State's top two recruits to be featured in game

The state's top two recruits will be on the same field today when Jackson takes on Hazelwood East in the Class 5A semifinal at Jackson.

Hazelwood East's David Richard is 6-foot-2 and weighs 225 pounds. He plays linebacker, fullback and sees some time at tailback. He runs a 4.4 to 4.5-second 40-yard dash.

Jackson's Mario Whitney is a 6-0, 185-pound electrifying tailback who has rushed for 2,680 yards and has scored 43 touchdowns this season.

The recruiting web sites seem to be split evenly on which is the better prospect.

Both players got considerable looks from Tennessee, but Richard gave an oral commitment to Michigan State while Whitney is verbally committed to Missouri.

"I'm just happy to be mentioned as one of the top players in the state," Richard said. "As far as individual things go, he can have however many yards he wants. It doesn't really matter. As long as my team is winning, I'm happy." Whitney said he's really looking forward to the opportunity of playing against Richard.

"I'm excited," Whitney said. " Every college coach I've talked to has said this would be a heck of a matchup." Though his players seem a little put off by the attention Whitney has received statewide, Hazelwood East coach Corey Johnson had nothing but praise for Whitney.

"He's a great player and he's on a very good team," Johnson said. "His supporting cast is very good and that makes Mario even more difficult to stop.

"He compares to Damien Nash a few years ago and Pattonville's Brian Lewis a few years before that.

Those guys were able to do some great things with the football and he does those same types of things."