Eight Jefferson County student athletes signed national letters of intent Wednesday as part of National Signing Day, committing to continue their athletic and academic careers in college.
Four students from Pine Bluff and four from White Hall were among the many athletes nationwide to sign Wednesday. In neighboring Grant County, Sheridan had 12 college signees.
Two Pine Bluff seniors, Landon Holcomb and Jonathan Goins Jr., are staying home to play football at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Both have also expressed interest in playing baseball for the Golden Lions, but that remains to be determined.
Goins said it means a lot to be able to continue playing for Pine Bluff in college.
“It feels good to have a place to call home, and it’s home, actually,” Goins said. “So, I feel good about it. I’ve got somewhere to play at the next level, getting a chance to show my abilities some more.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Two of their classmates also signed to play football at in-state schools Wednesday. Makyrin Goodwin will play at Division II Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, while Chandler Laurent signed with Division III Hendrix College in Conway.
Laurent said it felt great to sign with a college football program.
“You’ve been thinking about this since I was a little kid,” Laurent said. “You come in here in junior high, seeing kids older than you sign. It makes you think, ‘Yeah, I’m [going to] a put the work in to do that.’ It’s just great to have accomplished that.”
These four Zebras join Courtney Crutchfield and Austyn Dendy, who signed with the University of Missouri during the early signing period in December, to make six members of the PBHS class of 2024 officially headed to college football. A handful of others are still making decisions, so more could sign in the coming weeks.
Across the county in White Hall, three Bulldogs will play Division II football in-state, all at separate members of the Great American Conference.
Sema’j Walker will remain in southeast Arkansas to play for the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He said it will take hard work to help UAM succeed, but his time at White Hall taught him how to work toward his goals.
“My sophomore year, I didn’t get to play at all,” Walker said. “Just to be where I am now, getting to play at the D-II level, it feels surreal. I’m very grateful. All glory to the one above, the true God, and I’m just blessed, and I’m going to continue to do what I do.”
Two of Walker’s teammates will become rivals in the GAC. Jayden Smith will play for Ouachita Baptist University, while Landen Meredith will join the reigning national champs at Harding University.
Smith said it will be fun to play against former teammates.
“I’ll be able to look on the other side of the field and see Landen, and then look on the other side of the field and see Sema’j, so it’ll be pretty sweet and exciting and fun,” Smith said. “I’d like to, if we can, meet up the week of our games, meet up and eat lunch or something, talk to them before we have to play them, because it’s all business on Saturday.”
A fourth Bulldog signed Wednesday, though not for football. Noah Smith, who was White Hall’s starting quarterback, has chosen to instead pursue baseball and signed with South Arkansas College in El Dorado.
Over in Sheridan, Isaiah Owens will play Division I FCS football at the University of Central Arkansas. Two teammates, Braden Reed and Jackson Bourne, signed with Ouachita Baptist. Three other Yellowjackets signed with Ouachita Baptist for other sports, while UCA is getting a track athlete and three cheerleaders. Henderson State and Lyon College will also each receive an athlete from Sheridan.
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Jefferson-Grant county signees
Pine Bluff
Name; School; Sport
Landon Holcomb; Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Football
Jonathan Goins; Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Football
Makyrin Goodwin; Henderson State; Football
Chandler Laurent; Hendrix College; Football
White Hall
Name; School; Sport
Semaj Walker; Arkansas-Monticello; Football
Jayden Smith; Ouachita Baptist; Football
Landen Meredith; Harding; Football
Noah Smith; South Arkansas College; Baseball
Sheridan
Name; School; Sport
Isaiah Owens; Central Arkansas; Football
Braden Reed; Ouachita Baptist; Football
Jackson Bourne; Ouachita Baptist; Football
Kayden Porter; Ouachita Baptist; Basketball
Abby Martin; Lyon College; Volleyball
Brennan Jarreau; Henderson State; Baseball
Callie Kilburn; Ouachita Baptist; Softball
Bella Norman; Ouachita Baptist; Track/Cross Country
Nathan Uptagrafft; Central Arkansas; Track
Lakin Shaw; Central Arkansas; Cheer
Joanna Loretz; Central Arkansas; Cheer
Macy Moring; Central Arkansas; Cheer