WS Chronicle

Three players from Forsyth County varsity teams earned a spot in the 82nd annual Shrine Bowl for the state of North Carolina. The game is scheduled to be played on Dec. 15.

Lee Kpogba of Parkland, JaQuan McMillan of West Forsyth, and East Forsyth’s Khalid Martin will all participate in the all-star game for seniors held in Spartanburg, S.C. The North Carolina team will be led by Dudley head coach Steven Davis.

Martin was surprised he was selected for the game. He says he just hoped his play on the field was enough to show the coaches he was worthy of playing in the game. The 6 foot 1, 200-pound safety has been a key contributor to the Eagles undefeated season.

“It was kind of ironic because, believe it or not, the day it was announced I was invited to the Shrine Bowl was the same day as my birthday,” said Martin. “I was away from my phone, so when my cousin called me and told me I was invited to the Shrine Bowl, I kind of screamed a little bit.”

“I was out in public and everyone around me was looking like ‘what is going on with him,’ but I was just excited because when I went to try out, we really couldn’t because of the weather. They told us they were going to look at our first couple of games this season, so I really tried to look good and put up some good stats.”

Martin feels as though his selection to the Shrine Bowl was warranted based on the statistics he has put up this year. 

“I feel like my stats speak for themselves,” he said.  “I wasn’t really the one who was in the headlines on sports stations or websites, but I felt like I proved it on the field last year and this year.”

“I think I am a dominant safety on the field. I feel like whenever the ball touches my hand, magic happens.”

Last year, Martin says he was trying to grow as a player and a leader for the defense. He says this year he has stepped up to become the leader his team needs in their quest for a state championship. Martin thinks his selection to the Shrine Bowl team validates his play on the field.

Martin has committed to play for N.C. State University next fall. He says he built a great connection with the staff and knew that’s where he wanted to play college football.

“I just felt like it was home every time I was up there,” he said of N.C. State. “Even when my recruitment was open, they stayed true from day one. They were among the first to come out to see me play and they have been about family and my well-being.”

Even with his selection to the Shrine Bowl, Martin says if another school tries to snatch him away from the Wolfpack, he will decline. He says since they have stayed true to him, so he will stay true to them.

With the Parkland Mustangs losing their first game of the season, the Eagles are the only remaining unbeaten team in the county. Martin says his team should look at that as an example that any team can be beaten on any given night. 

“No matter how much talent you have on your team, you can be beaten, so I feel like we should take that as a way to humble ourselves,” he continued.  “We should be ready to execute at all times.”