Chatfield football’s Dalton Keene enrolls early at Virginia Tech
LITTLETON — It was a celebration and a bit of a goodbye for Chatfield football standout Dalton Keene last Friday.
There was a couple of dozen students, coaches, faculty and family that were on hand on the final day of winter break for students to give Keene a sendoff before he moves on. While National Letter of Intent Signing Day is next month on Feb. 1, Keene will already be enrolled and taking classes at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va. by then.
Keene — a football standout who led the Chargers in rushing (171 carries for 1,175 yards and 18 touchdowns) and tackles (85) this past season — left Tuesday for the next stage of his educational and football career.
“It’s really a great opportunity to for me,” said Keene about leaving Chatfield and enrolling at Virginia Tech this semester. “I’ve got a chance to go in early and possibility get some playing time my freshman year. That was the thinking behind it.”
The two-way football player and state track qualifier in both Class 5A hurdle events his junior year, inked during the early signing period in November to play football for the Hokies. Keene will have the chance to have a step up on his incoming freshman class by being able to participate in spring football since he is enrolled at the Atlantic Coast Conference school.
Keene, who helped lead the Chargers to the 4A state semifinals in the fall, already has an idea of what he will do whenever his football career ends. He plans on studying building construction at Virginia Tech.
“I went out and did a few camps over the summer and kind of fell in love with Blacksburg,” Keene said. “The environment it brings, you can’t go wrong.”
Coaches at Virginia Tech have told Keene that they are looking at him to play a tight end/H-back roll on the offensive side of the ball.
Virginia Tech won the ACC Coastal division and played eventual NCAA National Champion Clemson in the ACC championship game. The Tigers just edged the Hokies 42-35 for the ACC title.
The Hokies finished their season with a remarkable victory in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, NC.
“That was crazy,” Keene said of watching Virginia Tech’s come-from-behind victory Dec. 29. “That showed me how much fight those guys have in them. That was super impressive.”
The Hokies trailed 24-0 at halftime against Arkansas, but rallied in the second half to take a 35-24 victory. Virginia Tech finished the season with a 10-4 record under first-year head coach Justin Fuente.
