Four Benedictine football players sign with colleges; Johnson's Ellison signs with Reinhardt
The celebration of Benedictine's back-to-back state football titles had its latest incarnation on Wednesday as four more players set their college plans in motion.
Defensive linemen Alijah Alexander and Cole Semien will remain teammates as they both signed to play at Stetson University in Florida. Linebacker Keiran Glover signed with Massachusetts Maritime Academy and long snapper Joseph Stoever signed as a preferred walk on at Georgia Tech.
Alexander had an impressive senior season for the Cadets as the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder had 67 tackles, with 17 tackles for loss, three sacks and five quarterback hurries to earn Region 3-4A Defensive Player of the Year and All-Greater Savannah first-team honors.
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"I'm excited to be going to Stetson with Cole (Semien) so we can carry on the bond we've built together at Benedictine," Alexander said. "We know each other so well -- we're going to be roommates and I think we're going to have a big impact with the program."
Semien was an All-Greater Savannah first-team selection for the second year in a row as the 6-foot-2, 270-pound senior was a difference maker up front. He had 77 tackles, including 16 for losses, with 8.5 sacks and five QB hurries.
"We can't wait to get down there and play together again," Semien said. "We're going to bring that same chemistry to Stetson and a winning mentality."
Glover came up big in the biggest games of the year for the Cadets. He stepped into the spotlight when Bryce Baker was hurt in the state semifinals. Glover racked up a career-high 19 tackles in the 14-13 championship win over Cedartown, a week after recording 15 stops in the semis against Troup County.
He will join former teammate Mac Kromenhoek at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, a Division III program.
"Mac played a big role in choosing to go to school there," said Glover, who plans to major in marine transportation. "It will be nice to have a close friend already there. I think playing at Benedictine prepared me for the next level with the discipline and hard work that we had under Coach (Danny) Britt. All of it paid off with those state championships."
Joseph Stover will be carrying on a family tradition as he follows his older brothers Mason and Blake Stoever to Georgia Tech. Mason Stoever has graduated and is now a police officer in Atlanta and Blake is still in school.
Stoever said he got into long snapping as a freshman offensive lineman. A coach asked if anyone was interested in long snapping and he raised his hand, and he has been working at his craft ever since. Four years later, he's ready to take his skills to the next level.
"It's been a journey and I'm excited to go to Georgia Tech -- it's a school with great academics that has meant a lot to my family," said Stoever, who plans to pursue a business degree.
Johnson's Ellison signs with Reinhardt University
Michael Ellison III was a four-year starter at cornerback under Atom Smasher head coach Kenderrick Bonner and played a pivotal role in the program's turnaround.
On Wednesday, Ellison took the next step in his football career as he signed to play at Reinhardt University, an NAIA program in Waleska.
Ellison, a two-time first-team All-Region selection, had five interceptions and a pick six over the last two seasons. He was chosen to play in the Blitz Border Bowl All-Star game this year.
"Michael came in undersized as a freshman, but he had those mechanics and has always been a student of the game," said Bonner, who recently stepped down as the Atom Smasher head coach. "He's always breaking down film to get any advantage he can on an opponent. He's a vocal leader -- a player that likes to talk a lot, but he backs it up with his play."
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Ellison said he liked the Reinhardt campus and has become close with the coaching staff there, which helped him make his college decision.
"I had a good connection with the guys on the team, and that was another big thing," Ellison said. "Coach Bonner has been a big influence. He got me ready to play in college by getting me in the weight room early to get bigger, stronger and faster. He did a great job coaching our team."
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Benedictine football players sign with colleges, along with Johnson's Ellison
