<b>Arundel High's standout receiver commits =
to play=20
football at Syracuse </b>
As high school football practices officially got =
underway=20
yesterday, one of Arundel High School's player's =
shoulder pads=20
may appear to be a little lighter.
Alec Lemon, a rising senior wide receiver, made his =
college=20
decision late Thursday night, giving a verbal =
commitment to=20
play at Syracuse University.
"It feels great right now," Lemon said on Friday. =
"It just=20
shows how much work I've done over the summer and the =
past few=20
years."
Lemon, a 6-foot 2-inch, 180-pound star, played a =
key role=20
in Arundel's run to the 4A state title game last year. =
He=20
figures to be a key cog in the offensive gameplan this =
season,=20
and he'll be able to focus solely on Arundel's =
schedule now=20
that he has decided about his future.
"There's no pressure to think about, 'Am I doing =
what=20
college coaches are expecting?' All that pressure is =
gone,"=20
Lemon said. "I can just focus on winning a state title =
with=20
Arundel."
Lemon said that he had narrowed his choices down to =
Delaware and Syracuse before selecting the Big East =
school=20
that has produced current NFL players such as Donovan =
McNabb,=20
Marvin Harrison and Dwight Freeney.
"It is a big decision, and he's made one that's =
best for=20
him and his family," said Arundel coach Chuck =
Markiewicz. "He=20
likes the school and coaching staff and he's worked =
hard to do=20
this. He put himself out there and dedicated himself =
to=20
it."
Lemon becomes the fifth player to earn a Division-I =
scholarship under Markiewicz's direction. Anthony =
Walker=20
(North County/Syracuse), LaTroy Fowlkes (North=20
County/Maryland), Brandon Johnson-Farrell =
(Arundel/Rhode=20
Island) and Nick Elko (Arundel/Delaware State) are the =
others.
"A lot of players go to college and they don't go =
for the=20
right reason," Markiewicz said. "When they find out =
that=20
football might not be what they want, they don't like =
the=20
school. Alec made a good decision. He weighed all the =
pros and=20
cons. He really liked the school, and that's real=20
important."
As a member of the Orange, Lemon will play for head =
coach=20
Greg Robinson, a coach with NFL ties. He was an =
assistant=20
coach/coordinator for the New York Jets from =
1990-1994, a=20
defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from =
1995-2000=20
and a defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs =
from=20
2001-2003. He was a defensive coach for the University =
of=20
Texas in 2004 before taking over at Syracuse in =
2005.
"I felt really good with Syracuse," Lemon said. =
"It's a=20
college I can see myself at. I can play any wide =
receiver=20
position out there, and it felt like a right fit for =
me."
Lemon never worked out individually for Syracuse, =
nor has=20
he taken an official visit out there. He participated =
in a=20
football camp on the campus at the end of July.
"They said they've been wanting me ever since I =
left that=20
camp," Lemon said. "I've been speaking with Coach =
Robinson and=20
Coach (Randy) Trivers, and I felt real good about the=20
place."
Markiewicz knows Trivers, Syracuse's current =
running backs=20
coach who was a former coach at Northwest High School =
in=20
Montgomery County from 1998-2006. Their connection =
aided in=20
Lemon having a close recruiting contact at the =
school.
Lemon said that he plans to attend the Sept. 13 =
game=20
between Syracuse and Penn State. He also added that =
he'll take=20
his official visit to the school in December for the =
annual=20
football banquet.
This season, Lemon will be one of the top targets =
for new=20
quarterback Billy Cosh, who replaces Elko in Arundel's =
offense. Last season, Lemon caught 70 passes for 969 =
yards and=20
13 touchdowns.
"Alec is very polished for a high school kid," =
Markiewicz=20
said. "He's pretty complete. His best skill is his =
ability to=20
block. He catches the ball great, but he's a tenacious =
blocker=20
and you've got to have a little bit inside you if you =
want to=20
do that. He prides himself on being a physical =
receiver."
Though Lemon's verbal commitment is not binding, he =
said=20
that he will definitely be signing a National Letter =
of Intent=20
to attend Syracuse. The first day he will be able to =
do so is=20
Feb. 4, 2009.
"It's exciting, but I realize that my work isn't =
done,"=20
Lemon said. "I know where I'm going, and when I get up =
there I=20
want to show what I can do."
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