Chattahoochee Tech hosts 16 athletes for March 24 signing day event

(Marietta, Ga. – March 24, 2011) – Chattahoochee Technical College hosted 16 future and current student athletes for a signing day event on Thursday, March 24. In attendance were three incoming members of the Golden Eagles cross country and track and field programs — as well as two returning runners — and 11 signees of the club football team.

CTC cross country and track and field received pledges from newcomers Dayani Diaz of Allatoona High School (Acworth, Ga.), Darreon Andrews of Dublin High School (Dublin, Ga.) and Allen Nobles of Victory Christian High School (Charlotte, N.C.).

Diaz, a cross country specialist who competed in the high school state meet with her Allatoona team last fall, will also run track and field for CTC. Andrews, currently completing his senior year at Dublin, finished second in the 400 meters (48.59) and third in the 200 (22.31) at the 2010 Class AA Georgia Olympics as a junior. Nobles brings a personal best 10.96 in the 100 meters and 22.5 in the 200 to CTC. Both Andrews and Nobles will compete solely in track and field.

Matthew Zietsma and Donovan Miller, both cross country and track and field athletes, signed sophomore-year scholarships as returning runners. Zietsma, who was recently honored as an academic All-American, is in his second year at CTC out of Woodland High School (Stockbridge, Ga.), and Miller, who specializes in the 800 meter run during track season, graduated from North Cobb High School (Acworth, Ga.)

At least three more runners are expected to sign later with Chattahoochee Tech, including Hanna Hill of Mill Creek High School (Hoschton, Ga.), and Julia Rivera and Chris Bailey of Matanzas High School (Palm Coast, Fla.) All three will participate in both cross country and track and field at CTC.

Head football coach Tim Freeman also welcomed 11 incoming football players to the signing day event, with eight coming from Cobb County and three from Paulding.

Thursday’s crop of football signees featured three groups of teammates from the area. Cornerbacks Damian Butler and David Pollock signed with the Golden Eagles from Hillgrove High School (Powder Springs, Ga.), and wide receiver Cody Steele, fullback Terrance Williams and tight end Kyle Brown signed out of North Paulding High School (Dallas, Ga.). D.J. Funderburg, a 2010 all-county selection at wide receiver by the Cobb Touchdown Club, and his teammate Jevon Gross, a linebacker, signed with the program out of Sprayberry High School (Marietta, Ga.).

Thursday’s other signees included wide receiver Shaquille Hill from North Cobb, fullback Devin Davis from Marietta High School (Marietta, Ga.), tight end Myles Bass from McEachern High School (Powder Springs, Ga.), and defensive lineman Cedric Stadom from Lassiter High School (Marietta, Ga.)

The football program plans to bring in upwards of 30 players in this spring’s signing class.