Highland’s Brian Cooey earns football scholarship from Maine

College recruiting is different for specialists.

Kickers and punters almost always are offered positions in an NCAA Division 1 program as a preferred walk on, with the opportunity to earn a scholarship once they arrive on campus, beat out the competition and prove worthy of the investment.

Brian Cooey figured that would be his path as well.

But the Highland senior has beaten the odds and committed to attend the University of Maine on a full scholarship. He visited the school in Orono, Me., last weekend.

“When you’re a specialist, it’s hard to get scholarship money,” Cooey said. “They really want you to go as a preferred walk-on.

“But Maine offered me a full scholarship and when I went up there, I loved it. It felt like home.”

Cooey had scholarship offers from Maine and LIU-Post. He also was heavily recruited by Rutgers, which wanted him to join the program as a preferred walk-on.

“That was something I really thought about,” Cooey said of Rutgers. “It’s a Big Ten school.”

Cooey was set to wait until this coming weekend to make a decision but knew he had found the right place after his visit to Maine.

Cooey plans to sign with Maine on Wednesday, the second National Signing Day for football.

“The staff was awesome,” Cooey said. “I think their oldest coach is 34 so they can really relate to their players.”

Maine is an NCAA Division 1 program that competes in the Colonial Athletic Association with teams such as James Madison, Villanova and Delaware.

Cooey led Highland to a 9-2 record as a quarterback as well as a punter and kicker. He was a first-team All-South Jersey selection as a punter after averaging 40.5 yards, with a long of 67.

Cooey also boomed 24 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. He likely will serve as Maine’s kickoff specialist as well.

Cooey plans to major in sports management and also has interest in law, with an eye toward a career as a sports agent. His athletic goal is to punt in the NFL.

“I’m not going to be satisfied,” Cooey said. “I’m going to work as hard as I can and see if I can make it to the next level as a punter.”

Holy Spirit senior quarterback Ryan Yost was seriously considering attending prep school for a year to improve his chances for a college scholarship.

Then Wagner offered.

Yost, who lives in Medford, visited the school on Staten Island last weekend and committed to play for the Seahawks.

“When they offered I was blown away,” Yost said. “I still can’t believe it.”

Yost passed for 1,884 yards and 22 touchdowns last season, leading Holy Spirit to an 8-4 record and a berth in the Non-Public 2 state final.

“It’s a dream come true,” Yost said “I was telling my dad, ‘This is what I’ve worked for, this is what I always wanted to accomplish.’”

Yost plans to major in business. He hopes to work on Wall Street someday.

“The attractive thing for me is how close Wagner is to New York City,” Yost said. “There are so many Wagner alumni that work on Wall Street. I know I’ll have a lot of connections.”

St. Joseph senior Brad Lomax, a first-team All-South Jersey selection as an offensive lineman who also excelled as a pass-rushing defensive end, has commited to Assumption College, an NCAA Division 2 program in Worcester, Ma., that plays in the highly competitive Northeast 10 Conference.

Lomax was a three-year starter for the Wildcats, who won state titles in his junior and senior seasons, going a combined 22-2. Last season, Lomax made 73 tackles, including 28 for losses, along with 14.5 sacks.

Williamstown junior defensive lineman Aaron Lewis, the Inquirer’s Defensive Player of the Year, has picked up an offer from Ohio State . . . St. Augustine junior defensive end/tight end Isaiah Raikes has picked up an offer from Penn State . . . Delran junior all-purpose R.J. Moten has landed an offer from Pitt.

Woodrow Wilson freshman all-purpose Amari Clark added an offer from Pitt . . Millville junior all-purpose Solomon DeShields picked up offers this week from Oregon, East Carolina, SMU and Missouri . . . Shawnee senior offensive lineman J.C. Dobis has picked up an offer from Lehigh . . . St. Augustine senior linebacker Shane Quast landed an offer from Assumption . . . Woodrow Wilson junior defensive end/linebacker Dyshier Clary has picked up an offer from Temple.

Woodrow Wilson seniors Miles Frazier and Naiem Simmons both plan to attend Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., for a post-graduate year.

Frazier was a top offensive lineman for the South Jersey Group 3 champions, while Simmons caught 60 passes for 1,002 yards and nine touchdowns as a wide receiver.