Dodson, Ferguson, and Thompson to continue academic and athletic careers in college
Benedictine senior Paul Thompson said he was about 6-foot-2 and out of shape when he started playing football for the Cadets as a freshman.
A defensive tackle, Thompson took pride in his role on the scout team defense for his first three seasons and broke into the starting lineup as a senior. He had a strong season in the trenches with 33 tackles, three sacks, and five quarterback hurries.
On Thursday, Thompson realized an unlikely dream as he signed to play football at the University of Charleston, a Division II program based in West Virginia.
"I think playing on our scout team turned me into a man," said Thompson, who is now 6-4 and 280 pounds. "I had to go up against some really good players, and I felt like I was an important part of the team. I think Coach (Danny) Britt recognized the work I put in. I was on the scout team working hard for three years and that led to my senior year when I got a chance to play."
Thompson credited Britt, defensive coordinator Galen Houston, and his defensive line trainer DeAngelo Brown, the former Savannah Christian and Louisville star who has had great success working with high school linemen in Savannah.
"Coach DeAngelo helped me a lot with drills and even went over game film with me," Thompson said. "He helped me refine my game. I liked Charleston because the coaches showed me a lot of respect. I loved the campus when I visited there, and I think I will get a chance to grow as a player and person there."
Thompson credited Britt, defensive coordinator Galen Houston, and his defensive line trainer DeAngelo Brown, the former Savannah Christian and Louisville star who has had great success working with high school linemen in Savannah.
"Coach DeAngelo helped me a lot with drills and even went over game film with me," Thompson said. "He helped me refine my game. I liked Charleston because the coaches showed me a lot of respect. I loved the campus when I visited there, and I think I will get a chance to grow as a player and person there."
Thompson signed alongside his friend and teammate Connor Ferguson, the standout kicker and punter who is headed to Georgia as a preferred walk-on.
Connor Ferguson had committed to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte before he got the offer from UGA and announced his decision to play for the Bulldogs on Jan. 27.
As a senior, Ferguson earned All-State first-team honors after connecting on 15 of 18 field goals with a long of 52 yards, which set a Benedictine record. He made 45 of 46 extra points and had touchbacks on 82% of his kickoffs while averaging 38.8 yards per punt.
"This day is special for me because I have been working countless hours to improve as a kicker to get this kind of opportunity," Ferguson said. "My parents drove me all over the South to all kinds of camps, and I wouldn't be here without them. Coach Britt also played a big part ― he treats us like we're playing in a Division I program with the conditioning we go through and all the reps we put in every day at practice."
An 'A' student, Ferguson plays to major in mechanical engineering as he plans to become a pilot.
John Dodson has been a standout on the Cadet cross country and track and field teams for the last four years, and Thursday he set his future in motion as he signed to run at Reinhardt University, an NAIA program based in Waleska.
Dodson earned All-Greater Savannah first-team honors in cross country this season as he had five Top-5 finishes and won four races ― the 7th Mile Farm Invitational, the Blue Tide Run, the Frazier-Hite Invitational and the Stinger Cross Country Invitational, where he ran a personal best 5K time of 16:05.90.
BC cross country coach Kevin Farmer said Dodson was a leader with his dedication and consistency as he worked just as hard every day in practice as he did in big meets.
Dodson said he will compete in both track and field and cross country at Reinhardt, where he plans to major in criminal justice.
