Gavin Andrews was highly recruited in football, but it didn't take long for the 6-foot-6, 340-pound guard for Granite Bay High School to choose a school.

Oregon State.

From the start of recruiting to the end, Andrews didn't have to endure a whirlwind of flights across the country, endless phone calls and speculation.

Everything about OSU felt right, Andrews said. The program, academic setting, football facilities, coaches and feel of Corvallis.

Andrews made an early verbal commitment to the Beavers and never wavered. He accepted no other recruiting trips, and he welcomed Beavers coach Mike Riley to his Placer County home in December to talk with him and his mother, Kara.

"Colorado was my second favorite, but I really liked OSU," Andrews said. "I'm very happy about it."

Like Boulder, Colo., Corvallis offers the kind of setting Andrews likes. He's a small-city guy who loves the mountains, lakes, rivers and woods.

"I'm definitely an outdoor guy," Andrews said. "I'll have fun in my free time. We'll get some other recruits, teammates, and go on some fishing trips."

Andrews helped the Grizzlies win their final six games, including decisions over powers Lincoln of Stockton and Pleasant Grove en route to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship.

In the title game at Sacramento State, Andrews often lined up opposite Pleasant Grove's Arik Armstead, the region's top recruit at 6-8, 295 pounds. Their battles could continue in the Pacific-12 Conference, as Armstead will attend Oregon.

Andrews also likely will run into two former Granite Bay teammates during conference play. Tight end-linebacker Spencer Briare will be a preferred walk-on at Cal, while 2011 graduate Matt Kasner, also a tight end, already is at Stanford as a preferred walk-on.

"I feel very fortunate," Andrews said about the scholarship to OSU. "A scholarship is really something nice to cherish. What my mom gave me, all she's done for me … it's amazing.

"At the beginning, she was concerned about football, but we took the risk, and look at the rewards. She's getting a pretty good return on it – me, too."

Keeney overlooked – Perhaps the top area player not to land a scholarship is Granite Bay quarterback Brendan Keeney, who led the Grizzlies' title march.

The 6-3, 215-pound Keeney has walk-on offers from UC Davis and San Jose State.

"By far, (he is) the biggest overlook by recruiters in my career," said Granite Bay coach Ernie Cooper. "He can flat-out play, and he has the size and arm and know-how to go with it. He'll land on his feet."

Humphers eyes Army – Nevada Union safety-linebacker Gabe Humphers will visit West Point, N.Y., this weekend to look into Army's offer to join the program on a five-year commitment.

Said Humphers, "I'm ecstatic, and what an honor."

Vanderdoes in All-American Bowl – Placer junior defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes has been invited to play in next season's U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, joining past regional stars James Sample, Vei Moala and Shaq Thompson of Grant and Armstead.

Vanderdoes has scholarship offers from Cal, Washington and UCLA, among others.

Nevada-bound – Del Oro defensive back Russell Smith will join Nevada's program on scholarship in December.

Del Oro linebacker Alex Bertrando, The Bee's Defensive Player of the Year, and Grant defensive lineman Charles Faraimo also are headed to Nevada via scholarship.

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