By HARVEY SIMPSON

Dispatch Sports Editor

ROCHELLE — Wilcox High’s athletic program continued to sail in uncharted waters Wednesday when five more athletes signed college scholarships bringing the number to do so for the year to a stunning 10.

Latest to cast their collegiate lots are football players Willie Gibson, Georgia Military College; Paul Grace and Randy Denmark, both with the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky, and Victor Grace (Iowa Wesleyan), and basketball participant Justin Wilcox, Albany Tech.

“It’s been historic signing year for our school with eight kids signing to play football and one each to continue their basketball and girls softball playing days,” Patriot athletic director Donnie Clack said.

“This represents a tremendous opportunity and now it’s up to them to follow up on it. As far as our school is concerned I can safely speak for all of us connected with it in any way that we’re extremely proud to have been a part of their outstanding prep careers and to see them move on to the next level.”

Head football coach Mark Ledford concurred wholeheartedly with Clack’s assessment, adding that “For us to have eight football players sign all in the same year is almost unheard of for a Class A program like ours.

“I think this represents a tribute to where our program has gotten to and there’s no question that earlier having had 2-3 Division I signees helped this latest group by drawing attention to our school.

“Having the kind of year we did in football (a state runner-up finish to Emanuel County Institute and a school-best 13-2 record) helped, too, as in their recruiting efforts more and more college coaches are becoming inclined to look at kids from winning programs.

“Getting to play in the Georgia Dome as we did in the state semifinals was another plus, I think, as it gave these kids and our program exposure they and us otherwise would not have gotten.

“Achievements like this have helped put Wilcox on the map so to speak as already this spring, we’ve had 10-12 college coaches from schools like Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Florida stop by to take a look at some of the kids we have coming back for the 2009 season.”

In reflecting upon Justin Wilcox’s signing, boys basketball coach George Kennedy said, “It couldn’t happen to a finer fellow as he’s been a pleasure to coach and a great asset to our program for four years.

“I’m proud that we were able to do something as a team (posting a 21-6 record) and him as an individual. Even after committing to Albany Tech, he drew interest from other schools but just felt his best interest was to go there and then hopefully move on up to a four-year school.

“We’ll miss him without a doubt but at the same time we wish him nothing but the best.”