Sparks Cousins Commit to Washington State

Cousins Derek and Leland Sparks, who transferred from Montclair Prep in September to Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, said Tuesday they have committed to play football at Washington State next fall.

They will join 21 area players who are expected to sign letters of intent today, the first day of the winter signing period.

Derek, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound running back, chose Washington State over Miami, Arkansas and Illinois. He and Leland visited the Pullman, Wash., campus last week. Leland, a 5-10, 172-pound wide receiver and defensive back, additionally had considered Idaho State and New Mexico.

“We went down and totally enjoyed the visit we took there,” Leland said. “Plus you can’t beat playing in the Pac-10.”

The decision capped controversial high school careers in which Derek played for three California schools in three years and Leland for two. Derek started his California career as a sophomore at Banning after moving from Texas.

The cousins have yet to score the NCAA-required 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, although they do not yet have the results from their most recent attempt.

The Sparkses’ academic standing was questioned last September when Derek transferred to Mater Dei after playing one game at Montclair Prep. Leland had started the season academically ineligible at Montclair Prep and sat out the first game.

Transcripts showed Derek had a grade-point average below 2.0, but he was placed on academic probation and allowed to play in Mater Dei’s third game of the season against Santa Ana. In his first game at Mater Dei, he rushed for 281 yards in 13 carries and scored touchdowns the first three times he carried the ball.

Derek finished the season with 1,677 yards rushing in 244 carries and scored eight touchdowns.

As a junior at Montclair Prep, Derek rushed for 1,944 yards and scored 35 touchdowns and was named The Times’ Valley back of the year. He rushed for 1,394 yards his sophomore year at Banning.

Leland was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the Southern Section and was placed on academic probation at Mater Dei. He had 14 receptions for 181 yards before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Loyola on Oct. 18. He also had three interceptions.

Leland played quarterback at Montclair Prep his junior year before moving to wide receiver and defensive back this season.

THE CLASS OF ’91

PLAYER SCHOOL POS. SIZE COLLEGE Troy Aldrich Canyon TE 6-2, 185 CSUN Leonice Brown San Fernando RB 6-0, 182 Colorado State Jonathan Campbell Poly RB 5-11, 190 CSUN Ontiwaun Carter Kennedy RB 5-11, 175 Arizona Tim DeGroote Hart OL 6-3, 255 Oregon John DiSante Notre Dame OL 6-4, 265 Washington John Doherty Canyon OL 6-2, 215 CSUN Neimad Durham Montclair Prep LB 6-1, 210 New Mexico Brian Feola Burroughs OL 6-2, 220 CSUN Sean Fitzgerald Agoura P 6-5, 200 Idaho State Eric Freund Hart OL 6-5, 230 Northern Arizona Kenyatta Green Sylmar LB 6-1, 230 Ohio State Delvon Hardaway Chatsworth WR 6-1, 163 Cal State Fullerton Girmar Johnson Sylmar DB 6-1, 190 Ohio State George Kase Hart DL 6-3, 230 UCLA Todd Preston Westlake QB 6-3, 185 Cal Frank Romano Crespi TE 6-3, 217 Northern Arizona Tim Ross Royal DB 6-4, 215 Colorado Donovan Roy Montclair Prep OL 6-6, 280 USC Reyna Stewart Chatsworth DB 5-10, 175 Northern Arizona Rusty Savage Montclair Prep DL 6-3, 240 New Mexico