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Hernando Today

Tagging Along

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Central High safety Heath Heroux, a two-time Hernando Today All-County football selection, is joining teammates Jeff Wright and twin brothers Chase and Chad Walker at Division III Marietta College this fall.

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: August 13, 2008

Going into the 2007 high school football season, Central High football players Jeff Wright and Heath Heroux went into the year thinking that it would be nice if they could continue to play football after high school.

Then after the 2007 season, Wright, Heroux and their teammates, Chase and Chad Walker, all received a call from Division III Marietta College, asking them if they were interested in going to the southeastern Ohio school.

"All four of us got a questionnaire from them and then I met them at a recruiting fair that was held in Tampa," said Heroux. "I talked to some of the Marietta coaches who were there and then the four of us went up to Ohio in February and visited the school."

Wright, who had 31 tackles this year with the Bears and was named to the Hernando Today All-County team along with being named the Hernando Today Special Teams Player of the Year, said that having his friends go with him to Ohio made the decision to go an easy one.

"I heard form a couple of smaller schools, but then we went up there on a visit and I think it's really nice," said Wright. "They are my best friends and we all thought it would be cool to go to college together and keep playing football."

Maxing out

Like Chase and Chad Walker, Heroux and Wright had outstanding senior years for the 6-4 Bears.

Wright played H-Back and defensive back for Central last year while Heroux was the starting free safety for Central.

Wright had 28 receptions for 435 yards and two touchdowns last year while making 31 tackles.

He also returned two balls for touchdowns along with having two punt return TDs.

Heroux, who transferred to Central from Armwood High School in Tampa, was fourth for the Bears last year in tackles with 60 and made a reputation for himself as one of the hardest hitters on defense in Hernando County.

Last year Marietta College went 3-7 on the year and had 54 freshmen on its roster. Now both Heroux and Wright hope to be able to play football for the school in their freshmen campaigns.

"They haven't said anything to us about redshirting," Heroux said. "They've told us all that we need to come into camp in shape and ready to play."

For all four players, making the trip to Ohio to attend college worked out best by having friends along for the ride.

"I think I'm ready to play college football," Wright said. "I had a couple of smaller schools get in touch with me. But we all went up to Ohio on a recruiting trip and we all came away thinking it was a good idea."

For Heroux, the trip in February opened his eyes a little.

"We went up in February and it was six degrees outside," he said with a laugh. "But I liked the school; it's about the same size as Central."

"When we came back, we talked about it between ourselves and thought why not do it," said Heroux. "I mean, we get to go to school with a bunch of friends and we get to keep playing football."

By the Numbers: Jeff Wright
-Compiled by TONY CASTRO

RECEIVING
YEAR REP YDS YPC TD LG
2006 07 088 12.6 00 23
2007 28 435 15.5 02 45
TOTALS 35 523 14.9 02 45

By the Numbers: Heath Heroux
DEFENSE
YEAR TTK TBL SK QBP CF FR PB INT BLK
2006 47 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
2007 60 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
TOTALS 107 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1

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