2017-2018 Scholarships Recap
Sparkman led the three prep schools with 28 signings while James Clemens had 26 and Bob Jones 14 in the most recent school year.
At Sparkman, the Senators’ signees were highlighted by two major college commitments with track star Lauryn Hall choosing the University of North Carolina and softball All-Star Taylor Davis selecting Western Kentucky.
Hall was named the school’s girls winner of the 2017 Wendy’s High School Heisman award and was a solid component of not only the track program, where she was state champion in several events and regarded as one of the fastest athletes in Alabama, but she was also a member of the cheerleader squad. She said of her signing with the Tar Heels, “I chose North Carolina because of the outstanding sports medicine program they provide and their track team is among the best in the country.”
Davis’ story is well documented as she was born with Erby’s Palsy, a muscle condition that requires her to catch and throw with the same hand. She was an All-State selection four years and was winner of numerous school and state awards. “My father urged me to try softball as a young girl and I’m extremely glad I did,” added Davis.
James Clemens was topped by five students who stayed close to home and signed with the UAH Chargers. Adrian Grant (basketball), Eve Mallard (softball), Katie Sharp (volleyball), Emma Gould (lacrosse) and Amy Haddock (lacrosse) put their names to scholarships with the local school.
Two of the school’s best-ever track athletes were part of the signing barrage for the Jets. Zuri Falkner signed with Southern Mississippi and Vada Samuels chose Samford.
“The first time I tried track for fun was while I was in the fifth grade as I competed against boys and I ended up loving the sport,” said Falkner who holds several school records in the shotput, discus and javelin and a state record in the discuss.
Samuels was a three-time record holder and was a member of the 4X400 relay team that won the state outdoor championship and set an all-time speed state record in the process.
“Growing up I was faster than the boys in my neighborhood and before joining track I was trying to earn a band scholarship as I played the clarinet,” said Samuels who also won the 60-meter indoor state title.
Three football players led the list of signees at Bob Jones. The three gridiron players signed with major football programs. Kade Koler signed with South Alabama, Demontrez Brown agreed to play for Troy University and Gavin Lewis chose North Carolina over a bevy of colleges.
Two of the most successful wrestlers in school history signed athletic/academic scholarships. Seth Dupree inked with Lindsey Wilson College and Harold Gilmore signed with the University of the Cumberlands. Both schools are located in Kentucky.
Dupree began wrestling in the eighth grade. “I joined the varsity program at Bob Jones as a freshman and I stayed within my natural weight class and always had strength and stamina,” said Dupree, who was 45-5 as a senior Patriot and the Class 7A state runner-up in the 220-pound weight class.
Like Dupree, Gilmore also finished as state runner-up and posted a 41-6 record in the 195-pound division. “I went to lots of training and improved my talents, enough so to where I can wrestle in college,” said Gilmore.
The complete list of those student-athletes signing athletic/academic scholarships include:
Sparkman- Hunter Gibson, USA (football walk on), Devin Kimbrough, Lindsey-Wilson (football), Jalyn Freeman, Gadsden State (volleyball), Lauryn Hall, North Carolina (track), Taylor Davis, Western Kentucky (softball), Garrett Bodine, UAH (baseball), T.K. Sanders, Lawson State (volleyball), Jared Dean, UAH (soccer), E.J. Williams, Georgetown College (football), Ethan Caselberry, VMI (football), D.J. Adams, Huntingdon College (football), Nick Jarrett, Garden City C.C. (football), Isaac Edwards, Delta State (football), Kaylee Stewart, UNA (cross country), April Gillespie, Motlow State (soccer), Milan Hunt, Mary Baldwin University (volleyball), Brandon Robinson, B’ham Southern (soccer), Mara Pastores, Jefferson State (golf), Josiah John, Mississippi College (baseball), Matthew Reed, Millsaps College (soccer), Makayla Tomaino, Shorter University (cross country), Aubrey Sales, Tennessee State (cheerleading), Daron Howard, Columbia State (basketball), Jonathan Bolden, Columbia State (basketball), Derienne Black, B’Ham Southern (basketball), Kaleb Mack, Gadsden State (basketball), Matthew Walker, Calhoun (golf) and Jabrea White, Oakwood University (undecided).
James Clemens- Tommy Crider, Belmont (baseball), Jacob Evans, Bevill State (baseball), Laken Lansdell, UNA (baseball), Zachary Toth, Montevallo (baseball), Morgan Bell, Navarro College (competitive cheer), Devon Atkinson, Tennessee Valley Prep (football), Tyrell Winn, Independence C.C. (football), Adrian Grant, UAH (basketball), Aubrey Little, Calhoun (softball), Jordan McMeans, Wallace State (softball), Eve Mallard, UAH (softball), Rachel Bradberry, Austin Peay (soccer), Katie Sharp, UAH (volleyball), Genisis Taylor, Wallace State (volleyball), Amy Haddock, UAH (lacrosse), Caitlin Wesson, Miss State (lacrosse-intramural), Vada Samuels, Samford (track), Miguel Cortes, UAH (track), Korey Shively, USA (cross country-walk on), Lexie Mitchell, B’Ham Southern (lacrosse), Kendall Vick, B’Ham Southern (lacrosse), Claudia Hollis, Lindenwood University (swimming), Zuri Falkner, Southern Mississippi (track), Christina Tarsitano, Denison University (swimming), Samantha Burns, Montevallo (cross country) and Emma Gould, UAH (lacrosse).
Bob Jones- Chase Fiddler, UAH (basketball), Brendan Bickleman, Kennesaw State (baseball), Alana Cox, Alabama A&M (volleyball), Kade Koler, USA (football), Demontrez Brown, Troy (football), Gavin Lewis, North Carolina (football), Logan Black, South Georgia (swimming), Anna Grace Pell, B’Ham Southern (swimming), Karmahn Hall, Wallace State (volleyball), Nick Valentin, King University (soccer), Seth Dupree, Lindsey-Wilson (wrestling), Harold Gilmore, University of the Cumberlands (wrestling), Taylor Weddington, Columbia State (softball), Myra Wallace and Winston Salem State (volleyball).
