Columnist Spencer Patterson: C-M’s Marshall verbally commits to Oregon State

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002 | 10:20 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers high school sports for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4085.

It appears yet another of Southern Nevada's top prep football products is set to become an Oregon State Beaver.

Cimarron-Memorial's Kellen Marshall, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior who led the Spartans in rushing each of the past three seasons, has verbally committed to the Pac-10 school after visiting last week.

"It was real cool up there, a real good fit for me," Marshall said. "I've always had dreams of going Division I and of getting a free education. It's like a dream come true."

Marshall becomes the fifth area player to join the Oregon State squad in four seasons. Linebackers Richard Seigler (Chaparral '99) and Jon Pollard (Las Vegas High '00) and running back Steven Jackson (Eldorado '01) played for the Beavers last season, and safety Lawrence Turner (Cheyenne '99) has signed with the team after spending his sophomore season at the City College of San Francisco.

"I hung out with all four of them, and they told me I'll probably miss Vegas for the first year but I should be able to adapt," Marshall said.

Marshall, who also took an official trip to UNLV, said Oregon State recruited him as a cornerback, a position he played very little during his three-year varsity career. He said he expects to redshirt his first year and pick up his new position quickly after that.

"I'm real comfortable with it," he said. "I'll need to learn how to read offenses and play man, bump-and-run and all that stuff. But I think I'll be able to perform (as a corner)."

Marshall said UNLV also wanted him to play cornerback, though Rebels coaches mentioned the possibility of his getting some carries. He finished his prep career with nearly 5,000 rushing yards, helping the Spartans to the second of back-to-back state titles in 1999.

According to second-year head coach Jerry Swanson, the team's turnaround actually dates to the end of last season, when he and assistant Ernnis Wesley decided to give their sophomores significant playing time, with an eye toward 2001-02.

Those underclassmen, along with returning senior Kiki Atkins (who missed last season with an ankle injury) spent last summer traveling to team camps and tournaments, creating strong chemistry on the court.

Junior point guard Oshaylee Thomas has emerged as one of the area's top playmakers, averaging 17 points and six assists, and she has received plenty of help from Atkins, junior guards Brigit DeClercq and Kim Fox and senior center Brandi Moore.

"The biggest factor was the work they put in over the summer," said Swanson, whose club is looking for its first state berth since 1993. "There's nobody on our side that scares us, so I think we have a good shot at getting back (to state)."

Swanson said he's also proud of his team's work in the classroom this season. The Cowboys boast a team GPA of 3.5 and should contend for the state's academic award in the sport.

The Gators, No. 2 in the Sun's statewide poll, will face Santa Margarita (Calif.) at 4:30 p.m. in one of the day's nine contests. The featured 9 p.m. matchup will pit Oak Hill (Va.), the nation's top-ranked team, against Mater Dei, California's defending state champion. That will be a rematch of last year's Holiday Prep Classic Millennium Cup finale, won by Oak Hill 66-55.