FAYETTEVILLE -- Eli Hale worked through different options in the college football recruiting process. Once the Fayetteville senior got his sights set on the Air Force Academy, the final decision was easy.
"I took my visit there last weekend, and that's when I realized how great of a place it is," Hale said. "The school basically sells itself. It's such a great place."
Hale, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end who finished the season with 54 tackles, eight sacks and seven tackles for loss, moved to Fayetteville before his ninth-grade year from California, and at one point had thoughts of playing college football back on the West Coast. But the opportunity to head to the Air Force and receive a chance to play early was too good to pass up.
"They want me to play defensive end there and hopefully I'll be able to get early playing time when I get there, but we'll see when I get out there," Hale said. "The biggest thing for me was the great combination of academics and athletics."
Hale, an all-conference selection his senior season, was one five Purple'Dog football players to sign letters of intent Wednesday.
Drake Wymer, a 6-6, 220-pound tight end, and Garland Allison, a 6-3, 190-pound wide receiver, both signed with Southwest Baptist in Missouri. Wymer finished 2015 with 28 receptions for 327 yards and seven TDs and passed for 275 yards and two TDs. Allison had 29 catches for 359 yards and seven TDs.
Tyson Morris, named the Most Outstanding Receiver in the 7A-West Conference this past season by league coaches, signed with the University of Central Oklahoma. Morris finished the year with 61 catches for 884 yards and 11 TDs. Kennedy Wade, a 6-3, 180-pound senior cornerback, also signed with Central Oklahoma on Wednesday. Wade led the Bulldogs with 107 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three pass breakups.
Noah Johnson, an all-state offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, signed with the University of Idaho in December and is on campus as a mid-term enrollee.
Chris Redmon, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior defensive end, also signed a preferred walk-on agreement with Mississippi State on Wednesday.
Fayetteville girls' soccer also continued its strong history of producing talent for the next level with midfielders Avery Tubb and Berklie Young signing letters of intent Wednesday. Tubb signed with Northeastern (Okla). State and Young signed with Missouri Southern.
"Going to play in college is a big deal," Fayetteville girls' soccer coach Joe Thoma said. "These girls have been a big part of our program."
Sports on 02/04/2016