South Aiken celebrates quartet of senior signees

Nov. 10—South Aiken celebrated the start of the early signing period Wednesday with a display of friendship and success in a signing ceremony honoring four college-bound T-Breds.

Signing together were golf teammates Cameron Biddle (USC Upstate) and Miles Eubanks (College of Charleston), and Ben Brash (The Citadel) and CJ Lincoln (Emory & Henry) from the baseball program.

T-Breds golf coach Tommy DeGennaro praised his two senior signees for their dedication to their craft and their perseverance, noting that both have fought back when they've struggled in order to get right back to their familiar spots atop the leaderboard. That has led to both of them having the opportunity to continue playing at the Division I level.

"It feels great to get it over with," said Biddle. "It definitely takes a lot of pressure off, knowing that I've got my school and can play how I know I can play all the time. It takes a lot of pressure off. It's good to get it done."

The campus at USC Upstate appealed to Biddle, who said when he went on his visit he found that it was exactly how he wanted a campus to be. Having a quality Division I program to go with it certainly doesn't hurt, and he said he intends to study business finance.

A two-time region medalist, including one as an eighth-grader, Biddle is hoping to add some more wins to his total — especially the Southern Cross, where he was runner-up back in April.

He'll have one last season to chase those goals alongside Eubanks, as both have been faces of the program for several seasons.

"It was great (signing together), because me and Miles have been two peas in a pod for as long as I can remember," Biddle said. "Both playing golf, pushing each other to be better. Seeing us both be in this position to go play D1, it's pretty special. It was a lot of fun."

Eubanks said it felt "pretty unreal" to make his college decision official, adding that a lot of hard work he's put into his game has paid off in a chance to play at the next level.

College of Charleston was the first program to notice Eubanks, the reigning South Carolina Golf Association Junior champion, and he's looking forward to making that pay off for the Cougars.

"That's pretty special," said Eubanks, who is undecided on a major. "I was talking to them and maybe one other school at the time, and they gave me an offer so I took it. I really like the coach there, Coach Mitch (Krywulycz, a two-time NCAA champion in 2010-11 at Augusta State), he's got the program going in a great direction. His philosophies, his goals for the team are amazing. And they're a good team. They've got some studs, so it's going to be fun. I'm excited."

Eubanks has set goals on posting some improved rounds during the season that can build some momentum toward winning a state championship, and he's looking forward to playing solid golf and having a good time with the boys.

T-Breds baseball coach Michael Baker described Brash and Lincoln's friendship by saying it would be hard to pry them away from one another, so it was even more special for the duo to sign side-by-side.

"He's been my friend since we were 9 years old, so it's really nice, a special moment that I'm never going to forget," said Lincoln.

Baker has had both of them in his program since they were in middle school and watched them grow into program leaders he's going to count on for one more season.

Brash has played all over for the T-Breds, going from catcher to first base to shortstop and pitcher, and it's on the mound where The Citadel intends to utilize him — until the coaches see him perform at any other positions.

"It's awesome, especially to play four more years of college baseball. It's like a dream come true," he said. "I love baseball. It's literally my life. I've been dreaming of this moment and training for this moment all my life. It's amazing."

Brash said the facilities and coaches stood out to him at The Citadel, where he wants to study business. The coaches have paid close attention to his progress for multiple seasons, and now he's ready to make that leap to the next level.

"Our coaches at South Aiken really prepare us for everything we do in life," he said. "Especially going to The Citadel, it really helps me adjust from our program and making the jump from high school to college."

Lincoln has played first base and pitched, excelling at both, and also came into his own at the plate last season. Baker expects him to be a dominant lefty arm on the mound this season before heading off to Emory & Henry.

"It was really fast," Lincoln said of the signing process. "At one point I was thinking I wasn't going anywhere, and then a coach randomly texted me and I went and visited and that was it. He saw me play over the summer, and now I'm here."

Lincoln said when he visited the area he liked how quiet and peaceful it is — the school is located in Emory, Virginia, in the western part of the state near the Tennessee border. He's undecided on his major.

Emory & Henry is a new member of Division II's South Atlantic Conference, which includes schools in the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia.

"Traveling," is what Lincoln is most looking forward to doing. "I haven't really been to many places in my life, so that's going to be very different."

He said that what has prepared him for this next step at South Aiken is the bonds he's formed — he knows that his teammates, coaches and friends all want the best for him and that he'll have their support.