Aldrich pulls the trigger

When we talked with Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha defensive lineman Kalani Aldrich last Sunday following his visit to Washington, we could tell the Huskies made up some serious ground. After narrowing his choises to UW and Oregon, the talented rush end made his decision earlier tonight.

"I committed to Washington when Coach Tormey visited me at the school today," Aldrich said. "It was a tough decision because I really loved Oregon and after my visit there, I thought for sure I was going to be a Duck. A lot of people encouraged me to take one more visit to have something to compare Oregon to and now I'm glad I did.

"Washington just felt right. On my trip, as I said before, it just felt like home for me. I was so comfortable with the players and coaches and that comfort level I had there was really what I was looking for. Everyone at Washington made me feel like I was part of the team already and I really think it's the best overall fit for me.

"Having Brandon (Ala) there was a big plus as well. He's someone I've always looked up to, ever since he played at my high school and I know he'll look after me and make sure I'm on the right track at Washington. My family really enjoyed the visit and that was a big deal too.

"My parents didn't go on the visit with me to Oregon although they were there with me when I went to the NIKE Camp in Oregon last summer. Having my parents on this visit with me to Washington was big because they had a chance to sit down and spend a lot of time talking with Coach Willingham and we all really respect his values and just the way he carries himself.

"I'm really excited about my decision and glad to have it out of the way. I wanted to have my decision done by Christmas and now I can just enjoy the rest of my senior year without having to worry about recruiting."