This has been a very special week for the great number of Metro Detroit student athletes who got the opportunity to sign National Letters of Intent and accept scholarships to play sports at the next level.

Although each signing is special in their own right, there are a few notable signings that I want to write a couple things about:

First off, freshly-anointed head coach Matt Mitchell's new regime at Grand Valley State got a few late-additions to its 2010 signing class in the form of a trio of gridiron gladiators from Oakland County. Justin Davis of Southfield-Lathrup, Sam Welch of Walled Lake Western and John Westfall of Milford all got in on the Laker party at the last-minute and all three are great lands for Mitchell's first incoming recruiting class. Davis is one of those multi-purpose athletes with a "high-ceiling" in the development department, a kid who will probably end up being a better college player than he was a prepster. Welch is an old fashioned gun slinger behind center and one of the most prolific passers ever in the history of prep sports in Walled Lake. Unfortunately Welch's team had a sub-par season this past fall and that probably cost him a shot at a D1 ride. Nonetheless, Welch has the chance to be a special player at the next level and Mitchell's offense is practically a perfect fit with Welch's skill set.     

Word on the street is that Devon Bailey will be joining his high school teammate, Taylor Calero (upstart Defensive End/Linebacking prospect) at Michigan State next year as a preferred walk-on. Before an injury plagued senior campaign, Bailey had several mid-major D1 schools interested in giving him full rides. In the end, however, things might turn out the best for Bailey without the initial scholarship in hand, but at a major DI school like MSU, a program that needs added depth at the running back position……er if things go well, Bailey could very well work his way onto the field and into some carries, if not a larger role all together, in the next few seasons in the EL.

It was nice to see local soccer studs Lake Orion's Derek Schrauben and RH Adams' Joey Dillon both ending up with scholarships that will allow them to keep getting their "kicks-on" in college. Schrauben, whose a major reason why the Lake Orion hoops team is doing as well as it has been doing this season, inked with Western Michigan on Wednesday morning and Dillon signed with Georgtown. Dillon helped lead the Highlanders to a magical season on the field in 2009.

Dillon's classmates at Adams Jordan Sanders, Nick Di Miro, and Matt Rea, each landed themselves with spots on college rosters next year too. Sanders and Di Miro, who I personally believe could easily be mid-major D1 offensive lineman if given the shot, penned with Saginaw Valley State and Northwood, respectively. Rea, a rugged fullback/linebacker combo, will be suiting up for the Quakers of University of Penn.

Speaking of Ivy League football, DCD's Jason Ray, a hard-playing and highly-intelligent linebacker/safety/tight end, has chose Princeton as his destination to go play college football. In his first year on the varsity hoops squad this season, Ray has been an integral reserve post player for the nationally-ranked Yellowjackets.

Injured hand and all, OLSM multi-talented playmaker, Gary Hunter, was offered and accepted a scholarship from the University of Dayton. Hunter sparked the Eaglets special teams unit as a lethal return specialist and anchored the team's secondary from his cornerback spot, in their '09 run to the state finals at Ford Field.