If you can believe it... one year ago yesterday we in the 804 were reeling from that ending to the Class 5 State Championship... that stunner that saw Stone Bridge top Highland Springs at Varina. Seems like a lifetime ago rather than a year doesn't it?

Same can be said for the month of April, a month chocked full of news being made from commitments to offers and schedules dropping. The JR Tucker Tigers continue to undergo a rebrand of sorts as a new stadium and sense of school pride rises on the grounds of the former program. We have players on the move and we have football showcases... Let's tackle the month of April.

In the last week of the month there was no bigger news than that coming out of Manchester. Rising senior QB Cody Shelton who had helmed the Lancers for the Spring and Fall 2021 season announced he was leaving the Lancers in his rear-view mirror for Life Christian. A day later teammate DB/WR Jaevon Branch announced he was following suit.

These moves are just another in a series of losses by the public schools of the 804 to the privates in recent years, most notably to Life Christian.

You might recall a few years back Henrico County began replacing their high school football fields with new turf. In the middle of this conversion came the announcement of a new Highland Springs and JR Tucker high schools.

Last season Highland Springs unveiled their new stadium and in 2022 JR Tucker will finally get to play on their own home field after 3 years. The stadium and field are looking awesome and instilling a new found sense of pride in a program Coach Phillip Sims is turning around season by season.

A new field, a new stadium, new swagg means it is about time to get out there to Parham Road this fall and witness for my own eyes the Tigers on the rise.

For the first time in my time covering the region, high schools are putting on showcase events. These events are aimed at getting eyes on the young men who are coming up through the program... without a doubt a recruiting tool. I cannot imagine why this has not been done before now but I honestly believe in the seasons ahead of these events are as successful as I believe they will be, more schools will put them on.

Glen Allen will be the place to be Tuesday, May 3rd as they were the first to announce their intentions of a showcase event.

Rival Hermitage dipped their feet in the water next announcing their intentions for Saturday, May 7th.

Just last week Highland Springs announced their own version with over 60 universities/colleges in attendance to check out the latest crop of Springers.

I will be on hand for all three of these events so be on the lookout for coverage of these events here as well as on Twitter at @CRF4Dan .

Isaiah Winstead a Class of 2017 wide receiver of Highland Springs who had been at Toledo will now finish up his collegiate football journey at East Carolina.

Another Springer receiver on the move is Jabari Parker. Parker spent one year at Virginia Tech and now he is on the move entering the transfer portal. Parker played safety in addition to receiver at Highland Springs and was on that Highland Springs team that reached the state finals in the Spring of 2021.

Former Matoaca wide receiver Troy Lewis has committed to JMU after entering the transfer portal after one year with East Carolina.

Senior wide receiver Mekhi Lewis of Highland Springs will be donning the colors of the Bluefield Rams in Saturday's to come.

Junior defensive end and outside linebacker Jason Abbey of Douglas Freeman has given a verbal commitment to the Hokies of Virginia Tech.

Senior lineman Tyvon Davis of Henrico will be trading in the Warrior colors for the colors of the Fighting Muskies of Muskingum.

Senior long snapper John Spivey of Varina is trading in the Blue Devils for the Bulldogs of Barton College.

Hermitage defensive back Jayden Tucker and teammate NaQuan Spencer both will be Quakers in the seasons ahead as he commits to Guilford.

In the Capital District 13 different players picked up a total of 25 offers from a total of 15 different schools. It should come as no surprise to anyone that Highland Springs and Varina lead the way with 6 players each picking up offers.

Rising junior Noah Jenkins leads the way for the Springers with a total of 5 offers in the month of April with Coastal Carolina, Indiana, Miami-Ohio, Old Dominion and Syracuse setting their sights on this cornerback/wide receiver.

3rd-Team All-Region linebacker Brennan Johnson picked up offers from Miami-Ohio as well as Penn State. The Class of 2025 linebacker is one to keep your eye on in the seasons ahead.

Big brother Braylon Johnson also added to his growing list of offers with Miami-Ohio the latest to offer the 2nd Team All-Metro defensive back and rising senior.

All-Metro, Region & State defensive lineman Miles Greene picked up two offers of his own with Coastal Carolina & Miami-Ohio joining a long list of offers for the latest Greene to come through the program.

Another 1st Team All-Metro, Region & State player from the Springs is that of Takye Heath. The rising senior DB/KR/WR picked up an offer from Miami of Ohio as this athletic young man continues to pull in offers as well.

We round out the Springers with rising senior athlete Ian Wynn who landed an offer in the form of the Marshall Thundering Herd.

On Messer Road the offers are plentiful as well.

Rising senior receiver and 1st Team All-Metro linebacker Kaveion Keys continues to be the most heavily recruited of the Blue Devils earning offers from Boston College, North Carolina and West Virginia.

Class of 2023 cornerback/wide receiver Kenny Faison picked up two offers in the month of April... first it was Army and just this weekend he picked up an offer from VMI.

VMI extended an offer in April to a young man I've had my eyes on since I saw him first hand at Hermitage in the Fall of 2020 at an Elite 804 event. Keep your eye on the All-Metro honorable mention defensive lineman Marquis Vincent this Fall.

Marshall was big into Blue Devils in the month of April extending offers to Isaiah King (MLB), Jordan Edwards (SS/WR) and Malakhai Moore (SB/FS).

At Henrico Devin Sumler has been the heaviest recruited Warrior earning 4 offers in the month of April alone. Carthage, Winston Salem State, Lincoln and Presentation all extended offers to the senior wide out.

In the Central District Thomas Dale lead the pack with 4 players offered. A total of 9 players in the Central District with Hopewell, Petersburg and Matoaca players also snagging offers. In total 10 offers were extended by 7 different universities.

Hopewell QB Mason Cumbie brought home two offers with William & Mary and Norfolk State the latest to offer the 2nd Team All-Metro punter.

KeSean Henderson (brother to Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson) landed an offer from Coastal Carolina. KeSean like his brother plays at running back for the Blue Devils in addition to linebacker.

A trio of Central District players picked up offers from VMI. Cornerback and wide receiver Paul Lewis of Matoaca, defensive end & tight end Jamar Hodges of Petersburg and teammate cornerback & wide receiver Zahmarie White-Muhammad all picked up offers from the Keydets.

On Route 10 in Chester a quartet of Knights picked up offers.

Rising junior QB Ethan Minter of Thomas Dale picked up an offer from UConn.

Senior defensive end and tight end Jerry Newmy picked up an offer from Chowan.

Then current Notre Dame & Thomas Dale alum Chris Tyree's youngest brothers Jon & Nick picked up their first offers... both from Marshall. Nick plays at running back & wide receiver on offense, defensive back on defense whereas Jon plays at cornerback & wide receiver.

In the Colonial District, Hermitage is the place to be...

Defensive tackle and tackle Amar Butcher has picked up an offer Guilford. Guilford has recruited Hermitage in earnest of late and picked up two previous commitments from the Panthers.

Teammates Breon Brown & Breon Gunnell both picked up offers from VMI. Breon plays defensive tackle and tackle for the Panthers where as his teammate (Gunnell) plays at cornerback and wide receiver.

Meanwhile the Region 5C Offensive Player of the Year Jeremiah Coney picked up an offer from Coastal Carolina and Richmond as his stock continues to rise.

Defensive end and tight end Clayton Dobler of James River picked up an offer from the Davidson Wildcats.

That's it for this edition... May is upon us which means we are closer to the end of the school year. The Class of 2022 will be moving on and the Class of 2023 will be on the clock as 4 months from now every team will have played at least one game.

It's getting closer by the day...