The Selma Quarterback Club usually hands out four scholarships to the cream of the crop in Selma and Dallas County, but this year it upped the ante by adding a fifth scholarship into the mix.

Aderick Moore from Selma was awarded the Larry D. Striplin Jr. Scholarship, Tommy Kendrick from Dallas County was awarded the W. Forrest Hatfield Scholarship, Harrison Adams from Morgan Academy was the “Big” Fred Davis II Scholarship, Walter Kendrick from Dallas County was awarded the J. Harmon Carter Scholarship and Jackson Henderson from Morgan Academy was awarded the newest addition to the club, the Catesby ap Jones Scholarship.

Gus Colvin, scholarship chairman for the quarterback club, said this year’s selection was one of the toughest decisions the committee has had to make.

“This was probably the closest selection the committee has had in 75 years,” Colvin said.

“You are looking at a top seven with only a six-point difference. Your top five winners had only four points difference between them, so the committee had a hard job selecting these winners tonight.”

Each scholarship is worth $4,000, but they weren’t always worth that much.

Forrest Hatfield said they started out worth much less in the club’s first year in 1941.

“In 1941 the club began with a $250 scholarship,” Hatfield said as he addressed the crowd at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center.

“The idea was they didn’t have to be a star. They just had to go out there and put their uniform on and try, and that was the foundation for the scholarship.”

The club has awarded more than $150,000 over the last 10 years, according to Hatfield.

Moore is undecided on what school he will attend next year, but he said he has multiple scholarship offers to play football. He said he plans to study architecture. Henderson said he will attend Auburn University in the fall, where he will study agricultural economics. Tommy and Walter Kendrick also plan to go to Auburn. Walter said he wants to go into engineering, but he hasn’t quite made up his mind.

Walter said there is only one word to describe the feeling of being awarded the scholarship. “Blessed,” Walter said.

“It was a real good group. I know that everybody that applied for the scholarship are all great guys. They have great character, and I’m honored.”

Tommy said he plans to study civil engineering.

“I feel honored,” Tommy said. “It’s a really big achievement … and it’s an honor.”

Adams said he is still undecided on where he will go to school next fall, but he plans to major in economics and minor in political science.