Sandy Creek

High School saw seven members of its football team sign national letters

of intent to play college football last week on Signing Day.

It was the

most players from any team in the school's history to sign with colleges

in one year and there is a chance that a few more may sign with colleges

before the month is up.

The seven players

were Jonathan Callahan, Omar Espinosa, Andre Green, Bradley Huggins, Mark

Lawson, J.R. Lemon and Brandon McCleod. Callahan and Green will attend

Middle Tennessee State University, while Lawson and Huggins will attend

Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. McCleod signed with Troy State University

in Alabama, while Espinosa signed with Cumberland College and Lemon signed

with Stanford University.

Lemon, one

of the most highly recruited players in the state, chose Stanford because

of the opportunity it represents both academically and athletically. The

running back plans to major in industrial engineering and knows that if

he can't make it to the next level playing football he'll have a backup

plan and many contacts from the prestigious school.

"How else

was I going to live in San Francisco for four four years for free,"Lemon

said before recalling his fondest memory as a Sandy Creek Patriot.

"The best

memory I have is beating North Clayton in my junior year to make the playoffs

for the first time ever."

Green, the

quarterback, and Callahan, a defensive end, will probably room together

at Middle Tennessee State University. Green chose the school because it

is an up-and-coming program that has recently joined the Sun Belt Conference

and because he has a chance to make an impact early in his collegiate

career.

Callahan visited

many schools that were similar but chose the school because he felt comfortable

there. "It will be good to know that Andre is there and not have

to break in a new roomate," he said.

He plans on

amjoring in engineering, while Green is going to go into accounting.

Recalling their

best memories as Patriots, Green said it was this year's playoff game

against Thomson, in which his long run sealed the win for the Patriots

and sent them into the next round, while Callahan said he will think fondly

at how hard-nosed and serious the team was.

Huggins and

Lawson chose Presbyterian College because of the academic program that

it offers as well as the opportunity to play for a good football team.

Huggins, a linebacker, is undecided on what his major will be, while Lawson,

a fullback for the Patriots who will move to defensive back, will major

in business.

Lawson's best

memory was getting the opportnity to step in at fullback in his sophomore

year and playing the position for the rest of his career at Sandy Creek,

while Huggins will always recall being part of a team and something really

special.

Brandon McCleod

chose Troy State University in Alabama because to him it was a "perfect

fit." The offensive lineman's father is from Alabama and McCleod

knew some players involved in the program who showed him around the campus.

McCleod is

planning on going pre-med and focusing on chemistry. He also plans on

getting involved in the music program and singing.

His best memory

as a Patriot was the first game of his junior season. He broke his foot

the day before but played in the first game anyway. The team won and he

sat out for the rest of the season.

Espinosa chose

Cumberland College bacause he loved the campus and because a former coach

is now coaching there and will be able to look out for him. The linebacker

is planning on majoring in either accounting or broadcasting and will

always remember the summer camps.

"It was

hard work but it paid off," said Espinosa. "It brought us together

and unified us to a common goal."

Those words

speak well of the entire program, which boasted 27 scholar athletes this

year, and is sending a number of their graduating players on to the next

level.

Back

to the Top of the Page Back

to the Sports Home Page