaks.
“There were some Division II schools that loved him but in the end this is a great opportunity to stay close to home,” Hyde said of Herrera, a captain and three-year varsity letterman who will play defensive tackle for the Kingsmen. “He was an All-League defensive lineman as a junior, so he can play both sides of the ball.”
Mychal Cooper, the Dolphins’ 6-foot-1, 260-lb. starting nose guard who made All-League honorable mention, has committed to Bethany College, a Division III school in West Virginia.
Offensive and defensive tackle Marc Simon (6-foot-2, 250 lbs.) will head to Ventura College with wide receiver Ryan Holbert, who had 18 catches for 333 yards and three touchdowns last fall. Ismael Saucedo will join twin brother and fellow defensive tackle Josue Saucedo at West LA College in Culver City.
In February, quarterback Taylor Mensik committed to Pomona-Pitzer and in early March defensive back Kellen Ware (Bentley University) and defensive end David Benavides (Adams State) also committed.
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