Starting off the month of February right! Students from all over Wyoming will start signing with different colleges in the western area for football. Nobody’s sure what these boys have been eating, but it sure is working for them. The class of 2017 has to be an athletic group of students with high expectations and hard work expected from each and every one of them.

Different kinds of universities such as Black Hills State University, Dickinson State University,and Rocky Mountain College were schools that were greatly impressed by the students of Wyoming.

Coming from a small town in Casper, or even a small state such as Wyoming is a big deal to be able to compete at a collegiate level. There were several Wyoming athletes who signed with Black Hills State including Keshawn Farmer and Christopher Franklin from Cheyenne, Anthony Johnson from Gillette, Noah Knell from Lander Valley, Kade Gifford from Lovell, Brennen Blaylock from Cody, and finally Sam Marsh from Kelly Walsh.

Marsh, anxious and thrilled, talked about what he looks forward to in being a part of this football team this fall. “Just the experience itself and getting to meet new people starting a new future there is just super exciting,” said Marsh, a Kelly Walsh senior and student-athlete.

The boys that get the opportunity to sign are very proud of all of their hard work; it’s not very common to have that many students sign in football from Wyoming. This group of boys are very talented and very coachable, it shows in their performance and commitment to all of the hard practices.

Along with Marsh, another Trojan athlete, Anthony Sanders, has signed with Dickinson State University at the end of January. Sanders played center for Kelly Walsh but will play offensive line in college. When talking about how thrilled he was about the opportunity Sanders said, “I’m most excited to continue my football career, after paying a visit to Dickinson I was very excited knowing their players and coaches wanted me to join their program.” He has been playing football since he was five years old and has been on the Kelly Walsh varsity football team all four years of his high school career.

For these boys being a part of the Kelly Walsh football team made them all have a special kind of bond. Leaving Kelly is such a bittersweet moment for these young men, but has also opened up new doors for them.

Sanders said, “Kelly Walsh football was the best time of my life. I met my best friends here and represented the school the best I could, and I wouldn’t want to be a part of any other school.”

Tanner Bloom, who is also a senior, has had many scholarships come his way due to his academic along with his athletic abilities. Bloom has participated in football, outdoor track,and is now currently in indoor track, has been able to take trips to Rocky Mountain College and seems to be very interested. Bloom explains how welcoming and nice Rocky was and how it’s not too far from home. Preparing for the season in the fall, Bloom will play nose guard.

Even thought these boys are all moving on the the next level, one thing is for sure: they will always be Trojans.