Star tackle's deluge of letters is no hardship

Cretin-Derham Hall offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson, rated the No. 1 football recruit in the nation for 2010 by Rivals.com, has a list of interested college programs nearly big enough to block him.

The 6-8, 301-pound junior left tackle is weighing scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Ohio State, and he remains interested in several other schools, including Southern California.

Raiders coach Mike Scanlan recently suggested Henderson shorten his list.

"I told him he would hear from fewer schools if he narrowed it down to a smaller group he was really interested in," said Scanlan, who added that Henderson is more coveted than Cretin-Derham Hall alums Joe Mauer and Michael Floyd. "But he has not been able to do that. He's not tired of the process."

Scanlan said Henderson has made unofficial visits to Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• Running back Joel Bauman, who helped Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg win the Class 1A football title last fall, recently attended Nebraska's spring game. KMS coach James Cortez said Bauman, a junior who also helped the wrestling team win a state title, has not decided which sport to pursue in college.

• Blaine's Di-Jon Starr, a Star Tribune All-Metro first-team selection, is receiving several letters a week from Iowa, said Bengals coach Shannon Gerrety. The Gophers and Wisconsin recently have shown interest in Starr, a 6-1, 250-pound junior defensive end.

• John Ries, the quarterback on Wayzata's Class 5A championship team last fall, will continue his football career in the MIAC at St. John's. Ries threw for 1,616 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.

Twelve defending state track champions, including one state record-holder, headline the field for tonight's Hamline Elite Meet in St. Paul. The competition will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Hamline's Klas Field.

The entrants in the boys' 800 meters include Buffalo's Zach Mellon, a two-time Class 2A champ and owner of the state record. Other 2A boys' state champions competing are Irondale's Chichi Ojika in the 200, Owatonna's Casey Dehn in the shot put and discus, and Chaska's Derek Jerde in the high jump. Also qualifying in the 200 is defending 1A champion Cameron Boy of Jordan. The 100 field includes Class 1A champion Skyler Jackson of Frazee as well as Ojika.

Defending 1A girls' state champions are Bree Woelber of Pipestone in the 300 hurdles and Liberty Slinden of Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City in the shot put. Reigning 2A state champs are Kayla Sawtell of Mounds View in the 100 hurdles, Haylie Zenner of Fergus Falls in the 800, Mara Olson of St. Louis Park in the 1,600 and Jessica Cagle of Grand Rapids in the discus. Stormy Nesbit of Roseville, the top qualifier in the girls' 100, 200 and triple jump, also will compete.