Team USA: RBs and K Selected

Running backs and a kicker have been selected for the 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team, which will represent the United States in the upcoming International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Under-19 World Championship in Austin this summer.

Running backs Mark Dodson JR. of Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven High School, Connor Hundley of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School and Lorenzo Woodley of Miami Christopher Columbus High School join kicker-punter CAMERON VANWINKLE of Fall City (Wash.) Mount Si High School in being selected to play on the 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team, assembled by USA Football.

The team will compete in the 2012 IFAF Under-19 World Championship on June 30 to July 7 at Burger Stadium in Austin, Texas. The eight-nation tournament is conducted by the International Federation of American Football. Players and coaches will live at the University of Texas in Olympic Village-style accommodations. IFAF is composed of 62 nations spanning six continents that possess a national federation dedicated solely to American football.

The U.S. Under-19 National Team, comprised of high school athletes, will compete against national teams from American Samoa, Austria, Canada, France, Japan, Panama and Sweden. The United States won the inaugural IFAF Under-19 World Championship in 2009 in Canton, Ohio, earning the No. 1 seed this summer. The Americans open against No. 8 seed American Samoa at 8 p.m. CT June 30.

Dodson rushed for more than 1,600 yards last fall during his junior season at Whitehaven. In 2010, Dodson scored 22 touchdowns with more than 1,500 rushing yards.

Hundley, who has signed a national letter of intent to play at the University of Akron, rushed for 1,136 yards and 19 touchdowns in his senior season last fall, helping St. Xavier to the Ohio Division I state semifinals. The 5-10, 205-pound running back earned Division I first-team All-Ohio honors.

Woodley rushed for 727 yards on 88 carries (8.3 average) with 11 touchdowns as a junior for Christopher Columbus last fall. During his sophomore year, he ran for 540 yards on 57 carries and scored 14 total touchdowns. He has received offers from Florida State, South Florida, Rutgers, West Virginia, Purdue and Tennessee.

Vanwinkle set a Washington State record with 18 field goals for Mount Si last fall as a junior, including six from 42 yards or more.

USA Football will announce 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team players in their position groups throughout May and June.

Team USA is led by STEVE SPECHT, head coach of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School. Specht led St. Xavier to Ohio Division I (largest school division) state titles in 2005 and 2007. He is 77-19 (.802) since becoming the head coach at his alma mater following the 2003 season.

A national team exemption granted by the NCAA allows high school seniors to play for USA Football and not have their participation count as one of their two permitted all-star game appearances. The IFAF Under-19 World Championship is recognized as a national team competition. 

USA Football is the sport’s national governing body in the United States and is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFL Players Association.

U.S. Under-19 National Team roster:

Name	Ht.	Wt.	Pos.	Hometown	High school	College
Chase Abbington	6-4	210	LB	St. Peters, Mo.	Fort Zumwalt South	Missouri-*
Rodney Adams	6-1	170	WR	St. Petersburg, Fla.	Lakewood	Florida-*
Eric Beisel	6-4	235	LB	Fenton, Mo.	Rockwood Summit	Undecided
Reggie Chevis	6-2	238	LB	Houston, Texas	Sharpstown	Undecided
Kight Dallas	6-2	220	DE-LB	Lithonia, Ga.	Arabia Mountain	South Carolina-*
Mark Dodson Jr.	5-10	185	RB	Memphis, Tenn.	Whitehaven	Undecided
Samuel Douglas	6-2	180	LB	Arlington, Texas	Arlington	TCU-*
Dajuan Drennon	6-3	230	DE	Clementon, N.J.	Timber Creek	Undecided
Tarean Folston	5-9	185	WR	Rockledge, Fla.	Cocoa	Undecided
Trent Hosick	6-2	223	QB	Kansas City, Mo.	Staley	Missouri-*
Conor Hundley	5-9	185	RB	Cincinnati	St. Xavier	Akron
Dakota Jackson	6-3	250	TE	Roanoke, Va.	Northside	Virginia Tech
Cory Jasudowich	6-2	235	LB	North Branford, Conn.	Cheshire	Undecided
Rashad Kinlaw	6-2	180	WR	Galloway, N.J.	Absegami	Notre Dame-*
Isaac McDonald	6-5	210	LB	Hialeah, Fla.	Champagnat Catholic	Clemson-*
Herbert Moore	6-1	335	DT	Memphis, Tenn.	Memphis East	Undecided
Ebenezer Ogundeko	6-4	237	DE	Brooklyn, N.Y.	Thomas Jefferson	Undecided
Brayden Scott	6-3	200	QB	Tulsa, Okla.	Tahlequah-Sequoyah	Undecided
Reggie Spearman	6-2	210	LB	Burnham, Ill.	Simeon	Undecided
Durham Smythe	6-6	230	TE	Belton, Texas	Belton	Texas-*
Cameron Vanwinkle	5-11	165	K-P	Fall City, Wash.	Mount Si	Undecided
Jesus Wilson	5-10	170	WR	Homestead, Fla.	Christopher Columbus	Undecided
Lorenzo Woodley	6-0	210	RB	Miami, Fla.	Christopher Columbus	Undecided
Desmond Wyatt	5-11	170	WR	Austin, Texas	Westwood	Undecided
*-Verbal commitment

Greg Powers is a National Recruiting Analyst and responsible for the Midlands region. He has covered the National Championship, Big 12 Championship, U.S. Army Bowl, Under Armour Bowl and the International Bowl. He has appeared on FOX College Sports, FOX Sports Southwest and the NFL Network.
Twitter |  E-Mail |