After sharing the field as teammates for the past four years as members of Southeast Lauderdale High School’s football team, Raymon Harris and Jamaricus Ivy will play together again next season at Coahoma Community College.

The two Tigers seniors made their commitments official early Wednesday afternoon in a ceremony held the school’s library that drew more than 50 family members, teammates, coaches and members of the Southeast Lauderdale community.

“I’m sure it will be their first time living away from home and on their own, so there will be a familiar face for them,” Southeast Lauderdale head coach Charles Black said. “They’re friends and really good teammates, so I think it will really benefit them.”

After playing as a freshman, Ivy missed his sophomore season upon discovering a tumor on his knee. One year later, he suffered a collarbone injury during the second game of his junior year, again sidelining the two-way player. After his bouts with adversity, Ivy said he’s thankful for the opportunity to have another chance to play the game he loves.

“It’s a blessing because I’ve always wanted to play football since I was little,” he said. “I always kept it in my head that I could still be able to do everything that I wanted to do to make it to this point. I just kept working hard, and it paid off.

Harris, a running back, rushed for over 500 yards as a sophomore and churned out back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons as a junior and senior. He said he’s looking forward the next chapter with his Southeast Lauderdale teammate.

“(Jamaricus) is like a brother to me,” Harris said. “So it feels pretty good to be able to go play college football. It means a lot to me, but I still have to keep working hard to get to the next level — D-I.”