Dozens of high school football players from every corner of the region were adorned Wednesday morning with wide-ranging colors of universities on national letter-of-intent signing day.

Sweat tops, T-shirts and baseball caps were worn proudly by teenagers representing the school where they will spend the next four or five years of their lives.

In Del Paso Heights, a flat-brimmed Washington Huskies hat couldn't cast a shadow on the smile of Grant safety Shaq Thompson. Sitting next to him at a table in front of a theater arts room were family, friends and coaches.

Also in attendance was Pacers defensive tackle Charles Faraimo, wearing Nevada blue and silver.

"Oh, man, it's a weight off my shoulder. No more stress," said Thompson, The Bee's 2011 Player of the Year who agonized while deciding among Cal, Oregon and Washington.

Thompson spoke for a collective group that is the largest single-season recruiting haul in regional history.

Some players signed with BCS-caliber schools that play in enormous stadiums and generate millions of dollars in revenue in the Pacific-12 Conference.

Not all signed with major programs, but they were just as pleased to accept scholarships to smaller schools such as San Diego or Southern Oregon in Ashland.

In Placer County, Granite Bay offensive lineman Gavin Andrews signed with Oregon State. And in Loomis, several miles away, Del Oro linebackers Alex Bertrando and Tanner Huber inked with Nevada and BYU, respectively. In Oak Park, Sacramento High wide receiver Devin Benjamin signed with Idaho State and safety Jalen Angel-White with San Diego.

Up Highway 50, five players from Folsom signed, including Bee Offensive Player of the Year Tanner Trosin with Cal Poly. In Yolo County, Woodland defensive back Dalen Jones signed with Fresno State.

From the Elk Grove Unified School District, 19 players signed.

Signing-day notes from around the region:

• Jones of Woodland got a taste of the business of college football in December when a home visit scheduled by Fresno State's coach never happened because Pat Hill was fired that day. Jones stuck with the Bulldogs, in part because of new Fresno State defensive backs coach Tim McDonald, a former 49er.

• Three area players are off to the Air Force Academy, joining Bee 2010 Player of the Year Dano Graves: Liberty Ranch running back John Wiernicki and Pleasant Grove teammates, linebacker D.J. Dunn and cornerback Desmond Lewis. Among the highlights of a recruiting trip to Colorado Springs was a jet simulator experience.

• Pleasant Grove lineman Arik Armstead, the region's most intensely recruited player since Kevin Willhite of Cordova in 1981, is off to Oregon to play defensive end. Still, ESPN and recruiting websites insist he's among the nation's best offensive tackles.

Armstead is the son of Guss Armstead, a former Sacramento State basketball player, not "NFL legend" Jesse Armstead (it's Jessie, actually) as reported by Yahoo! Sports. Guss Armstead jokes he's not even a legend in his own home.

• Coaches worked hard to get many athletes moved onto the next level and were part of Wednesday's signing ceremonies.

Some used the stage as an opportunity for one-liners.

Grant coach Mike Alberghini in introducing players, coaches and faculty: "That's our principal, Craig Murray, over there. I wanted to make sure I introduced him. He's my boss and I need a job."

And Folsom coach Kris Richardson in describing offensive lineman Jordan Alleva, headed to San Diego: "He's our tough guy. Playing in the trenches is like a fistfight in a phone booth for him."

WHERE THEY'RE HEADED

Area football players who signed national letters of intent Wednesday:

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

– Joe Davidson

SACRAMENTO STATE SIGNINGS

UC DAVIS SIGNINGS

STANFORD SIGNINGS

Source: Stanford website

CAL SIGNINGS

Source: Cal website

NON-FOOTBALL SIGNINGS

Area high school athletes who either announced their college choice or signed Wednesday on national letter-of-intent day:

– Joe Davidson, Bill Paterson

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