February 22, 1989 | By Joe Williams of The Sentinel Staff
LEESBURG — Terry Rolle and Tommy Willis, longtime friends and teammates on the Leesburg High School football team, will remain teammates in collge.
Rolle and Willis signed Tuesday afternoon with Elizabeth City (N.C.) State University in a double signing ceremony conducted in the school's library. Present at the signing were several of their teammates as well as their mothers, Ida Rolle and Gloria Willis-Waters.
''I think it will be fun,'' Willis said. ''T-Rolle and I have known each other since we were little. Being 700 or 800 miles away from home, it's good knowing that I'll have a friend up there. We will be able to look out after each other.''
''It's a boost going off to college with Tommy,'' Rolle said. ''I don't have a problem making friends, but it is comforting to have a guy from the same place. We are going to be roommates for the next four years.''
Rolle (6-1, 280), is projected as a possible starter at offensive guard for Elizabeth City next season if he qualifies under Proposition 48. Rolle has to raise his SAT or ACT scores to qualify. Even if he doesn't, Rolle will remain at Elizabeth City and sit out next season.
Willis (6-1 160), will be looked at as a quarterback, although he only played two games at quarterback last season after starter Greg Engle was injured.
Willis was The Lake Sentinel's defensive player of the year.
Their signings bring the total of Leesburg players who will be playing in college to three. Ryan Taylor signed with the University of Florida on Feb. 8. Two other Leesburg players, Brad Dunn and Chris Sopotnick, plan on trying to make college teams as walk-ons.
Dunn is going to try-out for the University of Central Florida, and Sopotnick will try to make the Georgia Southern football team.
Willis and Rolle were being recruited by Florida A&M until assistant coach Walter Highsmith went to Texas Southern. Highsmith continued to recruit Willis until he decided to join Rolle at Elizabeth City.
''Tommy was really considering signing with Texas Southern, but at the last moment he decided to go to Elizabeth City,'' Leesburg Coach Richard Kennedy said.
Among the schools who showed interest in Rolle were A&M, Bethune-Cookman, the University of Mississippi and Florida State.
''They were telling me to go to a junior college and play for two years,'' Rolle said. ''But you don't know what could happen in those two years. I could get injured or something else.''
Willis went through the season as Leesburg's second-string quarterback and starting safety.
''He played defense for us because that is where he was needed,'' Kennedy said. ''I think Tommy will be very, very good. Tommy can play quarterback, it was just that we needed him at defensive back.''
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