COVINGTON, Ga. — In the early part of Thursday morning, Eastside football hosted a special ceremony for its senior wide receiver Saabir Berrian. During the ceremony, Berrian signed his national letter of intent to Catawba’s football program.
Berrian looks forward to taking his talents to the next level.
“From the first moment I put pads on until now, I’ve been working to get to this point,” Berrian said. “And I’ve been dreaming of this moment and extending my athletic career.”
In addition to his play on the gridiron, Berrian was also a member of the Eagles’ basketball team and track and field. That’s not to mention him participating in theater as well.
No matter the sport, Berrian displays high energy in the competition. Now, he plans to pack up his energetic personality and take it with him to Salisbury, North Carolina.
“I’ve always tried to be energetic and bring it into the game, because I know that’s the best thing I can do to help the team on and off the field,” Berrian said. “
Berrian closed out his senior season with First Team All-Region honors from Region 8-AAAAA before which he hauled in nine receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns.
On the basketball court, Berrian was a key contributor to the Eagles’ Sweet Sixteen run this past season. He averaged four points and eight rebounds per game on 53% field goal shooting percentage.
Berrian’s senior track and field season began last weekend.
Though he is a multi-sport athlete, Berrian’s decision to pursue a football career past high school was quite simple.
“If you had asked me my first year of high school, I would’ve told you basketball,” Berrian said. “But after the first time I put the pads on and the first day of practice, I felt the energy of everyone being there. That just spoke to me.”
After his high school graduation in May 2023, Berrian will then move 300-plus miles to join Catawba’s football program in the fall.
But, even though he’ll be moving on from Eastside, Berrian noticed some similarities between the Eagles and the Indians’ programs.
“[Catawba’s] culture is a lot like our Eastside culture,” Berrian said. “So I felt like that was the best team for me to go to, because they already have that and they’re asking for leaders to come. And I feel like this move is going to be really good.”
Nevertheless, there are some aspects of high school football Berrian will miss. None of them compare to the relationships he’s built the past four years.
“I appreciate my coaches the most, keeping it 100% real with me,” Berrian said. “I feel like that just helps everyone play better. And the biggest thing I’ll miss is playing with my brothers. We make each other great. Without them making me better in practice every day, I feel like I wouldn't be able to do this today.”
