GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Thirty-three area high school football players signed their national letters of intent to play college athletics at the 10th-annual High School Signing Day at Celebration Cinema North in Grand Rapids on Wednesday.
"I think it is exciting," Allendale senior Owen Burk, who is headed to the Air Force, said. "Being able to step into that and looking forward to the next step — super excited."
Ferris State has made a habit of getting kids from the West Michigan area. That continued today.
"Really coach Annese and the coaching staff," Rockford senior Jaiden Friesen said when asked why he chose the Bulldogs. "I have a couple friends up there. They said they love it, and I fell in love with campus and just the way they do things up there."
Others at today's event headed to Big Rapids include Colby Brown (Comstock Park), Will Gustafson (Forest Hills Central) and Gabe Smith-Verwys (Jenison).
Former Ferris State assistant coach Ryan Brady is heading into his second season as head coach at Saginaw Valley State, and he got some really good kids from the area.
"Definitely the coaching staff," Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior Malachi Love said about why he wanted to become a Cardinal. "Young, energetic coaching staff that just wants you to get better and their facilities and their academics. They have my major that I want to study so that was a plus."
Terrell Givens from Grand Rapids Christian also signed on to play at Saginaw Valley State at today's event. Others from the area who will be Cardinals include Kobe Clark (Schoolcraft), Tyler Amos (Portage Northern), Cam Cunningham (Portage Northern), Cory Cunningham (Portage Northern) and Grant Parker (Ravenna).
Other student-athletes in attendance at Wednesday's event include:
Bryce Nyboer (Allendale) - Undecided
Ryan Pothoof (Allendale) - Undecided
Carter Ginn (Allendale) - Undecided
Jordan DeGroot (Allendale) - Undecided
Jerry Mansfield (Caledonia) - Taylor
Jax Kinninger (Caledonia) - Alma
Jack Snider (Caledonia) - Parkland College for baseball
Seth Almas (Cedar Springs) - Alma
Colby Brown (Comstock Park) - Ferris State
John Shelton IV (East Grand Rapids) - Central Michigan
Peyton Corcoran (Forest Hills Central) - Hope
Will Gustafson (Forest Hills Central) - Ferris State
Matt Moore (Grand Rapids Catholic Central) - Hope
John Holmes (Grand Rapids Christian) - Brown
Calvin Pimpleton (Ottawa Hills) - Hope
Sam Plate (Greenville) - Grand Valley State
Eli Haddad (Rockford) - Wayne State
Chase Bradman (South Christian) - Indiana Wesleyan
Trent Engelberg (South Christian) - Concordia
Isaac TeSlaa (Unity Christian) - Hillsdale
Chase Peddie (Zeeland West) - Central Michigan
Whit Lewis (Zeeland West) - Hillsdale
Travis Vredeveld (Zeeland West) - Hope
