RECRUITING: Several Seminole seniors sign letters of intent

If national signing day was any indication, 2011-12 could end up being a banner school year for Seminole High School’s athletic program.

Seven seniors took part in Wednesday’s signing-day ceremony on campus, and six of them are receiving scholarships to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. The group didn’t even include the most talented athlete at the school, Jarod Adams, who is still considering his options.

 Three of the signees are football players, and head coach Chris Burtch said he never had more than one during each of his first seven years at Seminole. During that time, he said the Class 3A school never had more than three total signees in a year.

“It says a lot about our athletic program as a whole,” Burtch said. “The other thing it says a lot about is this senior group is really a group of high-quality kids — not just athletically, but academically and their character. It’s a big deal to have that many kids.”

Football players Kevin Froese, Rance Layton and Tanner Moore signed letters of intent after helping the Indians reach the state quarterfinals for the first time in the fall. The offensive linemen Froese and Layton signed with Wayland Baptist and Angelo State, respectively, while the tight end Moore is headed to West Texas A&M.

Adams, an electrifying receiver and kick returner who was the All-Permian Basin Offensive MVP this year, said he had planned to sign with West Texas A&M and still might. But Adams said the University of Houston contacted him recently, and he’s planning to meet with the Cougars next week before making a final decision.

“I’m just going up there to check out the school and see how it is and what they’re planning to offer me,” Adams said.

Moore said he’ll try to persuade Adams to join him at the NCAA Division II school in Canyon. With or without his longtime friend, Moore said he’s grateful for the chance to continue his career.

Moore missed all of his junior season with a fractured vertebra and then underwent brain surgery and knee surgery later during the school year. He missed the first four games of his senior season while recovering from the knee operation, then re-injured his knee in a second-round playoff game and had to have surgery again.

“There was no way in my mind I was going to be able to continue,” Moore said. “Now to keep going, it’s such a blessing. Not very many people get this opportunity to play football past high school. I’m just really grateful and thankful and extremely happy.”

Burtch said Froese and Layton, a left tackle and four-year varsity player, are well-rounded linemen who project as key contributors at their respective schools. Burtch said Froese has a better chance to play right away because he’s joining an upstart Wayland Baptist program that will play its first football season in more than 70 years in the fall.  

“It’s really cool to be part of the first group to play football there,” Froese said. “We’ve got great coaches over there and they know what they’re doing, so I think we should be off to a great start.”

Froese will be joined at Wayland Baptist by classmate Ryan Johnson, who will attempt to walk on to the Pioneers’ baseball team. Another Seminole baseball player who took part in Wednesday’s ceremony, Caleb Koedyker, said he signed with Midland College on Jan. 15.

Koedyker, a catcher who earned all-district honors in each of his first three varsity seasons, said Wayland Baptist also expressed interest in him. But he chose the Chaparrals because the junior-college level will be less of a jump than playing for a four-year school.

“I’m excited for it,” he said.

Seminole’s girls athletic program had two signees on Wednesday, and both are four-year varsity players. Basketball player Destini Thomas signed with University of the Southwest, and golfer Kayley Mull signed with Lubbock Christian University.

Burtch said Thomas, a power forward, has helped the Maidens make three consecutive appearances in the regional quarterfinals because of her toughness and grit on the court. 

“She’s a girls basketball player that wears a mouthpiece,” Burtch said. “That’s how she plays the game.”

Mull said she didn’t pick up the game of golf until her freshman year. But by spending a large chunk of her free time on the course, according to Burtch, Mull has been a two-time qualifier for the regional tournament and regularly breaks 80.

“I honestly didn’t expect to see myself where I am today — nowhere close,” Mull said. “I just have some awesome coaching and awesome people help me.”

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