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Browse by City/ StateAfter delaying announcement, Davonte Neal picks Notre Dame
Davonte' Neal finally showed up to his old elementary school on Tuesday, without the students, without the orchestrated, splashy news event, and gave a college football commitment that was both exhilarating and frustrating for everybody waiting since Feb. 1: It's Notre Dame.
By David Wallace, The Arizona Republic
Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.) receiver/cornerback Davonte Neal finally made his college decision on Tuesday, choosing Notre Dame over Arizona.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Scottsdale Chaparral senior receiver/cornerback said he would come back to Kyrene de la Esperanza Elementary School in Ahwatukee, where he attended the fifth grade, to apologize to the 600 children who had gathered in the morning for a scheduled announce-and-sign webcast event.
Neal said a family situation arose and he wasn't able to make the announcement when planned.
Those close to the situation said they believe there was a power struggle between father and son, that Luke Neal wanted his son to attend Notre Dame and Davonte' wanted Arizona, where his best friend, Chaparral linebacker Cody Ippolito, is going.
Chaparral coach Dave Huffine said he thought the decision had already been made.
"It was a real tough decision," said Huffine. "They were struggling with it, but for a while, they were really clear on where they wanted to go. I can't really say what happened. This isn't a case of a kid being a diva. He just wants to play football. It is a family matter that is complicated."
On Monday, Luke Neal hand delivered the Notre Dame letter to Kyrene de la Esperanza Principal Cheryl Greene to hold onto until Tuesday morning's news conference. It was already sealed which college Neal was going to choose.
But Neal didn't show up and there was no word what happened in the morning.
Luke and Davonte' didn't return messages from The Republic in the morning.
Davonte' said he couldn't get to the phone to let the school know what happened. Luke said that he tried contacting Greene in the morning about the "family situation."
Greene confirmed that he had called, but she wasn't told what the family emergency was about.
Luke and Davonte' declined to discuss the family emergency. Davonte' would only say, "it's still fresh."
"It happens," Davonte' said. "You can't really control it. It happens and you have to go with it."
Ippolito, Davonte's best friend who attended both the morning no-show and the afternoon signing, said in the morning he felt Davonte wanted to go to Arizona.
Neal, the last remaining high-profile national football recruit from the class of 2012, had been deliberating mainly between Arizona and Notre Dame.
Luke Neal said Monday that it wasn't going to be Arizona, which made it apparent then that his son would be headed to South Bend.
"I'm so happy it's all over with," Davonte' said. "I've had some sleepless nights."
Neal said he would return to the school this week to apologize to the students for not coming to the planned morning event, where his action posters and 2010 and 2011 Gatorade Arizona Football Player of the Year banners hung, and cameras and reporters awaited.
Contributing: Jim Halley, USA TODAY
