FORT MILL -- Nation Ford announced the signings of two student-athletes Wednesday.
Soccer standout Aly Schearer and baseball player Steven Simpson signed national letters of intent at a press conference at the school.
Shearer, the daughter of Dean and Diana Schearer, signed with Lander. She has been a defender for the Falcons in the school's first two seasons. She played her freshman and sophomore years at Fort Mill.
At Lander she will be reunited with Rachel Datz, who was an all-region defender at Fort Mill and is a starter for the Bearcats.
"I always tried to play like (Datz). She showed me the ropes," Schearer said.
"Rachel is almost like a big sister to Aly," Dean Schearer said.
Lander coach Chris Ayers' team was hampered by injuries last season and finished 7-9. The Bearcats were 13-5 in 2007.
Simpson, the son of Paul and Rae Simpson, signed with USC Sumter. He will play left field for Fire Ants coach Tom Fleenor.
Simpson said USC Lancaster also showed interest, but he gave Fleenor his commitment in January. The Fire Ants were 37-19 in 2008 and are off to a 7-2 start this season.
"I think it's great. (Steven) has worked hard on this. He's showed a lot of initiative on his own," Paul Simpson said.
Nation Ford coach Dell Corley said Simpson knows he'll need to work on his outfield defense, but his bat is an asset.
Simpson drove in the school's first run and recorded the first-ever triple in last year's inaugural season.
