Local players making commitments to colleges.

Several Cedartown and Rockmart High School athletes will soon be making their commitments solid to schools around the southeast.

Among those are some of the standouts on the football field for both the Bulldogs and Jackets as National Signing Day takes place today across the country, with signing events in the works this week.

Head coaches Biff Parson and Doyle Kelley have a combined five seniors who have already committed themselves to play for colleges in the years to come, with at least one of those staying local.

Cedartown’s Cruz Rodriguez was named Ironman for Region 5-AAAA during the 2017 season, and now he’ll be bringing his hard hitting attitude and skills to the Shorter Hawks football program as he plans to sign with the Rome-area university this week.

Four other players have aspirations that will take them far from Polk County.

Bulldogs quarterback Trevon Wofford made a commitment with the University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Ky., to play as a Bear during the coming seasons and attend the liberal arts school.

The two are expected to sign this week, along with three from the Rockmart Yellow Jackets program.

Parson said that as of Friday, Cade Holder had committed himself to Reinhardt University Eagles in Waleska starting next year.

Additionally, Ridge Blackwell will be heading southward to LaGrange College during the coming fall semester of 2018 after he made a commitment with the Panthers. Finally, Jay Hinkle is heading to Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio to play for the Falcons program.

One player who will be a 2019 graduate that is already getting a lot of attention is Cedartown’s Tony Mathis.

Kelley said that many coaches have been by in past weeks to see Mathis, including University of South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp.

Additionally, Kelley reports offers from Arkansas State and Georgia Southern, and coaches from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and others have been to visit the Bulldog running back, who put up 1,000 yards of offense this past season.

”We know there is going to be more in store for him,” Kelley said. “He’s one of those special kids. He’s working hard.”

Both coaches expect to be able to announce several other athlete commitments in the days to come from Cedartown and Rockmart High Schools.