News trucks converged on Wharton High Wednesday morning. A jam-packed media center had all the earmarks of a collegiate sports news conference. And who was center stage? Wharton's Vernon Hargreaves III.
"There were definitely some times I wanted to get away from it all," said Hargreaves, who made things official with the University of Florida. "But really, it wasn't all that bad."
Hargreaves handles news conferences better than some coaches and knows how and when to deliver the right comments. He is already scheduled to take summer classes in Gainesville to help give him a head start when the busy fall football season comes around. He's not concerned with moving back to corner from safety.
"I grew up around football so I know all the positions," Hargreaves said. "I begged the coaches to move me up to linebacker because Rocky (Enos) was gobbling up all the tackles."
Hargreaves was, of course, the headliner, but a strong showing for Wharton girls soccer was in attendance. Ashni Deschenes and Leah Chisolm were both a part of Wharton's first district champion team in 2011. It was the most memorable moment of Deschenes' career at Wharton.
"To leave a mark on the school like that felt really good," Deschenes said. "We did something that other players (in the future) will walk by and see what we did."
Deschenes is headed to Stetson University in Deland where she plans to study health science and psychology. She was a three-year varsity athlete and a team captain in her senior year.
Chisolm is headed to Eckerd College where she plans to study archeology and anthropology.
"I've always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and the pharaohs," Chisolm said.
Chisolm was impressed with Eckerd's program and was hooked when she observed an anthropology class.
Maria Areiza was not a Wharton girls soccer athlete, she was a club girl, taking up with nearby Tampa United. Areiza was very impressed with Mississippi Valley State soccer coach Sonya Curvelo and with the team itself and it was a deciding factor in her college choice.
"I've been playing for 14 years, this has always been my dream," Areiza said.