Athletes sign at Spain Park
Twelve Spain Park students signed to continue their athletic careers with colleges, universities or community colleges on Wednesday, the first day of National Signing Day.
Two football players signed, defensive backs A.J. Smiley and Rondaius Johnson
Smiley, 6 foot 3 and 195 pounds, signed with Troy. He is the son of former Alabama lineman Anthony Smiley.
“A.J. had just a really good year for us,” coach Shawn Raney said of the athletic Smiley, who is also a starter on the state’s second-ranked Jags basketball team. “I think his future is bright. I think in two years from now you won’t even recognize him. I believe he’ll put on a lot of weight. I know Troy is very happy to get him. He went to Minnesota for a visit and kind of weighed those options. Troy did a really great job recruiting him. Coach (Neal) Brown came to see him, and it’s close to home.”
Smiley is coming in as the Larry Blakeney era ends and the Neal Brown era starts. The past three years have been substandard for Troy, which had made bowl games in five of the past seven years before that. He’s looking forward to helping turn things around.
“I liked everything about Troy,” Smiley said. “The coaches, the facilities. I feel like they are going to rebuild and bounce back and I just want to be a part of that.”
He said he’s not positive what position he’ll play, but “I’m probably going to play outside linebacker, probably bulk up. Wherever the best position for me to help the team is where I’m going to play.”
Johnson, 5-9, 165 pounds, signed with Mississippi College, which had dropped to Division III but is moving up to Division II’s Gulf South Conference.
“Rondi missed his junior year, came back his senior year and had a really good year,” Raney said. “He went on a visit with his parents and his mom fell in love with the school. I think he’ll be a really good player for them.”
Johnson, a cornerback, said he liked the MC campus, which is in Choctaw, Miss., and the football program. He liked the business school, and that was a tipping point. He also considered West Alabama.
“I believe I can come in there and be successful.”
Three athletes signed lacrosse scholarships. Spain Park does not have a lacrosse team – it’s not yet an AHSAA-sanctioned sport – but they played for Dan Jordan in the Birmingham Lacrosse League. Trent Harper has an appointment to the Air Force Academy, Colton Nall will play at UAH and Benjamin Lapinsky will play at Young Harris College in Georgia.
“These are three of the best players in the state,’ Jordan said. “I think they'll be very successful. Spain Park set them up to be leaders on the field.
“I taught them the game. Spain Park taught them everything else.”
C.J. Hawkins’ softball team produced three signees: Mary Kathryn Bonamy (Notre Dame); Karilyn White (West Alabama); and Mallory McCarty (Alabama Southern Community College).
Golfers Patrick Martin (Vanderbilt) and Sam Prater (Troy), soccer player Erik Henze (UAB, invited walk-on) and baseball pitcher Mason Duke (Shelton State CC) rounded out Wednesday’s signees.
For more information, visit spainparkathletics.org.