A couple of DeKalb County High School football Tigers will be moving on together to play football at the college level. Seniors Shadie Rankhorn and Ean Jones, both offensive and defensive linemen for the Tigers, have signed letters of intent to play at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky.

Both men were joined by friends, family, and DCHS coaches for the signing held last Friday. Rankhorn and Jones will be graduating in May and joining the Blue Raider program this fall.

“Eli Cross went there and played there. It’s a good program. I went to visit there over the summer, and I just liked the coaches and the program,” said Rankhorn.

“It’s definitely an amazing atmosphere being up there. The coaches came in and talked to us. We all had a good time,” said Jones added.

Rankhorn hasn’t decided what he plans on studying in college, but said he would like to start a furniture store someday.

When asked what his favorite memory has been playing for the DCHS Tigers, Rankhorn said it was his freshman year, in 2019, when the team defeated Marshall County on the road to advance to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.

Jones said he plans on earning a business degree and start an auto mechanic repair shop. His favorite moment being a Tiger was receiving the Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride Award.

“Shadie was a really good football player for us,” said DCHS Tiger Coach Steve Trapp. “Leading into his junior year, I sat him down in January and asked if he had any interest in playing college football because he would be the first-person college coaches would ask about when they looked at our roster or if they just saw us walk out onto the field. He has the size to do it and to be that big of a guy he can move really well. As long as he continues the work ethic that he showed for us these last couple of years I think he will have a really successful college career.”

“I have told a lot of college coaches about Ean,” Coach Trapp continued. “He is an undersized guy. He doesn’t have that size like Shadie does but I did tell every college coach I spoke to that he was our dog. You put a helmet on Ean and he has a different mentality about him. He plays football the way it is supposed to be played and if you are playing against him you probably don’t like him too much. As an offensive lineman and a defensive lineman for us, he did a great job and pretty much played all spots up front. They (Lindsey Wilson) are probably looking for him to play center or potentially guard on the offensive line, and Shadie will probably play at guard or tackle for them.”

“I think it’s good that these guys get to go together. Lindsey Wilson is a place that has had a hand full of our players over the last few years. Eli Cross was there for six years. It’s is the one school ever since I have been a coach here, that has physically stepped foot in here and asked about our guys and I have made sure I let them know that too. They understand what kind of guys we’ve got. I am appreciative of the work these guys (Rankhorn and Jones) have put in and for Lindsey Wilson in acknowledging that. I am really excited for these two young men in continuing their football careers,” added Coach Trapp.

Rankhorn earned All Region 2nd Team honors for the 2022 season, while Jones was named the Region’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman for the 2022 campaign and received the team‘s Offensive Lineman of the Year honor at the Tiger football banquet last month along with the Coach Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride Award.

Lindsey Wilson College is a private four-year college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The school currently offers associate degrees in 10 areas of study, bachelor’s degrees in 26 areas of study with Minors in 20 areas, and master’s degrees in counseling and human development, Education, and interactive design. Lindsey Wilson is a member of the Mid-South Conference of the NAIA.