Bowling Green's Mershman commits to Ball State

7/18/2008

Bowling Green's Aaron Mershman spent a lengthy part of last month camping.

The high school senior-to-be attended 11 one-day college football camps, including nine held by Mid-American Conference programs.

That led to the Bobcats' three-year starting quarterback receiving six scholarship offers in six days.

Mershman, a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder, said he will accept a scholarship offer from Ball State University and will attend the MAC school in the fall of 2009. He told Ball State officials Wednesday of his plans.

"I went to their camp on June 8 and I was really impressed by their campus and the coaches were just great," said Mershman.

Mershman also attended camps last month held at Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Akron, Bowling Green, Toledo, Ohio, Miami, North Carolina State and Cincinnati. Of the group, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Akron, Bowling Green and Ball State presented scholarship offers to the top passer in the Northern Lakes League last season.

He is coming off a junior season in which he passed for 1,461 yards by completing 102 of 213 passes, including 13 for touchdowns. He also rushed for 320 yards and six touchdowns.

"The thing that really impressed me about Ball State was the intensity of the program," Mershman said. "Whatever you do there there's an urgency out there."

"Looking way back I had no clue about what I was going to do," Mershman said. "After I received the six offers in six days I knew then I wanted to make my decision before my senior year."

The Bobcats were 6-4 last year and tied with Perrysburg for second place in the NLL at 5-2.

VICARS TO CINCINNATI: Genoa's Derrick Vicars, an All-Ohio first team pick in football, has opted to compete in track and field in college.

Vicars recently announced he will not attend the University of Toledo to play football as a preferred walk-on, but will instead compete in track and field at Cincinnati.

He rushed for 1,847 yards and scored 33 touchdowns in the regular season to help the Comets win the Suburban Lakes League title and reach the state playoffs.

"He wrestled with the decision for a long time," said Mike Vicars, Derrick's father, who also was his high school football coach at Delta and Genoa. "He really liked Cincinnati and the coaching staff and they had his major."

Vicars intends to compete in the field events, particularly the shot put and discus. He placed third in both events at the Division II state meet.

The 6-2, 200-pounder finished third in the shot put with a throw of 58 feet, 9 3/4 inches and third in the discus at 179-9. He will probably begin competing in the hammer and javelin as well.

MERMIN PICKS: Rossford's Kevin Mermin will attend Heidelberg College.

Mermin, a 6-6, 325-pound lineman, was a two-time second-team All-Northern Lakes League performer.

He was also a four-time letterman in track and field, two-time letterman in basketball and lettered once in wrestling.