OHS football players sign with colleges

The Orange High School varsity football team featured several solid players this past fall en route to a 7-3 playoff season.

Among them were senior linebacker Kassan Messiah and senior place-kicker Marcquiso Jean, who both signed national letter of intent on Feb. 1 in accepting athletic scholarships to continue their football careers.

The 6-foot-4 Messiah signed with the University of Massachusetts, while Jean signed with Alcorn State.

OHS head coach Randy Daniel was thrilled for their decisions.

"It's a good choice for both of them," Daniel said.

Daniel noted Messiah had several offers, including Villanova, New Hampshire and Maine, which all compete in the same conference as UMass, the Colonial Conference. To Daniel, UMass is the perfect fit for Messiah.

"I think Kassan is going to excel at UMass," Daniel said. "I can see him flourishing there. He is a good kid and works hard."

UMass also is looking to move up from the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA, to the Football Bowl Subdivision, which used to be known as Division 1-A, Daniel said.

Similarly, Daniel said Alcorn State, located in Mississippi, was the "ideal spot" for Jean. According to Daniel, Jean was the only kicker Alcorn State recruited. Alcorn State, which competes in the tradiionally black college Southwestern Athletic Conference, also had a senior kicker last year, so Jean has a excellent opportunity to see playing time immediately, Daniel added.

Alcorn State also has an excellent physical education program, which Jean plans to major in, said Daniel.