For six Hahnville athletes, it may have been reasonable if they expected their signings to play at the college level to come without fanfare. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement or outright cancellation of so many things in recent months that a signing day ceremony may have been thought to be far off the radar.
Not so, in fact. While there could be no in-person ceremony, St. Charles Parish held a virtual signing day where each of the signees were connected via the web and able to celebrate their accomplishment with family, friends and coaches.
Raegan Young (Belhaven University), Logan Brimmer (Louisiana College), Robert Jackson (ASA Miami College), Laroi Grover (ASA Miami College), Yelah Moses (Delgado Community College) and Montana Smith (Baton Rouge Community College) each signed their official letters of intent to continue their education and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Brimmer, Jackson and Grover will each return to the gridiron as they’ve earned football scholarships, Brimmer a defensive lineman, Grover an offensive lineman and Jackson a defensive back. Young, a middle blocker for the Lady Tigers volleyball team, will continue her play on the court. Moses, a forward on the Lady Tigers’ basketball squad, is set to take her hoops game to the next level. And Smith, an outfielder and St. Charles Parish’s lone senior softball player, earned a bittersweet but happy ending to her prep career, moving on to play at the college level after her senior season on the softball diamond came to a sudden end.
Moses, who helped key a fierce Hahnville defense that spurred a run to the Class 5A quarterfinals, said the ceremony left her with a good feeling, and added the gesture wasn’t expected.
“It was actually really nice and exciting, and kind of emotional,” Moses said. “I’d always planned on signing in the spring. But we were out of school and of course not having contact with people. Having that special moment meant a lot.”
Moses said Delgado maintained interest in her consistently. Her calling card is her determined defense.
“One of their assistants told me I have a motor,” Moses said. “I work really hard at both ends of the court, but my play on defense makes it easier on the offensive end, and they liked that. They liked how I improved … (Head coach Edward Fields) wanted to work with me and I wanted to work with him.”
Young said it came down to Bellhaven or Louisiana Tech for her. She fell in love with the smaller school, saying the chance to be closer with professor and other students there appealed to her.
“Its Christian values really stood out to me. I’d be playing volleyball, becoming closer with God while having the time of my life,” Young said. “It’s like a great three-for-one package.”
She said the chance to have the signing day experience meant a lot to her.
“Just to get it out there and let people know I’m going to play college volleyball … I wanted to take pictures and have that whole experience,” she said.
As is traditional at signing day, coaches spoke of what made their players special, both on and off the court or field.
Mendi LeBoeuf, Hahnville head volleyball coach, said Belhaven “hit the jackpot” when they signed Young to play volleyball.
Carey Melvin, defensive coordinator of the Hahnville football team, said the team would miss Brimmer’s tenacity and toughness on the field and said he couldn’t wait to see Jackson play at the next level, while offering his congratulations to the duo. Head coach
Daniel Luquet, who was the team’s offensive coordinator last season, said Grover’s hard work and dedication has led to his own great opportunity at the college level.
Hahnville softball coach Jerry Nugent said Smith transformed into one of the Lady Tigers’ strongest leaders and a face of the program over her four years with the team.
And Lady Tigers basketball coach Arrianna Smith said Moses has been a cornerstone of the program and helped guide the program through a rocky road, from a non-playoff team four years ago to a state quarterfinalist and district champion.
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