By By Matthew Nascone
Cedric McKinley accomplished a feat on Feb. 1 that only one other player in Northview High School history has accomplished, he signed a football scholarship to a NCAA Division 1A school.
"This is such a great thing and I am excited to play for Troy," McKinley said.
NHS has been in existence since 1995 and Josh Long is the only former Chief to sign with a D-1 school. Long signed a football scholarship to play for the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech in 1997.
McKinley's mother, Edna McKinley, said she is excited and she can't wait for her son to play at the next level.
"I am so excited he is getting to play college football," Edna said. "And I am glad he is staying so close to home."
Family members on hand for the signing of the contract on National Signing Day were McKinley's mother, Edna; cousin Terence Braxton and nephew Jatiavon Scott.
Also celebrating with McKinley was NHS principal Gayle Weaver, athletics director Sammy Day, head football coach Cody Keene, assistant football and head basketball coach Shane Reid and assistant football coach Karl Smith.
"We are all excited for Cedric and for Northview," Keene said. "We have a bunch of young kids that we hope will last and follow in Cedric's footsteps. I am happy for Cedric. He worked hard and he will do great at the college level."
In his senior year McKinley recorded five sacks, 50 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, nine pass break ups and one interception.
Day said it was great to have another NHS player sign a big contract.
"I am proud of Cedric and coach Keene because anytime we get a player to sign like this it is great for Northview," Day said. "Cedric has an athletic body that college coaches will be able to add 50 pounds to and make him even better."
McKinley might be only the second Chief to sign with a D1 school, but Day said he believes more will sign big scholarships in the future.
"Coach Keene is doing a great job with the program and I hope in a couple of years we will see other guys signing D1 scholarships," he said.
A football player has to have his teammates to rely on and McKinley is no different. As he signed the contract for Troy he had a reminder of what he was leaving behind sitting off to the side of the room.
Nakita Myles, Trent Freeman, Isaiah Powell and Richard Kunkel came to support McKinley as he moved on to the next level.
"I think he made the right decision in Troy," Myles, McKinley's best friend, said. "I am happy to see one of my best friends make it to a D1 college."
According to Troy University's athletic Web site, troytrojans.com, McKinley will join 22 other student-athletes as the 2006 signing class for the Troy Trojans.