Six senior athletes from local high schools — four from Clarksdale High School and two from Coahoma County — all signed to play junior college football next season on National Signing Day on Wednesday.
Aikee Matthews of the Wildcats will be playing defensive back for Coahoma Community College, Kevin Smith will play outside linebacker for Northwest Mississippi Community College, Trejan Latham signed as an athlete for CCC and will play fullback or linebacker, and wide receiver Lorenzo Perez signed with Mississippi Delta Community College.
Coahoma County’s Alshun Ross will play outside linebacker at Hinds Community College, while Markevius Phillips will be a wide receiver for Coahoma Community College.
Local connections played a role in the three athletes from CHS and CCHS signing with CCC.
Matthews and Latham said they will most likely be roommates as freshmen.
Matthews plans to major in agriculture, stay just one year, get his Master’s Degree, and advance to Division I football.
“That’s where I’d like to go,” Matthews said. “I liked that. I’m more comfortable.
“I’m going to be part of the program change. We’ve got a good recruitment class coming in. We’ve got a lot of talent from all over the state. I think we’re going to be good this year.”
He played for the Clarksdale Lumberjacks at the peewee level and said career highlights included getting interceptions against Itawamba in the playoffs, Tunica Rosa Fort and Coahoma County.
He played as a freshman and took two years off, but friends and family talked him into coming back to the football team his senior year.
Latham, who said he would prefer to play fullback, began his peewee football career playing for the Riverside Eagles and hopes to make it to the Division I level after CCC.
“It’s closer to home,” Latham said. “I like the environment out there. I’m ready to just play ball.”
Latham’s best moments were when he caused a fumble at Yazoo City and recovered a fumble for a touchdown at Greenville this past season.
Phillips, who plans to major in criminal justice, said being able to be around his two-week-old baby, Makenzie, was a factor in him choosing to play for CCC.
“It was close to home,” he said. “I wanted to see my family. I wanted them to be there to support me.”
Phillips’ career highlight came on the basketball court when the Red Panthers won their first of back-to-back state championships.
“I just want to focus on my education,” Phillips said, adding he hopes to play Division I football.
Basketball could be in Phillips’ future, but he said football was his priority.
Smith, who played in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game under Wildcats coach Henry Johnson, started his peewee career with the Riverside Eagles and plans to be a guidance counselor and a social worker. His best game was when he scored two touchdowns against Cleveland Central High School.
“It was a good environment,” Smith said. “I feel like it was family, like home, like Clarksdale, and I just can’t wait to ball.
“I just want to go in, be a help to the team. We’ve got a lot of great players coming in. I just want to ball out and go D1.”
Smith said Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Mississippi State schools he could continue his football career at after he plays at the JUCO level.
Perez said playing for MDCC, which is CCC’s biggest rival, is an opportunity to get away from home and have a new start. He started his career with the Clarksdale Lumberjacks and his best game was against Gentry when he had 100 yards receiving to go with two touchdowns for around 10 and 20 yards.
“I feel like the coaching staff there, they welcomed me,” Perez said. “It’s like I’m already a part of their family. They showed love.”
He plans to work in construction after college and advance his career to D1 and the NFL.
Ross, who played peewee football for the Bears, Eagles and Ravens, plans to major in engineering in college.
“I felt like it would be a good fit for me playing outside linebacker,” he said. “It was just different from being in Clarksdale.”
Ross said going to Hinds was a chance to make a name for himself and be better known.
“I’ve been playing football my whole life,” he said. “I was still hoping to get a basketball scholarship to the same school because I really want to play basketball in college, too.”
Ross, who is a point guard, plans to try out for the basketball team at Hinds. He wants to play for a D1 school and open his own business one day.
He transfered to Clarksdale his junior year, but came back in the spring of the same school year because of his love for Coahoma County.
As a senior, Ross caught the winning touchdown pass in the Red Panthers third victory of the season. That was the difference in CCHS making the playoffs.
“I just want to thank God, all my coaches and teachers who never gave up on me,” Ross said. “Thank you.”
Clarksdale coach Henry Johnson had all praise for all four of his athletes.
“All of the guys have been great for us,” he said. “Good leadership on and off the field. I didn’t have any problems with them. They worked hard, came to practice every day. I’m going to truly miss all four of them. All four of them contributed to our football team in a big way. They were the main reason we were in the position we were in this year to have success.”
The Wildcats finished in second place in their division and won a playoff game.
Johnson said the outgoing seniors set a path for Clarksdale to be even better in the future.
“They set the tone because they did everything they were supposed to do,” he said. “They practiced on time every day, worked hard when they got there, stayed on the young guys and made sure they were doing what they were supposed to do. So they showed great leadership and we’re just very proud of them. It’s a very proud day for them.”
