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Franklinton celebrated National Signing Day with three athletes inking their letters of intent to compete at the next level.

Khaled Waliagha, Jaylin Magee and Will Turner are all heading to the next level.

Waliagha, who is a linebacker in football, is going to Army.

“It’s an opportunity to be bigger than myself and contribute to something greater than my own individual accomplishments, help other people, selfless service and be something bigger than myself and it means a lot.”

Waliagha added that it is also an opportunity to have a bond that tight.

“You’re doing academics, football and military training all with the same people. It’s something special and I longed to be a part of it,” Waliagha said.

Waliagha said that after his four years, he will have a five-year contract to service in the Army.

“I’ll go in as a 2nd lt. officer and I’ll be stationed somewhere and go through training and serve. Then I’ll have the opportunity to either continue with my service after five years or go out and get a job as a civilian,” Waliagha said.

In his football career at Franklinton, Waliagha, who made 314 career tackles, was a second-team all-district player his sophomore year, he was first-team all-district and second-team all-state his junior season and capped off his high school career with a Defensive MVP for District and first-team all-district.

Waliagha has a 4.0 grade point average.

Magee is going to Blue Mountain Christian University and will powerlift.

Magee said there were a bunch of other colleges that offered him for powerlifting.

“My first college that offered me was actually my dream school, which is Midland University, and it’s just so far. They’re a great school and it’s amazing, but Blue Mountain, I went and visited, and it’s perfect. Everything was set out. I liked it so much and I fell in love with it instantly and I just wanted to go there,” Magee said. “The team, everybody, it’s all one. They’re just one.”

Blue Mountain is in north Mississippi, about an hour and a half from Memphis, Tenn.

Magee started powerlifting his freshman year.

Magee has been to state every year. 

Magee’s personal records are 675 in squat, about 460 bench and 650 in deadlift.

Magee has a 4.0 grade point average.

Turner is going to South Arkansas Community College for baseball.

“It means a lot. I’m just blessed to have this opportunity to go play at the next level. It’s something a lot of people don’t get and it’s a real honor to be able to go do,” Turner said.

Turner has played pretty much every position except for catcher for Franklinton.

He’s going to college to pitch.

Turner said his best pitch is his two-seam fastball. Turner said it’s his bread and butter.

“Sometimes you can get up to a 17 inch horizontal run on it, move it across the entire plate if I have to,” Turner said.

Turner was an all region player at utility and pitcher and first-team all-district pitcher. Last year, Turner was first-team all-district utility.

Turner has a 4.13 weighted grade point average.