Five Har-Ber Players Sign Letters

By Chip Souza

Posted: February 1, 2012 at 5:21 p.m.

Samantha Baker
STAFF PHOTO SAMANTHA BAKER -- Springdale Har-Ber High School football players J.C Bond, second from left sitting, Michael Fine, second from right behind center table and Grant Gershner, second from right, listen to speeches Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 at Wildcat Arena in Springdale before signing letters of intent to play at Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Arkansas Tech and Westminster College, respectively. The players were three of five Har-Ber athletes to make commitments to colleges and universities on Wednesday.

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SPRINGDALE — J.C. Bond is as comfortable behind a microphone as he is flattening opponents on the football field.

The big Springdale Har-Ber offensive tackle was among five students who signed national letters of intent on Wednesday in Wildcat Arena, including three football players.

Bond (6-foot-3, 255 pounds) signed with Southwest Assemblies of God (Waxahachie, Texas) and plans to become a minister when his playing days are over. He said his selection of the small college located outside Dallas fell in line with his future plans.

“I plan on being a pastor when I grow up,” Bond said. “It’s a Christian college, so it wasn’t much of a choice.”

Bond is the fifth offensive tackle from Har-Ber to sign to play football at the next level. He was joined at Wednesday’s signing by fellow offensive lineman Grant Gershner, who signed with Westminster College in Fulton, Mo.

Gershner (6-1, 220) will get a full ride on academics and choral, where is a tenor, but joked he’d rather be known for his baritone voice.

“Academic, choir and football are all big parts of my life,” Gershner said. “With some of the bigger schools I would not be able to do all three, so Westminster, being kind of a small school, where coaches, teachers and choral directors all come together in a nice mesh, allowed me to do all three.”

Wide receiver Michael Fine, the school’s all-time leader in multiple receiving categories, chose Arkansas Tech, where he will battle for immediate playing time with the Wonder Boys.

Fine (6-4, 175) will join another Springdale player at the Russellville school as Tony Dennis of crosstown Springdale High also inked with the Wonder Boys on Wednesday.

“I really loved it down there,” Fine said. “The coaches are great. It was awesome. And I have a great friend down there, so I’m really excited about being teammates with Tony again.”

Har-Ber soccer goalkeeper Emma Gartner signed a college scholarship with Concordia University (St. Paul, Minn.). She is an all-conference and all-state selection for the Lady Wildcats. She said that the familiarity with the college, where her sister also attends, was a big factor in her decision.

“I liked the size of the school, and I’m actually from the north,” Gartner said. “I’m from up there and I have family up there.”

Andrew Crook, a member of the Wildcats baseball team, signed with Meridian (Miss.) Community College. He also has Mississippi ties, which played a role in his college choice.

“I just kind of wanted to get back around my family,” Crook said. “I didn’t really want to go up north, because it’s cold enough here in Arkansas. I just wanted to get down south and back around my

family.”

Crook, who batted .375 last season with four home runs and 10 doubles, will also get a chance to pitch. He was 8-2 last season for the Wildcats.

“They said when I get down there, they’ll let me do hitting and pitching,” Crook said. “And after the fall offseason, they’ll determine which one they want to focus on.”

Har-Ber associate athletic director/football coach Chris Wood said signing day is always a big day for everyone involved, from players to coaches and friends.

“It’s special, not only here but across our state and across the

country,” Wood said. “Our goal is to try and create a foundation

where kids can take that next academic step, and that’s what it is.

People get caught up in the football piece or the athletic piece, but

really it’s about getting those college degrees."

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