Grant Turner signed to play football for Midwestern State University. He is shown with his parents, Carla and Jimmy Turner. (Phil Hicks/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

It was a celebration on Wednesday as eight Grace Community School athletes signed with colleges.

A packed Galen Taylor Gymnasium cheered and supported the athletes.

Signing were Avery Baber (baseball, Benedictine College), Blake Harmon (football, Navarro College), Aden Hecht (track, Ouachita Baptist University), Maddie Keeling (track, University of the Incarnate Word), Claire Stoermer (soccer, Oklahoma Baptist University), Kennedy Tilley (soccer, Tyler Junior College); Dylan Taylor (football, Hardin-Simmons University) and Grant Turner (football, Midwestern State University).

Dr. Jay Ferguson, head of school, led off the event with a prayer, thanking God for the students while also noting the hard work and dedication of the students as well as their parents, families and coaches.

Eddie Francis, athletic director, added, “Each of these student-athletes has excelled in their sports and helped Grace establish our school as one of the top 5A schools in the state of Texas. Less than five percent of high school student-athletes move on to play at the next level and we are extremely proud of these eight young ladies and gentlemen for joining this elite class.

“They have separated themselves with the amount of time and effort they have dedicated to their sport and because of their constant improvement throughout the years.”

Francis continued by stating, “I’m sure they would be the first to tell you, that they did not accompish this goal on their own. Each of them have loving parents, supportive families and caring and committed coaches who have helped their dreams of playing at the college level a reality.”

AVERY BABER

BENEDICTINE COLLEGE

Baber will play baseball at Benedictine College, located in Atchison, Kansas.

The three-year starter for the Cougars will major in marketing.

Baber, the captain of the squad, tossed a two-hitter on Tuesday as the Cougars defeated Midland Christian, 5-1, in a TAPPS Division II area playoff game at Weatherford College.

The future Raven has been first-team all-district the last two years and was honorable mention all-state last season.

Benedictine is an NAIA school that plays in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

ADEN HECHT

OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Hecht will be running track and will be joining his sister, Ashlynn, who also runs track at the Arkadelphia, Arkansas school.

He will compete in hurdles for OBU.

Hecht is the defending TAPPS 5A state champion in the 300 hurdles. As a junior he was unbeaten in the event. He will be competing in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at the TAPPS State Track & Field Meet this weekend at Midway High School in Waco.

The senior plans to major in Business Management.

The Tigers compete in NCAA Division II and in the Great American Conference.

BLAKE HARMON

NAVARRO COLLEGE

Harmon was a multi-position football player for the Cougars, earning All-Rose Country punter and kicker as well as TAPPS Division II Special Teams Player of the Year and TAPPS all-state.

Not only was he Grace’s kicker and punter, but he also played running back, linebacker and safety while also being an excellent blocker, Cougars Coach Tim Russell said.

As a junior Harmon helped the Cougars finish second in the 4×200 meter relay at the TAPPS state track & field meet.

Harmon will join the Navarro College team in Corsicana. He plans to major in Business.

The Bulldogs competed in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.

MADDIE KEELING

UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD

The two-time TAPPS pole vault state champion signed for track at the San Antonio school. Keeling has been a four-year member of varsity track. She won gold in the pole vault in 2021 and 2022, while taking the silver last year.

Keeling, who plans to major in Studio Art, has a personal best vault of 12 feet, 1 inch. She will be competing at the state meet this weekend in Waco.

She was also on the TAPPS 5A state runner-up in the 4×400 relay in 2023, and the 4×400 relay team finished in the top three in 2022 and top eight in 2021. Keeling ran on the 4×200 state runner-up in 2023, and the 4×200 team finished in the top six in 2022.

Keeling ran at the 5A TAPPS Cross Country state championship, where the Lady Cougars finished in the top 10 in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

The Incarnate Word Cardinals are an NCAA Division I program that competes in the Southland Conference.

CLAIRE STOERMER

OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Stoermer was a four-year starter at goalkeeper, earning all-state all four years. She made a key save in leading the Lady Cougars to the state championship this season. She was also academic all-state her junior and senior seasons.

Francis said Stoermer is one of the most highly decorated athletes in the history of the Grace Community athletic program.

She has been named the All-Rose Country Goalkeeper of the Year three times and was named the Best Preps Tyler 2024 winner for soccer as well as the Texas Ford Dealers Private School Athlete of the Month for February.

Oklahoma Baptist is located in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The Bison compete in the Great American Conference.

Stoermer plans to major in Biochemistry.

DYLAN TAYLOR

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

Taylor, a three-year starter and two-year captain, signed to play football for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.

He was second-team all-state at linebacker and was academic all-state his junior and senior seasons.

Taylor plans to major in Business Management.

The Cowboys play in NCAA Division III and competed in the American Southwest Conference.

KENNEDY TILLEY

TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE

Grace Coach Chris Hemphill said Tilley could have started at goalkeeper for many teams if she was not on the same squad as Stoermer. He noted “in this day and time, many would have transferred to another school and moved to a different town, but Kennedy was committed to her school and teammates and made her team better.”

She made honorable mention all-state despite not being the starter.

Tilley signed to play with traditional powerhouse TJC where she plans to major in Engineer Technology Design.

The Apache Ladies have won five national titles and compete in Region XIV.

GRANT TURNER

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY

Turner was the TAPPS 5A Division II Athlete of the Year in 2022 and was first-team all-state and All-Rose Country running back in 2023.

The three-year starter and two-time captain plans to major in Business Management.

Midwestern State is located in Wichita Falls and the Mustangs compete in NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference.