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photo by Kevin Pearcey
Greenville High School head football coach Ben Blackmon with WR Mikwese Claybourne, left, OL Berry Bess, right, and DL Kenneth Carter, far right. Claybourne and Bess both signed National Letters of Intent for scholarships to play college football with Tuskegee University. Carter, one of the state's top prospects, signed to play football at Auburn University. Wednesday was National Signing Day.
Carter Auburn bound on National Signing Day
Published Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Greenville Tiger Kenneth Carter will be changing uniforms but not losing his stripes.
The defensive end, known as "Big C" to friends and coaches, signed his letter of intent Wednesday morning, committing him to Auburn University. Wednesday was National Signing Day for college-bound high school senior football players.
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"It's been on my mind a lot, but I know I have made the right decision," Carter said. "Auburn is where I want to be."
Though it was no decision to be taken lightly, Carter said the choice came naturally.
"I've been an Auburn fan my whole life," Carter said. "There really isn't a choice when your whole family are Auburn fans."
Carter played defensive end for GHS, where his talents led him to be the fifth ranking Birmingham News Super Senior and a No. 16 slot in the Mobile Press-Register's Elite 18. Greenville will be missed, but Auburn isn't too far away, Carter said.
"It feels like home there," Carter said. "The coaches there are like the coaches here, they are going to push you and be there for you."
Carter says he will have to push himself in classes as hard, if not harder, than on the field.
"I want to get a diploma so I can makes something of myself and be successful," Carter said. "I'm not going to stay up all night and distract myself with any silly mess."
While he hopes to stay at defensive end, only time will tell. Right now, he says he's content and resting easy.
"I'm just glad to be headed to the Plains, playing football for the only team I ever really wanted to play for."
Carter's teammates Mikwese Claybourne and Berry Bess also signed letters of intent on Wednesday. Claybourne, wide receiver, and Bess, offensive line, both will be playing for Tuskegee University.
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Comments
Posted by riverrin (anonymous) on February 5, 2010 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We, my family and I, have known these boys since kindergarten. They are fine examples of what Greenville sports can produce. They are all good boys on and off the field. Congratulations to them and their families especially their mothers, I know it was a family effort to get them this far. Good luck, love you guys!!!!!!
Posted by auntieK (anonymous) on February 6, 2010 at 12:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats to Kwese, Berry, & Kenneth for making it this far! We are proud of what you guys have brought to Greenville Tiger football for the past 4 years! These families should be proud as I know they are (especially Big C's mom; if you have not seen her up and about @ a football game you've missed a show!!!!) Good luck & make us proud boys!
Posted by everyman (anonymous) on February 6, 2010 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is the purpose of athletics at our schools. Give people opportunities to better themselves. If that means being physically fit and able to work well the rest of their lives, great. If it means feeling better physically and, thus, doing better academically, great. If it means earning a scholarship to play at a college, great.
I would love to see a push for more athletic opportunities at GHS. When I was in school, we had football, basketball, baseball/softball, tennis, and a little bit of golf. There was a track team (in theory) but that was hard without a track. (That's no longer an issue, thankfully.) I'd love to see more sports at GHS so that more people can have a chance to do well at something that could open doors. While football garners a lot of attention, many more people receive scholarships for other sports.
Good luck to these young men. I hope they wear their uniforms well and that one day they wear a cap and gown well, too!
Posted by GeraldineCF (anonymous) on February 6, 2010 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't know either of these young mens nor their families. But congrat in their desires to get an higher education. I wish there had been more information about Berry and Mikwese. Was it that they are going to An Historial Black University, an not going to Alabama or Auburn. Berry and Mikwese work hard to get where they are today. I hope and pray that one day we will have more of our young mens from Butler County in the local papers in the spot light going to university and maybe PRO. I am a Alabama State Alumni
and hope to see Berry and Mikwese in action Thanksgiving Day (Turkey Day Classic).
Posted by tellmemore (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Seriously Geraldine CF???? Young mens??? As a fellow alumnus of ASU, do our alma mater a favor and don't tell people you graduated from there. You, like so many others on this site, need to use spell check.
Posted by Elybesa (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 1:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I had the opportunity to meet and get to know all three of these young men when I worked as a substitute teacher at GHS. So many of the students in my classrooms had an "I don't care" attitude, but I never saw that in these three. Even with their high school mischief (which is perfectly normal), they always showed total respect for me and they exhibited a genuine zeal to succeed. And as we congratulate and extend kudos to the outstanding coaches who have pushed these guys in athletics, let's not forget that there are many excellent caring teachers at Greenville High who recognized the worth and abilities of these students and pushed them to a higher plain in academics.
Congratulations GHS teachers and coaches. I know this has to be a "spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down."
Congratulations Mikwese, Berry and Kenneth. I knew you had it in you! Best wishes for success in your future endeavors.
Posted by seaonc (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats to all of you....I remember this day many years ago. Going to the next level is a great achievement and an even bigger challenge. Remember what you know and absorb what you don't know. "Big C", do big things at AU... Mikwese and Berry, I was recruited and played under Coach Slater.....You will learn alot from a great offensive mind. Have as much fun as you all can because it will not be all fun all the time.
Seaon Carter (class of 84)
Posted by sj8337 (anonymous) on February 11, 2010 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have taught all three of these boys and I am so proud of them. There is seldom a year of Greenville football where you can genuinely say that all of the players are good kids. I can say that about this team.
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