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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

LaGrange High’s Will Flowers didn’t begin playing football until he was a junior, but he made up for lost time.

Flowers, an offensive lineman, was a key member of the team the past two seasons, and his good work didn’t go unnoticed by college coaches.

Flowers had a handful of offers to choose from, and in the end he decided East Tennessee State University was the place for him.

Flowers committed to East Tennessee last week, and he made it official during national signing day on Wednesday.

Two other LaGrange seniors, Keone Milton and Qua Bowles, also signed their letters of intent on Wednesday, and they’ll be teammates at Georgia Knights Prep Academy in Snellville.

Chuck Gibbs, LaGrange’s head coach the past two seasons, said the three signees “not only got it done on the gridiron, but they got it done in the class room.”

Gibbs added “all three of these young men, were part of our player council this past year, which meant they were exuding enough leadership to lead their teammates. College is another chapter to mold your character, and really refine who you are as a young man. You’re building memories that are going to last a lifetime.”

For Flowers, who is also a standout in baseball, the opportunity to play football in college is “truly a blessing.”

“I never thought I’d be here,” Flowers added. “Now that I’m here, I’ve got to make the most of it.”

East Tennessee, Flowers believes, is an ideal fit.

“I love the school,” Flowers said. “It’s a great school academic-wise. And I like the people there. It’s a family environment.”

Milton and Bowles, teammates for the past four seasons, will be together once again when a new season rolls around this fall.

The two defensive standouts will be playing for Georgia Knights Prep Academy.

“It’s the best decision for us,” said Milton, a defensive lineman and offensive lineman. “It’s a really good atmosphere. They want us to win games, and we plan on turning things around and winning a national championship.”

Milton appreciates the coaches who have helped him reach this point, including LaGrange High’s new head coach, Matt Napier.

“Coach Gibbs and all of our coaches, they did their best to prepare me for college,” Milton said. “And right now coach Napier is working us real hard.”

Bowles, a linebacker, has been one of LaGrange’s best defensive players the past two years.

In 2018, in fact, Bowles had more than 150 tackles while playing alongside fellow linebacker Dexter Fitzpatrick. Now, Bowles will get a chance to show what he can do on the next level.

“(Playing college football) means a lot to me,” Bowles said. “I’m just happy to go on to the next level and continue playing sports, and learning new stuff, meeting new people.”

As for Georgia Knights Prep Academy, Bowles said “it just felt like home. It’s a brotherhood there. Their program is rebuilding. There’s a lot of good athletes coming in. We’re just going to work.”