JEANERETTE — If it were possible, Jeanerette High head football coach Ananias Johnson would send his entire team to the college ranks after their respective playing careers ended.

As it stands right now, he almost succeeded.

Johnson sent six of his athletes to the next level Thursday as Dillon Lively, Jacalix Lundy, Deondrick Keal, Christian Alexander, Wendell Marks all signed with Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma while Marquis Colbert inked with Arkansas Baptist in Little Rock, Arkansas.

“I knew that I was going to get them somewhere and the offensive coordinator at Bacone and I are good friends, in fact, we worked together when I was coaching at Arkansas Baptist,” said Johnson. “So I sent him some film and we got to talking and the nex thing I knew, he wanted all of them.”

“You know, I’m always going to be pulling for them to succeed, but next year Bacone travels to Grambling to play, so I’m going to make the trip but I think I’m going to pull for Grambling in that one.”

Johnson was a standout football player at Grambling.

Marquis Colbert is the only one of the six that signed that is going to a different place. 

Colbert wanted to play both football and basketball and Johnson said that Arkansas Baptist was willing to let that happen.

“I talked to the baseball and football coaches there and they both wanted him,” said the JHS coach. “If he does well for them in the next two years, both coaches said they’d work on finding him another place to go.”

Arkansas Baptist is a junior college.

“I decided that it was a good school to begin my future and I like the coaching staff there,” said Colbert, who is expected to play linebacker and strong safety on the gridiron and shortstop on the diamond. “I can’t wait to get up there and do both sports.”

Lively, Keal, Lundy, Alexander and Marks are all headed to Bacone for football only.

“I decided to go because I feel it’s a good school for me to start my life and continue to do good,” said Lively, who is expected to play at receiver for the Warriors.

“It’s something new for me to see,” said Lundy, who is expected to play defense at Bacone.

“It’s a chance to further my education and continue my dream to play football,” said Alexander

All six are expected to see some playing time as freshmen at school that went 2-9 last season and 2-6 in the Central State Football League conference.

“This is a good day for Jeanerette and for Jeanerette football,” said Johnson. “It shows what can happen to kids who are dedicated to working hard and doing the right thing.