Savannah State and Tuskegee signs Beach High teammates

Teammates on Beach High School’s girls basketball and track and field teams, seniors Brianna Little and Alicia Champion sat side by side Thursday and secured their collegiate futures. Little signed to play basketball at nearby Savannah State University, while Champion will run track at Tuskegee University. “I’m very excited knowing that I will have the opportunity to play on the next level,” Little said. Champion received a greater financial package via a full academic scholarship, rather than accepting an athletic scholarship, to attend Tuskegee.

“I know without academics, you can’t go as far as you want in life,” Champion said. “Plus, running track is something I love. I try to do my best on the field and in the classroom.”

Little, a 5-foot-6 point guard, spent the first three seasons of her basketball career at Beach overshadowed by star teammates Khalilah Watson and Monique Willis. But in her senior year, Little flourished for the Bulldogs in a prominent role. Little averaged 18.3 points and 3.6 assists per game while using her speed and quickness defensively to disrupt and frustrate opposing teams while coming up with an average of five steals.

“Savannah State has come in and gotten, what I think is, a major D-I player,” Beach coach Ronald Booker said. “She has tremendous potential because you can teach a lot of things, but you cannot teach the quickness she possesses. And she finishes well at the basket and she shoots the ball well.”

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Beach High offensive lineman Harris signs with Savannah State University

Harris was named to the First Team, 2009 Georgia All-Region 3-AAAAA Football Team for his offensive line performance. Harris, who had qualified with test scores since his junior year, plans to major in Aerospace Engineering at Savannah State.

The choice: Go play football or make mom happy? Alfred Ely Beach High School senior Darryl Harris was able to do both. On Wednesday morning, the Bulldogs' offensive tackle signed a letter of intent to continue his career at Savannah State University. "I had already been accepted to Tuskegee University and Alabama State University, but my mom wasn't too out there for me going that far away for college," Harris said. "When Savannah State offered me this opportunity, it allowed me to stay close to home."

Harris, well-built at 6-foot-3, 252 pounds, has the size to be effective but the mobility and quickness to be able to block on the run. "Playing my position of left tackle on the offensive tackle, with my speed, it allows me to get to the outside and contain players better than most people can who aren't as quick as I am," Harris said. "But I know I have to improve my strength more and just get stronger."

Harris is the second Beach Bulldog to sign with SSU in the past week. Receiver/running back/quarterback Simon Heyward, 5-10/180 (First Team wide receiver, 2009 Georgia All-Region 3-AAAAA Football Team) signed his letter of intent seven days earlier.

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Beach High back takes versatility to Savannah State

Simon Heyward was patiently waiting to hear the magic words. Finally, Savannah State University said them. Heyward, a senior at Beach High School, was holding out to receive a full scholarship for football. On Wednesday afternoon, he got his wish, signing a scholarship to continue his career with the hometown Tigers. "I was talking to Alabama State, Georgia Southern and Tuskegee, but none of them were talking the right words," Heyward said. "Then Savannah State came up to me and laid it out to me and I made that decision.

"(I wanted) a full ride," he added. "Where the money is at, is where I'm going to go play ball and get an education." In his senior season for the Bulldogs, Heyward became one of the city's most versatile weapons and prompted coach Ulysses Hawthorne to instill a portion of the wildcat offense, with the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder at the center of it. Heyward regularly played receiver, running back and quarterback. He totaled 41 receptions for 653 yards, rushed 68 times for 544 yards and completed 30 of 48 passes for 183 more yards. Defensively, he intercepted a pair of passes and made nine deflections and 37 tackles as a defensive back. He scored a total of 13 touchdowns.

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