Roderick West may be saying goodbye to Selma in the very near future, but his time away from a football teammate won’t be long.

West was one of three Selma High School senior football players to sign college scholarships on Wednesday. West will attend Alabama State this fall, where he will play football for the defending Southwest Athletic Conference champion Hornets.

The former Selma High School safety’s signing was part of college football’s National Signing Day – the first day high school senior football players can officially sign college gridiron scholarships.

West will join Selma High teammate Donald Steele in the SWAC. Steele signed on Wednesday with Southern University.

“It’s going to be interesting,” West said of the impending date next season against Steele. “We played together for four years. It’s definitely going to be interesting to see what happens.”

While at Selma High, West accrued 111 tackles this season to go with 14 pass breakups and seven career interceptions. He was named Selma High’s Defensive Back of the Year. He will replace Deion Lewis at free safety for the Hornets.

“Most of the team’s core is coming back next year,” Steele said of Alabama State’s chances of again winning the SWAC title. “We’re losing a couple of seniors, but no one that can’t be replaced.”

Selma High coach Woodrow Lowe said he would remember West for two particularly hard hits he delivered this season.

“He knocked out two guys, one at Prattville and one at Northview,” Lowe said. “That’s what got him the scholarship.”

Steele said he hoped the three signings would be a positive motivation on his younger teammates.

“This should show them to work hard,” he said. “Despite your team’s record, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, someone will see you.”

Lowe added that he would be taking Selma High wide receiver Robert Childers to Alabama State on Monday for an unofficial visit. He said he hopes that Childers could be a walk-on for the Hornets next season.