Trio of Bengals headed to Div. I

James Yodice

Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Three Bonanza High School football players have given verbal commitments to Division I programs, the SUN has learned.

The marquee name in the trio is that of tailback Robert Thomas, who gained 2,150 yards and scored 24 touchdowns in 11 games for the Bengals last season.

Thomas, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound speedster, helped Bonanza into the playoffs for just the third time in school history. With most of the Pac-10 Conference recruiting him, Thomas ultimately chose Rose Bowl runner-up Arizona State.

"He could be an important player next year for ASU," Bonanza coach Nick Butera said late Wednesday night. "I think the world of him."

Thomas is the second Las Vegan to commit to Arizona State. Last week, Western outside linebacker Eric Fields committed to ASU.

One of the lineman blocking in front of Thomas, tackle Turner Graham (6-5, 265) is headed for Nevada-Reno. Also, defensive end Tommy Townsend (6-4, 265) verbally committed to Colorado State.

"(Tommy) did a great job for us all year," said Butera, whose club beat Las Vegas in the quarterfinals of the Southern AAAA Zone tournament last fall before bowing to eventual state champion Western in overtime in the semifinals. "I think, in time, he can be a great player for them. He did a lot of great things for us."

Graham, said Butera, "is just a fantastic kid, who I think everybody will root for."

Each is expected to sign on Feb. 5, the first day they can do so.