It was back on Feb. 22, 2015, when I first reported Derrek Pitts' recruiting process got off to a flying start.
Flying, as in War Eagles.
Auburn woke the Kanawha Valley up with an offer to the South Charleston High football standout. Now, Wednesday, according to SCHS coach Donnie Mays, the process will end. Pitts will make a call at Dem 2 Brothers and A Grill on Charleston's West Side.
Mays said Pitts will announce his choice between West Virginia, Maryland, Penn State, Florida and Tennessee at the 5:30 p.m. ceremony. Folks on the inside say the call is between WVU and Penn State.
It'll be interesting. Word is, South Charleston linebacker Lawrence Cunningham has been offered a preferred walk-on opportunity in Morgantown. Maybe that will be enough to swing Pitts WVU's way. Maybe not.
You'll not catch me guessing. No, no, no. Been around the block too long for that. But it's apparently going to be quite an affair. Mays said at least four organizations will be broadcasting live via Facebook and multiple recruiting "expert" representatives will be in town. "I don't think we've seen anything like this at South Charleston since Robert Alexander," Mays said.
WVU, by the way, could really use Pitts to save a little in-state face. Within the Mountain State, Capital's Dorian Etheridge has committed to Louisville, Spring Valley's Riley Locklear has committed to Tennessee and Point Pleasant's Seth Stewart, who was headed to Marshall, is now going to LSU. Huntington tackle Billy Ross seems more into Florida, Florida State, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Michigan State.
The Mountaineers did, however, mine the Wolfley family once again and landed Mav, a linebacker from Morgantown.
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Obviously, this is a fine year for state football recruits. Yet it is also a nice one in regard to basketball recruits. And might be getting nicer.
On Tuesday, both Luke Frampton of Poca and Chase Johnson of Ripley were awaiting offers from Arizona, as promised to their AAU coach. Even without that, though, the list of options is growing as the AAU season is closing.
"I have 10 offers now," Frampton said. "We were in [Las] Vegas this past weekend and it went well."
Aside from the hanging chad that's Arizona, Frampton has offers from Marshall, Texas Tech, Memphis, Richmond, Davidson, Duquesne, Winthrop, James Madison and Longwood. Memphis and Richmond offered on Monday.
"It's a huge blessing," Frampton said.
The Dot standout was part of the Big Shots Elite West Virginia team that also included Liberty-bound Elijah Cuffee, also of Poca; Ripley's Johnson; Clarksburg Notre Dame's Jarrod West; Virginia athletes James Sullivan and Darius George; and Richmond-bound Bryce Schneider of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Frampton, who also flirted with North Carolina before the Tar Heels instead took Andrew Playtek of Albany, New York, said he'll huddle with his mother and set visits for August. He's unsure when he'll commit.
Johnson, meanwhile, continues to bank offers. He tweeted late Tuesday that he received an offer from Virginia.
"Everything has been going great," he said on Tuesday.
Yes, WVU coach Bob Huggins and assistant Larry Harrison continue to recruit the Viking, as does Marshall's Dan D'Antoni and assistant Mark Cline. But Tennessee's Rick Barnes has now offered as well. As well as Florida's Mike White. And Marquette's Steve Wojciechowski. And TCU's Jamie Dixon.
"There are 16 or 17 offers," Johnson said.
Included are offers from Kansas State, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Clemson.
"I'm excited," Johnson said. "My parents and I will have to sit down and talk and then I'll make four or five visits."
West, son of the former Mountaineer guard of the same name, has offers from Marshall, James Madison, Winthrop, Longwood and East Carolina, according to the father on Tuesday.
"We're also getting feelings from Virginia Tech, Richmond and Wichita State," said the father.
Overall?
"The Big Shots tournament in Vegas was very good for the state of West Virginia," West said. "There's a lot of talent here. Not only did the state kids compete well, but they won."
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And finally...
I received the sad text last week while on vacation of Danny "Sire" Adams' death.
If you're unaware, the fine young man was the son of WVU assistant football coach Blue Adams. Sire finally succumbed after a valiant battle with brain cancer. His life was celebrated in Coral Springs, Florida, last weekend.
If you've been following, you know it's been tough of late. Ex-WVU basketball standout Maurice Robinson recently lost his son Marcel. Then Adams' son passed.
My heart breaks for these folks. You may or may not know I had a daughter that passed away years ago. I've always maintained going through the tragedy was like going through a war. I recently reached out to "Mo" Robinson and he expressed a feeling of being lost. And on Tuesday I contacted Adams.
"It's just tough, man," he said.
There's really little more to say. Adams did, however, extend thanks via Twitter to Mountaineer fans for their support and prayers.
Also, he also posted this, with which I identified:
"In these trying days, your presence has made a difference."
Indeed, the loss of a loved one is forever. But support, I believe, helps more than folks understand.
Rest in peace, Sire.