Two football standouts and a budding basketball star added offers to play their respective sports at the college level. For two athletes, these scholarship offers are their first.
Ladies first.
Lauryn George, a guard at Matoaca picked up two Division I offers this past week from Bethune-Cookman and the University of Buffalo.
On a senior-laden team that won 20 games last season, George earned some minutes off the bench. She scored 12 points in a December 12, 2019, victory over Meadowbrook.
“With her potential, the sky’s the limit,” said Matoaca coach Glenna Lewis. “She rotated really easily into the line up for a freshman. Her basketball IQ, quickness, and strength on offense and defense made her productive as soon as she hit the floor.”
All the better that George, a rising sophomore is poised to potentially be a star. The Warriors lost five seniors to graduation.
“I expect her and the other underclassmen’s hunger for the game and hunger to get better will continue to give Matoaca what it needs to be successful in the future,” Lewis said.
Thomas Dale and L.C. Bird pick up offers.
Malachi Madison, primarily a defensive force for the Knights, picked up his third Division I offer from Florida International. Prior to that, both N.C. State and Liberty have extended offers to the rising junior.
“Malachi is one of the hardest working kids we have in our team,” said Thomas Dale coach Kevin Tucker. “He’s steadily asking questions, trying to improve his craft. He’s both a student of the game and a great student in school.”
That hard work has extended to time spent at home during the quarantine, and is sure to extend back into when conditioning for teams is cleared.
“We are excited for what the future holds for this young man,” Tucker said. “I think he has a chance to be one of the best linemen we’ve ever had, similar to Darvin Taylor with his athletic ability.”
That’s quite the comparison, as Taylor racked up over 25 scholarship offers before committing to Florida State. He may have succumbed to injury, but Taylor was a top-tier talent with top-tier academics, just like Madison.
Bryce Benson, a rising senior for L.C. Bird, is a more under-the-radar recruit with tremendous upside. He was extended an offer by in-state Hampden-Sydney.
At 6-3, 230 pounds, Benson currently lacks the size of a big-time recruit, but he could add muscle and weight to catch up with his tall frame. L.C. Bird coach Troy Taylor says that he could play either offensive or defensive line in college.
“Bryce will be a two-year starter this season and a three-year letter winner after this coming season,” Taylor said. “He comes from a great family, and is [he]a great student in the engineering program at Bird.”
