CHOCOWINITY — Recent high-school graduates look for a school that is a perfect fit. Soon-to-be Southside alumnus Noah Trogdon found just that in Bluefield College in Virginia.

The student body of less than 900 undergraduates provides him with the classroom intimacy he prefers. The town itself is comparable to Chocowinity in a lot of ways. Bluefield also has a strong history program, which is what Trogdon wants to study.

“I wanted to go for a degree in history and it’s got a good history program,” Trogdon said. “It’s just a small college where they can teach you one-on-one instead of being in a big classroom where I could potentially fall behind.”

On top of all that, Trogdon gets to continue his football career for a few more years. Even years ago when he first donned a Seahawk uniform, he loved the game, but wasn’t sure if he’d get to play after high school.

Four years later, the game will continue to be a part of his life.

“It’s very important. When I first started high school, I wasn’t sure if I would ever play football again after high school,” he said. “Now that I have the opportunity, I feel very great about it.”

Football helped make Trogdon’s high school experience what it was. Successes on the field become lasting memories, and the friendships are forever. He hopes that the game will continue to provide that in college, too.

“At first, I thought, ‘I’m not going to make a lot of friends in high school.’ This year especially, I’ve made a lot of improvements playing football and have made a lot of friends,” Trogdon said. “It’ll definitely (help me transition).”

Trogdon has been an integral part of the Southside football program for four years. He’s seen the team go from winning three games his freshman season to competing for regional championships in consecutive years.

“I’m extremely proud any time one of our guys gets to go play ball at the next level,” head football coach Jeff Carrow said. “… Especially for a guy like Noah, he’s a blue-collar kid. He works hard. He busts his tail. He’s been undersized basically in every position he’s been in, but the hard work he’s put in … and the chance to go play ball somewhere is just outstanding.”

Trogdon, as a Seahawk, played just about anywhere the team needed him to. He put his hand down and got in the trenches and, defensively, spent time in the middle of the field as a linebacker. He said he’ll be playing either linebacker or fullback with the Rams.