2000

WEEKOF __ ~5-L7_- ~J ~c.r~,r~-----

ECCC inks gridiron star from North Carolina By Austin Bishop The Meridian Star

He played at 71st High School in Fayetteville, and was sought after by several Atlantic Coast Conference schools. But by Spellers' own admission, he didn't pay atten–

DECATUR - Antowain Smith, James Johnson, Derick Spellers. While Spellers' name may not deserve to be mentioned along with the first two just yet, East Central Community College Coach Terry Underwood hopes that if four years, all three of those names will synonymous with football players who bounced back from personal hardship to become stars. Smith and Johnson, both who played their junior college foot– ball at East Mississippi· Community College, went on to star for four-year colleges anq now earn hefty paychecks in the National Football League. "He's legit," Underwood said. "He's a good player. I think he will be one of the better players in this league over the next two years if he can stay healthy and get better." Spellers, who is 22-years-old, signed the scholarship while making his official visit on Tuesday. ·. He will see time at both run– ning back and wide receiver and will also get a chance to return kicks for the Warriors. . Underwood · admits that Spellers sort of fell into his lap, but says it's not unusual for that to happen in the junior college circuit. "We deal with a lot of aca– demic casualty-type students and that is what Derick was coming out of high school," Underwood said. "I didn't know much about him. We have a contact in that area and one of the coaches con– tacted and told me about Derick and we followed it up and we are here today having a sign- ing." ·

~.....~~ ........ ..,.....,.....~ Spellers

tion to his grades and blew his opportunity. Since that time he has earned his GED. "It was a lack of attention and discipline and I was think– ing football was going to take me all the way, when it's not like that anymore," he said. "They look at your transcript and I learned that the hard way. "I plan op being a good stu– dent athlete around he:re to show people I can be good in school, too, as well as on the football field." . He rushed for 960 yards as a junior and scored 19 touch– downs, while rushing for 1,769 yards and and scoring 21 touch– downs as a senior in high school. It was one of the high school coaches in his hometown that told him about East Central Community College Spellers said the layoff of four years doesn't worry him. "I feel like ~gifts are God– given," he said. I feel like I can go anywhere and earn my respect. I'm really looking for– ward to it." He admits that he wants to carry his game to the highest level possibly, but said he was surprised about how many good athletes play in the Mississippi junior college league and the go on to play NCAA Division I foot· ball.

"I was shocked at how many people come here and I want to be one of those that come through and do good," he said. "I ",RAT feel like this is my golden oppor- ------- tunity and I don't want to mess ) it up." ---------- --··· ·-- -- --- ___ .. _________ Austin Bishop is a staff writer for The Merid ian Star. E-mail him at abishop@meridianstar.com. •

APP EARED IN: LAKE MESSENGEI

Spellers, a 6 -foot-1, 190- 0UNTY T pounder, didn't make his grades out of high school despite being

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one of the highest recruited run· ' ning backs in the state of North

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' carolina. SPIRIT OF MORTON_________ NEWTON MESSENGER