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DELRAY BEACH — Three Atlantic Eagles are set to be mountain men next fall after signing to Western Carolina University on National Signing Day.

In January, Marquis Lymon, Corey Reddick, and Jhamari Pierre-Louis took an official visit to the Cullowhee, North Carolina, affectionately known to the Catamounts as "The Whee."

However, their visit didn't go as planned in one fateful way.

Safety Marquis Lymon announces that he will be signing his Letter of Intent with the Catamounts of Western Carolina University at Atlantic's National Signing Day ceremony on Feb. 2, 2022.

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The group of South Florida athletes found themselves snowed in at their hotel before even setting foot on campus.

Having grown up in the blanket of South Florida's sticky heat, the harsh cold weather of the Appalachian Mountains seemed sure to sway the Sunshine State recruits away.

"It was their first time seeing snow – all three of them – and their parents as well," Atlantic coach Jamael Stewart said.

Thanks to the efforts of offensive coordinator Kade Bell and the rest of Western Carolina's coaching staff, it was also the first time they felt they found their home away from home.

"They couldn't leave their hotel room. They're in this valley area and the coaches are trying to get to the hotel to the boys, and they're in this van that gets stuck in the snow and couldn't get up the hill," Stewart said.

In Southern tradition, the coaches were determined to be good hosts and sought to ensure that their prospects and families wouldn't be hungry in addition to the less than desirable circumstances.

The coaches found a nearby gas station and bought it out of all of the snacks and food they could find and proceeded to trek two hours up the mountainside, seeing that their guests were taken care of.

"That's what really ignited them to fall in love with the school," Stewart said.

"I had the kids calling me and the parents calling me and they were just wowed by that experience from the forefront. The way that the staff and everyone treated them while they were there – they really rolled out the red carpet for them," Stewart said.

Prior to signing with the Catamounts, all three players had a multitude of options to weigh.

Reddick, a running back, touted offers from Army, Navy, along with a preferred walk-on at Florida State University. Pierre-Louis was deciding if he would play defensive back at Keiser or St. Thomas University.

Lymon, one of the most highly-recruited safeties in the state and the Post's top player of last season's Super 11, had Deion Sanders' Jackson State and Utah State in his top three alongside Western Carolina.

Finally having something concrete after experiencing two consecutive seasons of adversity and uncertainty, it was an emotional ceremony, with Reddick and Lymon shedding tears as they struggled to find the words to describe how it feels to have finally sealed the deal.

"It was a good experience for those kids and very memorable," Stewart said.

See where the rest of Palm Beach County football's star seniors landed as National Signing Day comes to a close by taking a peek at the roundup below.

If your athlete isn't listed, be sure to file commitments and signings with Emilee Smarr, esmarr@gannett.com, or Eric Wallace, ewallace@gannett.com.

National Signing Day Roundup: Football

Atlantic

Lemarcus Bonner - St. Thomas University

Omari Mitchell - St. Thomas University

Dezmond Penn - St. Thomas University

Jekkaven Smith - Kansas Wesleyan

Corey Reddick - Western Carolina

Marquis Lymon - Western Carolina

Jhamari Pierre-Louis - Western Carolina

Benjamin

C.J. Bowens - Army West Point

Danny Gonzalez - University of South Florida

Dalton Lyons - Grambling State

Mason Thomason - Stetson

Boca Raton

John Harrison - St. Thomas University

Trey Rainey - Lafayette

Dwyer

Xavier Scott - Illinois

Glades Central

Alcivial Henrisme - Valdosta State

Wansley Jeanty - Valdosta State

Inlet Grove

Gabriel Gerig - Harvard

Silas Hinson - Lake Erie

Tyler Kelly - Keiser

Jupiter Christian

Brian LaFrance - American International College

Pahokee

Anthony Anderson - Lake Erie

Tyreek McPherson - Allen

Omari Mitchell - Lake Erie

Lamar Powell - St. Thomas University

Sam Tarver - Lance Butler

Palm Beach Central

Markel King - Ferris State

Denzel Williams - Minot State

Palm Beach Gardens

Naivyan Cargill - Illinois

Vincent Dubose - Fort Hays State

Peter Lubin - Fort Hays State

Palm Beach Lakes

Kahlil Bradford - Florida Memorial

Trevon Cooper - Keiser

Gary Fields - St. Thomas University

Blake Hillard - Tennessee State

Donald Lockett - Edinboro University

Noah McKenzie - Speights Academy

Silko Price - Fort Hays State

Park Vista

Julian Mountcastle - Missouri S&T

Seminole Ridge

Hayden Gray - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Somerset Academy-Canyons

Benson Barnes - St. Thomas University

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Source: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/02/02/national-signing-day-western-carolina-impressed-recruits-snow-day-aid/6637884001/