Connally's Songy overcomes adversity, lands football scholarship

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Signing Day was filled with plenty of emotion for Darrell Songy and his family as he penned his letter of intent on Wednesday.

Songy, a senior at Connally High School , will continue his football career at Oregon State next year, more than 2200 miles from his home in Pflugerville.

Leaving home is nothing new for Songy, who was displaced following Hurricane Katrina.

“I’ve definitely been through a lot of adversity, coming from Katrina and having family be so far away,” he said. “There were times where it was definitely a struggle and I definitely didn’t know if could make it.”

After signing his name to paper on Wednesday, Songy was overwhelmed with joy.

“Just having that reassurance of having a scholarship and having a place to be able to go and get an education…it’s just breathtaking.”

The day was especially exciting for his family who were in attendance.

“In spite of losing everything, we were able to get back, readjust, and just keep going,” Darrell’s mom, Theresa, said. “There were times he was disappointed…but he never gave up.”

Darrell knows when he makes the move to Corvallis, Ore., he’ll be representing a proud family who has helped him along the way.

“I definitely want to go there and become a better athlete, and become a better person,” he said. “(I want) to be able to have skill sets for a job if I do need it, or one day be blessed and be able to play on Sunday’s.”

Songy will join former Pflugerville Panther, Storm Woods, who just finished his freshman season at Oregon State University.