18 'Hound gridders move on to 4-year schools

Fort Scott Community College saw 18 members of its football team sign scholarships to continue their playing career at four-year schools in the fall.

Coach Curtis Horton's squad had players join programs in Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

The most prominent signee, in terms of programs, was Kareem Are with national champion Florida State University.

A previous Tribune story noted that the 6-foot-6, 335-pound Are, who excelled on the offensive line for the Greyhounds, was also extended scholarship offers from Mississippi, Penn State and South Carolina, in addition to being heavily pursued by Kansas State and a host of other Division I schools.

Jason Stewart, the Greyhounds starting quarterback in 2013, committed to play for the University of Memphis. The Tigers are coming off a 3-9 mark this past season.

Stewart received scholarship offers from Western Kentucky and the University of Alabama Birmingham. The 6' 3", 215-pound Stewart compiled 1,925 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes for the Greyhounds. Stewart also added four rushing touchdowns.

Stewart will be joined by Jared Dangerfield, a 6' 3", 210-pound wide receiver, at Memphis. He caught 43 passes for a team-leading 690 yards, as well as a team-high eight touchdowns.

Demetrius Hill, a 6' 3", 255-pound defensive end, signed with the University of South Florida to be part of that's school's rebuilding effort as the Bulls went 2-10 in 2013.

Hill was the Greyhounds' second leading tackler, with 61 stops, on 37 tackles and 24 assists, with 5.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one, returning it for 31 yards.

Abu Lamin, a 6-5, 310-pound defensive lineman, will join the University of South Carolina. The Gamecocks are coming off an 11-2 record and a victory in the Capitol One Bowl.

Lamin was in on 34 stops and recorded 1.5 sacks.

Johnathan Stark, a 5' 10", 175-pound defensive back, joins Mid-America University, coming off a 5-5 record. Stark, a 2013 Fort Scott High School graduate, was in on 23 stops.

Vantavious Williams, a 6-2, 215-pound defensive back, signed with the University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB comes off a 2-10 record in 2013.

Williams was in on 33 tackles for the 'Hounds, with nine tackles for loss, third highest on the team. He also had an interception.

Jaybes Cross, a 6' 3", 215-pound defensive back, joins Arkansas Tech, a team coming off a 5-6 mark. Cross had 36 tackles and two interceptions for FSCC.

Jornell Fondren, a 6-foot, 190-pound wide receiver, committed to Abilene Christian, a team that was 6-5 in 2013. He finished with 18 receptions for 354 yards and two touchdowns, with a long of 54.

Missouri Southern State University (7-3 in 2013) landed three Greyhounds: Spencer Gatewood, a 6-2, 310-pound offensive lineman, was an all-conference performer for the Greyhounds this past fall; Marquez Cohen, a 5-10, 193-pound corner back, who redshirted at Fort Scott and will go to MSSU with four years of eligibility; and Justin Lord, a 5-10, 195-pound running back, who originally signed with Division I FCS Savannah State out of high school but then redshirted at FSCC.

Marrion Holmes, a 6-foot, 295-poound defensive tackle, heads to Emporia State University, which is coming off a 9-2 mark. Holmes was in on 30 stops, and had 2.5 sacks.

Sai-Vone Love, a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker, is off to Southwestern College (Winfield), a team that went 5-6. Love had 15 tackles for FSCC.

Northwestern Oklahoma State (2-9) signed two Greyhounds, Michael Myers and Caleb McKay, a 5-10, 180-pound defensive back, who was in on 32 stops, and tied for a team high six pass breakups.

Other players who will be transferring include Mike Wilson, off to Oauchita Baptist University (7-3) and Alex Steinlage, heading to Missouri S&T (6-5).