By LISA GAYLE GRAYSON

The Post sports writer

North Royalton football players Jake Smolik, Azarie Battle and Evan Adams confirmed their college plans Feb. 1 when they signed a National Letter of Intent.

All three seniors selected Division II colleges and inked their deals during an afternoon ceremony in Gym 1 of the high school.

Smolik, a linebacker, will attend Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Battle, a defensive end, will be heading to Notre Dame College of Ohio in South Euclid. Adams, a running back, chose Lake Erie College in Painesville.

"I hope everyone realizes how hard it is to play this sport and at the next level," Bears head football coach Nick Ciulli said as he commended the players in front of district administrators, staff, teammates, peers and media.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Smolik said he selected the Fighting Scots over Lake Erie College. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference program is led by seventh-year head coach Scott Browning. Edinboro finished 7-4 for the second consecutive season.

Smolik, a All-Ohio special mention for Division I, said he also is weighing the options of competing for the Fighting Scots' track program.

The 6-3, 230-pound Battle, an All-Northeast Ohio Conference selection in the River Division, considered Walsh University and the University of Findlay before committing to the Falcons.

They are coached by Adam Howard, who has been the team's only coach since the sport was instated in 2009. They finished 5-6 last season.

Notre Dame will become a full-fledge NCAA D-II school for the 2012-13 academic year. Last season, it played under "provisional status" as part of the progression in its NCAA membership.

This fall, the Falcons will be a member of the South Division of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. They have been playing as an independent.

Adams decided to play football at Lake Erie after entertaining the potential of playing baseball in college. He chose the Storm over Walsh and Tiffin University.

Lake Erie began its program in 2006 and has been coached by Mark McNellie the past five seasons. The GLIAC member finished 3-8, 2-8 last fall.

"We're looking forward to big things from these guys," North Royalton athletic director Bo Kuntz said.