HS FOOTBALL: Montgomery to make college commitment Monday
Jul. 9—It is down to three.
Penn State, Virginia Tech and Boston College are the finalists in the London Montgomery sweepstakes.
The Scranton Prep star running back announced Friday via video on Facebook and Twitter that he will make his college commitment Monday at 5 p.m. at the Xavier Center.
"This is really exciting," Montgomery, 17, said. "It is a dream come true for me. Going forward, I am going to get this decision made and know where my home will be over the next four or five years. I am also excited about the season coming up and I will then focus on that after I make the decision."
One of the top running back recruits in the state, Montgomery was The Times-Tribune Offensive Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year following his junior season, when he rushed for 2,356 yards on 194 carries (12.14 yards per carry) and 38 total touchdowns in 10 games. Fourteen of his scores went for 50 yards or more and he had four games with at least five touchdowns.
In his career, Montgomery has 3,986 yards rushing on 438 carries (9.1 yards per carry) and 60 touchdowns.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound playmaker is a three-star recruit, No. 9 overall in Pennsylvania and the No. 32 running back in the country, according to 247sports.com. Rivals.com rates him 5.7, and ranks him 14th overall in the state and the No. 23 running back in the country.
"I think the school, the student body, and everybody in the program is super excited for London," Scranton Prep coach Terry Gallagher said. "I think they are all excited to see where he is going to go. He is just an incredible kid. He is an extraordinarily talented athlete, but more than that, he is a humble, selfless, hardworking kid. It is an exciting time for him and his family.
"It has been an overwhelming process at times, and he has done a great job of handling it and staying true to his beliefs and values. The recruiting process is not easy when you are concentrating on a very challenging academic workload, playing multiple sports, and just trying to be a kid. He's handled it well. We are really proud of him and appreciate all he has done for the program."
Montgomery received more than 20 scholarship offers from NCAA Division I programs, including Akron, Arizona State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Iowa, James Madison, Louisville, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio, Old Dominion, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Western Michigan.
He made official visits to Virginia Tech on June 10, Penn State on June 17, and Boston College on June 24. Boston College's offensive coordinator is Clarks Summit native John McNulty.
Penn State has five running backs on its roster, Virginia Tech has six, and Boston College has eight and a commit, according to 247sports.com.
"I have really enjoyed the process," Montgomery said. "A lot of kids would love to be in my position. But I always want to be considered more for who I am as a person and as a football player. I am very thankful for all of the opportunities all of these coaches have given me. They chose me, and I am grateful for the time they all put into recruiting me."
Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter
