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State's top football recruit Kennard out for year
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Devon Kennard, pictured in this Ahwatukee Foothills News file photo, had 24 1/2 sacks last season and is the state's top recruit. Kennard has narrowed his choices to Arizona State, Texas, California, Texas and UCLA.
Desert Vista's Devon Kennard gets tripped by Chandler High's Declan Wall in the first half of their game at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix. He was not injured on this play. Sept. 19, 2008.
Darryl Webb, Tribune
The Phoenix Desert Vista High School football team's worst fears came true Tuesday. Thunder coach Dan Hinds confirmed that an MRI on senior defensive lineman/running back Devon Kennard revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, ending Kennard's season.
Kennard, ranked as the No.2 overall high school player in the nation by Scout.com, had 18 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks so far this season, following a 2007 campaign in which he had 241/2 sacks and 750 rushing yards while leading the Thunder to the 5A Division I state championship game.
He was the team's leading rusher with 132 yards and five touchdowns this year.
Messages left for Kennard weren't immediately returned.
Hinds said he planned to meet with his team Tuesday, and that he wasn't sure who would have the unenviable task of filling Kennard's spot on the defensive line or in the backfield, though senior Marcus Washington is likely to get the bulk of the carries.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Kennard has had BCS schools competing for him for the past 18 months, and he has narrowed his choices to Arizona State, USC, Texas, California and UCLA.
"All five schools in his top five called him because they heard he got hurt, and we told them the news and all still say the offers stand," Kennard's older brother, Derek, told Scout.com. "Devon is such a hard worker, he is going to come back bigger, stronger and faster."
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