ST. PAULS — Two members of the St. Pauls football team that won the 2AA East Regional championship this spring will continue their playing careers at the collegiate level, with one close to home and one going over halfway across the country.

Keith Pittman signed with The University of North Carolina at Pembroke on Thursday and Waltay Jackson signed with the New Mexico Military Institute.

Pittman, a linebacker who had 78 tackles and eight tackles for loss in eight games last season, will play for the Braves as someone known as a smart player.

“It feels great, because it took a lot of hard work,” Pittman said. “When I came into high school, I wasn’t really athletic, I just play smart. That’s where me getting into the playbook comes in, because that’s what I use to gain leverage on you; I’ll be smarter than you, and I’ll be more physical than you.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a student of the game like Keith — but a lot of times you have somebody that’s a student of the game but they can’t do it physically; Keith can do it physically,” St. Pauls coach Mike Setzer said. “He can take it from paper and transfer it quickly on the field.”

While Pittman’s college opportunity comes late in the process, he’s grateful to be getting the chance to continue his playing career, and to do so close to home.

“It kind of played out in my favor; I’m going to a four-year university and that’s all I can ask for,” Pittman said. “It feels great to be that close to family and stuff like that; I know if something happens I’ve got my family right here.”

UNCP, Setzer says, is getting not just a great football player but someone he says will become a great representative of the university and program.

“He’s a field general, so he’s going to film study, he’s going to do what you need to do in the weight room, he’s going to do what you need to do on the field,” Setzer said. “He’s a kid that you don’t have to worry about in the classroom, and he’s going to be an ambassador for UNCP football.”

While Pittman is staying in Robeson County, Jackson will travel over 1,600 miles to play for the New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college located in Roswell, New Mexico.

“I didn’t think I was going to get an offer,” Jackson said. “I’m at a loss for words.”

Jackson caught 33 catches for 553 yards with eight touchdowns in St. Pauls’ nine games this spring. He was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player at the 2AA state championship game after 10 catches for 72 yards an a touchdown.

“(He’s a) big-play athlete,” Setzer said. “The adage is, the more times you put the ball in his hands, something’s going to happen; that’s what they’re getting out of him. This kind of kid, if you up his touches, something big’s going to happen. He’s the kind of guy that can blow the top off a defense. He doesn’t have anything less than a 10 gear, so he’s going to be big on special teams, he’s going to be big on offense.”

While Jackson will be far from home, Setzer said playing for the Broncos could give Jackson some broader possibilities in being recruited to a four-year school after his two junior-college seasons.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for him,” Setzer said. “Now he’s not only going to be reintroduced on the east side (of the country) recruiting, but now you’re going to have the Midwest and the western side recruiting him, so he’s got a lot of opportunities in that institution.”

Pittman and Jackson are the fourth and fifth players from the Bulldogs’ Class of 2021 to sign to play college football, joining Will Ford, Ethan Roberts and Enrique Lopez-Ray.