On Friday, Aug. 10, John Roper became the first Cherokee Brave to sign a scholarship to play college baseball. He will play next spring for the Hiwassee College Tigers in Madisonville, Tenn. Hiwassee College is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), and plays in the Mid-East Region.
John Roper (center) signs a scholarship on Friday, Aug. 10 to play baseball for Hiwassee College. He is shown with his father, Ian Roper (left), and Hiwassee head coach Shane Gardner. (Cherokee Central Schools photo)
On hand for his signing were his father Ian Roper former CHS athletic director, Hiwassee head baseball coach Shane Gardner, Hiwassee assistant coach Patrick Miller, Cherokee High assistant coach Brett Robertson and Cherokee High head coach Heath Robertson.
While playing for the Braves, Roper set and currently holds four school records: season batting average, career batting average, stolen bases in a season and stolen bases in a career. He finished up his senior year as an All-Conference selection and the first Cherokee baseball player to receive an All-State selection. John also graduated Cherokee High School with a GPA above 4.0.
– Cherokee Central Schools
