Local prep football star Lonnie Bolden kicked off his summer vacation by deciding on where he will be playing on the gridiron in college.

The recently graduated Troy Athens Red Hawk signed with Northwood this week.

Bolden, a sturdy and speedy 5-foot-9, was a first-team all-league pick last fall at running back and defensive back and led Athens to its first playoff appearance in seven years in 2011, closing the regular season with climatic back-to-back wins over Troy and Southfield, before losing in an epic five-overtime district opening thriller to Romeo, 34-31.

In the Romeo game, Bolden scored three TDs, including the tying score in the fourth quarter to take things into the first extra stanza.

Northwood went 2-9 last year.

Current OC grid studs on the Northwood Timerwolves football roster: Leonard Welch (Farmington), Corinthian Gray (Pontiac Central), Jack Daykin (Novi Detroit CC), Kevin Longe (Novi Detroit CC), Kristian Moon (Troy), Kevin Kelly (Lake Orion), Jeremy Altman (Seaholm), Tyler Mouch (Novi), Sean Grissan (Birmingham Brother Rice)

While at Athens, Bolden also lettered in basketball for the Red Hawks hoops squad.