East meets west as Lions rope in hard-working recruit from Washington

By JOHN GIBLIN
Collegian Staff Writer

Unlike most of the Penn State football team's heralded recruits this season, Kentwood High School's Ryan Scott was somewhat unknown.

He isn't one of the Top 250 recruits in the nation, according to SuperPrep, BlueWhite Illustrated or the National Recruiting Advisor.

He doesn't have the eye-catching statistics or all-league accolades that many previous recruits have donned. The senior didn't even play on offense as a junior.

What the little-known receiver/free safety from Renton, Wa., does have is a scholarship commitment to Penn State. Although the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder made his decision in August, he chose not to make his decision public until this week.

Scott had to wait his turn as a receiver largely because of speedy former teammate Russell Dokken, now at Arizona. Now in a starting role, Scott wants to prove himself to his opponents and fans.

"I still want to do good and impress other people," he said.

Scott attended the Penn State Nike Training Camp this summer, where he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash and had a 38-inch vertical leap. It was there, Scott said, that Penn State coach Joe Paterno first made a scholarship offer.

He was recruited as a wide receiver and will make an official visit to Happy Valley in December.

Scott has played a role in keeping his team undefeated at 4-0, pulling in six catches for more than 100 yards. But special teams is where the senior has shone.

Saturday, during a 47-14 victory against rival Auburn Riverside High School, Scott broke a 7-7 tie with an 87-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and caught four passes for 77 yards.

"He got out there and got a little good footing out there," Kentwood coach Tom Ingles said. "I think he thought he was making an audition tape or something."

Earlier in the year, Scott returned a punt 63 yards for a score in a 53-6 rout of Tahoma. Scott leads the South Puget Sound League's North Division in scoring thus far.

"I was kidding Ryan in the locker room," Ingles said about Kentwood's most recent game. "I said, 'Maybe the Seahawks should talk with you.' I'd never seen those moves before because we don't practice on AstroTurf."

Scott, who also plays basketball and track, turned down offers from Washington, Oregon and Washington State.