Long Island's Version of Signing Day
Signing Day is here. Wednesday kicks off the week-long early signing period. Around the nation, the lionshare of the attention goes to top basketball recruits. But hoops is just one of many sports where athletes will fax in letters of intent to anxious college coaches.
You gotta love Long Island for its differences. Just 40 miles away is the basketball mecca known as the City. Plenty of hardwood talent will be scooped up this week by Big East and ACC schools.
Not so on the Island. No, this day belongs to lacrosse. Dozens of Long Island's top athletes will commit on Wednesday. They will form the backbone of stellar lacrosse recruiting classes, from Hofstra to North Carolina. The most noteable crop of stars are at two-time defending state champ Huntington, where brothers Rhamel and Shamel Bratton are both headed to Virginia and Zach Howell is expected to sign with Duke.
So while the rest of the world talks up Coach K's latest haul and Dicky V goes on and on about "diaper dandies," Long Island will still play a significant role on signing day. There is no more fertile ground in the eyes of the lacrosse community. And that's something.