Mount Vernon and West Potomac football players make college choices

West Potomac seniors Waddell Dailey, Zack Monson, Bailey Iboleon and Tanner Jones. (Courtesy of Jeremiah Ross)

Wednesday marked national signing day for high school seniors around the country, and football players from West Potomac and Mount Vernon took part in signing ceremonies at their school.

The signing ceremonies at each school were bumped to Thursday due to Wednesday’s weather cancellation. Four players from West Potomac took part in the Wolverines’ ceremony, while two players from Mount Vernon signed their letters of intent. Coaches from each school said it’s possible that more players will announcing college decisions in the future.

Among the players taking part in the ceremonies were:

West Potomac linebacker Zack Monson. Monson had actually previously signed with Elon, a Division I FCS program, during December’s early signing period. Monson was the Gunston District Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, and a first-team all-region selection as well. As a senior, Monson had 88 tackles, including seven tackles for losses and four sacks. 

West Potomac tackle Bailey Iboleon. Iboleon will be playing at St. Francis (Pa.), an FCS school that competes in the Northeast Conference. The massive tackle anchored West Potomac’s line for two years, earning first-team all-district honors both his junior and senior year. At St. Francis he will play alongside former West Potomac wide receiver Brandan Lisenby.

West Potomac quarterback Tanner Jones. Jones made the most of his first year as a full-time starter for West Potomac, playing well enough to earn a roster spot with Clarion University, a Division II school that plays in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Jones passed for 2,116 yards and 17 touchdowns his senior year and was a second-team all-Gunston District selection.

West Potomac defensive back Waddell Dailey. Dailey will play next year at Bridgewater College, a Division III school that competes in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Dailey was a second-team all-Gunston District selection his senior year. He’ll join 2016 West Potomac grads Grant Monson and Jarrod Denham on the Eagles’ roster.

Tim Heltzel, left front, and Jason Lewis, right front, surrounded by their teammates. (Courtesy of Monty Fritts)

Mount Vernon quarterback Tim Heltzel. Heltzel, a first-team all-Gunston District selection as a senior, signed with Glenville State College (W. Va.), a Div. II program that plays in the Mountain East Conference. Heltzel passed for 2,313 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Majors his senior year, and ran for five touchdowns as well. He had nearly 6,000 yards of total offense his junior and senior years. 

Mount Vernon linebacker Jason Lewis, a first-team all-Gunston District selection at linebacker, signed to play for the University of Virginia- Wise. UVA-Wise is a Division II program that also plays in the Mountain East Conference. Lewis, who did not play high school football until his junior year, had 68 tackles, 10 sacks and one safety his senior year. He also had a rushing touchdown for the Majors.