McCartin headed to U.Va.

A year after missing out on most of the state’s top recruits, U.Va. continues to focus its attention closer to home for its 2009 recruiting class.

Fauquier linebacker Conner McCartin, a rising senior, has verbally committed to join the Cavaliers in 2009. He is the 12th player from the 2009 class to commit to the Wahoos and the 10th from Virginia. The Cavaliers signed just three players from the state in their 2008 recruiting class.

McCartin, who doubles as a forward for the Falcons basketball team, was an all-Northwest Region selection last fall. He totaled 135 tackles for a Fauquier team that improved from 3-7 in 2006 to 8-3 and a spot in the playoffs in 2007.

He will try to lead the Falcons back to the playoffs this fall, but the team will likely be without head coach Greg Hatfield, who resigned last week. Hatfield is slated to become the first football coach at Culpeper County’s Eastern View High School, pending CCPS School Board approval.

McCartin is the third local junior to commit to the Cavaliers. Orange quarterback Quintin Hunter and Liberty linebacker Cory Lillard will also join the Wahoos in 2009. According to the Charlottesville Daily Progress, McCartin canceled upcoming visits to Kansas and Boston College to stay closer to home.

TheSabre.com, a Web site that covers U.Va., ranked Hunter as the No. 10 rising senior in the state, Lillard at No. 21, and mentioned McCartin on its “Ones to watch” list.

McCartin may have been enticed by his family ties to U.Va. He will join his older brother Kyle in Charlottesville. Kyle McCartin, a quarterback, will join the Cavaliers this fall as a recruited walk-on . He was also a big-name recruit until a knee injury slowed him during his senior campaign.

Local ties

The Cavs have commitments from 10 Virginia football players in the class of 2009 including three locals:

Conner McCartin, LB, Fauquier
Corey Lillard, LB, Liberty
Quintin Hunter, QB, Orange