Canyon's Kemper Jones signs with WT, highlights slew of local athletes heading to college
There were a slew of signings all around the Panhandle last week from some of the biggest schools in the area. Different sports, different schools, but all set to make the greater Amarillo area proud with their accomplishments at the next level.
One will even do so while moving just down the street.
In a rarely seen move, West Texas A&M head basketball coach Tom Brown bucked his usual trend of not signing local players by extending an offer to Canyon High's Kemper Jones. The Eagles standout, who averaged 14 points and four rebounds per game last season, accepted the scholarship offer and will be a Buffalo this fall.
Jones wasn't the only Eagle signing last week. His teammate Chris Bryant will move down to Abilene to play basketball for Hardin Simmons. Bryant averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game last season.
Though that pair was the only boys basketball signings in the area, they were not the only ones continuing their careers on the hardwood.
Tascosa had a young group this year on the whole, but one senior that always stood out was Daizjia Oages. The guard averaged 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game last year in helping lead a tremendous turnaround for the Lady Rebels.
Oages is set to continue playing basketball with Howard College.
The Amarillo ISD signings actually got started last Wednesday with Ryan Lofgren of Amarillo High. He signed to continue his athletic career at Schreiner University. Lofgren will compete on the wrestling team.
The Caprock volleyball team snapped a multi-decade playoff draught this year under the direction of head coach Brenda Morales. Of course, she'd tell you herself that no one can win without high-caliber players.
Olivia Hurnes absolutely counts as a high caliber player after putting up 453 digs and 30 aces in 41 matches last season. The libero was named 3-5A Defensive Player of the Year and now will be continuing her career at the next level. Hurnes will compete for Amarillo College.
There was one last AISD school that sent a few student-athletes to college last week as Palo Duro kept it rolling. Seward County Community College is adding women's soccer to its list of athletic programs and there's a litany of players from around the area flocking to Liberal, Kansas.
Two more players were added to that group out of PD as Aleni Curiel and Eh Dah Klay signed on with the Saints. Curiel was selected to the 3-5A first team All-District list last year.
They won't be going alone. In addition to players from Randall, Amarillo High and others heading to Seward for women's soccer, West Plains added its second girls soccer player to a college team.
Cali Bessent made school history when she signed with CSU Pueblo earlier this year. Now, her teammate Jessi Barfoot joined the club as she committed to play for Seward. Barfoot was a team captain this past year.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Canyon's Kemper Jones signing with WT just one of many signings last week
