Fourteen Longview Seniors Sign, Including 11 Football Players

LONGVIEW -- Almost a dozen Longview football players signed, joining three Lady Lobo athletes in Wednesday's National Signing Day ceremony at Longview High School.

Two Lobos are headed to the Division I FBS ranks: quarterback Bivins Caraway to ULM and tight end Colin Jeter to Air Force. Running back Tory White is headed to the FCS-level Southland Conference with the Lamar Cardinals.

Linebackers DeMarkus Lathan and Torean Sheppard will join Hallsville safety/linebacker at Tarleton State, a Division II program competing in the Lone Star Conference. Safety Corey Bartley and receiver Justinn Spady are headed to another LSC school, Texas A&M-Commerce, which also signed defensive tackle Cornelius Williams and cornerback Nakia Brown. Williams and Brown double-signed with Navarro College and A&M-Commerce.

Tre Allen signed with Tyler Junior College, where he'll move from defensive end to middle linebacker and also play baseball, while defensive end Jalen Porter signed with Iowa Central Community College, a JUCO Division I program.

Longview track standout Amber Redic signed with Stephen F. Austin State, where she will run the 200- and 400-meter sprints. Lady Lobo soccer players Jennifer Boudreau and Keeley Bowles also signed. Boudreau will play at the Division I level for Memphis, while Bowles is headed to Tyler Junior College.

Quotes from Longview's signing day

• Allen, who wants to become a coach, on his decision to sign with TJC: "I felt like I was welcome there. I took visits to a few schools and I didn't felt like those places suited me. TJC coaches showed me love."
• Bartley, who will major in accounting, on his decision: "A&M-Commerce was the best for me football-wise. With the new coaches coming in starting a new program, I may get a chance to play early."
• Caraway, who missed almost his entire senior season because of a knee injury, on his decision to stick with ULM, to which he committed in the summer: "I feel like it was a good decision. ... I'll probably go in and redshirt, just for me education-wise. As far as the depth chart, I feel like I can go in and start after my redshirt year. ... I can stand to work on my accuracy because in college I know the game is way faster, so I have to be more accurate."
• Jeter, who will study civil engineering, on his decision to sign with Air Force: "It was a long stressful process, so I'm glad it's over."
• Sheppard, one of Longview's three players along with Bartley and Lathan to finish with a team-best 138 tackles, on his decision: "First of all, I picked Tarleton State because of academic reasons. They have a good environmental engineering program there. Their football program is very good and they have a good place to play. The whole atmosphere there is very nice."
• Lathan, a three-year varsity starter for the Lobos who hopes to one day work in film production, on his decision to sign with Tarleton State: "They showed me a lot of love. As soon as I stepped on the campus I liked the environment. I liked the city. It was a lot bigger than I thought. ... Football players took me out that night and I got to meet a lot of people in the town, get a good feel and everything. They've got a good football program, and really nice nice jerseys. I'm not saying the jerseys are the real factor, but they've got some nice jerseys. That's a plus. ... I'm thrilled to have the process over. Get everything off my chest and I don't have to worry about it anymore."

Football Signees

• Tre Allen, DE (will move to MLB), 6-1, 235 -- signed with Tyler Junior College
  Senior stats: 49 tackles, 18 for loss, 12 sacks
• Corey Bartley, S, 5-7, 155 -- signed with Texas A&M-Commerce
  Senior stats: 138 tackles, 7 INTs, 21 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 5 kick blocks, 1 punt block, 1 defensive TD
• Nakia Brown, CB/PR, 5-10, 180 -- double-signed with Navarro College/Texas A&M-Commerce
  Senior stats: 59 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 8 pass breakups, 4 punt return TDs
• Bivins Caraway, QB, 6-0, 200 -- signed with ULM
  Senior stats: knee injury in first half of season opener ended his season
• Colin Jeter, TE, 6-6, 215 -- signed with Air Force
  Senior stats: 6 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD
• DeMarkus Lathan, LB, 5-9, 190 -- signed with Tarleton State
  Senior stats: 138 tackles, 11 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 8 pass breakups, 1 kick block
• Jalen Porter, DE, 6-1, 225 -- signed with Iowa Central Community College
  Senior stats: 70 tackles, 14 for loss, 5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 defensive TD
• Torean Sheppard, LB, 5-10, 190 -- signed with Tarleton State
  Senior stats: 138 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass breakups
• Justinn Spady, WR, 5-9, 155 -- signed with Texas A&M-Commerce
  Senior stats: 30 catches, 451 yards, 4 TDs
• Tory White, RB, 5-9, 175 -- signed with Lamar
  Senior stats: 164 carries, 1,253 yards, 14 TDs
• Cornelius Williams, DT, 5-11, 290 -- double-signed with Navarro College/Texas A&M-Commerce
  Senior stats: 84 tackles, 17 for loss, 3 sacks

Girls Signees

• Amber Reddic, 200-meter and 400-meter sprints -- signed with SFA
• Jennifer Boudreau, soccer -- signed with Memphis
• Keeley Bowles, soccer -- signed with Tyler Junior College