8 Durango athletes head for Div. I

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2001 | 11:19 a.m.

A list of local high school athletes signing letters of intent today:

Excuse Durango athletic director Roger Ewan if he's smiling like a proud papa today.

After all, it isn't every day a school has eight seniors sign letters of intent for Division I athletic scholarships. The Trailblazers accomplished that feat today as the NCAA's week-long early signing period began for all sports except football and soccer.

"It makes us feel very proud," Ewan said of the signings, believed to be the most by a single Clark County school on one day. "They've worked hard in the classroom, and in turn that hard work in the classroom has carried over to what they've done on the field or the court."

Among the Trailblazer seniors signing were a pair of basketball players, cousins who have been teammates for the past seven years in middle and high school.

Point guard Frank Brown and forward Martrel Johnson both inked letters to Big Sky school Montana State, where they will continue to play together at the collegiate level.

"(Playing together) wasn't really a consideration until it surfaced over the summer," Durango coach Al LaRocque said. "They were up at Montana State together and the school presented a good package. Their whole selling point was getting them both."

The 6-foot Brown averaged eight points, six assists and five rebounds last season, while the 6-4 Johnson led the Blazers with 19 points and 12 rebounds per game.

"We both like playing together and we both like how they play up there," Johnson said. "He's one of my best friends, and when you're around somebody that long, you know what they're thinking and what they're going to do before they do it."

Added Brown, "Me and Martrel and my dad and his dad sat down and talked about our options and decided to go there together. It's exciting. A scholarship has been a dream since I was a little kid."

Three Blazers golfers also signed today: Erin Andrews with Oregon, Whitney Welch with Arizona and Mitch Carlson with BYU. Andrews and Welch were the 2000 girls Sunset Region and 4A state champions, respectively, while Carlson placed third at the 2000 4A state boys tournament.

Two members of Durango's 2000 Sunset Region championship baseball team made their college decisions final, with outfielder Coltyn Simmons making good on a verbal commitment to UNLV and infielder Danny Kelly joining older brother Chris ('00) at Pepperdine.

Sara Spenia, a second baseman named to the Sun's all-state first team a year ago, selected Marshall. She helped the Blazers' softball squad finish second in the state in 2000.

Three other Durango student-athletes -- golfer Katie McCandless, softball player Stefanie Fisco and baseball player Casey McDonald -- are making final college decisions and could also sign before Nov. 21, when the early-signing period ends.

As expected, Bishop Gorman basketball player C.J. Watson signed with Tennessee. The Sun all-state first-teamer, who averaged 14 points and four steals for the state runners-up last year, verbally committed to the Volunteers back in August.

Another Gael, left-handed pitcher Daniel Mangiapani, selected Duke. The 5-10, 170-pounder follows in the footsteps of Foothill graduate Grant Stanley ('00), who helped Blue Devils coaches recruit Mangiapani, according to Gorman coach Ken White.

"Daniel is a mature kid, great academically. He's got his priorities in order and he's worked very hard to get where he is," White said. "He's going to be a great college pitcher."

Along with Simmons, Basic pitcher Matt Elliott and Cimarron-Memorial pitcher Matt Wagner signed with UNLV's baseball team on Wednesday. All three verbally committed to the Rebels in the fall. Basic infielder Micah Schnurstein, who also gave UNLV a verbal commitment in September, is still weighing his options.

Another Basic player, Brian Lake, accepted a scholarship to Cal State Northridge, where he is expected to play shortstop and pitch.

"I don't think I've had a kid with the worth ethic and drive he's had," Basic coach Mike Kazek said. "I think he'll do exactly what Northridge will expect of him."

Centennial's Darci Sandoval, a third-year starter for the Bulldogs' girls basketball squad, has signed with Montana, choosing the Grizzlies over UNLV. The 6-0 Sandoval, an all-region selection, averaged 17 points and five rebounds last season.

Silverado's Jamie Marshall, the runner-up in this year's 4A state girls tennis tournament, selected Oregon from a list of interested schools that included Purdue, Utah and Marshall. Another Skyhawk, softball infielder/outfielder Emilee Moores, will attend Cal State Northridge.

Bonanza softball infielder Kerrie Campbell signed with Ball State. Kacey Oiness, a gymnast at Green Valley, chose Iowa State.

Community College of Southern Nevada baseball infielder Chris Hansen, an Eldorado graduate, signed with Texas Tech.