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Signing ceremony takes players to the next level

<p>King's&nbsp;Martell Pettaway signs to West Virginia University to play football.</p>

King's Martell Pettaway signs to West Virginia University to play football.

There comes a day in every football athlete’s life when he decides which college he wants to play for. That day came Feb. 3, the National Letter of Intent Signing Day, for 11 of Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School’s most talented football athletes. They took part at an event at the Horatio Williams Foundation near downtown Detroit.

Dontrae Boyd, Jaquan Boyd, Lawrence Bryant, Donnie Corley Jr., Jeremiah Fuller, Lavert Hill, Jordan Igofoso, Leon Page, Martell Pettaway, Armani Posey, and Dylan Swanson all signed commitments to play at colleges and universities.

Parents cheered not only for their son but for every young man whose name was called to sign and commit to their college at this ceremony.

Martell Pettaway, a senior at King, signed with West Virginia University. Pettaway started playing football at age 6 with his late brother Devin Pettaway, a former senior at King. After his brother’s untimely death, Pettaway pushed himself even harder to pave a way for himself.

“I see great things in his future,” said his mother Teresa Pettaway. “He’s not only doing this for himself, he’s also doing this for his brother.”

For the 11 students, receiving a full-ride athletic scholarship has allowed a burden of financial struggles to be lifted off the shoulders of their families.

Corley, a senior at King, started playing football and running track at age four. Corley received close to 40 offers to play at various colleges. But Michigan State University held a special place in Corley’s heart since he was a child.

“MSU was his dream school,” said Donnie Corley Sr.

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