By Matthew Hatfield

Special to the News-Herald

Another standout from King’s Fork High School’s history-making 2013 football team has decided on where he will play college football.

Kane Miskel, a 6-foot-2, 178-pound defensive back and wide receiver from the class of 2015, made a verbal commitment Friday to Bobby Wilder and the Old Dominion University Monarchs of Conference USA.

ODU is Miskel’s only scholarship offer to date, though he has dawn interest from Charlotte, East Carolina, James Madison, N.C. State, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia and Virginia Tech

“The ODU coaches love me, I love them and it’s a great fit for me,” said Miskel. “They have a lot in store for me and a good academic program, with one of the top programs for sports medicine on the East Coast. I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity. I’d rather not waste my time, because ODU has everything I’m really looking for in a school.”

Wilder has guided the Monarchs to a 46-14 record in five seasons after the Norfolk program went 69 years without football. They went 8-4 with an undefeated record at home during the 2013 campaign with a prolific offense that averaged 42.3 points per game.

Defensively, though, ODU struggled, giving up 34 points per game. The Monarchs hope to improve on that side of the ball with additions like Miskel, who’ll play defensive back.

Last season, Miskel helped King’s Fork achieve a school-record nine wins and reach the semifinals of the Group 4A-South regionals with consecutive playoff victories, which included an upset of perennial power Phoebus in the second round. He finished with 67 tackles, a dozen pass breakups, four forced fumbles and two interceptions en route to being chosen Second Team All-Ironclad Conference.

“This is our first guy to be at ODU and it’s great,” King’s Fork football coach Joe Jones said. I always tell our guys that if the place you want to be offers you, then your questions are pretty much answered. I know ODU really liked him, and that goes a long way, being local.

“They’re getting a guy that’s high-energy,” he added. “Kane’s upside is tremendous. He really came on the second half of last season, especially as we got into the playoffs. I think he came into his own and became a force to be reckoned with in our secondary. He’s going to get plenty better this year.”

Miskel alsoplays with confidence and intelligence on the back end, something Jones sees as a major benefit at the next level.

“Kane is very smart. He knows where to line up, where he’s supposed to be and where everybody else is supposed to be. That’s half the battle. In many ways, he’s like a quarterback for the defense.

Miskel is one of several integral returnees for the Bulldogs in 2014. Now that he has his college commitment out of the way, it allows him to focus on honing his craft and preparing for next season at King’s Fork. Before he graduates, he’d like to go out a champion.

“We’re going after a ring this year,” Miskel noted. “In my eyes, it’s a must.”