Southmoore’s Owens picks K-State

Charlie Kolar thought he had made his college decision months ago when he committed to Iowa State.

When presented with a last-minute opportunity to join his brother at Oklahoma State, Kolar quickly found himself in the decision-making process again.

And for all the reasons he had picked the Cyclones last summer, he stuck with them in the hours before National Signing Day.

Kolar, along with two Norman North football teammates and several others from his school, signed a letter of intent Wednesday morning.

“They were my first offer,” the 6-foot-7, 235pound Kolar said. “The way they use tight ends I like a lot better. I like the feel of the program. I feel like it’s going up and up.

“It just felt like the right place for me and I feel so happy.”

Another Norman North receiver, Collin Klein, signed with Central Oklahoma. Both players surpassed 1,200 yards receiving as seniors as Norman North finished as the Class

As he answered the biggest question that remained on National Signing Day, Southmoore’s

decided to have a little fun with everyone.

Owens had previously been committed to Memphis, and a lot of people expected him to stick with the Tigers when he made his official announcement Wednesday afternoon in the Southmoore gym.

But as the Memphis hat neared the top of his head, he tossed it away and pulled on a purple Kansas State hat.

“The opportunity that they gave me was something I could not turn down,” said Owens, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back. “Being able to play in the Big 12, being

hours away from my family … It feels just like home.”

While Owens won’t be heading to Memphis, his SaberCat teammate and close friend still is, making it official on Wednesday, more than seven months after he committed.

And Lewis was happy for his friend, even if Owens wasn’t coming to Memphis with him.

“He made the right decision for him,” Lewis said. “We’re still family, regardless. If we ever get to play each other, the minute we step on the field, it’s different. We’ll be enemies. But we’re always family.”

CHA’s Ergenbright happy he stuck with football

was content with not playing college football.

He had talked with Christian Heritage Academy coach last year about life after football. Ergenbright wanted to do mission work.

So he traveled the world in the summer. He was in the African nation Mozambique. He traveled to Paris and Amsterdam.

“I thought that maybe sacrificing football would be a great way for me to show God that I’m all in,” Ergenbright said. 6A-I runner-up to Tulsa Union.

Leading the way on the defense was Cade Mashburn, who signed with Memphis — one of at least three metro-area players who will join the Tigers.

Mashburn, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker, committed to Memphis in the summer, and remained steady while some others backed out of commitments in the middle of the season.

Sitting at the table to sign his letter of intent next to Kolar and Klein was a surreal moment for Mashburn.

“We’ve been dreaming about it since we were little, and it’s finally come true,” he said. “We’ve put a lot of hard work in up to this point. I’m very proud of them and I’m just excited.”

However, a lot of things can change when an athlete puts on football pads. The first time Ergenbright suited up in August, he knew he was making a mistake.

“People would tell me I can do better, I can go big, but at the same time I’m content with (not playing),” Ergenbright said. “I wanted to put in the work that’s necessary to see.”

Ergenbright — an athletic 6-5, 275-pound offensive lineman — signed his letter of intent Wednesday with Northern Colorado

Ergenbright said he isn’t quite ready to abandon his mission work.

“I think college football is the best mission field that I’m ever going to be on,” Ergenbright said. “After that, who knows?”

Air Force the right fit for Wullschleger

believes he found more than football with Air Force.

Edmond Santa Fe’s do-it all senior signed with the academy, where he will be a slot back in the triple-option offense.

“The academics really drew me there,” Wullschleger said. “I wasn’t just about playing football or just about having a good time. I wanted to set myself up for the future. It was either that or out to Cornell.”

Wullschleger said he’s prepared for the military commitment with Air Force. He’s mostly gained knowledge of it by talking with friends who have been through what he’s about to join.

“They’ve only spoken good things about it,” said Wullschleger, who was sporting a beard he said he planned to shave at the last minute.

Senior class helped transform PC West football

Putnam City West coach

got his first glimpse at talent almost five years ago.

“It was the summer before his eighth-grade year,” Martin said. “We were

Not present at the signing table Wednesday morning was Norman North quarterback Brandon Marquardt,

All-State Offensive Player of the Year.

Despite turning in the best passing season in Class 6A history, and one of the best among all classes, the 6-foot, 190-pound Marquardt’s recruiting never took off the way some might’ve expected.

Marquardt threw for more than 4,600 yards and 48 touchdowns, but his height drew questions from recruiters.

Marquardt plans to wait to see if any scholarships open up after Signing Day changes. And if there isn’t a scholarship opportunity, he’ll have a wide variety of walk-on options to choose from. doing summer workouts, our Patriot Pride. We were running 100s, and he jumped up with those (high school) guys and beat them all.

“I knew right away that an eighth-grader doing that, he was going to be something special.”

Martin proved to be right about Robinson, and on Wednesday afternoon, the Patriots’ wide receiver signed a letter of intent to play football for Memphis.

“Today is a really special day,” Robinson said. “When I was 4, I pictured this day, someday making it to college, one of my biggest goals to reach in life. It is a big dream come true.”

It also was a banner day for Putnam City West as eight Patriots signed letters of intent to play college football.

“It’s a record since I’ve been here,” said Martin, who has been on the Patriots coaching staff for seven seasons, the past five as head coach. “It’s a real big deal. It’s great for the school. It’s great for the community. It’s great for these guys”

In the three previous seasons, the Patriots won a total of 10 games. This past season, led by the senior class, West won seven games during the regular season and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1996 before losing in the first round.

In addition to Robinson, the Putnam City West signees included quarterback

Southwestern; defensive back nose guard wide receiver Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; offensive lineman

Oklahoma Baptist; linebacker

Southern Nazarene; and running back Northwestern.

“From when they were in middle school, the whole group has been pretty special,” said Martin, who will be coaching Norman High next season.

and

Adrian Wolford’s goal in third grade was to play college football.

He told his mom and dad. He told people around Meeker.

There was no way he would have known the path to the next level would be what it was.

Wolford went from being a tall, skinny running back in Little League days to a dominant offensive lineman who had to overcome a major hurdle his senior season before signing his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning with Texas A&M.

“It’s always been a life goal,” Wolford said. “It was rough, but I’m going (to college). That makes me feel better. That’s the only reason that kept me going.”

Even at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, Wolford feared he had lost his scholarship to the Aggies just one week into his season.

In the preseason, he had suffered a torn meniscus, a tear in the knee cartilage that provides cushion for the shinbone from the thighbone.

Wolford decided he would attempt to play through it. After the opening game, his mind was changed.

“It was probably a good thing,” Wolford said about tearing his meniscus.

An MRI revealed a condition known as osteochondritis dissecans — or OCD of the knee — that is most often in children and adolescents. It develops in joints when a small segment of bone begins to separate due to a lack of blood supply.

As a result, the bone and cartilage covering it begin to crack and loosen.

The condition required surgery, and Wolford’s high school career was finished.

“I didn’t feel invincible (anymore),” Wolford said. “So I knew I had to work a lot more. It humbled me a little bit. It was scary.”

Wolford began worrying about his scholarship chances.

Texas A&M instead assured him there was no worry.

Coaches even encouraged him to play basketball once he was cleared by doctors.

He given the OK about a month ago.

“We’re happy they stood by us,” said Angel Wolford, who is Adrian’s mom. “It was devastating for our family. It was really scary for him and us not being able to compete.”

Wednesday morning, Wolford sat at a table decorated in Texas A&M gear. He signed his letter and then put on white gloves before struggling to spell “Aggies” with the palms.

His teammates, friends and family laughed. They plan to watch him from afar in College Station, Texas.

Wolford is the first Division I football player from Meeker, a small community north of Shawnee known as the hometown of Hall of Fame pitcher Carl Hubbell.

“This is huge for this community and the program,” Angel said. “Hopefully, this will inspire some of the younger players, even though we are at a small school. It can happen.”