Offers collecting for Signal Mountain offensive lineman Harrison Moon

photo Signal Mountain's Harrison Moon brings in a 12-yard reception while being tackled by McCallie's Sam Viscomi, during the football jamboree at Finley Stadium in August.

The recruiting process is just beginning to take off for Signal Mountain offensive lineman Harrison Moon.

On Wednesday, Georgia Tech became the third program to extend a scholarship offer to the 6-foot-5, 255-pound junior, joining Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Signal Mountain coaches expect Moon to get as many as five more offers by the holiday break, with Duke, Florida State, Clemson and Alabama all scheduled to make visits to the school in the coming weeks. Tennessee, Auburn and Arkansas also are among the programs heavily recruiting Moon.

Vanderbilt coach James Franklin was at Signal Mountain on Monday and Alabama coaches are scheduled to visit after Christmas.

"It took some getting used to, having coaches from big-time programs coming by the school to recruit me," Moon said. "It's such a blessing, just getting to experience this whole process. I'm kind of living a dream right now. My parents and I talk about it at dinner a lot, just how to handle the recruiting process.

"I want to enjoy it, because this is the only time in life that you get to experience something like this. When it comes time to make my decision, it'll be about more than just football, because wherever you go, coaches and teammates can change, so you have to make your choice based on the school itself."

Dale OK for baseball

Ringgold's Slade Dale, who was injured late in the Tigers' football playoff run, will be completely healthy for the upcoming baseball season, according to Ringgold football coach Robert Akins.

"It was a grade-two MCL sprain, and it's getting better constantly," said Akins, whose team lost in the Class AAA semifinals to Washington County last Friday. "In fact, he's going to play in the all-star game Dec. 21 at the Georgia Dome for [North Murray coach] David Gann, though he will only play a few series. He's good to go. There wasn't anything torn, so he'll be 100 percent for baseball season."

Northwest seeks game

Northwest Whitfield football coach Josh Robinson has been burning up his cell-phone minutes trying to find a regular-season game for 2014 and said Thursday the Bruins still need an opponent. Northwest has seven region games and will host Ringgold in a week-zero game and entertain Cedartown in week two. Attempts to fill the other nonregion slot have failed.

"It's been miserable, to be honest," Robinson said. "I've got weeks one, three and four open and we want to travel, but it's been miserable trying to find anybody. I don't just want to play nine games, and since we have those three weeks open we're very flexible. I've called a bunch of schools in Atlanta, and right now that may be where we end up. We would love to stay closer to home, though."

Robinson is happy to have the game with Ringgold, which will be played on a Saturday.

"We need to play," Robinson said. "We're seven miles apart and both communities travel well, so we're really excited about it and think it's going to be a big deal."

Slaton getting late looks

Sonoraville running back Andrew Slaton is a late bloomer on the recruiting trail, but after rushing for more than 1,300 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns for the Phoenix in his only season of varsity play, he's getting some looks.

"For only playing one season he's done really well," Sonoraville coach Roger Gentry said. "I've had quite a few schools ask for video on him, and he's going to take a couple of visits."

The reigning Georgia Class AAA 100- and 200-meter dash champion, Slaton will visit Georgia State and Kennesaw State in the coming weeks.

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