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ELLAVILLE – It’s the day that numerous high school football players across the country have all been waiting and preparing for. Wednesday, December 20, was National Signing Day, and for Schley County senior wide receiver /defensive back JaLewis Solomon, it was a day he had been preparing for for quite some time.

In front of his family, teammates, coaches and the media in the Schley County High School cafeteria, Solomon signed a letter of intent to continue his education and play football at the University of South Carolina.

“He (Solomon) has been a huge part of what this program has been trying to do over the last few years,” said Schley County High School Football Coach Darren Alford to the crowd gathered. “I’ve been fortunate and honored to be able to coach JaLewis. He’s a great young man.”

Solomon is the all time leading receiver at Schley County, having caught about 2,600 yards worth of passes. During his senior year, he caught 70 passes for 1,072 yards and caught 11 touchdown passes. However, he will compete for the Gamecocks primarily as a defensive back.

Solomon had 33 offers from major NCAA Division 1 schools, including schools from the “Power 5” conferences, but in the end, he decided to take his talents to Columbia, SC to compete for the Gamecocks.

“I felt like from the first visit I took to South Carolina, it felt like home,” Solomon said. “From the first time I went to South Carolina, they never stopped recruiting me. I just felt like that was the perfect fit for me and I feel like I can come in there and make an impact very early.”

While he will primarily play defensive back for the Gamecocks, Solomon said that the coaches have told him that they plan to use him has a punt returner and a kickoff returner among other things. “They also said that if I wanted to, they would put me in some offensive packages,” Solomon said.

As far as academics is concerned, Solomon will be majoring in Education and when his football career is over, he would like to give back to the youth and do for the youth what others did for him.