Huskies Land One Recruit, Still In Hunt For 10 Others

TIMES STAFF

New Washington recruit Andrew Peterson is among the top four college-football prospects in the Pac-10 states and the Huskies are in the hunt for at least 10 other Best in the West players, according to The Long Beach (Calif.) Press-Telegram.

A 10-coach panel picked 29 Best in the West players for the 14th annual talent assessment conducted by the newspaper.

Peterson, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive lineman from South Kitsap High School, was one of two players to receive nine votes in what the Press-Telegram called a lean recruiting year.

Two California linebackers, Willie McGinest of Long Beach Poly High and Bruce Walker of Dominquez High in Compton, received the maximum 10 votes. Both are being recruited by Washington, which received an oral commitment from Peterson this week.

Peterson and Lake Dawson, wide receiver from Federal Way, are the only athletes from Washington to make the list of 29. Dawson received seven votes.

Drew Bledsoe, Walla Walla quarterback, made the honorable-mention list with five votes.

The state's other honorable-mention players: Nate Holdren, Richland linebacker-quarterback, 4 votes; Steve Hardin, Snohomish lineman, 3; Russell Hairston, Newport (Bellevue) defensive back, 2; and Josh Dunning, Eatonville lineman, 2.

Hardin plans to accept a scholarship to Oregon. Hairston is headed for Washington. Dunning was expected to notify his principal

pursuers, Oregon and Washington, of his choice today.

WSU is in the chase for at least four of the 29 Best in the West selections.

Before an NCAA rule change, each Pac-10 school voted in the survey. Now, a secret panel of 10 coaches or recruiting coordinators vote, but they no longer are from every school in the league.

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BEST IN THE WEST

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VOTES: 10

PLAYER: Willie McGinest

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Long Beach, California, Poly

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: LB / 6-5 / 225

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Colorado, UCLA, USC or UW.

VOTES: 10

PLAYER: Bruce Walker

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Compton, California, Dominguez

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: LB / 6-4 / 245

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Colorado, Notre Dame, UCLA, USC or UW.

VOTES: 9

PLAYER: Charles Johnson

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: San Bernardino, California, Cajon

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: WR / 6-2 / 180

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Colorado.

VOTES: 9

PLAYER: Andrew Peterson

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Port Orchard, Washington.

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: OT / 6-6 / 290

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Washington.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Sale Isaia

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Oceanside, California, Oceanside

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: DL / 6-4 / 275

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Arizona, BYU, Colorado, UCLA or USC.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Tommy Knecht

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Corvallis, Oregon

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: QB / 6-2 / 195

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Stanford.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Jeff Kopp

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Danville, California, San Ramon

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: LB / 6-3 / 235

PROBABLE COLLEGE: USC.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Nkosi Littleton

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Carson, California, Carson

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: LB / 6-2 / 220

PROBABLE COLLEGE: UCLA.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Elic Mahone

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Pasadena, California, Muir

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: TE / 6-4 / 225

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Colorado, California, Notre Dame, USC or UW.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Erik Mitchell

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Los Alamitos, California, Los Alamitos

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: TB / 5-9 / 175

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Colorado, Nebraska or Washington. State.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Jeremy Smith

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: La Puente, California, Bishop Amat

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: WR / 5-11 / 180

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Arizona, California, USC or UW.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Deon Strother

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Oakland, California, Skyline

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: RB / 6-0 / 195

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Michigan, Nebraska, USC or UW.

VOTES: 8

PLAYER: Aaron Taylor

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Concord, California, De la Salle

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: OT / 6-5 / 275 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Notre Dame.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Hartwell Brown

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Los Alamitos, California, Los Alamitos

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: DL / 6-3 / 225 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Nebraska, Stanford, UCLA or USC.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Jerome Casey

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Sylmar, California, Sylmar

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: RB / 5-11 / 185 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Nebraska, USC, UW or Washington State.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Mike Ciasca

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Tucson, Arizona, Sahuaro

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: OT / 6-5 / 292 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Arizona, Florida State, Michigan, UCLA or USC.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Jason Green

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: La Puente, California, Bishop Amat

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: TE / 6-3 / 210 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Arizona, California, UCLA or USC.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Michael Jones

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Van Nuys, California, Montclair Prep

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: RB / 6-2 / 205 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Colorado, Miami, USC or UW.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Ron Rivers

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: San Bernardino, California, San Gorgonio

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: RB / 5-8 /170 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Arizona, Fresno State, Hawaii or USC.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Michael Ross

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Carson, California, Carson

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: WR / 6-1 / 170 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Nevada-Las Vegas.

VOTES: 7

PLAYER: Errol Small

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Sherman Oaks, California, Notre Dame

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: SS / 6-2 / 205 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: UCLA or USC.

VOTES: 6

PLAYER: Lake Dawson

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Federal Way, Washington.

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: WR / 6-2 / 190 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Notre Dame or UW.

VOTES: 6 /

PLAYER: Marcus Dickson

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Phoenix, Arizona, Maryvale

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: RB / 6-3 / 215 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Jackson State.

VOTES: 6

PLAYERS: Jason Fisk

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Davis

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: DL / 6-4 / 235 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Stanford.

VOTES: 6

PLAYER: Todd Gragnano

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Los Alamitos

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: QB / 6-1 / 185

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Oregon, Nebraska, Stanford or UW.

VOTES: 6

PLAYER: Ryan Motherway

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: Santa Ana, Mater Dei

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: OT / 6-4 / 245

PROBABLE COLLEGE: UCLA.

VOTES: 6

PLAYER: Vernon Shaver

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: San Diego, Crawford

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: DB / 6-0 / 170 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Arizona State, Colorado, Washington State or Utah.

VOTES: 6

PLAYER: J.J. Stokes

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: San Diego, Point Loma

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: WR / 6-5 / 210 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Cal, UCLA or Washington State.

VOTES: 6

PLAYER: Danny White

CITY, HIGH SCHOOL: San Diego, Point Loma

POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT: QB / 6-5 / 190 /

PROBABLE COLLEGE: Oregon, Stanford, or UW.

HONORABLE MENTION

(Five votes)

Drew Bledsoe/Walla Walla, Washington., Walla Walla H.S., QB, 6-5, 210; Joe Cajek/Phoenix, Arizona, Shadow Mountain, OT, 6-5, 280; Tony Cline/Davis, California, Davis, DL, 6-5, 210; Jamal Duff/Santa Ana, California, Foothill, DL, 6-7, 225; Norberto Garrido/La Puente, California, Workman, OT, 6-7, 265; O.J. Hall/Vista, California, Rancho Buena Vista, RB, 5-11, 170.

Brian Monahan/Santa Rosa, California, Santa Rosa, LB, 6-6, 230; Keith Navidi/Anaheim, California, Esperanza, DL, 6-5, 240; J.J O'Laughlin/Glendora, California, Glendora, QB, 6-3, 190; Mondela Wilkins/San Diego, Point Loma, DL, 6-6, 220; Oscar Wilson/Santa Ana, Santa Ana, DL, 6-3, 235; Eric Zomatt/Moreno Valley, California, Canyon Springs, DB, 6-0, 180.

(Four votes)

Chris Anderson/Downey, California, Warren, OL, 6-5, 285; Dareke Fleming/Mission Bay, California, Mission Bay, DL, 6-4, 230; Nate Holdren/Richland, Richland, LB, 6-4, 220; Heath Howington/Roseburg, Oregon, Roseburg, OT, 6-4, 300; Etaka Huckaby/Cupertino, California, Homestead, RB, 6-2, 190; Charles Levy/Lynnwood, California, Lynnwood, QB, 6-2, 175; DeWayne Patterson/Oakland, California, McClymonds, TE, 6-3, 215; Todd Whitehurst/Castroville, California, Castroville, QB, 6-4, 190.

(Three votes)

Chris Alexander/Hawthorne, California, Hawthorne, RB, 5-8, 165; Ryan Hancock/Cupertino, California, Monte Vista, QB, 6-2, 195; Steve Hardin/Snohomish, Snohomish, L, 6-6, 265; Jeff Jackson/Corona del Mar, California, Corona del Mar, LB, 6-2, 220; Jason Keiderling/Reseda, California, Reseda, OL, 6-5, 245; Lamar Lovett/Los Angeles, Franklin, DB, 5-10, 180.

John McCartney/San Diego, Lincoln, DB, 6-1, 190; Marshawn Thompson/La Puente, California, Bassett, RB, 6-1, 190; Johnel Turner/Oxnard, California, Oxnard, QB, 6-0, 190; Issac Walker/Compton, California, Dominguez, DB, 6-2, 190; Ivan Wilson/South Gate, California, South Gate, RB, 5-10, 170; Justin Yarro/Los Angeles, Loyola, OL, 6-4, 250.

(Two votes)

Damon Barkley/Stockton, California, Lincoln, RB, 6-2, 190; David Cutrell/El Toro, California, El Toro, OL, 6-5, 245; Josh Dunning/Eatonville, Eatonville, L, 6-4, 260; Russell Hairston/Bellevue, Bellevue, RB, 5-11, 170; Sean Harris/Tucson, Arizona, Tucson, LB, 6-3, 205; Mark Hatzenbuhler/Galt, California, Galt, RB, 6-0, 210; Tim Holiday/Los Angeles, Westchester, RB, 6-0, 180.

Kris Pollack/Clovis, California, Clovis West, OL, 6-5, 250; Mark Smith/Phoenix, Alhambra, OT, 6-5, 280; Ricky Spears/Oceanside, California, El Camino, LB, 6-1, 185; Brandon Stai/Anaheim, Esperanza, DL, 6-4, 235; Danny Todd/Santa Ana, Foothill, OL, 6-5, 265; Charlie Williams/Merced, California, Merced, WR, 6-2, 185; Michael Wynn, San Fernando, California, San Fernando, 6-3, 210.