Drake Dorbeck posed for pictures amid a sea of black and gold Wednesday — a statue of an eagle perched on his right side with Southern Miss shirts carefully draped over the table. As soon as he was done, the table was transformed into what looked like a Belhaven shrine complete with a worn helmet and Blazer hat. It was quickly dismantled almost as fast as it went up, though, to make room for Pearl River Community College.
The signing day set inside St. Aloysius changed almost as much as the lives of its three signees, who all pledged to take their talents on the gridiron to the next level.
Southern Miss signee Drake Dorbeck, who was the first player to make it official with the Golden Eagles early Wednesday morning, highlighted the class.
“It was a big weight lifted off my shoulders,” Dorbeck said. “I knew I was going to wake up as early as I could, sign it at 7 a.m. and get it up here at the school to fax it out.”
Despite an offer from Louisiana Tech and a late push by Memphis, Dorbeck never wavered in his commitment to Southern Miss.
“Drake’s biggest thing is just loyalty and family,” St. Aloysius coach BJ Smithhart said. “He’s been loyal to USM. People have still been trying to call him. Memphis came in and offered late, but Drake took his time and once he committed, it was over. That’s what kind of guy he is.”
Linebacker Casey Landers’ road to the next level wasn’t as clear. Landers, who boasted 102 tackles in 2014 and led St. Al in that category the past two seasons, received a late offer from Belhaven and will try to earn a starting spot on the junior varsity team.
“It’s amazing. It’s the next stage, playing football in college,” Landers said. “I’m D-III now, so I’m trying to get the start.”
The senior played football for the Flashes for six years under Smithhart and became the rock of a defense that helped lead St. Aloysius to the Class 1A state championship this season.
“He’s just one of those guys you love,” Smithhart said. “He was the heart of the defense, being right in the middle at middle linebacker. You just can’t say enough about Casey. He’s a true St. Al guy.”
Pear River Community College signee Tae Warnsley’s path to St. Aloysius wasn’t as long or nearly as fluid. Warnsley transferred to the school this year after his former schoo, Hinds Agricultural, closed down. The quiet headhunter made his presence on the Flashes’ roster known immediately felt. As a hybrid linebacker/running back, Warnsley rushed for 433 yards and six touchdowns this season while recording 91 total tackles on defense.
“It feels great. It’s what I’ve been working for these past few years,” Warnsley said. “Whatever they need me to do, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Smithhart said Warnsley brought a nasty streak to the Flashes’ defense that wasn’t there before his arrival.
“He just really became one of our cornerstones,” Smithhart said. “We’re happy to have him and lucky to have him. We were glad to have him here.”
Warnsley rounds out a class that propelled the Flashes to back-to-back North State championship games, culminating in a Class 1A state title loss to rival Cathedral in Starkville.
“That was a big part of our success was there wasn’t a lot of clash in egos,” Smithhart said. “That says a lot about our players.”