Local players move on to next level
Published 12:17 pm Friday, February 7, 2014
A handful of local football products signed scholarships on National Signing Day Wednesday to continue their playing careers on the next level.
Three players from Class 5A state champion Picayune had a trio of players ink deals. Tailback Preston Dedeaux signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast, wingback Daveon Greene signed with Jones Junior College and cornerback Deandre Andersen inked with Pearl River Community College.
Poplarville had a pair of players sign deals, as running back Rojae Raine signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast and placekicker Cody Mikell inked with PRCC.
At Pearl River Central High School, kicking standout Jovan Detto signed with Pearl River Community College.
Other confirmed prep standouts to sign with PRCC are four D’Iberville players in running back Quantrell Reddix, offensive lineman Darrell Civitanovich, quarterback Jo Jo Warrick and defensive lineman J.C. Caldwell. A pair of Gautier players, Lajuan Johnson and Gerald Magee also were expected to sign with PRCC.
Also, former Poplarville High standout running back Tyus Raine, who finished his prep career at Petal High, signed with Hinds Community College.
• Five Pearl River Community College football standouts signed with senior colleges Wednesday on National Signing Day.
Defensive linemen Darrius Caldwell and Dalvon Stuckey signed with Arizona State, defensive back Shauntez Ball with the University of Tennessee-Martin, defensive lineman Carl Green with West Alabama, and defensive back Ty Northern with the University of Memphis.
Caldwell out of Mays High in Atlanta, Ga., and Stuckey out of Walton High in Defuniak Springs, Fla., were two of the highest-recruited players in the MACJC this year. Caldwell, an All-MACJC second-team pick, selected ASU over South Carolina, while Stuckey, an All-MACJC first-team pick, verbally committed to the University of Miami and Auburn before signing with the Sun Devils.
Caldwell finished the 2013 season with 18 tackles, including a team-high seven tackles for losses and two sacks. Stuckey wrapped the year with 25 stops and two sacks.
Ball, a Madison Central High recruit, recorded 22 tackles and two interceptions this past season, while Green, a McComb High recruit, finished with 24 tackles, one-and-a-half sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Northern, a Northwest Mississippi CC transfer who prepped at Rosa Fort High, had 61 stops — second-best on the squad — including a team-high 43 solo tackles. In addition, the All-MACJC first-team selection recorded two forced fumbles and an interception.
Other PRCC mid-term senior college signees include defensive lineman Ge’monne Brown of Petal High (Western Kentucky), offensive lineman Wesley Haas out of St. Stanislaus College (Southern Mississippi), placekicker-punter Brandon King of Florence High (Mississippi College), offensive lineman Carson Miller of West Point High (Alabama-Birmingham), placekicker-punter Mark Moore of Hattiesburg High (Delta State), linebacker Martez Simpson of Madison Central High (Old Dominion), defensive lineman Josiah Smith of George County High (South Alabama), linebacker Demarius Rancifer out of Catholic High in Pensacola, Fla. (South Alabama), and linebacker Emmanuel Ray of Lumberton High (West Georgia).