Putting together perhaps the most impressive display of helping graduating

seniors find a college football-playing home in recent memory, Bethel High

School head coach Jeff Nelson has indicated to VirginiaPreps.com that nine more

of his Class of 2011 players have either committed to or decided upon the

college where they will make their home pushing the program's total of players

continuing their football career at the college level to seventeen.

Four Bruins will make their way to UVA-Wise in the Fall as linebacker / wide

receiver Justin James (6-foot-0, 165), lineman Derek Spivey (6-foot-0, 235) and

Dequan Wright have accepted scholarship offers while wide receiver / defensive

back Brandon Ward (6-foot-2, 195) will join the program as a walk-on recruit.

5-foot-10, 275-pound lineman Roderick Mason found his best fit at Ferrum

College where he will join a Panthers program that finished 5-5 last season.

Linebacker Ira Harris (6-foot-1, 180), wideout / safety Alex Payton

(6-foot-1, 180) and running back / defensive back Ronnie Saunders (5-foot-9,

160) have all decided to attend NC Wesleyan to join a Bishops squad that

finished 8-3 last season losing in the first round of the NCAA Division 3

playoffs.

The group joins eight other Bruins moving on to the collegiate level as

previous Bethel commits include Stephen Clark (Delaware), Robert Copeland

(Hampton), Rashad Manley (Old Dominion), Rijo Walker (Virginia) and

Gibson, Jamal Parker, Morgan Taylor and Deshaun Thomas all of whom committed to

the University of Charleston.