By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
Five Wakulla football players signed scholarships on Wednesday, National Signing Day.
They include Marcus Gardner with Lagrange College; Leon Washington with Florida Atlantic University; Haden Klees with Samford; Samron Brinson with Edward Waters University, and Herschel Blackmon with Lagrange.
In addition, Nehemiah Chandler signed with Georgia Tech in an early signing in December. While he had already signed, Chandler sat near the day’s other signees in the War Eagle Cafe and Head Coach Scott Klees touted Chandler as a “shutdown corner.”
Marcus Gardner was praised by Klees as a 2-year starter at outside linebacker, and a play against the Suwannee Bulldogs was recalled in which Gardner shut down a play on 3rd and 10 to seal the win for Wakulla.
Leon Washington was praised by Klees for putting “his family ahead of everything” and being “one heck of a football player.”
When it came to talking about his own son, quarterback Haden Klees, the coach got choked up and managed to get out that he had coached his son hard and was proud of his record-setting passing year. “I expect him to do great things,” Klees said.
Of receiver Samron Brinson, Klees said: “He caught everything. He broke the record for touchdown catches.”
Linebacker Herschel Blackson had 10 sacks this season for a career total of 24. Klees praised Blackmon’s mindset and said, “He’s determined to make something of himself.”
Klees, who has been head coach at Wakulla for 22 years, praised Wakulla fans for knowing football, and said the sport is a community-thing in Wakulla.
He thanked parents, school administration, district staff, guidance staff, and the booster club. He personally thanked Superintendent Bobby Pearce, Wakulla High School principal Michele Falk (“she’s more comeptitive than anyone”) and his assistant coaches.
