Chris Smotherman has had dreams of continuing his football career at the next level.

The Adams County Christian School star got his wish this past week.

Smotherman verbally committed to East Central Community College Thursday night, capping off what has been a memorable senior campaign.

“It feels really good that somebody finally gave me a shot,” Smotherman said of the ECCC offer and commitment. “I’ve just been sitting here waiting (on offers), and now I’ve got my chance and can prove myself at the next level. It’s a dream come true. It’s a blessing.”

Smotherman said he chose the Warriors over interest from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana Tech, South Dakota and others, but ECCC was his only scholarship offer.

“I’ve worked my tail off for this,” he said.  “It’s a junior college, but it’s a start and a chance for me to move on to bigger and better things.”

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound defensive end recorded 86 tackles and tallied 17 sacks this past season en route to leading the Rebels to an MAIS AAA state title appearance and being selected to participate in the MAIS All-Star Game.

Smotherman transferred to ACCS the January of his sophomore year after moving from Oklahoma.

ECCC is led by head coach Ken Karcher, who just completed his fourth season, and has helped turn around what had previously been a disappointing program.

Karcher tallied just four wins in his first two years at the helm, but has guided the Warriors to 8-3 and 5-5 marks the past two years, including an MACJ South Division title this past year.

“(Karcher) told me the key for the turnaround was getting them to play as a team and getting everyone on the same page, and that stuck out to me,” Smotherman said. “He’s obviously doing something right, and to make that team go from nothing to something says the kind of job he is doing.”

Smotherman said he plans to sign with the Decatur-based campus on Signing Day, Feb. 1, but no matter where his talents may take him, he will always cherish his time spent in a Rebel uniform.

“The main thing I’m going to remember is being in the locker room with all these guys,” Smotherman said. “We played together as a team, especially on that defense.  Everybody was one unit, one heartbeat.”