Sports
Mitchell, Foster sign scholarships
By Kyle Austin - Sports Editor
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(Top) Wetumpka High School senior Tavarus Mitchell, middle, signs with New Mexico Military Institute as his mother, Carolyn Long, and brother, Ladarius Mitchell, look on. (Bottom) Hilliard Foster signs with the University of North Alabama as his family looks on. Pictured, from left, (front) father, Derrick Sims; Foster; mother, Tammy Foster; (back) uncle and aunt, Nathaniel and Anglea Jones; sister, Brittany Foster; and brother, Arsenio Foster. -- Herald Photos/ Kyle Austin
National Signing Day hit home at Wetumpka High School Wednesday.
The Indians will say goodbye to two stalwarts of their football program this May: Running back Tavarus Mitchell and linebacker Hilliard Foster.
Mitchell signed on to play football with New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college, and Foster signed a full athletic scholarship to the University of North Alabama.
“I’m so proud of both these guys,” said defensive coordinator Ryan Wilson. “They’ve worked hard, they’ve done everything we’ve asked of them, and now they’re seeing the results of all that.”
“We always like to see our guys go on and represent this community elsewhere,” added head coach Chad Anderson.
Foster, who played linebacker for the Indians with an occasional carry at running back sprinkled in, came close to taking a scholarship offer from Arkansas State University, but had a change of heart.
“My mom really didn’t want me to go,” he said. “About that time, I heard from UNA, and they said I was their No. 1 pick.”
Foster took an official visit to the campus in Florence, and he decided he wanted to be a Lion.
“I took my visit and saw the campus, and that’s what sold me,” Foster said. “They also said I had a good chance of playing as a true freshman at safety.”
It doesn’t hurt that Foster had an outstanding senior year for the Indians.
He had 78 tackles on the season, with seven tackles for a loss. He had 10 quarterback hurries and two sacks. He also recovered two fumbles and returned his lone interception of the year for a touchdown. Foster also received nine “Headhunter Awards” for impact plays in games this season.
Foster also won a number of awards this year to add to his resume. He was named the Indians’ 2006 Defensive MVP, the Defensive Impact Award winner and a 2006 team captain. Foster was an All-Metro First Team selection and was named to the 2006 All-County first team.
Foster was also voted the 2006-07 Mr. Warrior by his classmates, and he was recently named Mr. Wetumpka High School. He has also been a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes since 2004.
“Everything Hilliard has accomplished, he has worked hard for,” Wilson said. “He’s a hard worker, and he deserves this opportunity.”
The Wetumpka coaches were so impressed with Foster as a ninth-grader that they set out goals for him to reach each year, which he met with ease. He became such a fixture on defense that Wilson said the team even developed defensive schemes around what it thought Foster could do.
“He’s got such God-given ability on his own, all we had to do was give him the goals and tools to be a success,” Wilson said. “He just grabbed on and met and exceeded all our expectations.”
Most of all, Wilson knows Foster’s character and is glad Wetumpka will have such a good representative in Florence.
“He’s active in his school, athletics and the community, and he’s a good role model for younger kids,” Wilson said. “He’ll be a great ambassador for Wetumpka High School.”
Foster and Mitchell probably won’t be saying goodbye to each other for long. Mitchell may end up at North Alabama in as little as one year, thanks to some help from the UNA athletic staff.
“UNA introduced me to New Mexico, and I’m looking forward to going,” he said. “But I really want to be able to come back and play with my boy, Hilliard.”
With Mitchell’s ability on the field, he has a better than average chance to do just that, but assistant coach Chris Mills thinks he may be gone for good.
“Tavarus is probably the most dynamic football player I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Once all those people on the West Coast get a look at him, we may never see him again.”
Mitchell has led the Indians in rushing each of the past two years, and Mills thinks he has the ability to produce even more.
As an Indian, Mitchell served primarily as a running back in a committee. In 2006, he rushed for 506 yards and four touchdowns on 71 carries. He added 14 receptions for 261 yards (18.6 yards per reception) and two more touchdowns. Mitchell also returned kickoffs, one of which he returned for a 92-yard touchdown.
Mitchell has been named the Indians’ Offensive Impact Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons, and he has been a first team All-County selection the past two years as well.
“Every time he touches the football, he can make something happen,” Mills said. “He could make a difference anywhere on the field with any team.”
For now, though, these two high school seniors are just excited about the future.
“I’m ready to get up there and start practicing,” Foster said.
“I’m looking forward to going to New Mexico,” Mitchell said. “It’s going to be a big challenge, but it will be fun.”
dj wrote on Mar 9, 2008 12:27 PM: