Brighton soccer players Ivy Carson and Karsen Waddell sign scholarships

The Brighton Lady Cardinal soccer team enjoyed a productive 2021 season.

Two of the biggest reasons for that success signed college scholarships last week.

Ivy Carson signed with Belhaven University, a Division III school in Jackson, Miss. Karsen Waddell chose to stay closer to home and signed with Dyersburg State Community College, which plays its home games in Covington.

“When I toured the school, I really liked the campus,” Carson said. “The campus wasn’t too huge and everyone was really nice. I wanted to get away from home a little bit, but not too far.”

Brighton head coach Kelsi Williams called Carson, the team’s starting center midfielder the last two seasons, one of the best players to play at Brighton.

“She has a lot of natural talent,” Williams said. “She has great vision and controls things from midfield. Just a great all-around player..”

Waddell was one of the team’s most versatile players, lining up at wing, midfield and striker.

“We moved her all over the field,” Williams said. “She has great leadership qualities and was always asking us what she could do to get better.”

Waddell was coached by DSCC head coach Robert Luttrell several years on a traveling team and said that was part of the reason she chose DSCC.

“I had multiple offers and I just tried to narrow them down with pros and cons,” Waddell said. “I thought about athletics and academics and Dyersburg State seemed like the best fit.”

“I knew from the beginning she was going to play at the next level,” Williams said, “and now she is.”