Smith Center senior Colt Rogers, a two-time HDN Super 11 football player and one of the top wrestlers in Kansas history, received multiple looks from schools for football and wrestling. Pittsburg State University had been in contact with Rogers for a year and offered him a scholarship. In wrestling, Penn State University and University of Missouri, NCAA Division I powerhouses, recruited Rogers, but didn't offer him.

"It's been a frustrating process trying to choose what to do, where to go, trying to get scholarships out," Rogers said. "Before I signed, I was really trying to get those two schools to at least give me an area of what they were going to offer."

On National Signing Day on Wednesday, Rogers made his decision official when he signed with Pittsburg State.

"Just knowing how much I like playing football and how much fun I would have at Pitt, that is just what kind of took over," Rogers said.

Calling the decision a "big relief," the 5-foot-5, 150-pound Rogers likely will play running back/slot receiver. He has garnered comparisons to former Gorilla running back Caleb Farabi, an All-American who won the Ken B. Jones Award, the highest honor for a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association student-athlete.

"(Former Redmen quarterback and current PSU player) Joe Windscheffel even told me that I look like him and that I play exactly like him," Rogers said. "He is small just like me. The coaches told me that when they watched film and watched me that is exactly who I reminded them of."

Rogers is the second person in his immediate family to play college football, joining his dad, Mike Rogers, who played at the University of Kansas and is now a Redmen assistant coach.

"He really wanted me to play football," Rogers said. "I could tell. He said, 'Do what you want to do, follow what you want to do,' but I could tell he really wanted me to play football."

The decision capped a tremendous four-year prep career for Rogers. In football, his teams finished 51-1 with three state titles and held the nation's longest winning streak at 79 games. Rogers, who rushed for 4,597 career yards including 1,822 this fall, earned a Shrine Bowl nomination. In wrestling, Rogers has won three individual and three team championships and never lost to a Kansas wrestler. He ranks in the top-10 all-time for career winning percentage in state history. For track, Rogers has medaled in multiple events, including a state title in the 400-meter relay.

"I don't think he is going to regret the decision," Brock Hutchinson, Redmen head wrestling coach and defensive coordinator, said. "I just think that it was very tough. When you are an athlete with the caliber of Colt is, you are going to be forced to make that decision and it's not going to be easy."

Rogers also talked with Windscheffel about the Gorillas. Windscheffel, who has not played for Pitt State because of two season-ending injuries, has still enjoyed Pitt State.

"I knew that Joe has loved it there and if I wouldn't go play there, then I would be waiting to wrestle," Rogers said.

Rogers went down for his official visit on Jan. 27, a week before Signing Day. He was impressed with Pitt State's facilities, considered among NCAA Division II's best and "felt really comfortable." PSU offered Rogers a scholarship. The wrestling schools didn't.

"I didn't really want to pass up football and then get down to the end of the signing for wrestling and them maybe not offer and then be stuck with what to do," he said.

In addition, Rogers didn't know how much money a wrestling team could offer. While MIAA schools have 36 scholarships for about 100 players, wrestling has far less.

"Wrestling has 9.9 scholarships for their whole team. That is not very much for a 40-man team ...," Rogers said. "Those two schools are pretty expensive and I didn't know how big of a scholarship they would be able to offer."

On Wednesday, Sanderson called Hutchinson to talk about Rogers. Hutchinson said Sanderson was "still showing signs of interest," and wanted to get Colt out for a visit. However, Rogers decided to sign with Pitt State.

"The kid is a tremendous competitor and he is going to do well with whatever he does," Hutchinson said. "I think it was a very tough decision for him."

Erbert inks with PSU

For four years, Matt Erbert helped the Ellis prep football team enjoy the best stretch in school history, producing a 34-12 record and four trips to the postseason. Erbert, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound lineman, anchored the Railroaders' offensive and defensive fronts. He helped Ellis set school records for scoring offense and rushing offense, twice earned HDN Super 11 honors, will play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl this summer.

"His overall athleticism for his size was the most impressive thing about him on the football field," Ellis head coach Butch Hayes said. "He was able to make all kinds of plays on the defensive side of the ball for us. Of course, on the offensive side, he was able to do a nice job."

On Wednesday, Erbert signed with Pittsburg State University after receiving looks from several schools, including Hutchinson Community College and Kansas State University. Erbert becomes the first player in Hayes' three years as head coach to sign to play college football. Hayes, who played college football at PSU, talked with Erbert about his collegiate experience.

"I knew if I took the opportunity, I could have the same experience he did," Erbert said. "From his standpoint, he had a lot of fun and really enjoyed playing there and that is what I would like to do as well."

Hayes has known Tim Beck, the Gorilla head coach and Ness City native, for two decades. Hayes talked with Beck about Erbert and the Gorilla coaches came out to Ellis to watch Erbert play basketball.

"They were impressed by him," Hayes said.

Erbert made his official visit on Jan. 16, the same day Fort Hays State University played PSU in basketball. Erbert was impressed with the facilities and also the number of western Kansas players on the Gorilla roster.

"When I went down to visit down there, it was definitely a great atmosphere and a great experience," Erbert said. "For Division II, they have about the top facilities in the country and getting to see some guys like Joe Windscheffel and Nate Dreiling that are western Kansas guys and knowing how much they enjoyed it, I knew this is probably the place I needed to be."