Vandyke’s Recovery, Recruiting Going Well

An impressive sophomore season ended on a sour note for South County (Lorton, VA) safety/wide receiver Ronny Vandyke , who suffered a dislocated shoulder in a playoff loss to Oakton. The 6-3, 196-pound prospect would dislocate the same shoulder again last May and again last August, two weeks into preseason practice. Vandyke, now a junior, sat out the 2009 season and eventually had surgery on the shoulder, which his doctor expects to be better than ever after rehabilitation.

South County head coach Pete Bendorf says Vandyke is now bench-pressing over 250 pounds and squatting 400. In three months, the talented rising senior should be able to resume full activities.

Vandyke’s injury hurt South County’s prospects on the field last season (though the team still finished 7-5 and made the playoffs), but it hasn’t hurt his recruitment.

“He fits what a lot of schools are looking for in that he is a big, rangy athlete that can play multiple positions,” Bendorf said. “He is 6-3, 196 pounds. He has very good speed and he has long arms and long legs. He can play in the secondary. He could be an outside linebacker type. As his ball skills improve, I think he could play on the offensive side of the ball. Coaching him, though, and knowing his aggressive nature, I think he’s a defensive player.

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