Hornets send 3 to play BSC football

Three student-athletes at Chelsea High School have signed to play football at Birmingham-Southern College.

David Hardenbergh, Blake Travelstead and Michael Waller have all played football together since before their high school days and are great friends, and each of them played on the defensive side of the ball for head coach Chris Elmore at Chelsea.

“They have been committed to me and this football program since I got to Chelsea three years ago,” Elmore said. “They have never questioned why we did things. They showed up every day and did the absolute best they could do in whatever we were doing.”

Hardenbergh and Travelstead each played linebacker and were three-year starters for the Hornets. Hardenbergh led the team with 119 tackles in his senior season and was selected as a team captain. He was named the team’s Linebacker of the Year and was awarded the Stump Scholarship for Entrepreneurs at BSC. 

Travelstead received the Jake Ganus Award at Chelsea, an award given to an athlete who displays character and work ethic on and off the field. He registered 81 tackles for the 2015 campaign.

Waller was another three-year starter at the safety position. In his final season, he picked up 116 tackles along with four interceptions. He was named a team captain as well and was the Defensive Back of the Year. 

Along with football, Waller is also on the wrestling team at Chelsea.