Coming off the most successful season in school history, Kennesaw State landed six recruits on the inaugural Dec. 20 signing day.
Coach Brian Bohannon announced the six players Wednesday morning. The collection includes two offensive linemen, a receiver, a defensive end, a defensive back and a linebacker. Five of the players are out-of-state signees, with three of them from Alabama.
Will Haigler, a receiver from Tallahassee, caught 50 passes for 791 yards and six scores in his senior season. Hailing from Alabama, defensive end Tyler Moore went 30-7 in his high school career, earning First Team All-Bi City honors his senior year. Moore is a converted tight end.
Zion Katina, from Tennessee, and Kelcy Allen, from Alabama, are the two linemen signees. Katina shifted from the defensive line to the offense before his junior season, just after enjoying a 15-0 championship sophomore campaign. Allen is listed as both an offensive and defensive lineman. He won the “Outstanding Defensive Award” and First Team All-Bi City honors his senior year at Glenwood School.
Markeith Montgomery was a four-year starter in Ridgeland High’s secondary and is the lone Georgia signee. He won several region and county awards for stellar play as a running back, receiver and defender. The Atlanta Journal Constitution named Montgomery to the Class AAAA All-State First Team as a sophomore and junior.
Chance Bates, another Alabama addition, reached the Class 3A playoffs in every season at Colbert High. He was named Class 3A-Region 8 defensive player of the year in 2015 and 2017.
"I can't express how excited we are as a staff to announce this great group of young men joining us on National Signing Day," Bohannon said in a press release. "I want to thank each member of our staff for the hard work they put in to bring these young men to Kennesaw State. It's a tribute to this University and everything going on here that we're able to bring this caliber of student-athletes here."
The following players joined the Owls:
-Will Haigler, 6-1, 185, WR, Florida High, Tallahassee, FL
-Zion Katina, 6-3, 250, OL, Independence High, Franklin, TN
-Tyler Moore, 6-1, 245, DE, Central High, Phenix City, AL
-Markeith Montgomery, 5-10, 175, DB, Ridgeland High, Chickamauga, GA
-Chance Bates, 6-1, 235, LB, Colbert High, Leighton, AL
-Kelcy Allen, 6-2, 262, OL/DL, Glenwood School, Phenix City, AL
The Owls went 12-2 this past season, tying the Big South wins record and becoming the first program to play in a quarterfinals game in its third season of football.
Kennesaw State opens an 11-game 2018 season Aug. 30 at Georgia State, the first meeting between the two Atlanta-area programs.
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