Sparks Cousins Both Plan to Play at Washington State : Football: Their decisions cap controversial high school careers. Other top players from Orange County also announce college choices.

Cousins Derek and Leland Sparks of Mater Dei High School said Tuesday they have orally committed to play football at Washington State next fall and will sign a national letter of intent with the school today.

Other Orange County players announcing their college choices Tuesday included Capistrano Valley quarterback Tony Solliday (Navy), Mission Viejo defensive back Bill Denny (Pacific) and Costa Mesa linebacker David Phillips (Cal State Long Beach). Today is the first day high school football players can sign with a college.

Derek Sparks, 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 weekend.

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

Leland Sparks, a 5-10, 172-pound receiver and defensive back, also was considering Idaho State and New Mexico.

The Sparks’ decisions capped controversial high school careers in which Derek played for three California schools in three years and Leland for two teams. They transferred from Van Nuys Montclair Prep to Mater Dei last fall.

The cousins took their college entrance exams in January and are awaiting their test scores. If they fail to meet academic requirements under Proposition 48, they will sit out their freshman year at Washington State and try to improve their grades.

“I feel pretty good about it,” Derek Sparks said of his test performance.

In his first game at Mater Dei, Derek Sparks rushed for 281 yards in 13 carries and scored touchdowns on his first three carries. He scored on runs of 80, 80 and 62 yards. Sparks finished the season with 1,677 yards rushing in 244 carries and scored eight touchdowns in 11 games.

Leland Sparks had 14 receptions for 181 yards before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Loyola on Oct. 18. He also had three interceptions.

Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said the Sparks’ wanted to play for a Pac-10 school.

“Washington State did a heck of a job recruiting them,” he said. “They recruited each of them separately.”

Solliday, a Times’ Orange County first-team quarterback, chose Navy over Princeton and Air Force.

He finished his three-year career as the county’s fourth-leading passer with 5,902 yards. He’s also sixth in season passing yardage (2,804 in 1990), third in career touchdown passes (58) and second in season touchdown passes (30 in 1990).

Denny, 6-1 and 200 pounds, picked Pacifica over Nevada Reno, Idaho State and Air Force. He was named the South Coast League’s co-defensive player of the year last season with Capistrano Valley’s Jeremy Brion.

Phillips, a two-time all-Pacific Coast League selection, chose Long Beach over Northern Arizona and Idaho State. He led the Mustangs in receiving the past two seasons.