SPANISH FORT, Alabama — Lady Toro midfielder Jessica Watts formerly agreed to play soccer for the University of Great Falls in Montana Friday at Spanish Fort High in a scholarship-signing ceremony with family and friends.

Watts helped lead the Lady Toros to a state title and three final-four appearances as well as region and section crowns since the eighth grade. An injury suffered last fall is keeping her off the field her senior year as she prepares for the UGF Argonauts 2013 womens season beginning in August.

“I hate that I’m missing my senior year,” she said. “But I want to be in top shape when I go up there. And they said I would probably come into a starting position, so I’m working to get back to 100 percent by the time I leave to start training with them this summer.”

She had other offers from campuses with visits closer to home (less than 1,800 miles), but her academic goals fit in too well with the biology program at Great Falls.

“Their coach saw my online recruiting profile and noticed that I was interested in studying biology and going to vet (veterinary) school and contacted me. He is also the biology professor so he has good contacts in the veterinary field. They also have one of the best biology schools for the type of biology I want to do. So I visited and I fell in love with it. It’s so pretty up there. And all the coaches are very nice.”

Toro head coach Barclay Kercher said Watts’ presence is missed.

“Jessica helped make this school a soccer school. We were already known for state championships in other sports, but our success now started to really take off when she came onboard and of course the rest is history. We were state champions her sophomore year and, well, for us to come this far in so short a period of time is the result of everyone’s hard work and Jessica has been a big part.

“She was moved up to varsity her eighth-grade year and competed with us at the state level. Then as a freshman she was a captain and we were state runner up in 5A and then her sophomore she was a captain again and we won the state championship, but last year we lost in the semis. Still, not a bad run. Unfortunately she is unable to play with us, but we’re proud of her for her success. She was also a big part of our offseason and preseason workouts because I coached volleyball as well and I depended on her a lot.”

Assistant athletic director Duane Davis said scholarships are a recognition of the student-athlete’s talents on and off the field of play as well as a pat on the back for the school and parents.

“Always an exciting time when one of our own has an opportunity to sign and take their athletic and academic abilities to a new and higher level” he said. “Especially when it’s someone who will be such a great representative of Spanish Fort, her family, the school family and the whole community and all the coaches and teachers who have been influential in Jessica’s success.”

Watts scored 38 goals and made 29 assists for the Lady Toros in her career. She is the daughter of Dan and Brenda Watts.