Leto’s Smith receives offer from Ridgewater

Posted Jan 30, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 31, 2012 at 12:30 AM

You have to start promoting your athletes for college scholarships somewhere and for Leto head football Matt Kitchie, it could start with senior running back Alex Smith.

Monday, Smith received the Falcons’ first college scholarship offer since Kitchie took over the football program last fall. The pitch was from a two-year school in Minnesota, Ridgewater College, one of the most successful junior college programs in the upper-Midwest.

“Anytime you can get colleges interested in your athletes, it’s a good thing for your program,” Kitchie said. “It’s only an offer and he hasn’t accepted, but, hopefully, things like this will pave the way for more in the future.”

Kitchie says the Falcons likely will not have any players involved on National Signing Day on Wednesday. What he’s more focused on is the upcoming Recruiting Fair, which this year will be held Feb. 18 at Jefferson High.

There, Kitchie hopes to find college teams for some of his top academic achievers, including defensive end Garrick Pimienta, quarterback Michael Serra and right guard Robert Asphall. All of three players, Kitchie said, have a grade point average of 3.8 or better.