By Chris Moore

Special to The News

Two Memorial Titans players signed national letters of intent Wednesday to continue their football careers at the college level.

Defensive end Michael Riles signed to play for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, while receiver Semaj Pierre elected to sign with Rice University.

For Pierre, the signing was a full-circle moment dating back to when he was 7 years old.

“My dad told me I could go to a school like Rice when I was really young. I was too young to even really understand it,” Pierre said.

Pierre performed well at a Texas Christian University camp, which earned him an invite to the Rice camp, he said.

“I went and did well again and they offered me that day,” Pierre said. “My dad pulled me aside and asked if I remembered what he told me when I was younger. I knew it was God telling me that I need to be there.”

Riles, a four-star standout, said he chose Oklahoma State because of the coaching staff.

“It feels great,” he said. “They made it feel like a home away from home. I love going up there and being around the coaching staff. You can tell the passion they have for me. I talk to the coaches there almost every day. I love the defensive side of it. I’m looking forward to have my teammates get to know me and know that I am a game changer.”

Both players pointed to big plays they made while at Memorial, but both also said they are going to miss their teammates the most. During their speeches, both took time to thank their teammates and encouraged the younger players to keep working hard.

Memorial Head Coach Brian Morgan said both players grew in different ways while at Memorial. He said he told Pierre that he would have to add some weight if he wanted to play college ball, and said his hard work paid off. Pierre will also graduate at the end of the month and enroll early at Rice in January.

For Riles, while he also physically grew at Memorial, the coach also pointed to the player’s growth in maturity as the greatest asset to his success. Both laughed when talking about several in-office discussions between the two. Morgan said Riles growth will have to continue to excel at Oklahoma State both on and off the field. Riles thanked his coach for his patience and believing in him.