A little peace and quiet sounds really good to Ahmad Dixon, and now he finally might get it.

Midway's Ahmad Dixon reaches for a Baylor cap after signing with the Bears Wednesday.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

The long and winding road that was the Midway star safety’s recruitment finally came to an end Wednesday when he signed a national letter of intent to stay close to home and play for Baylor.

“I’m very happy it’s over,” Dixon said. “I’ll be able to get a lot of sleep tonight — and Sic ’em, Bears.”

Such is the life for a player ranked No. 3 in the nation at his position by ESPN.com and No. 10 by Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Ever since he received his first scholarship offer from Texas-El Paso as a freshman, Dixon’s life has been a never-stopping whirlwind of letters and phone calls from schools all across the country trying to gain his services.

Ahmad is “one of the best athletes to ever come through here,” former Midway coach Kent Bachtel said. “He’s the most highly recruited kid to come through here while I’ve been here and it wasn’t even close. We had David Maxwell way back, who got a lot of attention, but not the attention from Southern Cal, to Tennessee, to Alabama, to Texas, to everywhere. Anywhere he wanted to go, he could have gone.”

Dixon committed to Baylor in May and he said he never broke his verbal pledge, despite reports to the contrary. He did consider Tennessee until coach Lane Kiffin left for USC, and he took a visit to Oklahoma State just last weekend.

Midway High football players Will Chandler (left) and Levi Norwood both signed with Division I schools. Chandler will be a diver for Texas, while Norwood will play football at Penn State.
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald

He admits he wavered at times, but in the end, his parents “always told me something that outweighed (other) schools about Baylor and they were right. That’s when I knew Baylor was for me.”

Wednesday was doubly sweet for Baylor defensive coordinator Brian Norwood, who welcomed Dixon along with 14 other new Bear defenders and also looked on at the Midway High School theater as his son, Levi, signed to play wide receiver at Penn State.

Penn State ‘like home’

Levi follows in the footsteps of his brother, Jordan, who had more than 2,000 yards receiving in his career at Penn State. Also like his brother, Levi will grayshirt and enroll at Penn State in the spring.

During his senior season as a Panther, Levi caught 45 passes for 633 yards in an offense that employed a run-first attack.

“I think one of his best attributes is just his consistency,” Brian Norwood said. “He has a good skill set athletically, route running, ball catching. He has a quiet confidence. He’s going to work hard, and he had a lot of experience with Penn State through his brother Jordan. They’re similar in a lot of ways, so I think they’re getting a solid young man, a talented athlete and a good student.”

In choosing the Nittany Lions, Levi will return to State College, Pa., where he lived from the time he was in elementary school through his sophomore year of high school while his father was an assistant coach there.

“I think it’s where he feels comfortable, it’s almost like home to him,” Levi’s mother, Tiffiney, said. “I think that he’ll do well.”

Like Dixon and Levi Norwood, highly touted running back recruit Lache Seastrunk of Temple High School signed to play big-time college football, for the Oregon Ducks.

Bell goes to Huntsville

At China Spring, prolific passer Brian Bell will follow his older brother in playing the same position in college. But Bell won’t be a Baylor Bear like his brother, Shawn, was from 2002-06. He’s making the trip to Huntsville to play for Sam Houston State.

China Spring quarterback Brian Bell signs with Sam Houston State University on Wednesday.
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald

As a senior, Bell threw for a school-record 3,679 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 68 percent of his passes. He was the District 7-3A MVP and a first-team Super Centex selection.

“It feels great, I’m just happy to continue my career,” Bell said. “I thank a lot of my family, my friends and my coaching staff. I’m really excited to get to go to Sam Houston and play for (new) Coach (Willie) Fritz.”

Bell’s father and China Spring coach, Mark, said the quarterback had “several tough decisions to make because he had some good offers out there: Ohio, Central Arkansas, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Missouri, Arkansas Tech, some really nice schools. Sam Houston came in late and stole his heart.”

One of Brian Bell’s best protectors in his two years directing the Cougar offense, Garrett Boyd, chose Cisco Junior College.

Boyd, a three-year starter and a team captain as a senior, played three positions on the line, starting with tackle as a sophomore and moving inward from there to guard as a junior and center as a senior.

“Garrett’s been a fantastic player for this program,” Mark Bell said. “He’s just a fantastic young man and he’s going to be a good football player in college as well.”

Another top-notch lineman, Reicher’s Lance Tepe, will line up for Tyler Junior College next season after anchoring the Cougars’ three state championship teams.

Tepe was a three-time all-state player at center and found enough energy to also stand out on the defensive line.

“For a player that’s 6-foot-1, 300 pounds to play all night like that is pretty special,” Reicher coach Mark Waggoner said. “Because of that, he leads by example. The interesting thing is that talking to some schools in recruiting, some liked him offensively, some like him defensively. (Tyler) very excited about getting Lance. They think he’s a Division I player.”

Waco High’s Nick Richardson, Jessica Barnett and Kollin Kahler prepare to sign letters of intent Wednesday
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald

Starting the day’s festivities with an early morning ceremony was Waco High.

The Lions announced that Kollin Kahler, ranked No. 10 in the nation as a punter by Chrissailerkicking.com, will pursue his education at Lamar, which revived football for the 2010 season after shutting it down in 1989.

“I feel really blessed and honored because most kids don’t get full rides for being an athlete, and just being a punter,” Kahler said. “I’m really thankful for it.”

What swayed him toward Lamar is its pre-med program, which Kahler said has an 80 percent acceptance rate into medical school.

Nick Richardson, a first-team all-district defensive end as a senior, opted for Abilene Christian, where he said he’ll likely be a linebacker.

While Waco High coach Danny Ramsey is proud of Kahler and Richardson’s on-field accomplishments, he’s quick to point out they were both academic all-state as well.

“Their attitude and work ethic is unbelievable — it’s unmatched,” Ramsey said. “My only regret for those two is I don’t have another year to be a part of them. The schools they’re signing with are getting diamonds — and they’re not in the rough, they’re just great kids. They’re going to prove to do great things wherever they go.”

7 Trojans sign

No area school had more players sitting at a table than University.

Jarrod Hall and Randy Price highlighted the seven Trojans who signed letters of intent Wednesday.

Price, who led the Trojans to their first playoff appearance since 2004, will play quarterback for Tyler Junior College, while Hall committed to Texas A&M-Commerce to play both basketball and football.

Hall said that former Baylor football coach Guy Morriss, who now coaches the Lions, was the reason for his decision.

“It’s a great opportunity to play with a coach of that caliber,” said Hall, who expects to play receiver in football and small forward in basketball.

University football players Chris May (left) and Davionte Dobbins (right) sign letters of intent to play with West Texas A&M while their families watch.
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald

Defensive lineman Damian Haliburton will continue his career with Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, but will split time between the line and linebacker corps. Chris May (outside linebacker), Davionte Dobbins (cornerback) and Xavier Mitchell (defensive line) will play at West Texas A&M. Jabriel Robinson will join Price at Tyler Junior College as a defensive lineman and outside linebacker.

“Losing that athleticism is one thing, but the leadership they provide is a whole other story,” University coach Matt Carroll said. “Part of building a solid program is a solid foundation and these guys provided exactly that.”

Others joining the college student-athlete ranks were Mart offensive lineman Dominique Johnson, who chose Incarnate Word; Groesbeck fullback and linebacker Kyle Cortines, a West Texas A&M signee; and La Vega offensive lineman Travis Carver, who selected McMurry.

Staff writer Brian Bateman contributed to this story.

jorts@wacotrib.com

757-5717

OTHER CENTRAL TEXAS SIGNINGS

RELATED SEARCHES

• Final Centex 25 recruiting list
• Brice Cherry: Texas' gridiron obsession shouldn't mean other sports forgotten on signing day
• Defensive recruits bolster Baylor football on signing day