WEST BLOOMFIELD, Michigan – Lance Dixon and Tre Mosley still stand on the football field.
The game is won, the lights are going off and many of their West Bloomfield football teammates have headed for the bus.
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But Dixon and Mosley savor the moment. They pose with a couple of classmates as parents and coaches snap pictures on their cameras and iPhones.
The two seniors hope to share a few more of these moments this fall for a West Bloomfield squad that advanced to the state championship game last year and has great expectations for this season.
Then they will head their separate ways. Dixon, a linebacker, has committed to play college football at Penn State. Mosley, a wide receiver, will head to Michigan State.
“We had our share of conversations about which school was the best fit for us or even if we saw ourselves playing together,” Mosley said. “But at the end of the day I chose Michigan State and he chose Penn State which turns out to be the best fit for both of us. We’ve got one more year together and then we’ll be Big Ten rivals.”
They want to make the most of their final high school season, which they started with a 39-28 victory over Birmingham Groves.
Mosley caught five passes in the game, and Dixon scored on an six-yard touchdown run.
Dixon also made a tackle for a loss on a fourth-down play in the third quarter when West Bloomfield seized control of the game.
“Coach on the sideline he told me to crash inside,” Dixon said. “They were running a stretch so the tight end went to the right. I ducked under the fullback, and I just punched the ball out.”
That kind of opportunistic play helped the Lakers reach the Division 1 state finals last year, and it’s a big reason why they have high hopes this year.
“It’s been a great West Bloomfield career,” Dixon said.
Soon, though, Dixon and Mosley will move on from high school football.
“Tre and Lance are great kids,” West Bloomfield coach Ron Bellamy said. “My relationship with them is different than a lot of coaches. I coach middle school basketball so I’ve coached Lance and Tre since the seventh grade. We’ve had our bond since they were 12 years old.”
Both players leaned on Bellamy -- a former star wide receiver at Michigan -- for advice during the recruiting process. His words were straightforward.
“Enjoy the experience,” Bellamy said. “First of all, enjoy, embrace it. You earned it.”
They also talked to their family, and to each other.
“It’s great to have another player going through the same things you’re going through,” Dixon said. “We just talked about different coaches and stuff, how you like that coach, stuff like that.”
Ultimately, Dixon decided to attend Penn State. He cited the coaching staff as a major reason.
“Everything about the program is phenomenal,” Dixon said.
Mosley, meanwhile, opted to attend Michigan State. He also had offers from Michigan, Oregon, Purdue, Minnesota and Missouri.
“I committed to State because it was the best fit for me in terms of coaches that could develop me and make me the best receiver,” Mosley said. “The offensive scheme fits my skill set. The other 2019 commits I’m really close to those guys. It was a hard choice but it was also an easy choice at the same time.”
“These kids deserve the world,” Bellamy said. “They’re great people.”