Manalapan High School’s Saeed Blacknall is in for a very busy summer.
Having finished his track and field season in a “good way” with an eighth-place medal in the 100-meter dash at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, Blacknall now turns his attention to football.
“It’s back to the summer grind,” he said.
This summer, things are a bit different. It’s far more than trading his track spikes in for football cleats, shoulder pads and a helmet. As one of the most highly recruited Division I players in the state, Blacknall is drawing plenty of attention from college coaches throughout the country. He’s been inundated with mail, while college coaches have stopped by Manalapan for a visit. This summer, the recruitment of the Braves’ standout will get serious. He credited Manalapan head coach Ed Gurrieri and his staff with helping him get through these early stages while maintaining a level head.
This summer, the wide receiver/defensive back is looking to end the recruiting circus by reaching his college decision before the start of Manalapan’s 2013 season.
“I want to get my visits over,” he said. “I have a good idea where I’m going.”
Blacknall said that he has narrowed his choices to five schools. In no particular order, they are Louisiana State University, the University of Alabama, Ohio State University, the University of Notre Dame and Florida State University.
“I want to get it done before the start of the [high school football] season,” he said. “I don’t want it to interfere with the season.” It’s a season that will be filled with promise. Blacknall and his teammates want to finish it off with a win in their very last game.
The last two years, the Braves advanced to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV title game only to be denied their first state title by Sayreville War Memorial High School (2011) and South Brunswick High School (2012). The Braves hope that in 2013, the third time will be the charm. Of course, there is a lot of work to be done between the summer and December.
All of the attention being paid to the Braves’ senior-to-be has him “pumped up and excited” about the upcoming high school season. He won’t let his college visits interfere with his preparation for the season, in which the Braves will be aiming for a fourth straight Shore Conference A North Division championship.
After his eighth-place finish at the track Meet of Champions, Blacknall pointed out that he was “further along [at this time] than I was last year,” which is a very good sign for football. It means he starts his football training ahead of where he was last summer, which can’t be good news for Manalapan’s opponents, who have to find a way to deal with one of the most explosive and big playmakers in the state.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Blacknall caught 40 passes for 743 yards and had 16 total touchdowns last fall, when the Braves went 11-1 and established a new single-season record for wins. He scored on pass receptions, runs and kick returns. He’s a genuine threat to score anytime he has his hands on the football.