Rocky Mount High's Greene, Richardson and Sanders sign with South Carolina, N.C. A&T and Charleston Southern

Artavious Richardson, left, B.J. Sanders, center, and Sherrod Greene laugh Wednesday at Rocky Mount High School.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Rocky Mount High School’s Artavious Richardson,left, signs with N.C. A&T State University; B.J. Sanders, center, signs with Charleston Southern University and Sherrod Greene signs with the University of South Carolina on Wednesday at Rocky Mount High School.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Three Rocky Mount High football players took prideful steps toward college on Wednesday. And all three of them recognized the community pride that was behind them for the journeys that got them there.

Linebacker Sherrod Greene, lineman Artavious Richardson and running back BJ Sanders — all vital parts to the 2015 3-A state title and the 2016 state runner-up teams — shuffled around the Rocky Mount gymnasium to chat with family, friends and teammates after a National Signing Day celebration. They goofed around in photos and laughed at one another between the moments.

The three Gryphons inked with Division I programs on Wednesday. Greene signed with South Carolina, Richardson signed with N.C. A&T and Sanders signed with Charleston Southern.

Greene mentioned how the faculty members made all of them better people. The teachers who kept them on track. The coaches that pushed them to work harder. And the fans that always cheered them. He couldn’t have imagined this future when this trio were freshmen.

“At that moment, I was just proud to be a Gryphon,” Greene said. “Rocky Mount, we are just known for our great teams, and I never thought I would be, one day in my life, going to play college D-I football.

“I am just so thankful.”

This moment was locked in for Greene for a while. The linebacker committed to the Gamecocks over the summer after visiting the school in July. He said that decision made it easier to focus on his senior year. Once the Gryphons’ season ended with a 16-7 loss to Belmont South Point in the 3-A title game, he began getting antsy because he was excited for the next phase.

“I’m just ready to get over there now,” Greene said. “It’s been a lot of nerves, but I got through it.”

Sanders and Richardson took a little more time to determine their schools. Sanders committed to Charleston Southern after an official visit last weekend. He earned that offer before this season. Since then, Charleston Southern then-head coach Jamey Chadwell stepped down. That didn’t make Sanders’ interest waver, though, because the new head coach, Mark Tucker, served on Chadwell’s staff. Tucker has been there four years, and Sanders said the offense will not change.

“The head coach (Tucker) that offered me,” Sanders said. “I know the head coach well and I know the coaching staff well.”

Richardson, the All-Area Defensive Player of the Year, whittled down his choices to the Aggies, Gardner-Webb and Norfolk State. Richardson announced his commitment the day after Sanders. Richardson said he got a good feel from the N.C. A&T campus. Rocky Mount High coach Jason Battle also attended N.C. A&T, where he quarterbacked the football team.

But Richardson also liked how the school felt like Gryphons territory. The atmosphere pulled him in. It made Wednesday even more enjoyable for him.

“This is probably one of the best memories I will probably ever have in high school,” Richardson said before catching himself and laughing. “Other than the state championship, but we have overcome so much.

“. . . There is a lot of people in Rocky Mount that wish they could be a Gryphon. Until you actually live that moment, you can never be a Gryphon. It is something special, and I am always going to be a Gryphon until I die.”

By Ethan Joyce
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Thursday, February 2, 2017