Central’s Tiyah Johnson, Lashunte Faniel, Callie Donahue sign scholarships

Three Central Lady Red Devil athletes signed college scholarships in a ceremony at the school Wednesday.

From the basketball team, Tiyah Johnson signed a scholarship to Shelton State Community College, while Lashunte Faniel signed with Chattahoochee Valley Community College. In soccer, Callie Donahue signed a scholarship to Judson College.

For Johnson, Shelton State’s track record of success was a huge motivator to join the program. The team went 34-3 in the 2016-2017 season, with the season ending with a loss in the semifinals.

“It felt like a home away from home,” Johnson said. “I’ve got to come in and put in the work.”

Faniel echoed some of Johnson’s thoughts, saying Chattahoochee Valley felt like home to her. She said that made the decision an easy one, adding that she couldn’t wait to get settled in and start preparing for play at the next level.

“They’re an awesome basketball family,” Faniel said. “I feel like I can just come and contribute. I can help them get further from where they were.”

Johnson and Faniel were part of a Central team that entered the season with the goal of advancing to the Final Four and playing in Birmingham. The team accomplished just that, ultimately falling to Hoover in the semifinals.

When asked about the highlight of her senior season, Johnson pointed at the Lady Red Devils’ run.

“Making it to the Final Four with our team,” Johnson said. “That was our goal, and we accomplished it.”

Central head coach Carolyn Wright was on hand for the ceremony and couldn’t hide her excitement for the day.

“I had five seniors this year, and four out of the five signed basketball scholarships,” Wright said. “That speaks volumes to our program, to our athletes and how hard they work. It’s exciting to see them move on to the next level.”

Wright’s Lady Red Devils put quite a season together, with Johnson and Faniel playing pivotal roles in that run.

“Our inside game, if it was on, we handled it inside,” Wright said. “If we needed shots from the outside, then T.I. would bring those shots from the outside. We had an inside-outside game that was hard to contend with.”

Donahue, meanwhile, knew she wanted to go to Judson once she visited a few months ago. After touring the school and then trying out for the team, Donahue was in for quite a surprise.

“As soon as I came off the field, the coach approached my mother and I,” Donahue said. “He said he wanted to offer me a scholarship and sign me. I wasn’t expecting it, so he definitely caught me off guard.”

From that point, it was all Judson for Donahue. Wednesday was merely a chance to celebrate the decision with her friends, classmates and family.

“It’s really exciting, especially because I didn’t really expect it,” Donahue said. “It’s always been a passion of mine, so I’m really excited to continue playing.”

John Brock, her coach at Central, said Donahue’s signing was the first for the program in at least seven or eight years.

“Being a fairly new coach, it’s an incredibly exciting and humbling experience to watch one of my players basically have college paid for because of her hard work,” Brock said. “It’s an exciting thing for her and our program.”

Brock applauded Donahue’s versatility on the field, explaining she was primarily a defender but played several different positions for Central. He said she was good with the ball at her feet and always found herself in the right position, which are characteristics of her game she likely put on display in her tryout with Judson.

“They’re getting someone who has a lot of knowledge of the game,” Brock said. “That versatility will do her well in college.”

Wednesday’s ceremony not only served as a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of these three athletes, but also to show their teammates and soon-to-be Lady Red Devils that they can do the same thing when their time comes.

“It sets a precedent to say that if you really want it and work hard, it’s there for you,” Wright said. “You just do your part, and everything else will fall in place.”

This story was originally published March 29, 2017 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Central’s Tiyah Johnson, Lashunte Faniel, Callie Donahue sign scholarships."