LYNN — In their four years playing together on the Tech football team, Keoni Gaskin and Steffan Gravely paired up to form one of the more feared running back duos in the Commonwealth Athletic Conference.
This past fall, Gaskin and Gravely left their stamps on the Tigers program as they helped lead Tech to 12-1 record, a MVADA Small Championship and a deep run in the Division 8 North state tournament. Tech’s only loss came to Cathedral, 20-6, in the Division 8 North final.
Both seniors and CAC all-stars, Gaskin ran for 893 yards and 15 touchdowns while Gravely tallied 2,254 yards and 30 touchdowns in the 2017 season.
Now the two are bringing their talents to the next level. Tuesday morning at Tech, Gaskin and Gravely signed their National Letters of Intent, solidifying their future endeavors as student athletes. Gravely penned his letter to Division III UMass Dartmouth and Gaskin will play at Franklin Pierce.
Gravely, who finished his high school career with 5,903 yards, is fourth all-time on list of Massachusetts all-time leading rushers. He’s the all-time leader in both rushing yards and touchdowns in Tigers program history.
“(Our) senior year was everything,” Gravely, who was named the Item/Agganis Foundation Offensive Player of the Year last December, said. “You couldn’t go out any better way. That was the best way for us seniors to go out.”
After weighing his college options, Gravely decided on UMass Dartmouth. He toured the campus on an overnight visit, when he also gained familiarity with the team’s coaching staff and players.
“What stood out about UMass Dartmouth was the environment,” Gravely said. “The coaches made me feel welcome. The environment of the school felt right. The football players were great and they made it feel like a great environment.”
Gravely also considered committing to Division III Dean College, where Tech coach James Runner played his college football. Gravely relied on Runner for advice through the recruiting process.
“The advice I was given the most was ‘go where you feel comfortable at,'” Gravely said. “Comfort is a big thing with me. I have to feel very comfortable where I’m at. I feel very comfortable at UMass Dartmouth. Coach Runner was in a similar position when he was my age. He let me make the decision. His advice was just to go where you feel best. He let me know that he’d support me no matter where I went.”
Gravely joins current Classical seniors Adam Washington and Matt Gisonno to form a Lynn trio expected to make an impact on the Corsairs this upcoming fall.
“I feel relieved,” Gravely said. “I finally know where I’m going to be for the next four years. Now it’s just grind time, finishing the school year the right way and getting ready for football season.
“I owe a big thanks to the Tech football team and the coaches,” Gravely added. “I really owe a lot to them and I’m excited for the next four years.”
Gaskin, who was also an Item all-star, played four years of varsity football as a two-way starter. In the MVADA championship game, Gaskin ran for 100 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries, while catching a key interception to hold off a late Nashoba Valley rally in Tech’s win.
“It was great,” Gaskin said of his senior season. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication through four years. When we came in as freshmen, we told people that we’d win a championship. It was our senior year and it was time for us to show out and show people what we could do.”
Gaskin chose to commit to Franklin Pierce, where he believes he can play a key piece in the foundation of the program — similar to the role he played over his four seasons at Tech.
“I feel the campus in general was a whole community,” Gaskin, who also considered committing to Division III Springfield College, said. “60 percent of the students there are athletes. I like being a part of something that can build up. I like being part of the foundation of a program. They have a good team and a good coaching staff.”
Making his college commitment official was a moment Gaskin worked toward since his freshman year.
“It felt great,” Gaskin added. “The recruiting process was pretty stressful. You picture it from your freshman year, you want to be one of those guys that has a signing day. You work hard at it and when it finally happens it feels great.”
Gaskin anticipates a handful of challenges as jumps from high school to college football. Given the coaching he received at Tech from Runner and his assistants, Gaskin is confident he’ll be ready to perform for the Ravens when his number’s called.
“I know the game’s going to be a lot stronger and faster,” Gravely said. “It’s going to be time consuming. Coach Runner taught us and coached us up. Through my four years there, he coached us like a college program. I don’t think the transition will be a difficult task.”
