Sturzinger headed to Youngstown State; Bunts picks Tiffin

PERKINS TWP. — Weston Sturzinger sat out the entire 2024 football season with a knee injury and was spurned by the college that offered him an athletic scholarship last summer. Sturzinger had options, though, and he will play college football. The Perkins senior announced Wednesday that he will compete for Youngstown State University. Meanwhile, Perkins senior running back Isaac Bunts signed to play for NCAA Division II Tiffin University on the sport's traditional signing day. (National Letters of Intent no longer exist but athletes can sign scholarship and financial aid offers.) The decisions by Sturzinger and Bunts bring to six the known number of players from Perkins' 2024 Division IV state runner-up team who will play college football. All-Ohio wide receiver Braylon Collier enrolled early at Michigan State while All-Ohio standout linebacker/safety Mikey Young is headed to Harvard University. Tight end Tim Boals plans to play for Lake Erie College while two-way lineman Haiden Bollini is headed to Wayne State in Michigan. Bollini, like Bunts, Collier and Young, was a first-team All-Ohio selection. "That's a big part of why we do it, so they get an opportunity at the next level and get a free education," Perkins coach Jalen Santoro said. The group of Perkins players is planning a public signing ceremony next week. Sturzinger was an All-Ohio defensive back in 2023 and verbally committed to James Madison last summer. The FBS program decided to cut Sturzinger loose after the two-way star was injured in early August. After reopening his recruitment, he heard from some Mid-American Conference schools before settling on Youngstown State, a Football Championship Subdivision program that competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. "He had quite a few offers after he reopened his recruiting," Santoro said. "He made the right choice at Youngstown State. They have some very good coaches and he's going to a place where he can compete." Santoro said Sturzinger could be ready to play next fall. The Penguins have Michigan State on their schedule, which means Sturzinger and Collier could match up wearing different uniforms. Sturzinger, who also was a standout receiver at Perkins, had 13 offers on the table before he chose JMU last summer. Bunts chose to play close to home after a record-breaking career at Perkins. The 5-foot-9, 205-pound back rushed for 2,403 yards this season and caught 22 passes for 303 yards and scored 36 total touchdowns while helping the Pirates finish as state runners-up in Division IV. Bunts, who verbally committed to Tiffin in late January, gained a school-record 4,475 rushing yards in his high school career. Tiffin's football program announced Wednesday that Bunts is part of an incoming class that includes 40 players, including two running backs. The Dragons play in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. "He's an elite competitor and elusive RB!" Tiffin head coach Brett Ekkens posted on X. Bunts got plenty of guidance from Santoro, who played at Tiffin. "That program has been very successful the past couple years and a place I'm very familar with," Santoro said. Bollini was a first-team All-Ohio pick as a lineman as a junior and senior. He made 74 tackles and had four quarterback sacks this season. The senior also is a standout wrestler for Perkins, which is competing in the Division II state duals tournament Saturday in Columbus. Santoro said Bollini will fill a tight end/H-back role at Wayne State. "It's important to find a program that is the right fit," he said. "Bollini is a little small for a (college) lineman and he will get a chance there." Boals, a physical tight end who also is a basketball standout for the Pirates, will play at the Division II level. Lake Erie College, located in Painesville east of Cleveland, is a member of the G-MAC. "Once I got on campus I really liked it," Boals said. "The coaching staff was awesome. I'm the only tight end in my class so I'm hoping I can go in early and get some playing time." Boals — one of 12 Perkins first-team All-SBC Lake Division picks — said he also had offers from Wayne State, Findlay and FCS member Nicholls State in Louisiana. He plans to major in business and sports management. "Boals has a lot of upside," Santoro said. "He's just learning to play tight end. He's got the frame for it but has to learn how to play the position." Boals said playing at Perkins helped prepare him for college football. "Santoro and all the coaches did a great job preparing us for the next level," Boals said. "Our practices every day were like college practices. It's a lot of work and we know that."