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More than 40 represent GMC at signing day

Lakota West led with seven players receiving scholarships.

Hamilton football players (from left) Adam Pankey, Breon Boyd and Jhyraun DeMarcia are pictured Wednesday at the Greater Miami Conference signing event at at the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel in West Chester Twp.

Staff photo by Greg Lynch Hamilton football players (from left) Adam Pankey, Breon Boyd and Jhyraun DeMarcia are pictured Wednesday at the Greater Miami Conference signing event at at the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel in West Chester Twp.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Photos: National Signing Day

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer Updated 2:12 PM Thursday, February 2, 2012

WEST CHESTER TWP. — More than 40 football players representing more than $1 million in scholarships were on hand Wednesday for the Greater Miami Conference’s annual signing day event at the Wingate by Wyndham hotel.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and this one of the largest classes I’ve ever seen,” GMC President Stu Eversole said. “We are immensely proud to celebrate the success of these young people. The excitement you’ve brought to our communities is second only to the pride you’ve brought our communities.”

Lakota West led area schools with seven players receiving scholarships, while Hamilton had four and Fairfield three.

Many of the athletes made up their minds weeks ago, Big Blue’s Boyd still was wrestling with the decision late Tuesday night.

“I didn’t make my decision until midnight because it was a hard decision,” Boyd said, adding that it came down to Ohio Dominican and California (Pa.), the alma mater of HHS assistant coach Brad Watkins.

“I was still holding out hope this morning and I even brought him a hat,” Watkins joked. “In the end he had to make the decision that was best for him.”

HHS teammate Adam Pankey said he made his decision to attend West Virginia two weeks ago but kept it quiet until a separate ceremony at the school Wednesday morning.

“I’ve always wanted to do the hat thing, where you reach out and grab the one you’re going to,” said Pankey, who originally committed to Pittsburgh but changed his mind when coach Todd Graham left to take the job at Arizona.

After the coaches introduced their scholarship winners to the crowd, the players gathered for group and individual photos as part of a day the Firebirds’ Dawson Fletcher (Indiana) said he won’t soon forget.

“This is something I’ve looked forward to as a young kid,” he said. “It’s surreal to think I’m in my final steps to becoming a college football player. It’s a blessing, and I want to thank everyone from my parents to my coaches who helped me get here.”

Said Lakota West coach Larry Cox, “All of these guys are outstanding young men. And I think it’s awesome that as a league we get together and celebrate this day together.”

Area football players who signed scholarship letters of intent Wednesday
Blake Bell	Lakota West	California (Pa.)
Breon Boyd	Hamilton	Ohio Dominican
Jordan Darland	Lakota West	Olivet Nazarene
Jhyraun DeMarcia	Hamilton	Urbana
Dawson Fletcher	Lakota West	Indiana
Jacob Milne	Fairfield	Dayton
Beau Odom	Lakota West	Georgetown (Ky.)
Adam Pankey	Hamilton	West Virginia
Kayaune Ross	Lakota West	Fort Scott Community College
Cole Stalker	Lakota West	Findlay
James Turner	Fairfield	Akron
Mark Tuttle	Hamilton	Mount St. Joseph
Tyler Williams	Lakota West	Lindsey Wilson
Eric Young	Fairfield	William Penn