High School Sports

By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer

"Now is the time. The moment has arrived. The season is now that these athletes will go on to the next level."

With those words, Reverend Jerome Milton introduced five T.K. Gorman seniors when each put pen to paper to decide their future.

In the middle of the long table Thursday afternoon at T.K. Gorman's library, surrounded by hundreds of students, faculty, media and family, Mia Behm began the proceedings by signing with The University of Texas.

"Their academic stature and their spirit at their university (drew me)," said Behm, the defending TAPPS 5A gold medalist in the 1600 and 3200 and two-time cross country state champion. "Everybody at Texas is full of pride and everyone is really excited to be there. I like that atmosphere."

Behm joined fellow track star Valerie Lindenmuth (SMU) in signing Division I scholarships. Ian Murillo signed a track scholarship with Division II Truman State.

Senior Cara Massey became UT Tyler's first track and field signing, with Miles Kemp also joining the Patriots for basketball.

"Our program has now signed 135 academic athletes in my 19 seasons," said Rev. Milton, who is the girls track coach and the school's scholarship coordinator. "We are very proud of their accomplishments - '08 has done it great.

"They are first-class athletes, first-class students, first class citizens and they've set the bar with doing things first."

Lindenmuth, the defending state silver medalist in the high jump who captured four medals at last week's TAPPS District 2-5A meet in high jump, long jump, triple jump and 300 hurdles, said she will be a multi-event athlete with the SMU Mustangs.

"The heptathlon, where you do seven events, that is what I am going to be competing in next year," Lindenmuth said. "I've always wanted to go to SMU. It just worked out that I was able to go to my No. 1 college and do sports there."

Murillo is ready to challenge himself not only on the track, but in the classroom at Truman State.

"Truman may not be well known down here, but in the Midwest, it is one of the top academic universities year in and year out," Murillo said. "That was really attractive to me, and being offered the chance to compete athletically there at the next level was something I kept driving toward to."

Cara Massey becomes legendary as the first track and field signee for UT Tyler's new program.

"I guess I am," Massey said of being the first. "It's very big for me. I just hope that I can step up to the standard. I am really excited though; it's very monumental."

Kemp, who recently was named honorable mention on the All-East Texas Basketball Team, becomes the first-ever Gorman basketball player to sign with UT Tyler.

"I wanted to stay close to Tyler for family reasons and I like their facilities a lot," Kemp said.

Behm, who started running track only three years ago, summed up her feelings in a post-signing interview.

"It's relieving," said Behm, who joins older brother Jacob at Texas. "It's a very exciting day and I am glad that it's over with. "I am glad that I've decided where I want to go and excited about the future."

Notes: The Texas Women's Track team, which owns seven national titles, is coached by Beverly Kearny, a 2008 inductee into the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. ... Truman State is located in Kirksville, Mo., and competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference.

MIA BEHM (center) signs her scholarship with Texas with parents Doug and Cindy Behm (back, center), Mary Schick (back left) and Rev. Jerome Milton behind. Also pictured are (from left) Cara Massey, Ian Murillo, Valerie Lindenmuth and Miles Kemp.
(Staff Photo By Tom Turner)