ROCHELLE, Ga. (WALB) — Three Wilcox County student-athletes signed Tuesday to continue their athletic journeys in college.

Zariah Martin, who led the Wilcox Lady Patriots to back-to-back state championships, is taking her talent to Brewton Parker.

Martin said she is grateful for everyone who has played a part in getting her to this moment and both her current coach and the one she will be playing for.

“I like how he intervened with other players outside of basketball and how he intervened with them with the schoolwork and everything,” Martin said. “I’m very grateful. Coach Coon has been with me every step of the way with every college I’ve been to. She’s been at every step. All the coaches, the players, everybody.”

Football players join Clayton State

Jay Howard and Jacobia Bolden signed to join Clayton State.

“It’s like a dream come true. Everything I ever wanted, for real,” Howard said. “I wouldn’t be nothing without God, but my support system has been great. Coaches, family, especially my brother. We train everyday. Teammates, everything.”

Bolden said the decision means everything to him.

“To go play on the next level, try to get my family out of the struggle and everything,” Bolden said. “Better my talent and stuff like that. Everything down to the coaches, players. Everybody just loves you here. Wilcox County is a loving community. Everybody supports everything.”

Both said they feel Clayton State is the perfect fit.

“They got a lot of people from around here going,” Bolden said. “And the coaches had communicated with me good. And I felt like that was a good spot for me.”

“Everything felt like home,” Howard said. “Like Coach, he made me feel like it was home. That’s really what it was.”

Bolden and Howard said the brotherhood they have already built will help them excel at the next level.

“Oh yeah it’s going to be real fun with us,” Bolden said. “With us too. On offense, him at receiver, me at running back, you’re going to have to stop one of us.”

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