How four Savannah athletes from small schools realized big dreams with college signings
There were some signings in Savannah Thursday that showed students from small schools can still achieve big athletic dreams.
Will Thompson, the sharp-shooting guard from St. Andrew's, signed to play college basketball at Oglethorpe University. Earlier in the afternoon, a trio of Memorial Day football players set their futures in motion as Joseph Barnes and Tyler Kindle signed with North Carolina Wesleyan and Craig Harris signed with St. Andrews.
Thompson was a game-changer for the Lions with his ability to knock down 3-point shots. He set the school season record with 130 3-pointers, while connecting at 40% from beyond the arc, coach Mel Abrams said of Thompson, who transferred to St. Andrew's from Benedictine after his sophomore year.
"Will came to us as a good shooter and he has improved behind a strong work ethic that helped him reach the next level," Abrams said. "He's also a 4.0 student and today is a testament to what he has done as a student athlete, in and out of the classroom, to achieve his goals."
Thompson was a key contributor in 2023 when the Lions won their second consecutive GIAA Class 3A state title, and was an All-State selection this year as St. Andrew's reached the Final Four. He said it was a tough decision to choose Oglethorpe after being accepted to Georgia, Georgia Tech and Clemson, where he wouldn't have played basketball.
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"I decided I needed to follow my dream and play at Oglethorpe," Thompson said. "It's a smaller school, which I'm used to, and they have a fast-paced style of play and shoot a lot of 3s. Early in high school, I was just worried about getting varsity minutes, and I never thought I'd get the chance to play in college. So, this day means a lot to me."
Memorial Day trio signs
Three teammates from Memorial Day put pen to paper Thursday and two will remain teammates at the next level as quarterback Tyler Kindle and offensive lineman Joseph Barnes will play at North Carolina Wesleyan, a Division III program.
Kindle threw for 1,918 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and said NC Wesleyan was the perfect fit.
"It's been my dream to play in college since the first time I touched a football," Kindle said. "I like the coaches at Wesleyan and their offensive style of play. They like to throw the ball a lot."
Barnes, a 6-foot-3, 295-pound center, will continue to protect Kindle as they join a new program.
"I think Memorial Day has helped me get to the next level," Barnes said. "Especially in the last two years under Coach (Jaha) Taylor. He opened my eyes to the opportunities I had to play in college and helped me become a hard worker."
Harris was a versatile standout for the Matadors on both sides of the ball as a receiver and linebacker. He'll play receiver at St. Andrews and said he can't wait for the opportunity to play college ball.
All three players noted the impact that Taylor had on their development. Taylor and Memorial Day parted ways at the end of the season, and the Matadors will be playing 8-Man Football next season. But Taylor was on hand, looking on with pride, as his players signed Thursday.
"It's an exciting day for the guys, and for me as a coach," Taylor said. "We had our ups and downs the last two seasons, but these guys put in the work. They showed that no matter where you are, colleges will come and find you if you do your part and put in that work."
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Three Memorial Day athletes and a St. Andrew's player sign with colleges
