Joe McNamara, Normando Harris, Alex Wethy, James White and Vinnie Mauro are the faces of the Class of 2010. All have been contacted by major colleges for football, but all have not taken part in the weekly combine sessions for good reason.

In an age where football is virtually non-stop, getting a chance to step out of the gridiron spotlight and compete in other arenas is something that many high school athletes relish. While some compete on the basketball court and the running track, some have opted to combine the skills that wrestling and baseball offer to give themselves an advantage of not getting burnt out on the football field.

McNamara is one of those players many have yet to hear about. The anchor of Cypress Bay's offensive line, this gifted and very athletic 6-2, 275-pound lineman has performed well enough on the football field to attract attention from programs such as FIU, Wake Forest, Iowa State and USF. His leadership and skill level has been recognized by his teammates, opposition and coaches who have watched his every move from his first football game as a freshman to last year, when Texas college coaches were impressed with his speed and athletic ability when the Lightning played at powerhouse Katy.

FOOTBALL IS FIRST LOVE

While football is still his first love, McNamara has been around wrestling since he was born. His father, Patrick, is one of the most respected wrestling coaches in Broward County. He is the coach at Cypress Bay, but also started the program at Flanagan, building the Falcons into a contender. He was also the head coach at Highland Oaks Middle School, which fed North Miami Beach High talent to win a state title and finish second in two years.

While McNamara was injured last weekend at the state championships in Lakeland, he did manage to finish sixth, losing to Nick Stevens of Coral Springs in 3A. But this is someone who has used the sport to improve his skill level on the football field, and nobody has pushed him more to the wrestling mat than coach Mark Guandolo.

''This is a sport that I've been around all my life,'' McNamara said. ``The balance, strength and conditioning all help you become a better football player. It gives you a huge advantage when you head back to start working in the weightroom and being in condition for spring.''

McNamara's athletic ability is the first thing that college coaches notice. When they find out he also wrestles, it further enhances his standing as someone who knows what hard work and dedication is.

`LOVES TO COMPETE'

''He certainly loves to compete,'' Pat McNamara said. ``Joe is one of those kids who has been around all of this for as long as he can remember, and with the blessing of Coach Guandolo, it helps him enjoy the experience that much more.''

While the winter has watched him devote the time to wrestling, being in football combine shape is exactly what he is after over the next month. While many top line prospects from South Florida have already had a running start, attending combines the past few weeks, McNamara figures to catch up in a hurry.

As hard as McNamara has worked during the winter, Harris (Monsignor Pace) and Wethy (Christopher Columbus) have been as impressive on the wrestling mat. They both advanced to the state finals in Lakeland. Wethy lost to McNamara in the wrestleback round, while Harris went on to finish sixth.

Harris, who competed in the 160-pound weight class, is a defensive back on the football field. One who has already caught the eye of programs such as Alabama, USF, Maryland and Minnesota. Wethy, a 6-3, 255-pound offensive linemen, will also get the opportunity to showcase his skills on the football field. But how could anyone pass up the opportunity to wrestle for the legendary Jim Husk?

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