​West Boca Raton senior football player Loia Valade has left the team on the eve of the Bulls’ season opener to join the Texas A&M Aggies.Valade, a three-star defensive back prospect, announced Wednesday night that he had reclassified to the Class of 2026 and would join Texas A&M immediately. The Aggies later confirmed the move.Originally from Canada, Valade transferred to West Boca Raton this offseason from the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.The timing of the departure is what makes the move remarkable.Valade spent the summer with the Bulls at camps and offseason competitions and played in West Boca Raton’s preseason game last week against Miami Carol City. He recovered a fumble in the Bulls’ overtime loss.Now, less than 48 hours before West Boca Raton opens its regular season Friday night at American Heritage-Plantation, the defensive back is headed to an SEC program.Under most circumstances, losing a three-star prospect on the eve of a season opener would create major concern for a state championship contender.West Boca Raton, however, is not most programs.The two-time defending state champions spent the offseason reshaping their secondary with transfers from across South Florida, including Florida State commit Jemari Foreman, who played at Cypress Bay and Plantation; West Georgia commit DaCoby Wooten, who previously suited up for Royal Palm Beach and Glades Day; and former Seminole Ridge captain Luther “Deuce” Howard II.Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Boca football’s Loia Valade joins Texas A&M on eve of opener