Signing Day roundup: Benedictine's Lamont Mitchell finds home after season ending injury

Benedictine's Lamont Mitchell couldn't wait for the football season to begin as the senior was set to start as a linebacker and running back for a Cadet squad looking to defend the Class 4A state title it won in 2021.

But Mitchell's season ended before it could even get started as suffered a right knee injury on the kickoff in the season opener on a non-contact play. He left the field in frustration and later had to undergo season ending surgery. He stayed involved with the squad lending support in any way possible as BC went on to win the state title once again with a win over Cedartown in the title game.

College recruiters started backing off with their interest in the talented athlete, but he got the break he was looking for when Georgia Military College offered him a scholarship. Mitchell signed with GMC Wednesday in a ceremony on campus next to his teammate, Za'Quan Bryan, who signed with Minnesota.

"We could not believe it when Lamont went down on the first play of the year like that," BC coach Danny Britt said. "He handled it as well as he could, and I remember when he found out his season was over we sat down and cried together for about 10 minutes. That's how much this team meant to him. It was tough because he put so much work in. But now he's getting such a great opportunity at GMC, and we're all really excited for him."

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Mitchell said signing day was extra special for him.

"This day means a lot because I was down and depressed at one point, but my teammates and coaches picked me up, along with my family" Mitchell said. "Everyone supported me and that played a big role in getting where I am today. I was almost ready to tear up today, but I'm just trying to enjoy everything. My message to everyone is when things go wrong -- don't give up. I had some doors close, but others opened back up."

Bryan was named the Region 3-4A Player of the Year and earned All-State first-team honors from the AJC for the second year in a row after another incredible season on both sides of the ball.  He caught 63 passes for 680 yards and eight touchdowns, and ran for 290 yards and five scores. He returned four punts for touchdowns and had a pick-six among his 18 touchdowns on the season. As a defensive back, where he will play for Minnesota, he had 72 tackles with four picks and four pass break ups.

Britt was asked if he come up with a fresh quote about Bryan, a player he has been commenting on since he was a freshman on the rise.

"What impresses me the most of his physical gifts is Za'Quan's fluidity," Britt said. "He'll be running at full speed, but he is so fluid he's able to make cuts that other players just can't make. He was a great leader for us and we're very proud of Za'Quan and are looking forward to watching him as he moves on to his next chapter at Minnesota."

Bryan said playing for the BC program under Britt prepared him for the future.

"Coach Britt runs practices, the weight room, even spring practices -- just like Coach (P.J.) Fleck does at Minnesota," Bryan said. "So it's going to be the same thing, and I'll be ready. It's great to be here today, and I just want to tell the kids in the community to do what their coaches tell them to do and they can make it too."

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Effingham's Keion Wallace turns heads by signing with Georgia Southern

Effingham County had a big signing day as the Rebels had Keion Wallace sign with Georgia Southern and Timmy Brown sign with Army.

Wallace, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver, burst on the recruiting scene as a sophomore as he picked up offers from schools such as Texas A&M and Georgia Tech. But he missed nearly all of his junior season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Also a star on the Rebel basketball team, Wallace bounced back with a strong senior campaign. He had 27 catches for 476 yards and nine touchdowns and was also a key defensively with 45 tackles and a pair of interceptions as Effingham finished second in Region 2-6A.

Wallace didn't sign during the Early Signing Day period in December, but he landed in the perfect spot with Georgia Southern as the Eagles had one of the top passing offenses in the nation last season under new head coach Clay Helton. He was the only signee announced by the Georgia Southern football Twitter account on Wednesday.

"Keion missed basically his entire junior year, which is so important in the recruiting process," Effingham coach John Ford said. "But he just attacked his rehab and came back at such an elite level. I was just grateful to be able to coach him. Georgia Southern was one of three teams in the country to throw the ball over 600 times last season -- so I think it's the perfect marriage for Keion. He is so athletic and can play at the X, Y or Z (wide receiver positions). He works his tail off and is going to get a lot of opportunities to catch the ball in Coach (Clay) Helton's offense."

The Rebels also had Timmy Brown, a standout defensive back and receiver, sign to play at West Point.

Brown had 33 tackles and added 16 receptions for 375 yards and four scores as a receiver. He is also a standout on the Rebel basketball squad.

"Timmy can play anywhere, he was a safety and a Z receiver as a junior and this year we had him at cornerback and X," Ford said. "He's 6-3 and 190, and I think his length and versatility appealed to (Army) Coach (Jeff) Monken. I think he'll be playing receiver there initially because Army might be getting away from the triple-option with the new rules on cut blocking coming up. But he can do whatever they ask of him."

Calvary's Scott signs with SSU; Simmons headed to Duke

Jalin Scott has been the anchor of the Calvary Day offensive line as a center and guard over the last few seasons and the heart and soul of the team with his ability to lead by example.

Scott announced he will be staying close to him to play college ball on Wednesday as he signed with Savannah State.

Calvary's Scott anchors football teamOverlooked due to size, Calvary Day's Jalin Scott has become anchor of star-studded team

"Jalin was all you could ask for as a player," Calvary Day coach Mark Stroud said. "He has such a great work ethic on the field and in the weight room -- he goes all out all the time. And he's he quintessential silent leader who makes an impact that ripples out to the entire team."

Scott, who is also a standout in the shot put for the Calvary track and field team, said he is excited to be staying close to home.

"I just instantly clicked with Coach (recruiting coordinator Nick) Trist and the rest of the staff," said Scott, who plans to major in criminal justice or construction engineering. "When I was growing up, I didn't think of SSU as my first option, but as I got older I realized it was the perfect spot for me for the next four years. Playing for Coach Stroud has prepared me for college. He's hard core when it comes to football and he makes sure you do all the right things on the field and in the classroom."

Calvary Day's Terry Simmons Jr. established himself as one of the top defensive tackles in the country in a stellar career with the Cavaliers. He signed with Duke back in the early signing period in December, but celebrated with a formal signing alongside Scott on Wednesday.

Simmons had 162 tackles, 61 TFLs and 16 sacks in his career and was a three-time All-State selection and three-time All-Greater Savannah pick.

Calvary's Simmons commits to DukeCalvary Day's Terry Simmons Jr. talks about decision to commit to play football for ACC school

"Terry has been one of the most dominating players I've ever seen at the high school level," Stroud said. "He can single handedly impact a game in so many different ways with his presence inside. I'm just glad we didn't have to block him. And he's such a personable guys with a big heart -- just the kind of guy you love to be around."

Simmons said Stroud had big impact on his development as a player and person.

"When I came to Calvary Day I was a troubled kid, I was kind of lost -- but the community helped me with a Christian approach to life," Simmons said. "And Coach Stroud kept it real with me, told me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear and held me accountable. He was a strong leader, not just patting me on the back all the time, and that's what I needed."

Bethesda's Jalil Calhoun signs with Savannah State

One of the most interesting story lines of the day went down at Bethesda Academy, where Blazer tight end Jalil Calhoun signed to play at Savannah State.

This was Calhoun's first year of playing 11-man football and he made a strong impression with a Blazer squad that finished the season with an 8-4 record.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder has a background in Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling and quickly adapted to football. He eight catches for 143 yards on the season -- with four going for touchdowns. Bethesda football coach Antwain Turner made sure the entire student body was on hand to see the ceremony.

"Jalil is an example for everyone -- he shows that hard work pays off," Turner said. "He's played just one year of 11-man football and now he's getting a chance for a free education and to keep playing at Savannah State."

Savannah State President Kimberly Ballard Washington, who also sits on the Bethesda Academy Board of Governors, was on hand for the ceremony.

Calhoun said he would never have imagined playing football in college a few years ago.

"I wouldn't have believed it, but I got here with the help of God, my family and my friends," Calhoun said. "Coach Turner taught me that if you work hard enough, you can do anything. I wanted to play at SSU because my cousin David Crowley played there as a defensive back. Sadly, he died in 2018, but I want to play in his memory."

Savannah Christian trio signs

Savannah Christian had three seniors sign as quarterback Paulus Zittrauer signed with Franklin & Marshall College, a Division III program in Pennsylvania. Athlete Jayden Hester is headed to Georgia Military College, while defensive lineman Akeem Brown will also be playing junior college ball at Central Georgia Technical College.

Zittrauer threw for 1,794 yards with 16 touchdown passes and four interceptions and was also a running threat with 424 yards rushing and 10 more touchdowns as he help lead the Raiders to the Class 3A quarterfinals.

"The school was the perfect fit for Paulus because he wants to go on the pre-med track," SCPS coach Baker Woodward said. "It's perfect for him academically and he's going to have the chance to play right away. Paulus worked so hard to get better and earned his teammates' respect this year as a leader."

At 6-feet and 305 pounds, Lane was a problem for offensive lines to deal with. He had 67 tackles, with 8.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks on the year. He was a first-team All-Region pick.

"Akeem improved every year, and he's got those great feet -- I think he'll continue to improve in college and have a chance to play at the Division I level," Woodward said. "He was voted as a team captain by his teammates this year."

Hester was a four-year starter for the Raiders and had some impressive career numbers. He had 1,335 career rushing yards, 353 yards receiving, 2,159 all-purpose yards, 93 tackles, five interceptions and 19 total touchdowns.

"Jayden is still growing and has so much upside," Woodward said. "He's going to continue to improve."

Richmond Hill duo signs

Richmond Hill had a pair of football players put pen to paper Wednesday as Zion Gillard signed with Peru State, an NAIA program in Nebraska, while Dontae Goodner signed with Ripon College, a Division III program in Wisconsin.

Gillard was an All-Region 1-7A selection as a running back after rushing for 862 yards and nine touchdowns in one of the toughest regions in the state. Goodner was a second-team All-Region pick as a defensive lineman. He had 39 tackles and a sack this season.

Jenkins trio moving on to next level

Jenkins held a ceremony on campus Thursday where three players revealed their college plans.

Punter Michael Becton and defensive lineman Timothy Randolph will be staying close to home and playing for Savannah State, while defensive lineman Ja'Marqust Dingle will be playing at Gordon State College.

Becton was an All-Region 1-5A first-team selection as a punter. He averaged 40.1 yards per punt with a long of 63 yards and 11 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

"I got an academic scholarship and have a chance to play right away at Savannah State, so that played a part in my decision," Becton said about choosing SSU. He said working with the One on One Kicking program has helped him develop into one of the top punters in the state. Becton plans to major in biology and pursue a career in sports medicine.

Randolph, a 6-foot, 293-pound defensive lineman, was an all-region honorable mention selection this season. He had 22 tackles, including a pair for losses.

"Playing at Jenkins for Coach (Tony) Welch has helped sharpen my skills," Randolph said. "SSU was close to home and convenient for me. I want to help build a great team there."

Dingle was a two-way lineman for the Warriors, but said he will be on the defensive side of the ball at Gordon State.

"I liked the coaches and the facilities at Gordon State," Dingle said. "My goal is to move on to play at a higher level. Coach Welch pushed me to get better and helped me get here."

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: Signing Day roundup: BC's Mitchell finds home after season ending injury