2022 EMPORIA STATE FOOTBALL NATIONAL SIGNING DAY CENTRAL

Next class of Hornets signing on today

Football | 2/2/2022 8:45:00 AM

February 2, 2022-Emporia State football coach Garin Higgins has announced the signing of 23 high school players and one transfer to attend Emporia State and play football for the Hornets.

The list includes 15 Kansas natives - five of whom have been selected for the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl, seven from Oklahoma, and two from Texas. The Hornets picked up seven offensive linemen, five defensive linemen, three defensive backs, three listed as athletes, two quarterbacks, two running backs, one receiver, and one linebacker.

Due to the winter storm on Wednesday, the Hornet Football Signing Day Party has been pushed back to Thursday, February 3 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Emporia Country Club. The event is open to the public.

2022 Hornet Football High School Signees

	Camden Barta • ATH • 6'3 • 190 Seaman HS (Topeka, KS) Defensively he had 50 tackles, 2.0 TFL, an interception, two pass break ups, and a forced fumble...at quarterback he was 138 of 222 (62.2%) for 2,224 yards with 23 touchdowns...added 197 yards and four touchdowns on the ground...All-League, All-State and Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior Honors. Son of Jeni Sloan and Jerry Barta...coached by ESU alum Jared Swafford...undecided on major...cousin to fellow ESU signee Casen Stallbaumer.
	Kingsley Bennett • RB • 5'7 • 160 Naaman Forest HS (Garland, TX) 9-6A First-Team All-District running back and First-Team kick/punt returner...Iron Man Award...member of Honor Roll...in eight games as a senior he rushed for 1,336 yards on 157 carries with 18 touchdowns...had 16 receptions for 220 yards and three touchdowns...will also run track for the Hornets. Son of Ashley Peters-Bennett...coached by Jesse Pearles...plans to major in Business Management/Marketing at ESU.
	Sam Culp • OL • 6'4 • 260 Sedgwick HS (Sedgwick, KS) Wichita Eagle First-Team Class All-State...Sports in Kansas Class 1A Honorable Mention...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior Class 1A honorable mention...helped team to a 10-1 record and undefeated regular season. Son of Ryan and Nancy Culp...coached by Jeff Werner...plans to major in Computer Science at ESU.
	Kaden Fields • DL • 6'4 • 280 Osawatomie HS (Osawatomie, KS) First-Team Sport in Kansas on the offensive line...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior honors...First-Team Tri-County at defensive line...First-Team All League on both offense and defense. Son of Shane Fields...coached by Beau Gadwood...plans to major in Environmental Science at ESU.
	Casey Harelson • ATH • 6'7 • 210 Davenport HS (Davenport, OK) 2021 District MVP...three-time All District...Second-Team Little All-City on defense...2021 All Vype 100...All Star by Class A...Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World honorable mention all state 2020 and 2021...Tulsa World All Metro honorable mention 2020 and 2021...Top 100 honors as a Junior and Senior then First-Team all-conference honors as a Junior. Son of Cathy Lake and Wade Harelson...coached by John Greenfield...is undecided on a major at ESU...brother of current Hornet Cade Harelson.
	Lance Hoffsommer • QB • 6'2 • 190 Sedgwick HS (Sedgwick, KS) 2021 Sports in Kansas 1A Offensive Player of the Year...Wichita Eagle First-Team All-State Class 1A...Sports in Kansas Top 33 player...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior honors...led Sedgwick HS to first ever statesemi-final appearance...led the state of Kansas in passing yardage in All-classes...threw for 3,027 yards and 37 touchdowns with 851 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground...in his high school career he had 10,144 yards of total offense and 131 total touchdowns...went 26-4 as a starter...a 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl Selection. Son of ESU alums Christian and Stephanie Hoffsommer ...coached by Jeff Werner...plans to major in Business at ESU.
	Caleb Hulbutta • DL • 6'2 • 245 El Reno HS (EL Reno, OK) Three year starter on both offensive and defensive lines...also competes in Power Lifting and finished third in state as a junior. Son of Chuck and Linda Hulbutta...coached by Chuck Atchison...plans to major in Education at ESU.
	Kolten Lacrone • DL • 6'2 • 245 Chanute HS (Chanute, KS) First-Team All State on the defensive line...led Chanute HS to 8-2 record...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior honors...placed fourth at State in the discus...a 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl Selection. Son of Jessica Chapman...coached by ESU alum Clete Frazell...plans to major in Athletic Training at ESU.
	Andrew Long • OL • 6'0 • 290 Blue Valley HS (Overland Park, KS) Class 6A All-State Honorable Mention...Second-Team All-EKL...Honorable Mention CLass 6A Sports in Kansas Top 100. Son of Alan and Betty Long...coached by Allen Terrell...plans to major in Secondary Education/Mathematics at ESU.
	Brooks Lowe • DL • 6'2 • 230 Blue Valley West HS (Stillwell, KS) Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior...Second-Team All-EKL as a tight end and defensive end...All-State Class 6A Honorable Mention...2021 State Runner-Up in wrestling at 220 pounds...placed third in the State in the javelin in 2021...will also compete in track for the Hornets. Son of Randy and Staci Lowe...coached by ESU alum Josh Koekenmeier...plans to major in Fisheries and Wildlife at ESU.
	Dazjuan Matthews • DB • 6'2 • 180 Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, OK) Class 6A2-1 Safety of the Year...Big 10 All-Conference defensive back...75 solo tackles, 112 total tackles, five interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Son of Desirae Barnes...coached by Ryan Laverty...plans to major in architecture at ESU.
	Max Middleton • RB • 5'11 • 175 Andover HS (Andover, KS) Rushed for 1,300 yards and 12 Touchdowns his senior year, giving him back to back 1,000 yard seasons...two-time First-Team All-League, two-time All-State Honorable Mention Class 5A...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Seniors class 5A Honorable Mention. Son of ESU alum Andrea Lehning and Justin Middleton...coached by Ken Dusenbury...plans to major in Business at ESU.
	Reece Moffett • WR • 6'1 • 170 Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, OK) First-Team All-Conference...District 6A 2-1 Utility Player of the Year...All-City Honorable Mention...Team Captain...had 58 catches for 956 yards - an average of 16.5 yards per catch - and had 1,397 all-purpose yards with nine touchdowns. Son of Debbie Moffett...coached by Ryan Laverty...plans to major in Sports Medicine at ESU.
	Dalton Owen • OL • 6'3 • 300 Concordia HS (Concordia, KS) First-Team All-NCKL...1st Team 3A All-District #5...Sports in Kansas 3A First Team All-State...KFBCA Class 3A All-State team...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior honors...a 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl Selection. Son of Ivon and Nancy Owen...coached by Jordan Echer...plans to major in Business at ESU.
	Troy Pearman • OL • 6'5 • 300 Oklahoma Christian Academy HS (Edmond, OK) First Team All-State Oklahoma Coaches Association...First Team 2021 Daily Oklahoman's Little All-City...Oklahoma Class A All-State Team...Class A All-District•3 First Team...2021 Vype Top 100 player in Oklahoma. Son of Josh and Sarah Pearman...coached by Grey Powell...plans to major in Criminal Justice at ESU.
	Shahid Pinkston • OL • 6'4 • 305 Mansfield Summit HS (Arlington, TX) First-Team All District in 2021...helped lead Mansfield Summit HS to back to back state semifinal appearances and 19-9 record over the last two seasons...paved the way for two running backs to rush for over 1,200 yards...also participated in track and powerlifting. Son of Quintis Pinkston and Sarang Douglas...coached by Channon Hall...plans to major in Business at ESU.
	Gage Roach • QB • 6'2 • 200 Blue Valley West HS (Stillwell, KS) Threw for 1,831 Yards and 19 Touchdowns while gaining 594 yards with four touchdowns on the ground...Regional Champs, Sectional Champs...two year Team Captain...Honorable Mention All-EKL...Class 6A Honorable Mention All-State...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior Class 6A. Son of ESU alums Tracy and Noel Roach...coached by ESU alum Josh Koerkenmeier...plans to major in Business Administration at ESU...brother of current Hornet Dylan Roach.
	Colt Sell • OL • 6'1 • 280 Chapman HS (Chapman, HS) KFCA Class 3A First-Team...First-Team All-District 5 in Class 3A on both offensive and defensive lines...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior Class 3A honorable mention...a 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl Selection. Son of ESU alums Dan and Lacee Sell...coached by Kurt Webster...plans to major in Health and Human Performance at ESU
	Casen Stallbaumer • ATH • 6'2 • 200 Seaman HS (Topeka, KS) Two-way athlete who earned First-Team All-League and First-Team All-State honors...5A Defense Player of the Year Finalist...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Senior Honors...a 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection. Son of Todd and Tonya Stallbaumer...coached by Jared Swafford (ESU Alum)...plans to major in Business/Sports Medicine at ESU...cousin to fellow ESU signee, Camden Barta.
	Tyler White • DB • 6'0 • 205 Edmond Santa Fe HS (Edmond, OK) 2020 Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference (COAC) Defensive Back of the Year...2021 COAC Second-Team linebacker...All-District 6A-1 outside linebacker of the year...over 300 career tackles. Son of Melanie White...coached by Kyle White...plans to major in Sports Management at ESU.

Transfer

Chris Pope • DB • 6'0 • 190
Northern Colorado/Edmond Memorial HS (Edmond, OK)
Graduate transfer from NCAA FCS Northern Colorado...should be a junior in eligibility...played in seven games last season...saw action in three games as a redshirt-freshman in 2019...lettered in football,basketball and track at Edmond Memorial HS...was a Second-Team All-Conference performer...had 678 kick return yards.
Son of Antonio Pope, Karen Wilson, and Alisa Pope.

Additional High School Signees

	Clayton Kavlick • LB • 5'11 • 210 Blue Valley HS (Overland Park, KS) Second-Team All-EKL at linebacker...Sports in Kansas Top 100 Seniors Class 6A Honorable Mention...credited with 100tacles, 65 of them solo with ten TFL and two sacks. Son of ESU alums Chris and Stephanie Kavlick...coached by Allen Terrell.
	Brody Lietz • OL • 6'2 • 250 Rossville HS (Topeka, KS) Class 2A First-Team All-State by KFBA on offense...KSHSAA Covered All-Class2A First-Team on defense...First-Team All-League...Sports in Kansas All-Class Top100 Seniors honors...helped Rossville to an undefeated 13-0 state championship season...also participates in basketball. Son of Eric and Kelly Lietz...coached by ESU alum Derick Hammes...plans to major in Accounting at ESU.
	Wesley Young • DL • 6'5 • 210 West Elk HS (Howard, KS) First-Team on Defense and Second-Team on Offense All-South Central Border League...First-Team All-Grasslands on the Offensive side...All-State Honorable Mention by the Wichita Eagle, Sports in Kansas, and KSHSAA. Son of Randy and Juli Young...coached by Chris Haag.