Rocky Mount High's Battle, Keck sign to play college football

Rocky Mount High School’s David Keck signs with Chowan University.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Rocky Mount High School’s Thomas Battle signs with Fayetteville State.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Thomas Battle didn’t think he’d play football again. David Keck all but made up his mind about his post-high school future and football wasn’t in it.

That was until Tuesday afternoon when the Rocky Mount High seniors each signed letters of intent to play in college. They are the fourth and fifth players from the state runners-up RMH team to commit to play football in college.

Battle, the Gryphons wrecking ball on the defensive line, signed to play at Fayetteville State University, a Division II program. Keck, the Gryphons center, signed with D-II Chowan University. Each signed their letters in the school’s gymnasium alongside family members with classmates nearby.

Keck figured his football career was over once the Gryphons lost in the state championship game to Belmont South Point. Keck figured there wouldn’t be a market for an undersized center. But the 6-foot-2, 225 pound player always proved to be a reliable player. He was the captain of the offensive line, and kept that unit humming along throughout his three-year varsity career.

The Gryphons were able to run the ball toward the end of the season and into the playoffs, and Keck was a big reason why.

“He never missed a game, and over three years a starter he never missed a game rep unless he was taken out,” Gryphons coach Jason Battle said. “He never really talked about playing college football because he assumed he would never be recruited because of his size.

“When Chowan called me and said they were interested, I told them I didn’t think he was interested, he wanted to go on with life, but I told them I’d talk to him. He was interested, he went on a visit, they loved him and he loved them. It couldn’t have happened to a better kid. All he knows it work hard. He’s always here, always doing what you ask. He’s a leader.”

Keck planned to go into the National Guard after graduation, until Coach Battle found Keck the following day at school and said that Chowan called. Turns out, Keck was on their radar. The program sent a scout to watch him during the Havelock game, and liked what they saw. Chowan looked past his undersized-body, and focused on what he does well.

They decided to give him a chance, and he took it.

“None of the lineman get recognized as much as they should,” Keck said. “They saw hard work. They saw me on film, and they really noticed me during the Havelock game. It was one to remember.”

Keck was a crucial part of that win, anchoring the blocking scheme that allowed quarterback Shabois Lynch just enough time to drop back and throw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Detrell Revis. That score sent the game into overtime where the Gryphons would go on to win.

Thomas Battle, meanwhile, wasn’t sure he would find a place to play. And when Havelock held a lead with just seconds left, the senior began to have thoughts about what he would do after football. Fayetteville State watched him live during the second-round Southern Guilford game, and kept tabs on him.

At the start of February, the program called and wanted to work him out. Battle went to the campus on Feb. 4 and performed a series of drills and workouts that resembled a combine. He bench pressed, ran a 40-yard dash, shuttle run, and showed off his footwork around cones.

The next week, he was offered a partial scholarship. They wanted to give him a chance as a nose tackle. He reports two weeks after graduation.

“It was going through my head about what I was going to do,” Battle said. “I had no idea. I didn’t have an idea what I was going to do, then God came through with a plan.”

“Thomas’ playing time is going to strictly depend on Thomas,” Jason Battle said. “How much he accomplishes will be up to him. He has all the potential and the ability of any kid that we’ve coached, and if he makes up in his mind how hard he works, he’ll do well there.”

By PATRICK MASON
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Wednesday, March 15, 2017