USC Lands Another Valley Prize as Montclair Prep’s Jones Signs

Michael Jones, a Parade All-American who had seemed destined for USC, signed a national letter of intent Wednesday with the Trojans. The Montclair Prep running back became the fourth Valley-area player to commit to USC. Running backs Jerome Casey of Sylmar and Errol Small of Notre Dame and offensive lineman Jason Keiderling of Reseda also signed with the Trojans on Wednesday, the first day high school players could sign letters of intent.

Jones joins a USC backfield that features Ricky Ervins, the leading rusher in the Pacific 10 Conference last fall.

“I’m not scared,” Jones said. “I’m going there to take a challenge. If they’re better than me, they’ll get the job. If I’m better, I’ll get it.”

Jones (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) rushed for 1,743 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in 1989. He had visited Colorado, Georgia Tech, Louisiana State and Miami, but the Trojan connection was too strong to resist. Small, a neighborhood friend, helped persuade him, but Gregory Jones, Michael’s father and a USC alumnus, might have been USC’s best recruiter.

Kent Richter, who broke many of Erik Affholter’s rushing records at Oak Park High, signed with Cal State Long Beach and will play receiver or defensive back. Billy Markowitz, an Alemany receiver who caught 49 passes for 653 yards, signed Wednesday with Central Missouri State.

Moorpark College players who signed letters of intent were quarterback Jayson Merrill (Lewis and Clark (Ore.) College), running back Mark Monestime (Montana), and linebackers Jeff Lujan and Scott Yurek (Western Michigan). Glendale College offensive lineman Mark Overstreet signed with Sonoma State.

Staff writers John Ortega, Brendan Healey, Steve Henson and Sam Farmer contributed to this story.