Signed on the dotted line

Colleges, large and small, have found Lely High School on the map.

Football schools in Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas came calling to sign Lely seniors after a third-straight winning football season.

Eight seniors signed letters of intent to play football in college Feb. 1. Another eight or more are expected to find college football homes, Coach Chris Metzger said.

Top gun, Culmer St. Jean, is headed to Wisconsin where he most likely will play defensive back. St. Jean played quarterback the last two seasons for Lely, culminating with his courageous leadership in beating Naples and going onto the state playoffs. In the Naples game he starred on offense and defense.

"He is known as one of the best defensive players in the state, but played quarterback because that was what was best for the team," Metzger said.

West Virginia heavily courted Wondy Pierre Louis, but at the last minute the University of Florida came calling.

"West Virginia treated me very well, but they knew that if Florida offered I would go there," Pierre Louis said.

He was a standout as a cornerback on defense and is exceptional in the triple and long jump in track. Pierre Louis expects to compete in both sports.

Marco Island's Cedric Sanderson, who stood tall as a wide receiver for the Trojans and is a key member of Lely's basketball team, is going to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

"The school has been with me from day one," Sanderson said. "I am the only wide receiver they recruited this year."

He also expects to play basketball.

"People from the school came to visit and I think it has an excellent curriculum," Rosetta Sanderson said.

Marco's Jan Molcan played just two years of football, but Upper Iowa University, in Fayette, Iowa, liked his talents. Molcan first played offensive guard, defensive end and tight end as a senior. He expects to play tight end or defensive end in college.

Photo by JASON EASTERLY, Marco Eagle

Lely High Schools Cedric Sanderson signs a letter of intent to play football at Liberty University at the school on Feb. 1.

"Coach Metzger helped a lot in giving me the opportunity to go on to college," Molcan said.

Wood Faugue and Wayne Carmichael will play together at Friends University in Wichita, Kan. Mark Sanon will play at Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn., and David Dorval will play defense for Joliet (Ill.) Community College.

Like the three straight winning seasons since Metzger came to Lely, football scholarship opportunities are well planned by his staff. If Metzger is right about his predications, between 16 and 18 of the team's 28 seniors will earn scholarships.

Metzger says scholarships are a testament to the kids' God-given ability and their commitment to excellence on the field, in the classroom and the community. It is also about building connections with colleges and having a football staff that is committed to helping the kids.

"Our staff is very committed to helping the kids go to college," Metzger said. "We are very blessed to have connections. We made more than 200 phone calls and sent out 150 tapes. Our coaching staff does a great job on the field and on the academic part."

Brian Wallace is the academic coordinator. Dave Miller works with the college clearinghouse and school counselors. Steve Price works on financial aspects. Darnell Stevens is recruiting coordinator and helps Metzger in talking with college coaches.

"We try to have a well-rounded program, to have our young men ready to be successful in life and that can mean going to college," Metzger said. "Our success is a tribute to our kids and a commitment to the program. They worked hard at football and school. They do car washes, they helped renovate Mackle Park, they worked in soup kitchens. We can do no less than help them go to college."