Wednesday was the day senior athletes in a variety of sports across the nation made their college choices official. For a trio of football players from the Mansfield ISD, they not only chose to continue playing at a higher level, but to also enter into service to their country.
Xavier Tolliver of Summit and Willie Collins of Lake Ridge signed letters-of-intent to play for the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Also, Timberview’s Adam Cash signed to play for the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.
Following in grandfather’s footsteps
“My grandfather was in the Army. He served in the Vietnam War,” Cash said, admitting that he was at first reluctant to make the commitment before visiting the academy. “I decided in July it’s what I want to do, three days after I visited.”
Photo courtesy of Mansfield ISD
Cash, a defensive back/linebacker, said he plans to major in management and cyber security.
All three have families that factored into their decision. For Tolliver, it was his older brother.
“He really made an impression on me,” Tolliver said. “He’s been in for two years, and seeing how he does things, he’s my role model.”
Tolliver, a utility player who plays mostly safety and linebacker, also had an uncle who served in the Army. He plans to major in mechanical engineering and hopes to work on aircraft.
Father, mother and uncle have served in military
Collins, a defensive back who plans to major in electrical engineering, has an extensive family military history. His father spent 23 years in the Navy, his mother served in the Army Reserves, and he has an uncle currently in the Navy.
Photo by John Askew
“I’ve always wanted to do something in the military. It was made for me,” Collins said. “Now, playing at a high level of college football and getting to attend the Naval Academy, I’m getting the best of both worlds.”
Other Wednesday signings:
MANSFIELD
Baseball – Hunter Simmons, Missouri; Reed Thomas, Seward County Community College; Luke Lensing, Richfield College; Matt Cook, Franklin Pierce College; Ryan Plyter, Northeast Texas Community College; Kyle Williams, Grayson College.
Football – Ryan Beckham, Hardin-Simmons.
Girls soccer – Ashlynn Thomas, UT-Tyler; Mikaela Gracia, Houston; Allison Cole, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Cierra Edwards, Brookhaven College; Beth Agee, Texas State.
Softball – Kyrah Lewis, Grace College; Kortlyn Brown, UT-Permian Basin.
Swimming – Bryanna Matkovich, Hendrix College; Jase Pinckney, Henderson State; Maddie Mechling, Alabama.
Volleyball – Payton Shoquist, Morningside College; Mollie Blank, UT-Arlington; Grace Harmon, Hardin-Simmons; Morgan Demuth, Oklahoma Christian.
MANSFIELD LEGACY
Baseball – Breydon English, Frank Phillips College; Nate Price, New Mexico.
Women’s basketball – Harmoni Turner, Harvard.
Football – Malachi Mitchell, Kansas State; Major Melson, Oklahoma; Ayo Adeyi, Harding; Andrew Smith, Cisco College.
Swimming – Eric Stelmar, Alabama.
Women’s track and field – Rachel Darden, Louisville.
Volleyball – Jayda Trinidad, Jarvis Christian College.
MANSFIELD LAKE RIDGE
Volleyball – Madison Williams, Texas; Logyn Hinds, TCU.
Baseball – Cade Hendricks, Southwestern Assemblies of God; Noah Pelletier, SW Assemblies of God; Connor Ramirez, Weatherford College.
Men’s track and field – Isaiah Barnes, Fort Scott; Ishmel Williams, UT-El Paso.
Diving – Kyle Sanchez, Texas A&M.
Football – Adrian Hawkins, Henderson State; Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech; Keylan Johnson, Tarleton State; Christian Shaw, Texas A&M-Commerce; Zimbalist Odhams III, Southwestern Oklahoma State; Cotis Martin, Southeastern Oklahoma; Josh Bowie, South Dakota State; Willie Collins V, U.S. Naval Academy; Andrew Awe, Rice; Jalen Momoh, SW Oklahoma State; Tameron Derrough, SW Asesmblies of God; Myles Featherson, Hardin-Simmons; Isaiah Ordaz, Evangel; Joshua Bailey, Mary Hardin-Baylor.
Girls soccer – Marissa Resendez, Midwestern State; Keyla Quiroz, Brookhaven College.
Softball – Mackenzie Denson, Minnesota; Alessandra Rosalez, Lubbock Christian; Kalyssa Gonzales, Langston.
Men’s track and field – Alex Deichert, Hardin-Simmons.
MANSFIELD TIMBERVIEW
Football – Adam Cash, U.S. Military Academy; Jaden Hullaby, Texas; Stacy Sneed, Houston; Najee Ellies, Henderson State; Josh Gilliam, West Texas A&M; Amari Easton, Bethel College; Anthony Drumgoole, Henderson State.
Men’s track and field – Kendall Johnson, Arkansas-Little Rock.
MANSFIELD SUMMIT
Boys soccer – Matthew Dieb, East Texas Baptist.
Baseball – David Valoy, Grambling State.
Girls basketball – Lindsey Claude, Ranger College; Tommisha Lampkim, North Texas; Destiny Terrell, Incarnate Word.
Football – Xavier Tolliver, U.S. Naval Academy; Jaelon Travis, Kansas State; Brendan Sirls, Mcneese State; Avery Davis, Southwest Baptist; Welson Lual, Navarro College; Lopeti Tupo, Butler Community College; Jerry Gore, Southeastern Oklahoma.
Softball – Mia Greenzweig, Memphis.
DESOTO
Football – Ar’Maj Adam, Kansas; Lawrence Arnold, Kansas; Charles Javon, Illinois State; Jyison Brown, Highland Community College; Wanya Duncan, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Ashtyn Hawkins, Cisco College; Tim Jennings, Henderson State; Marvin Mitchell, Austin College; Malik Moore, Evangel; Khylan Mosley, Langston; Jabbar Muhammed, Oklahoma State; Jaylen Roberson, Southern Nazarene; Chace Stratford, East Central Oklahoma; Devin Thompson, Angelo State; Keith Webber, Navarro College.
Women’s soccer – Amina Booker, Southern University and A&M College.
Men’s track and field – Dorian Coleman, U.S. Air Force Academy.
Women’s track and field – Reagan Collins, Xavier; Jayla Hollis, Arkansas; Heavan Kennedy, U.S. Naval Academy; Cierra Wash, Baylor.
Women’s basketball – Ash’a Thompson, Old Dominion.
DUNCANVILLE
Football – Ja’Quindon Jackson, Texas; James Mitchell, Colorado State; Marquelan Crowell, Trinity Valley Community College; Thailan Scott, Midwestern State; Amari Wynn, Langston; Paul Pickens, Navarro College; Trysten Smith, Central Arkansas.
CEDAR HILL
Football – Courtland Ford, Southern Cal; Kenneth Kemp, Houston Baptist; Dedryc Hutchins, Pittsburg State; Ayo Johnson, Arkansas Tech; Corie Allen, Langston; Ryan Dehorney, Oklahoma Panhandle State; Asa Suggs, Oklahoma Panhandle State; Ryan Jenkins, Northwestern Oklahoma State; Taderrick Dunn, Southeastern Oklahoma State; Matthew Aribisala, U.S. Air Force Academy; Cameron Hutchings, Texas A&M-Commerce; Leon Young, McNeese State; Jalen Hollins, Bethany College; Drake Fucals, Bethany College.
Women’s soccer – Xandria Johnson, Prairie View A&M.
Women’s basketball – Anzhane Hutton, Howard.
Women’s track and field – Trinity Laney, Fort Scott.
RED OAK
Football – Marcus Badgett, Cisco College; Coby Cavil, Louisiana-Monroe; Robert Crawford, Austin College; Christian Jones, Navarro College; Ke’Shawn Merritt, Texas College; CJ Palmer, Southeastern Oklahoma; Kobe Singleton, Cisco College; Jaylon Washington, Stephen F. Austin; Donovan Jemerson, Southwest Oklahoma State, Ameer Muhamad, East Central Oklahoma; Chris Sanchez, Howard Payne; Gekauri Shadd, Texas College; Todd Tillis, Tarleton State.
Women’s soccer – Heather Fellows, LeTourneau; Somer Jones, Mountain View College; Emma Nance, McMurry.
MIDLOTHIAN HERITAGE
Football – Jay Wilkerson, Washington State; Konnor Jones, Midwestern State; Cedric West, Texas Wesleyan.
Women’s soccer – Megan McCarthy, East Texas Baptist.
MIDLOTHIAN
Women’s soccer – Sydnee Garner, UT Tyler.
Baseball – Colton Spencer, Fort Scott; Ryan Tuberville, Murray State.
Women’s cross country – Keila Finnestad, Arkansas-Little Rock; Angela Tometi, Fort Scott.
Men’s cross country – Tanner Henderson, UT-Arlington.
Football – Nick Pollard, West Texas A&M; JT Cavender, West Texas A&M; Blake Cellars, Oklahoma Baptist; Ethan Hill, East Texas Baptist; Shane Reasonover, Louisiana-Monroe.
LANCASTER
Football – Latrell Caples, Boise State; Tre Bradford, Louisiana State University; LD Fair, Alcorn State University; Kahn Rollerson, West Texas A&M University; Traveyon Newton, Navarro Jr. College; Jonathan Govan, Tarleton University; Theron Stroopes, Navarro Jr. College; James Grace, Langston University; Donovan Valdez, Langston University; Tykino Davis, University of Texas at Austin (Academics); Demarion Smith (Football/Track), Fort Scott Community College; Barry Green, East Texas Baptist University; Perry Taylor, Ouachita Baptist University; Dayven Monroe, McMurry University; Javon Davis, McPherson College
Volleyball – Jasmin Smith, Lane College
Boys Basketball – Mike Miles, Texas Christian University; Marco Foster, Oklahoma Christian
Boys Track – Javin Burrell, Fort Scott Community College; Dillon Bedell, Baylor University; Andre Dibbles, University of Arkansas – Little Rock; Lemuel Shaw, Fort Scott Community College
