Whether it was late in the fourth quarter at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, where Ely standout Patrick Johnson announced what college he would attend, the fake punt that put Cardinal Gibbons kicker/punter Blair Walsh in the spotlight or the interception on a rainy Friday night in the Orange Bowl by Roderic Gillis of St. Thomas Aquinas, Broward County athletes left their mark on the nation.

With high school all-star games taking center stage more than ever as fans are now getting caught up with where athletes are going to college, the holiday season will certainly never be the same.

From Texas to Florida, some of the nation’s top football players were on display this past week as many players were still trying to showcase their skills for colleges who were watching some of the elite talent from every corner of the country.

While Broward County had its share of talented football players this past season, only a handful of athletes opted to play in these post season events, which are now treating these young 17 and 18-year-olds like collegiate players.

With football being the common bond, new friendships were made this past weekend that could last a lifetime.

While many watched an enjoyed the weekend, watching their favorite athlete compete against the best in the country, the spotlight was no brighter anywhere than it was for Johnson, the Ely standout who had originally committed to attend the University of Miami last April, only to watch that commitment become shaky at best during the past few months.

Johnson had long stated that Miami “forgot” about him during the recruiting process, and with his feelings hurt, began to search from North Carolina to Florida, Georgia, the University of Southern California  and Florida State as possibilities to attend college.

On Saturday, with a national audience watching the annual Army All-American game, Johnson was the key figure of the entire process. His announcement was promoted for nearly three hours, and while some opted to switch away from the game to watch the inaugural Under Armor game at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, many remained to see where Johnson would go.

With the University of Miami out of the picture, Johnson finally had his chance to give America a firsthand look at where this 6-1, 190-pounder would play collegiate football.

Regarded as one of the best ever to play football in Broward County, Johnson and his family gathered around three hats and then, his decision, which was down to Florida, Florida State and LSU, was finally made.

Having followed Johnson longer than anyone during the process, I was always under the impression that FSU would win out. But the uncertainty of Seminoles’ future with suspensions clouding the program took them out of the running.

Florida was another place many felt that would be a great fit for Johnson. He had a tremendous visit to Gainesville, and with the talent the Gators have, it would be almost a given that this would be a team that would not only play for the Southeastern Conference title, but perhaps a shot to play for a national championship.

As Johnson approached the hats, he first appeared to be grabbing at the FSU hat, but at the last second, said “I will be playing the next four years at LSU.”

While fans of Miami, Florida and Florida State flooded the websites with anti-Johnson messages, which is unfair to this 18-year-old high school senior, LSU was the winner in a recruiting process that would set standards and hopefully teach young athletes the true meaning of the word commitment!

While the “circus” played out for Johnson, San Antonio was also the place where Walsh, the University of Georgia-bound kicker, had people across the country talking.

In a game that certainly didn’t showcase Walsh’s kicking skills, missing an extra point and coming up short of the end zone on his kickoffs, it did provide a play that nobody will forget.

On fourth down, Walsh went back to punt, but just when everyone was looking for a booming kick, Walsh pulled the ball down and ran 22 yard for a first down, paving the way for yet another East score in the win.

On Friday night, Gillis, who helped to lead the Raiders to the 5A state championship this past season, joined Hollywood Hills receiver Amos Woods, Cooper City kicker Robert Yanks and Hallandale receiver Frankie Hammond in the Offense vs. Defense Classic, which would be the FINAL game in the fabled Orange Bowl.

While the rain and cool air contributed to a low scoring game, Gillis came up with an interception and several key tackles, Woods made a tremendous catch and Yanks had the chance to kick a field goal.

The experience of playing in a nationally-televised all-star game was a thrill for all the Broward County kids. It was a reward for a special year, and as the Miami-Dade/Broward game is on the horizon, it looks as if we are ready to put a cap on another tremendous season of football.

You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at FloridaKids1@hotmail.com. He can also be heard every Thursday night (9-10) on the Miami Dolphins High School Gridiron Report on WQAM (560 AM).