Ten Morris athletes sign for college

MORRIS – Ten Morris senior student athletes announced Wednesday night their plans to continue their athletic careers in college.

In baseball, Will Knapp announced he’s headed to Lake Land College. Bowler, Nathen Noscal-Sakai will be attending the University of St. Francis. Cheerleader Haylee Nicolaides will be going to Lindenwood University. Meanwhile in football, Luke Brown will be heading to Augustana College, Aiden King is going to Missouri Southern State University, Sam Reddinger is going to University Northern Iowa, Nick Perry is going to Upper Iowa University, and Justin Hemmersbach will be attending Valparaiso University. In swimming, Cameron James will be attending the University of Southern Indiana. Volleyball player Hannah Lauterbach is going to Missouri Southern State University. The players made the announcement with their friends, family members and coaches in attendance at the Morris Community High School gymnasium.

All five football players agreed the Mahomet Seymour game was one of the highlights of their football careers during their time at Morris High School.

“We were considered the underdogs at the time and we came out on top and won, which is something I will remember for the rest of my life,” Brown said.

“They were supposed to be really good, but we were able to come out and beat them,” Reddinger said.

King, who plans on studying business management, but ultimately wants to become a firefighter and Perry, who plans on studying sports management to become a coach, both agreed that they are most looking forward to meeting new people and the new challenges this new chapter of their lives may bring.

Hemmersbach plans to study civil engineering and said he was looking forward to something new, and moving forward in his academic and football career.

Baseball player Knapp plans on studying business administration in the hopes of becoming an athletic director or a professional athletic agent and is looking most forward to developing his athletic career, so he can move on play at a four-year college.

Meanwhile, both Noscal-Sakai and Nicolaides are hoping to study education. Noscal-Sakai will be studying elementary education in the hopes of inspiring children.

Nicolaidesis undecided but hopes to study “something in education” and said performing at state was one of the highlights of her time at Morris.

“I want to give them the best quality education they can get. I enjoy helping children gain knowledge and skills they can take throughout their lives,” he said.

James will be studying exercise science in the hopes of becoming a personal trainer and is looking forward to gaining independence and said Morris has taught him to “prioritize fun more than anything, especially in athletics.”

“If you are not having fun, you’re not going to perform well. Also, make sure you are doing good in school so, you’re not ineligible” he said.

Volleyball player Lauterbach will be studying nursing and said she is just grateful to have the opportunity to continue playing.

“I’m really glad I got to play volleyball, which is a sport I absolutely love and I just want to continue to do that,” she said.

Athletic Director Jeff Johnson said Morris will have more athletes announce plans to continue their athletic careers later this year.