5 Cardinals Commit To Colleges On National Signing Day

Jack Hanley sat in the center of four other seniors as they signed their letters of intent Wednesday morning.

To his right, linebacker , saying he would play for and attend Ohio University.

To his Hanley's left, reaffirmed his want to play for the University of Michigan.

Meanwhile, Hanley committed to play for Army.

The three of them helped anchor the Cardinals defense for the past few years but their history goes back farther than that.

"We've been best friends since grade school," Hanley said. "On the field, we know what each other are going to do from our body language."

When asked if playing with Hanley and Strobel made him better, Laseak said, "I've been playing with the same guys since second grade. We definitely push each other to be better."

The trio are not the only Cardinals who will continue their athletic career in college.

Baseball standout will continue to pitch for St. Bonaventure University and , the Mentor High special teams player of the year, will keep kicking for Tiffin University.

Additionally, earlier this year to play baseball and basketball at Wheeling Jesuit University.

Athletic Director Jeff Cassella congratulated all of the Cardinals prospects.

"These young men who have worn the Cardinal scarlet and gray for four years have moved on to bigger and better things for them," he said.

Cassella also touted the athlete's scholastic accomplishments, as well.

"They bring out the true meaning of student-athlete and that's what I'm proud of," he said.

Football Coach Steve Trivisonno said he would miss having the players around even more than he would miss having them on the field.

"You go through it every year," he said. "It's more missing them than anything else."

"They're really good kids," he added.

Some notes on each of the prospects:

Dominic Edwards

• 2011 Lake Erie League Player of the Year
• 2011 All Lake County
• 2011 First Team All News-Herald
• 2.65 GPA

Tomislav Derezic

• MHS Special Teams Player of the Year
• 2011 First Team All Lake County
• 2011 First Team News-Herald
• 2011 First Team All Northeast District
• 2011 Third Team All State
• 2.5 GPA

Jack Hanley

• 2011 Team Captain
• MHS Defensive Lineman of the Year
• 2011 All Lake County
• 2011 All Northeast Ohio Conference
• 2011 Second Team All Northeast District
• 3.89 GPA

Kurt Laseak

• 2011 Team Captain
• MHS Linebacker of the Year
• 2011 All Lake County
• 2011 First Team All News-Herald
• 2011 First Team All Northeast District
• 2011 First Team All Ohio
• 4.06 GPA

Tom Strobel

• 2011 Team Captain
• 2011 Lake County Defensive Player of the Year
• 2011 First Team All News-Herald
• 2011 First Team All Northeast District
• 2011 First Team All Ohio
• 3.78 GPA