Quartet of Trojans signs to play football on collegiate level

Santiair Thomas, center, signed to play football at Missouri Southern State at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, stepmother Dominique Roberts, father Robert White, mother Santana Ware and stepfather Tony Ware. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
Santiair Thomas, center, signed to play football at Missouri Southern State at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, stepmother Dominique Roberts, father Robert White, mother Santana Ware and stepfather Tony Ware. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

Four senior Trojan football players signed letters of intent to continue their football careers at the next level during a ceremony Wednesday morning at the new Hot Springs indoor facility.

Santiair Thomas, Devin Hill, Malik Brewer and De'Ante Sanders all committed to play football on the collegiate level during the ceremony. Thomas will join the Lions' roster at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin this fall, Hill committed to Henderson State University, Brewer will play for Independence Community College, and Sanders committed to join the Badgers at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.

While only having led the Trojans for the past two seasons, head coach Darrell Burnett had plenty of praise for the four athletes.

Burnett said that Thomas, who has played multiple positions on both sides of the ball, is the kind of leader that helped to bring other multi-sport athletes to the team.

"He was a basketball kid that didn't have to come out," Burnett said. "When he [did], it made it a whole lot easier for guys like Deante Sanders [and] Trent Gordon, and it made it a whole lot easier for guys in the future to come out. Santi's one of those guys that didn't have to buy in, but he bought in [and] listened to everything we said.

"[He has] a great support staff with his mom, dad, stepmom and everything. ... We're very proud of him; we're very proud ... [He's] a great leader, a smart kid, quiet, but he's what you want in a young man."

Thomas credited Burnett and the rest of the Trojans' coaching staff for their guidance and leadership.

"I want to set a foundation for the young'uns, and I feel like by me signing for a scholarship, we're going to have more people next year with their own signing more scholarships," he said.

Devin Hill, third from right, signed to play football for Henderson State at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, nephew Kevin Seymour, sister-in-law Wendy Guardado, sister Jayelyn Hill, father Dana Hill, mother Kimberly Hall and stepfather Harold Hall. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
Devin Hill, third from right, signed to play football for Henderson State at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, nephew Kevin Seymour, sister-in-law Wendy Guardado, sister Jayelyn Hill, father Dana Hill, mother Kimberly Hall and stepfather Harold Hall. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

Burnett said that the sky is the limit for Hill, who has also been a leader on the team.

"Devin's one of those tricky guys. You know he's gonna play football, but you might look up here in 20 years and he might be a congressman or a president," Burnett said. "He's a smart, very respectful young man, and he was a leader. He's what stands for, as far as Hot Springs, what you want a young man or even a young lady to look like and represent.

"He'll go to Henderson, he'll blossom. He'll do great things. He was a coach on the field, so we didn't have to do a lot of talking, a lot of thinking for him; he was able to do that, so we're proud of him."

With sights set on a career in computer science, Hill is steadfast in his ambitions to achieve great things while making a mark on the Reddies football program.

"It's a blessing," he said. "I want to thank God first and then coach B. He's given me an opportunity. It's going to be a great thing to be going to Henderson; they have a great major in computer science. ... I always wanted to get that degree, and I'm going to show out regardless because coach B has taught me everything in just looking up to him. I thank him for everything he's done.

Hill described the athletic personnel at Hot Springs High School to be "the best in the state."

"They've been building a great program, and they will continue to build the best program at Hot Springs ever," he said. "So I want to thank them for everything they've done."

Malik Brewer, fourth from right, signed to play football for Independence Junior College at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, his grandmother Jennifer Stevens, mother Shawnteria King, brother Timeaz West, sister Londyn King, father Carlos Brewer, great-grandmother Barbara Dooley and aunt Yvonne Dooley-Smith. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
Malik Brewer, fourth from right, signed to play football for Independence Junior College at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, his grandmother Jennifer Stevens, mother Shawnteria King, brother Timeaz West, sister Londyn King, father Carlos Brewer, great-grandmother Barbara Dooley and aunt Yvonne Dooley-Smith. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

Brewer, who transferred to Hot Springs from Lake Hamilton, was an athlete that the Trojan coaching staff challenged from the start.

"We challenged him when we knew he transferred in," Burnett said. "We wanted to see with certain kids how they would act with adversity, how they would act when you get in their face, how they would act when you handle aggressive, and Malik, he blossomed. He wanted to be great.

"He practiced hard. He had great energy, he loved to compete, and that's why you'll see a guy like that go to Independence Junior College with the best of the best where only the strong survive. And you'll see him blossom. ... He's the guy that's going to make it, so here in about two years be ready to look for him to sign for a bigger university."

With multiple offers pouring in throughout his senior campaign, Brewer's decision to join the ranks at Independence was based on validations of successful athletes who have flourished in the school's football program.

"I came here after my junior year because I heard about coach B," Brewer said. "I heard he was a great coach. ... I got three offers [with one] from a school in Louisiana -- a community college -- and then I got an offer from Northeastern State University. It's a DII, but I didn't go there because I wanted to go to JUCO, Independence ... and I heard of all of their players making it out going DI, so I wanted to go there and compete."

Brewer aspires to develop greatly as a player with the hopes of playing for the Razorbacks.

De'Ante Sanders, third from left, signed to play football at Snow College at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, sister Sa-mya Sanders, mother Fredericka Sanders, father Vincent Sanders Sr., sister Deaundral Taylor and brother Vincent Sanders Jr. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
De'Ante Sanders, third from left, signed to play football at Snow College at Hot Springs High School Wednesday. Joining him are, from left, sister Sa-mya Sanders, mother Fredericka Sanders, father Vincent Sanders Sr., sister Deaundral Taylor and brother Vincent Sanders Jr. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

Sanders also decided to take the junior college route as the cornerback will attend Snow College.

"He's got a personality that can handle anything," Burnett noted of Sanders' persona. "The town is so beautiful. The school is so beautiful, and the coaching staff didn't waste any time; they wanted him. They threw everything at him, gave him a full ride and everything. He's gonna go up there and be a leader.

"He was a guy that learned how to play the position this year, so if we could've got our hands on him two years earlier, there's no telling. There's no telling where he could be. ... All these cats will do good, and we're proud of them."

While Sanders stated his most memorable Hot Springs' memoir to be "out there grinding with my boys," the future Badger described the new chapter of his athletic career to be a great opportunity.

"I'm very excited," he said. "It's truly a blessing. Not many have this opportunity, but I'm just blessed to have this opportunity to go play. My coaches developed the young man which I am today, and I just want to take that Hot Springs coaching up there and show them what I got."

Sports on 02/07/2020

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