By Todd Kleiboer
Communications Specialist

Sherman High School seniors joined thousands of others on National Signing Day Tuesday in inking agreements to play collegiate sports, a moment met with excitement.

Eight athletes across five sports penned their signature to play at a higher level, and while some are staying right here in Sherman, a few are going a little further from home.

Samantha Graham signed with Austin College to play volleyball. She has lettered as well as started for Bearcat Volleyball all four years. She has made the 1st Team All-District list for three years.

“The community is just so great, and I love the coaches and the players,” Graham said. “I’m really excited to a part of that next year.”

Brandy Moran is headed to Longview to play women’s soccer for the LeTourneau Yellowjackets. A three-year letterman and starter, she was named the 2020 Team Most Improved Player and the 2021 Team Defensive MVP.

“I know they have a good criminal justice program, and criminal justice has always been something that has interested me,” Moran said.

Paige McMahan signed with McMurry University in Abilene to continue swimming, and she was drawn to that university due to its strong Pre-Med/Biology program. The swim team is heading to Regionals soon (where McMahan has gone all four years), and she said she would miss swimming with her Bearcat teammates but saw McMurray as a good place to start the career pursuit of being a forensic pathologist.

Landen Brand is headed to Cairn University in Pennsylvania to play baseball for the Highlanders. Brand has lettered and started for the Bearcat baseball team for two years.

Brand’s teammate Landon Gutierrez is staying a little closer to home, signing with Northern Oklahoma College in Enid, Okla. Gutierrez is a 3-year letterman and starter, and he said the coaches made him feel welcome while visiting the campus.

E.J. (Elijah) Chapman signed with the Texas Wesleyan University Rams to play football, and he credited Head Football Coach Cory Cain for helping with the recruitment process in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He lettered in football for three years and started in two of them.

Fellow football player Jack Johnson is keeping with family tradition and signed with East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. He is a 2-year letterman and starter and made the Honorable Mention All-District list.

“A lot of my family went there and graduated,” Johnson said. “It has family ties, and it’s a lot closer to home.”

Tavian Scruggs is headed to West Texas A&M University in Canyon to continue his football career. Scruggs lettered and started for two years on the Bearcat Football team, and he was named to the 2nd Team All-District for the offensive line.

“Playing in the NFL is my dream and overall goal,” Scruggs said. “It makes me feel amazing knowing that I’ve achieved one step on the ladder to achieving my goal.”