WINDSOR—It’s unusual for a high school soccer player from this area to move on to play college ball, but Windsor High School’s Timmy Songer is about to buck that trend. Songer has decided to sign on with Randolph College for the fall of 2008.

Songer, a center midfelder for the Dukes, will step into new territory with his WildCat teammates. Randolph College, formerly Randolph-Macon Women’s College until two years ago, will move into the NCAA Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference after playing an independent schedule in 2007. The team went 2-9-1 last year and played in several close games that went into overtime.

Randolph was a women’s school for 115 years. The 715-student school has a history of athletics. According to the school’s website, nearly 20 percent of all students at the college play a varsity sport.

Songer also plays for the Chesapeake Surge, a select team from his native Chesapeake. The Songer’s moved from Great Bridge to Windsor when Timmy was in second grade, but he never lost his urge for the game, despite Western Tidewater’s penchant for football.

“Soccer is not really big out here, but I moved here and just stuck with soccer. That’s what my parents got me into,” he said. “I was pretty good at it, so I liked it.”

Songer, 17, was scouted at tournaments where college scouts typically roam, rather than high school games.

“If you have the ability, scouts will come and look at you,” said Windsor head coach Matt Burgess.

As a midfielder, Songer helps steer the Windsor offense. He has exceptional footwork to get around other players, a laser beam shot, and strong skills to hit a scoring threat like the Dukes’ Joe Owens.

“He has a lot of technical footwork. It really serves us to have him on the field with his ability to take shots,” Burgess said. “His technical footwork really helps him out. I think he has been playing soccer forever, just constant practice.”

Songer, who mentioned entering Randolph as a math major and has a 3.5 GPA at WHS, chalks up his skills to playing with select teams.

“Being around other players, they teach you stuff and you teach them stuff. It kind of wears off,” Songer said.