Tyrone Shorter was as proud Wednesday as any of the parents and family members in attendance for the Noxubee County High School football team”s National Signing Day ceremonies.
The first-year coach was enjoying the morning so much because seven players he first coached in seventh and spent the past six years helping to mold into young men realized their dreams when they signed to play football in college.
“It means a lot to me,” said Shorter, a longtime assistant coach at Noxubee County, who completed his first season as head coach this season. “Each one of these seven guys is going to do well and they”re going to represent Noxubee County High School and their families well.
“There is no doubt in my mind that they are some really great guys. They are well-mannered kids and well-respected, and I am happy for them and their families that they will get to go on and further their football careers. I know they are going to do as well where they are going as they did at Noxubee County.”
Jacoby Harris (Alcorn State / Northeast Mississippi Community College), Toddrick Tate and DeMarcus Barnett (East Mississippi C.C.), KeShun Smith (Alcorn State / EMCC), Brandon Sanders (Copiah-Lincoln C.C.), Javodkis Tate (NEMCC), and Corey Williams (Alcorn State / EMCC) will join an already healthy group of players at local colleges. The players who signed with two schools are awaiting a qualifying test score on a standardized academic test that will make them eligible to play at the Division I level.
This latest class is two seasons removed from helping the Tigers win the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A state title in 2008. This season, Noxubee County lost to eventual state champion Lafayette in the North State title game.
Shorter echoed similar sentiments about each signee, complimenting each player”s work ethic and leadership ability. Williams, a three-year starter, led the defense and called the plays at linebacker. Harris and Tate, who were two-year starters, and Smith, a big guy who many call a “teddy bear,” played roles that were just as big. He feels Co-Lin “stole Sanders from EMCC, and said Barnett will continue to grow at the next level.
As difficult as it is to see the players move on, Shorter hopes the lessons the taught and the examples they set will remain and be carried out by the returning players.
If that happens, Shorter will have many more National Signing Days to be the proud father of the group.
“They are leaving a lot of examples of hard work,” Shorter said. “The things they did will rub off on the juniors and the sophomores. They never got into any major trouble, and I am delighted they are going on to college.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.