Linganore 's football team was celebrating more than the start of practice over the weekend.

Two seniors on the team, receiver Ryan Dixon and offensive lineman Kyle Tucker, made verbal commitments to play for Division I-AA colleges on full scholarships.

Dixon plans to attend James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., while Tucker is headed to Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J.

"Over the last four years, they have worked at an incredible level and are more than deserving of this opportunity both academically and athletically," Lancers coach Rick Conner of Dixon and Tucker.

Dixon was one of the best receivers in Frederick County last season, grabbing 47 passes for 955 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He visited James Madison on Friday and immediately felt it was the right place for him.

"I really enjoyed being there," he said. "The school is nice. The coaches are great. I loved the campus. Pretty much everything stood out in my head."

Tucker caught the attention of the Monmouth coaching staff for his work on Linganore 's acclaimed offensive line as the starting left guard, a position he has held for three seasons.

"The coaches were great," Tucker said. "I don't think I met any (college) coaches that treated me as nice as they did É Plus I did some research on the academics of the school and felt I fit in pretty well."

A strong and athletic player, the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Tucker is projected to be a center for the Hawks.

"I've played some center before for the (Linganore ) scout team," he said, confident he will be able to handle the change.

As impressed as Tucker was with the overall football program and all of its new facilities, the location of the Monmouth campus (a 45-minute drive from New York City) also played a role in his decision.

"Plus, the beach is about a mile away," he said.

Both Dixon and Tucker expressed relief their college-decision process is over and they can focus entirely on the upcoming season at Linganore .

"We're working pretty hard," Tucker said. "We're trying to win a state championship."

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