Dawson County High School held a signing day Wednesday, Dec. 21, for senior football player Kevin Haymond, who penned his letter of intent to play for Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. 

“I’m excited about my new chapter at Centre,” Haymond said. “I appreciate all of you for coming out.”

A lineman who played on both sides of the ball, Haymond proved to be particularly key on the defensive side. He was recently selected as part of the Region 7-3A First Team All-Region defense.

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In addition to many of Haymond’s teammates and former coaches who attended the event, DCHS head coach Sid Maxwell and Athletic Director Bradley Fowler also spoke about Haymond’s journey as a player and his hard work in the classroom.

Maxwell talked about Haymond’s consistency throughout his career, with the constant work ethic he displayed setting an important example for his teammates.

“He’s not a show horse, he’s a work horse,” Maxwell said. “He’s a team player and a great student.”

Haymond’s family was also in attendance — including his father Terry, who serves as the DCHS Director of Football.

Terry Haymond expressed his gratitude for the many people who came out to see Kevin’s signing while also showing his appreciation for Kevin’s resolve to get to this point.

“I’m very proud of Kevin. He’s been an easy son to raise and he’s maintained a 4.3 GPA, which is probably more impressive to me than…football,” Terry Haymond said. “Centre saw that in him and decided to give him an opportunity. We think he made a fantastic choice for the student-athlete intercollegiate experience he will be able to get.”

Throughout his Dawson County career, Kevin made 35 starts, with three years on the defensive line and two years on the offensive line. 

He totaled 123 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in his Tigers career, reaching personal bests with 53 tackles (14 for loss) in 2021 and 6.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in 2022.

In Haymond’s most recent season with Dawson, he helped contribute to a formidable defense that allowed just 48 points across six region games — including two shutouts.