WS Chronicle

Photo by Timothy Ramsey

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY 

THE CHRONICLE

It’s the dream of all high school football players to make it to the collegiate level to play football.  That dream came true for two Winston-Salem Prep Academy players last week as they will play for the Broncos of Fayetteville State next season.

Brandon Miller and Nijay Patterson signed their letter of intent to play for the Broncos on Thursday, March 2.  Coaches, fellow players from the team and family members were on hand to watch the young men sign.

Phoenix football head coach Lamont Scales says he couldn’t have been more proud of the young men.  He says they have been hard working young men since he met them in 2013.

“They put in the work, and everything is now coming to fruition due to their hard work and dedication,” Scales said.  “The Number One thing I expect them to do is to graduate from college.  This was a collaborative effort and we are very proud of them.”

Patterson says for him to obtain this scholarship means that anything is possible.  He said he knows that if you put in the hard work you can reap the benefits.

“I am just grateful for the opportunity to just go down there and play,” Patterson continued.  “I am more than proud and I proved to myself that whatever I put my mind to I can accomplish.  When I get there, I expect nothing but greatness and to just build off of what I have started here at Prep.”

Patterson’s mother, Folonia Patterson, said, “I’m ecstatic, blessed and overcome with joy. I expect for him to give it his all, perform on the field and to keep God first and to study hard.”

For Brandon Miller, he says he was relieved to obtain a scholarship from a college.  He says he was having a hard time finding a school that wanted him but once he visited Fayetteville State, he was drawn there.

“I’m very proud of myself because I put a lot of hard work into this,” Miller said.  “After four years my dream is finally coming true.

When I get there I expect excellence because anything less is unacceptable.”

Sharon Miller, Brandon’s mother, added “I am just so proud of him.  He has been a wonderful kid ever since kindergarten.  The classroom is first and I know football is his passion but he knows the classroom is most important.”

Assistant football coach David Pearson said he couldn’t be happier for Patterson and Miller.  He says, “With good grades, good things happen.”