Star tailback finds a home at Hofstra

Jeff Aime, St. Francis Prep’s star halfback, finally came to a decision last Thursday, signing a National Letter of Intent to attend Div. I-AA Hofstra University (LI), a member of the Atlantic-10, next fall.
His choice may sound surprising since Aime, who led the Terriers to the CHSFL ‘AA’ city championship and was the league-leader in touchdowns (29), and rushing yards (2,126), was courted by Big East schools like Rutgers. “The other schools put pressure on me to make a decision,” he said. “But they (Hofstra) let me ride it out, and they ended up being the best fit for me.”
A backup his first two seasons at St. Francis Prep, Aime, 18, will learn the intricacies of the next level as a freshman. He’ll back up a pair of senior running backs, and will be given the choice to red shirt if he isn’t expected to get many carries after training camp.
But by his sophomore year, Aime, in new coach Dave Cohen’s traditional two-back eye formation, should get a great opportunity. Aime, a Queens Village resident, admitted Rutgers was high on his list at first, but the presence of the talented freshman running back Ray Rice made him think twice. “It’s a better place for me to go,” said the 5-foot-11, 188-pound Aime, a B+ student who plans on studying sports management. “I feel like I can learn more there.”
In other signings, Christ the King’s defensive end Maurice Evans finally made it official, signing with Penn State. Like Aime, Christ the King quarterback/cornerback Jaron McNeil committed to Hofstra.