WAVERLY – Many high school athletes have goals. Waverly’s Isaac Blanford has scored plenty of them in the past four years as a forward on the Tigers’ soccer team and has now set a higher goal — succeeding at the collegiate level.

Blanford signed a National Letter of Intent, Friday, to play soccer at St. Catharine College in St, Catharine, Ky., 150 miles Southwest of Lexington.

St. Catharine College, founded in 1931, is a small liberal arts college that provides a unique residential collegiate experience totally dedicated to helping each student realize his or her full potential with a student enrollment of approximately 700 students.

“I expected (Blanford) to get an offer, there was no question,” Waverly soccer coach Chris Murphy said. “What I was really wanting him to get, was where he could make it where it would be a good fit for him and a good fit for the school."

Murphy thinks that Blanford made such a choice by choosing St. Catharine College.

“I think Isaac selected an outstanding school,” Murphy said. “It’s got what he wants, academically. Athletically, he’s going to make that program a lot better. St. Catharine has a good program, but Isaac can enhance that.”

Coach Murphy said that Blanford is good at scoring, but also is willing to be unselfish and give up the ball to a teammate.

“If I was a college coach, I would be very pleased in getting him,” Murphy said. “I know he’ll be a very good student, academically and a very good athlete for their school.”

Murphy talked about how competitive the college game is and how Blanford would fare in that kind of atmosphere.

“What will set Isaac aside from everybody is how hard he will work,” Murphy said. “That is the main difference. He is eager to learn and likes to learn.”

St. Catharine head coach Paul Patton is pleased to have Blanford joining his squad.

“We’re excited to have him because he’s a forward that scores and gets a lot of assists,” Patton said. “We lost one of our forwards form this last year, so I think he’ll come in and help us solidify that position. I think he’ll be one of those players that will put the ball in the back of the net for us and make a difference in the game. I think he will have a shot to really contribute as a freshman.”

St. Catharine is in the Mid-South Conference along with the University of Rio Grande. Shawnee State University will join the conference in 2010. Other area schools on St. Catharine’s schedule include Kentucky Christian College in Grayson, Ky. and Southern State Community College in Hillsboro.

“I’m really excited to go (to St. Catharine), but there are a lot nerves in there too,” Blanford said. “I’m excited to be on the team and to start on my future.”

Blanford said the size of the college was one its appealing qualities.

“It’s a smaller school and I thought I’d fit in a whole lot better at a smaller college, where there are smaller classes,” Blanford said.

He also has relatives in the area.

“My grandparents live there, and have a bunch of aunts and uncles so I won’t be completely isolated," Blanford said. I really like that area. I have been there with my parents. It’s just a really nice place to be and I like it.”

Blanford plans to pursue a double major in Human Resource Management and Business.

BRET BEVENS can be reached at (740) 353-3101 ext. 242