Greene Central’s Brandon Gilbert, left, and Dylan Benton signed their letters of commitment Tuesday. Benton will be going to Louisburg for baseball and Gilbert is Barton-bound for football. Photo by Junious Smith III / Neuse News

By Junious Smith III

SNOW HILL — Greene Central celebrated a pair of athletes heading to the next level.

Dylan Benton and Brandon Gilbert signed their commitment letters Tuesday, with Benton going to Louisburg for baseball and Gilbert being a member of Barton’s first football team. Gilbert played a strong role in the Rams’ defense, totaling 89 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions last season at the middle linebacker position. While Gilbert will transition to an outside linebacker, he said he was excited for the challenge.

“I wanted to be a part of the first football team at Barton, and I really liked the atmosphere there,” Gilbert said. “I know my workload will increase, and I’m going to get better when it comes to time management.”

Allen Wooten coached Gilbert during his time at Greene Central and had high praise for him.

“Brandon was a special player,” Wooten said. “He was a three-year starter and he battled through some injuries, never giving up. What’s great about Brandon is the fact he was a wonderful player, but an even better student, which is something you don’t find as often. He was looking for a place that could help him achieve his athletic and academic goals, and luckily he found one at Barton.”

Benton, who will be a catcher at Louisburg, batted .300 or better in three of his four seasons with Greene Central and said he will take what he learned at Greene Central to the next level.

“My biggest thing was being patient with whatever I’m doing, especially during hard times,” Benton said. “I feel like Louisburg was a great fit for me and I’m going to do whatever I can to help the team win.”

Greene Central baseball coach Scott Jones said Benton was an immense help to the team.

“As a freshman, we brought him in as a pitcher and he had some of the best stuff on the staff,” Jones said. “It may have set him back a little bit as far as his other skills, but he made great improvements and really hit the ground running. He’s got a great coach out there in Blake Herring, who played under me, and their personalities are perfect for each other. Dylan’s a little quieter, but they’re both good country boys.”