Seven Columbus High School athletes sign letters of intent

Columbus’ success in a wide array of sports was on full display Friday, as seven Columbus athletes signed letters of intent.

Ashlyn Steinbach, Allie Murphy, De’Andra Childs, Samantha Munyon, Clayton Duncan, Harrison Richards and Nolan Bidleman signed their letters of intent in front of Columbus’ packed gymnasium. The group represented four different sports at the high school.

Columbus swimmers Steinbach and Murphy will go from teammates to conference rivals, as Steinbach signed with Georgia Southern and Murphy with Liberty.

Steinbach and Murphy were integral parts of the Columbus swim team’s success at the state meet earlier this year. Steinbach finished third in the 100-yard breastroke finals, giving Columbus its first individual on the podium in 30 years. Murphy posted 17th- and 18th-place finishes in the 100 and 200 freestyle finals, respectively.

Both swimmers competed in Columbus’ relay teams at the state meet, helping the Lady Blue Devils finish third in the 200 free relay. The Lady Blue Devils finished the meet in fifth place.

“On our relay when we placed third and got on the podium, it was super fun to be able to do that together,” Murphy said.

After sharing that moment in February, Murphy and Steinbach got the chance to share their signing day.

“It was great,” Steinbach said. “Allie and I have been swimming together for eight-plus years. We’ve been constantly pushing each other and having a good time while maintaining our friendship.”

The school’s baseball program, fresh off a subregion title, saw Clayton Duncan sign with Columbus State and Harrison Richards sign with Covenant College.

Duncan has been a force on the mound in 2017, pitching 32.2 innings with a record of 5-3. In his pitching work, he’s struck out 23 batters and posted a 2.36 ERA. He’s also registered 10 hits and 3 RBIs at the plate.

“I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time,” Duncan said. “I put a lot of time and effort in. I’ve always had dreams of playing baseball at the next level.”

Richards has also pitched for the Blue Devils this season, throwing 15 innings over eight appearances. He has a 3-0 record and has allowed only six hits.

Childs, a track athlete, is going to Brewton-Parker College She said she was drawn to the school because of its small size as well as the track program’s need for hurdlers. With the track season still in full swing, Childs said she has her eyes on another region title for the Lady Blue Devils.

Still, she enjoyed taking a little time out of her day to celebrate signing.

“It’s meant a lot,” Childs said. “I’ve been nervous and excited.”

Columbus’ soccer teams were also well represented, as Nolan Bidleman is going to Newberry College and Samantha Munyon is headed to South Carolina-Upstate.

Munyon said she was sad to know she would soon be leaving her friends in Columbus but added she was excited for the future in a new place. She also enjoyed getting to share the moment with plenty of familiar faces.

“It’s just wonderful to have that support from my family and friends,” Munyon said. “To know that they love me, support me and appreciate me.”

Bidleman’s coach at Columbus, Rey Torres, lauded him for his unselfish play on the field. Bidleman shared similar thoughts with Munyon, saying the chance to make the next step official around so many loved ones meant a lot.

“You just like to share the moment with your friends and family,” Bidleman said. “Just to share your accomplishments with them is something really special.”

Richards said he enjoyed sharing the big moment with so many classmates, adding that it was a testament to the strength of the entire athletic department.

“It was special,” Richards said of Friday’s ceremony. “Obviously, it was kind of bragging rights because we had athletes from different sports signing. It shows how good our athletics are.”

This story was originally published April 14, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Seven Columbus High School athletes sign letters of intent."