Smiths Station’s Taylor, Camp sign DI scholarships

Two Smiths Station athletes signed Division I scholarships on Wednesday at the school, with Austin Taylor going to South Alabama for football and Lauren Camp going to Alabama State for soccer.

Taylor was a key slot receiver for the Panthers football team over the past few years. This year, he finished with 618 yards and five touchdowns receiving. Wednesday’s signing was a dream come true, he said.

“It’s really surreal,” he said. “I’ve always dreamed about it. I’m really proud. I had a lot of help from my coaches and my dad pushing me the whole way.”

At South Alabama, he will join former Smiths Station football player Nigel Lawrence, who signed with the team last year. Taylor said he was excited to reunite with him and said that South Alabama just felt like home.

Camp, meanwhile, will head to Alabama State to play keeper. She is joining a roster that already has two others in goal, and she said it will just be a matter of coming in and fighting to earn a spot.

“(The key will be) working extra hard to make sure I’m up to pace with the other two keepers who are already there,” she said, adding that the coaches’ plan is probably to sit her for a year first. “And then (I’ll) try to earn the starting job.”

Those two signees were joined by seven others during the Panthers signing ceremony. Stephon Jackson and William Peabody both signed to Highland Community College basketball, Moss Saccomanna signed to Alabama Prep football, Ises Taylor to Talladega College track, Jacob Crouch to Auburn-Montgomery track, Hanna Reid to Auburn-Montgomery soccer and Taylor Lane to Wallace-Dothan softball.

That brings Smiths Station’s total signees for this class to 23.

At Central, Brianna Duke signed with Judson softball. She will go as a catcher, though she has played catcher, first base and outfield in high school. Coach Matt Bell praised her academics and her servant’s heart. Duke said she began getting attention as a recruit toward the end of last year, and is excited to get it done.

“I didn’t think I’d play college ball,” she said. “As I got older, I realized I could do it.”

At Carver, two basketball players signed Wednesday to continue their playing careers. Lorenzo Madden signed with Enterprise State and Stefan Harris signed with CVCC.

This story was originally published April 27, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Smiths Station’s Taylor, Camp sign DI scholarships."