S.J. football stars Sarao and Pondo commit to colleges

Holy Spirit junior linebacker Anthony Sarao has made an oral commitment to attend Stanford.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Sarao was an Inquirer second-team all-South Jersey selection after recording 121 tackles, nine sacks and two blocked punts.

According to Holy Spirit coach Chalie Roman, Sarao had offers from Nebraska, Rutgers, Maryland, Temple, and Boston College, with many others that were expected to come.

Sarao committed over the weekend while attending a Junior Day at Stanford. Under NCAA rules, he can't sign a letter of intent until the first week of February 2011.

"It's a great program on the rise, with a lot of NFL coaches, and I like everything about the school," Sarao said Wednesday. "I've been told I could compete for a spot as a freshman."

Coached by Jim Harbaugh, Stanford has now recruited two players from South Jersey. Paul VI senior linebacker Cleo Robinson will play for the Pac-10 school this fall.

Pondo to Princeton. Chris Pondo, a two-way end for Delsea's two-time sectional champions, has decided to attend Princeton and play football for the Tigers.

The 6-4 Pondo, a top student, also considered Harvard.

"I took a visit there and it was beautiful," Pondo said of the Princeton campus. "They want to win and it's such a great school. I knew I couldn't go wrong as far as Harvard and Princeton."

Pondo started at tight end and defensive end as Delsea won the South Jersey Group 2 title in 2008 and 2009. He said Princeton's coaches have projected him as a tight end. Pondo plans to study architecture.