Jay Neal
Jacksonville Progress
BULLARD — By Jay Neal
sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com
An atmosphere of football could be found both outside as well as inside the Kyle Lake Athletic Center at The Brook Hill School Thursday afternoon.
Outside, chilling rain under a gray sky — late season football weather, indeed.
Inside, an overflow crowd made up of a plethora of Guard football players, coaches and administrators who joined with Guard supporters and a large group of local media.
The occasion?
To witness first hand two of the Guard’s very best gridiron talents (Jeremey Chappelle and Heath Dickey) sign their respective National Letter of Intent.
Chappelle, of Jacksonville, made public his decision to attend Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) in Nacogdoches while Dickey proudly donned the navy and gray of the renowned Georgetown University (Washington D.C.).
Chappelle had 56 catches for 1,444 yards and 16 touchdowns last year while earning All-East Texas first team accolades.
He decided on SFA after considering offers from Sam Houston State, Texas State and Louisiana-Monroe.
Chappelle stated there are several things that caught his eye concerning SFA, making his final decision an obvious one.
“I think I will fit in better at Stephen F. Austin because they pass the ball about 75-percent of the time,” he said. “They send four or five receivers out on most every play and that suits my style.”
Chappelle also commented that he believes being a Lumberjack could allow him to reach his long-range goal as well.
“I really want to make it to the league (National Football League) and I feel if I can make the plays at Stephen F. Austin, I can get there (to the NFL),” he said.
He also said that he would always have a special feeling for Brook Hill.
“I will miss everyone at Brook Hill,” Chappelle said. “They have treated me well since day one and I love everyone here.”
Dickey, 6-foot-6, 275-pounds and an All-East Texas second-team offensive lineman, stated that he hopes to get into politics and feels Georgetown is the ideal place for him academically. He plans to major in pre-law at Georgetown and is a member of what is considered by many to be a strong-Hoya recruiting class.
Brook Hill head coach Terry Pirtle had these words to say in his closing remarks to those gathered.
“It says a lot for Brook Hill to have two kids getting (NCAA) Division I scholarships,” he said. “We appreciate everything they have done here and we are going to miss them.”
