Signing Day: Meet the 72 Rock Hill-area HS athletes who signed to play college sports
Over 70 high school athletes across the Rock Hill-area put their athletic dreams on paper on National Signing Day on Wednesday — and that included football players, cross country runners, cheerleaders, wrestlers and more.
Meet them below.
Northwestern sees 10 athletes sign, including a Clemson Tiger
Northwestern baseball player Ethan Darden always wanted to be a tiger.
Like, a real tiger. One with stripes and orange fur and a deafening roar. It’s his “spirit animal,” he said on Wednesday, and he embodies a tiger’s spirit while pitching on the mound. It’s part of what fueled the lefty ace’s fantastic junior year: He was 6-2 in the 2021 season and tossed 101 strikeouts while only allowing 21 hits in 53.2 innings of work. His ERA was 1.04.
It was enough, clearly, to make him a tiger — a Clemson Tiger, that is.
“It was my dream school,” Darden told The Herald. “I just (hoped) it would happen.”
Darden made his commitment to the ACC baseball powerhouse official on Wednesday. He verbally committed originally in July.
“Ethan has been in the program for five years,” head coach Ryan Hunt told a crowd in the Northwestern gym on Wednesday afternoon. “Northwestern has had some very good and talented pitchers over the years, and Ethan is on that list. We are excited for this and to watch him grow even more.”
Darden was one of 10 athletes to sign at Northwestern during the school’s National Signing Day festivities.
Kaitlyn Feller will join the Newberry cheer program in the fall. She’ll be majoring in nursing. She also said that while she’s an introvert, a new version of herself emerges while she’s doing what she loves to do: “I think when I’m out there on the field, and you see the lights, there’s not much you can think about besides doing what you’re supposed to be doing,” Feller said. “I think when I’m out there, I’m in my own world, and I can just do me.”
Karl Skroban will play soccer at USC Lancaster in the fall. He can play anywhere on the field — defense, offense, midfield. He surmises it succinctly, “Basically I run a lot.” Skroban has been playing at NHS since seventh grade. He’s grown into a great leader: This summer, he showed the initiative to call newly hired coach Johnathan Caratella the day after he got the job to help him with his transition. “I found out and just gave him a call, introduced myself, told him about what we’ve been doing … I just told him what we’re used to and just told him I was looking forward to playing for him.”
Christian Smrekar will join the Emory and Henry swim program this fall. He’s been swimming for the Trojans since the seventh grade — mainly backstroke and distance freestyle — and he fell in love with the sport early. “I think it was the team environment more than anything,” Smrekar said. “It’s a really tight-knit, familial feel. … I think it’s the amount of dedication that is required from everybody. I think this is the only thing I’ll wake up before 8 a.m. for. At 5 a.m., I’m at a gym working out or ready to get in the pool.”
In addition, six others signed to play football.
Relentless Trojan defensive end Isaac McLellan signed to play at Western Carolina. He said he’ll need to purchase more pairs of pants when he gets to the mountainous, frigid Cullowhee, North Carolina — but he’s excited about being there nonetheless. He hopes his experience at WCU will be as fun as his time at Northwestern was: “We’re a bunch of brothers, so we loved to joke around and have fun and make practice fun,” McLellan said. “Having fun is how this year’s team got better.”
Defensive back Jecari Bryson and quarterback Will Mattison will both be attending Gardner-Webb in the fall. Both had fantastic senior seasons that ended in All-Region, All-State and The Herald’s All-Area selections. And both are excited to play with each other.
Said Bryson on his one year at Northwestern: “I’m really excited. You know, my first day, Will was there for me from a mental standpoint and an on-the-field standpoint. And being able to play college football with him is special to me because he’s a good dude.”
Said Mattison: “Having (Bryson) there will be awesome. Having that one person that you know, that you went to high school with, it’s just special.”
Kanoah Vinesett is heading to N.C. State to be the team’s placekicker. He’s going to the ACC school for a variety of reasons. Among them: He loves the coaches and players and knows it’s a school with rigorous academics. He went to the Wolfpack’s games against Clemson and North Carolina this year and fell in love with the “crazy” atmosphere. He has no doubt, though, that he could thrive in Raleigh: “It’s a lot of pressure, but pressure motivates me to do better,” Vinesett said. “Whenever I’m under pressure is when I kick my best.”
Additionally, defensive back Tay McCroey committed to North Greenville and offensive lineman Parker Prevette signed to Madonna.
Fort Mill High has 7 sign, including a football player joining a program ‘on the rise’
Marcus Boston Brinkley couldn’t suppress his smile.
Fort Mill’s standout offensive lineman signed his National Letter of Intent to play at UNC Charlotte next year on Thursday. The All-State and Shrine Bowl selection chose to go to the school just north of the Carolinas border for a variety of reasons.
Among those reasons: He loved the campus and his future teammates and coaches. He was intrigued by the fact that Charlotte, a team that recently ascended into the FBS ranks, is “on the rise.” And he also loves that the school has a strong computer science engineering program.
Brinkley reflected a bit on his four years at Fort Mill on Thursday and also thought about the support he received from his parents along the way. (His father, Marcus Brinkley, was a former offensive lineman for UNC-Chapel Hill.)
“I don’t think I would’ve been able to do this without him,” Brinkley said of his dad. “He’s talked to me everyday, told me everyday to give my best effort and best attitude. … I couldn’t have done it without his guidance, and not just him but my mom as well, telling me to trust in God and never give up.”
Brinkley was one of seven athletes who celebrated signings at Fort Mill High School this week. Luke Garabedian signed to play baseball at Indiana State University. Sophia Stalford, a javelin and shot put competitor, signed to run track and field at USC Beaufort (in large part because it was “close to the beach,” she said to students packed into the Fort Mill gym on Thursday). Trinity Wall signed to play softball at Belmont Abbey College.
And three other football players signed to different programs: Offensive lineman and three-year varsity letterman Charlie Veltri is heading to Marshall. Three-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back JJ Ogwal committed to North Greenville University. And everything-player Michael Threatt — who accumulated 912 all-purpose yards in 2021 — is headed to Winston-Salem State University.
Football head coach Rob McNeely is proud of the seniors who signed on Thursday.
“I always tell our kids that if I ever see them working by themselves, of them tying their actions to their aims — and their aim is to play college football — then I’m going to help them out all I can,” McNeely told The Herald. “We have a staff that has a network of college coaches all over the country, so we can afford to help these kids out if they have that dream.
“And I’m happy for them too because it shows the younger kids, and the kids that feed into Fort Mill, that they can come and play football here and achieve their dream of playing college football.”
York sees 5 athletes sign NLIs
York had five athletes sign NLIs on Wednesday. Meet them here:
▪ Cross country runner Emmanuel Paddyfote signed to run at North Carolina Central University on Wednesday. He chose there, among other reasons, because he loved the campus. He looks forward to the Division I competition there, too. He got into running around the seventh grade, he said — a lot of that having to do with his father, Jeffrey, who is YCHS’s head XC coach: “It was pretty good actually, especially when you know someone who was going to take your training and nutrition and rest so seriously,” Paddyfote said of having his father as his coach. “There was no pressure or anything, but he instilled discipline, which helped me appreciate the sport more.”
▪ Chloe Mumaw also was celebrated for her decision to run in college next year. She’ll be attending Erskine College. She, like Paddyfote, loved the “little things” that made the cross country and track seasons great at York — the bus rides, the practice runs, the pre-race meals. She’ll particularly remember singing Taylor Swift on the rides to different races with her teammates. It’s part of why she fell in love with running in the first place. “(Running) is a very social thing but can also be a personal thing for me,” she said, adding, “It can really be whatever you want depending on what you need it to be.”
▪ Jevon Long, York football’s leading wide receiver in 2021, signed to Limestone on Wednesday. His mother is a Limestone alumna, and the connections he made to the current players and coaches made it feel like a family — kind of like how his team at York felt. “York is just a small community, we don’t have more than one middle school coming together into this high school, so we’ve been playing against each other since rec league,” Long said. “And this year it felt like all of our hard work had paid off.”
▪ York football standouts defensive back Zy Brown and linebacker/strong safety MeKayle Burris will both join the Catawba College football program this fall. Brown and Burris have been like brothers for years and virtually grew up playing football together. They both have a knack for making big plays, too, in their own ways: Brown, for instance, made plays of the “How did that happen?” variety — like one-handed interceptions and returned kicks/punts for touchdowns. (That same athleticism has been on display for the Cougars’ basketball team this year.) Burris, meanwhile, seemed to be a part of every meaningful defensive play for the Cougars and was the emotional leader of a team that won seven straight games and overachieved all year.
Said Brown: “That’s family. That’s my brother. When it all boils down to it, we wanted to go to the same school and play together for four or five more years. So going to the same school, that’s just great.”
Said Burris: “We just clicked. Me and Zy together, we just know that if we’re on the same field at the same time, we’re going to make plays and going to make something happen.”
Rock Hill’s Maurice Bonneau finds his home at The Citadel
Maurice Bonneau has already started training his body for this summer.
The senior defensive end and linebacker signed to play football at The Citadel in Charleston on Wednesday, and he’s already waking up early — around 6 a.m. each day — to train his body for the early mornings that await freshmen at the South Carolina military college.
He’s doing plenty of other things to prepare him for college life: He’s taking three college classes online this semester. He works out with the football team after school daily. He, like his college-bound classmates, is trying to strike a balance of staying focused while enjoying his final year in his hometown, too.
That said, he knows he’ll be taken care of at The Citadel, Bonneau said.
“They are like a tight-knit, really close family,” Bonneau said of his future school. “That’s what I really liked about it. They take care of each other, make sure everybody is OK. Give each other rides to places. They really support each other as a football family.”
Bonneau — a guy whose game is inspired by (and might remind you of) Dallas Cowboy Micah Parsons for his DE/LB versatility — had a stellar senior season: He finished with 77 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 13 pressures, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Not only that, he was the leader of a team that really needed one. He learned a lot about leadership in his time as a Bearcat, he said.
“I definitely am going to have to be a leader, continue to be a leader, as we move forward,” Bonneau said. “Especially if I want to be a team captain in a couple of years, I gotta be vocal and pick up my teammates. That’ll be key for me in the next three to four years.”
Bonneau plans on majoring in mechanical engineering.
South Pointe will see 9 more play college sports
South Pointe had nine people sign on Wednesday.
Four were Stallion football players. Head coach DeVonte Holloman offered thoughts on all of them:
▪ Zay McCrorey (quarterback, Lenoir-Rhyne University): “I can’t say enough about him and his progression,” Holloman said. “Zay’s just gotten better and better. He has the chance to do some special things. Lenoir-Rhyne is a great school and are starting to put some guys in the league. And in my mind, if Zay continues to impress the way he did (at South Pointe), he can be an NFL talent one day.”
▪ Logan Daye (offensive lineman, Morehouse College): “Logan Daye is really just a blessing,” Holloman said. “He came to us from Georgia. He’s really a guy who is going to do it exactly the way he was coached to do it. He started out as a defensive player and found a home on offense and was an anchor on the offensive line for us.”
▪ Jordan McVay (offensive lineman, Livingstone College): “This kid has a heart of gold,” Holloman said. “He gives it his all. He really loves football, really loves his team. He’s one of those loyal guys who, once he’s with you, it’s family. To see him finally land with most of his college paid for is huge. … I’m really proud of him and his family for getting to this point.”
▪ Waymond Jenerette (receiver, Independence Community College): “Everybody knows the talent that Waymond has,” Holloman said. “Hopefully he can keep his head down and stay out of trouble and do the right thing in Kansas, and we can find him the right home, where he should’ve been all along.” (Side note: ICC is where the third season of the popular Netflix show Last Chance U took place.)
Five others signed to play college sports, too:
▪ Payton Hope is heading to Claflin University to play softball, a sport she’s played since she was 12 years old. Her favorite year at South Pointe? “I would say the 2020 season when coach (Pat) Burris came in and took over. It got cut short because of COVID, but the atmosphere and energy that year was different, and now we’re on the way to getting that energy back.”
▪ Ethan Wilson, a right-handed pitcher, is heading to play baseball at Spartanburg-Methodist. He’s been playing for the Stallions since he was in middle school and was a part of the team’s 2018 region championship. One of his favorite memories from his career here? The day-to-day grind of running up the big hill — “getting the conditioning punishment done” — because of how it bonded him and his teammates, he said.
▪ Cole Montgomery is heading to USC Salkehatchie to play baseball. The pitcher, like Wilson, started playing at the high school level when he was in seventh grade. “We’ve always been a younger team, but it’s our time to shine now,” Montgomery said.
In addition to that, Addison Donald signed to play soccer at Lander, and Alaina Robinson signed to play volleyball at USC Lancaster.
Chester has 3 sign to play football
Chester celebrated a pretty special trio on Wednesday. All three of them played in the 2018 Chester state championship game as freshmen, and over the course of their next three years, they only continued to grow the Cyclone program.
Zan Dunham, Chester’s starting quarterback for four years who accumulated about as many accomplishments as one can in a high school career, signed to South Carolina State. He’ll be joining former high school teammate and co-state champion at Chester, Octaveon Minter, there. Dunham notched other offers early in his career — from USC and Virginia Tech, among others — but he ultimately chose to go to the HBCU in Orangeburg because it felt like home. He said he was “very proud” of his teammates who signed with him: “Not only were we together for four years, man, but we’ve been playing since we were little. We always played together. It’s very exciting for all of us to go to school and play football.”
Da’Morrious Thompson, the Cyclones’ indelible offensive lineman, signed to Allen University in Columbia. He is planning on majoring in business with dreams of being a successful entrepreneur one day — that is, if his pro football dreams don’t pan out immediately. “If the pros come knocking at the door, I’m going to answer,” Thompson said, chuckling. “I’m definitely going to work toward that, but I also am going to work on my backup plan because not everyone has that.”
And defensive end Quez Jackson signed to Johnson C. Smith. He said he talked to the current players and coaches there, and it felt like family. He’s grown a lot in his four years in the Chester program, he said. “I think I’ve grown a lot, just being me,” he said. “Football makes you a better man.”
Clover celebrates 12 athletes sign on NSD
Clover is one of the largest high schools in South Carolina — and it boasts one of the most well-rounded athletic departments in the state, too.
Several Blue Eagles signed to play college sports on Wednesday.
Five football players: Wide receiver Chance Sanders is going to Newberry College; Zach Jordan is going to North Greenville University; receiver Darius Bowser is going to Lenoir-Rhyne University; offensive lineman Hagan Smith is going to Limestone University; and receiver/defensive back Jy Martin is going to West Virginia State University.
Three women’s soccer players: Ashlyn Farrar is going to Francis Marion; Olivia Garver is going to Pfeiffer University; and Savannah Mellon will be joining the soccer program at Converse College.
And the rest played other sports: Allison Heeg is going to Guilford College to play volleyball; Logan Adams will join the cheerleading program at Wofford; Kaevon Gardner will join the wrestling team at Lander; and Justin Skinnell will join the Coker University baseball program.
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Legion Collegiate has 1 football player sign
The Legion Collegiate football program is a young one — it finished only its third season and played only its 20th game in 2021. But it still saw a player sign his college football dreams into reality on Wednesday.
Charles Green, a receiver for Legion who moved to South Carolina from Ohio this past summer, signed to Wingate University. He finished the season with a team-leading 23 receptions for 365 yards and three touchdowns.
Indian Land sees 15 sign
The Warriors had 15 athletes sign National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. And that’s a lot — but that’s what happens when you’re home to a softball powerhouse, a perennial title contender of a wrestling program and a football program on the rise.
Four softball players: Caitlyn Birkner is going to William Peace University. Peyton Hurst is going to Louisburg College. Kendall Mallekoote is heading to USC Beaufort. And Savanna Nguyen is going to UNC Charlotte.
Three football players: Linebacker Dumkele Idehen is heading to Townson University. Offensive lineman Ahmarion McLeod is going to Elon. And playmaker Sean McCray is going to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte.
Two baseball players: Braden Small is heading to USC Lancaster, and Kyle Knoll signed to play at Erskine College.
Two dancers: Ny’Khia McClurkin-Stewart and Zoria Shivers will participate in the dancing programs at Limestone College.
Two wrestlers: Dylan Layton is going to Cleveland State, and Maxx Yegge signed to go to Coker University.
One volleyball player: Meghan Dewalt is heading to Erskine College.
And one golfer: Alexia Siehl is heading to the University of Wisconsin.
Catawba Ridge has 9 athletes sign
The Copperheads had nine athletes sign NLIs on Wednesday, another large class after a robust one that signed in the fall.
Three football players: CJ Brown is headed to Catawba College. Asa Johnson, a first-team defensive selection on The Herald’s All-Area team, signed to Campbell University. And BJ Mallard is going to St. George Collegiate Academy in South Carolina.
Five baseball players: Caleb Avery is going to Catawba Valley Community College; Cooper Wilson is heading to Oglethorpe University in Georgia; Wyatt Wilson is going to Centre College in Danville, Ky.; and Tyler Levy and Lane Boutwell are each going to USC Salkehatchie.
And one girls’ lacrosse player: Krysten Wallace is heading to North Greenville University.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
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