Monday, Jan. 23, 2012: Lynch changes commitment to Penn State

   Leading off today: With National Letter of Intent day coming up Feb. 1, I thought it would be a good time to break away from winter sports to catch up on some high school football. Little did I know, though, that I would be leading with a news development that broke late Sunday.

   Lynch picks Penn State: St. Francis running back Akeel Lynch, one of the brightest stars in a good season for top-shelf talent in the Buffalo area, said Sunday that he will sign with Penn State next week.

   Lynch took his official visit to Penn State over the weekend and decided to commit, making it a big day for the Nittany Lions when the mood was otherwise somber for many football fans in State College following the death of former coach Joe Paterno. Scout.com reported Camas (Wash.) receiver Jonathan Warner, and Baltimore Calvert Hall receiver Trevor Williams and cornerback Da'Quan Davis also committed to Penn State on Sunday.

   The 6-foot, 200-pound Canadian had given a soft commitment to Boston College early in the fall -- before the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke and ultimately forced the legendary Paterno out.

   "I was interested in them before and then all the scandal stuff happened," said Lynch, the state's Gatorade player of the year. "I kept an open mind and listened to what the coaches had to say. I wanted to take the visit and make sure it was right. This is something you only go through once."

   Morgan down to two: Erasmus Hall safety/corner Wayne Morgan says he is down to two finalists for his services beginning next fall: UConn and Syracuse.

   The 5-foot-11 senior told Scout.com Rutgers has apparently lost interest, so he'd down to a choice between current Orange coach Doug Marrone and former Orange coach Paul Pasqualoni. “I’m not leaning towards any team,” he said.

   King to West Point: Flushing running back Andrew King will enroll at the U.S. Military Academy later this year, ESPN New York reported last week.

   "It was a hard decision," King said. "You have to give four years in college and then five years after that in the Army. But I'm willing to serve my country and I feel comfortable with my decision."

   King rushed for over 900 yards last fall and scored 10 TDs.

   Off to the Ivy League: Archbishop Stepinac tight end/defensive end Austin Taps has changed his mind, de-committing from William & Mary and picking Penn over a handful of other schools.

   Taps' brother Tim attends William & Mary.

   Fort Hamilton defensive end/linebacker Toba Akinleye said he will play for Columbia in the fall. As a pure end this fall, he piled up 63 tackles and 16 tackles for losses.

   D'Aliso says he's done: Pat D'Aliso, 57, Section 9's all-time winningest football coach, retired Friday after piling up a 194-49 record in 24 seasons at Monroe-Woodbury. He had already retired from teaching in 2010.

   D'Aliso's teams played in four straight NYSPHSAA Class AA finals, winning the title in 2005. The Crusaders won every Section 9 title from 2004-10.

   “Since my retirement from teaching in 2010, it has become apparent that the day-to-day responsibilities of running a program year-round have become increasingly difficult,” he told The Times Herald-Record in an email. “In my absence, those duties have unduly fallen upon my assistant coach."

   D'Aliso said he's recommended defensive coordinator Bernie Connolly to replace him. The paper reported AD

George St. Lawrence supports promoting Connolly.

   Change at Middletown: Steve Barone, a 1970 graduate who went on to play as a lineman for the University of Miami, has retired as Middletown's football coach. Barone, 59, is also retiring as a security guard at the school.

   Barone previously taught physical education at Walkill, where he coached from 1992-99. He was 16-38 in six season at Middletown, including 3-6 last fall.

   Dialing back emphasis on football: Less than a year after asking its state association for special treatment while it tried to build a national program, officials from Red Lion Christian Academy have done an about-face.

   School apologized last week to the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association and the state's ADs while asking to be reinstated to full membership. The DIAA is likely to look favorably upon the request.

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   The DIAA board allowed Red Lion to award athletic scholarships in football and boys basketball this school year, hold spring football practice and play longer schedules while remaining a full DIAA member in other sports.

   The football team was 5-5 fall, playing no in-state opponents and traveling to Ohio, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey. But now nearly $6 million in debt and under control of a new operating organization, Red Lion has dismissed its entire football staff and expects numerous players to leave for other schools this week.

   David Sills IV, father of freshman quarterback David Sills, played a major role in organizations that funded scholarships and other football program upgrades. The school is now asking many of the supporters of those outfits to distance themselves from the sports program.

   A major issue for the DIAA will be the eligibility status of players who received athletic scholarships and now want to transfer. There's a school of thought among some that those players should not be granted eligibility to play for their new schools.