SIGNING ON THE DOTTED LINE: Several area athletes to continue athletic ventures in college

Mar. 26—EFFINGHAM — Whether it be on the football field or in the realm of competitive cheerleading, five area athletes will continue competing in their respective sports at the next level.

Below is where each athlete is attending.

AUSTIN MOORE

Newton's Austin Moore will attend Quincy University in the fall and join its sprint football team.

"We are excited for Austin. He's an incredible young man; he was a three-three starter for us at safety and improved every year," Newton head coach Jason Fulton said. "At Quincy, I know he's going to play some receiver, but he's also going to get the opportunity to play some safety and that's one place where they'll be able to utilize him.

"He's a very good receiver, good route runner, good hands and he hits hard and is one of the guys that could bring it from the secondary."

Once Moore puts on the shoulder pads again, he will be the first Eagles athlete to compete in sprint football.

Moore said sprint football isn't any different from normal, 11-man football.

The only exception is that everyone is under 200 pounds, bringing the game to a newer, fast-paced style.

"The only main requirement is that you're under 200 pounds. It's a faster-paced game and provides another league that students can go into that are good enough to play at the collegiate level but do not have the size requirements," Moore said.

Moore continued by saying that he's always wanted to play football in college but never told his family he wanted to.

"Honestly, yes. I never told my family I wanted to because I was always 6-foot-1, 170 pounds and skinny and never thought I'd be a collegiate-level player," Moore said.

The opportunity arose, however, once Cumberland senior and future Quincy University teammate Bryant Weber talked with Moore about decommitments that happened in the program, thus opening a spot for Moore.

"(Bryant) informed me that they had a couple of kids decommit and, for almost two years, harrassed me to play football with him, so I made my film and sent it to coaches and then they reached out to me again and asked me to go on a college visit," Moore said. "After my second visit, they were confident they wanted to sign me."

Quincy went 4-7 overall last year and 1-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

JOHN WESTENDORF

Effingham running back John Westendorf will attend Franklin College in the fall and play football.

Westendorf was a two-sport athlete with the Flaming Hearts, as he also competed in track and field in the spring.

However, Westendorf's high school athletics career ended far too soon as he suffered an injury in the first half of Effingham's first football game against Decatur (St. Teresa) in August.

Westendorf is eager to get another crack at playing the sport he loves, though.

"It gives me another chance. I didn't have a senior year and it's a brotherhood, playing football," he said. "There's a lot of people that support me and it helps me keep going forward and working hard."

Hearts' head coach Brett Hefner is also eager to see how Westendorf does at Franklin.

"I thought he was so good his junior year and just got better as the year went along. I expected him to have a great year this year; I'm just happy he's getting the opportunity to go and play and I still think his best football is ahead of him," Hefner said.

Franklin is an NCAA Division-III university in Franklin, Indiana. The Grizzlies compete in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

"I fell in love with the community and everyone in the town was behind the football team. It was a really good atmosphere," Westendorf said.

Franklin finished 4-6 and 4-3 in its league last season.

KOBE COBURN

Effingham lineman Kobe Coburn will attend McKendree University in the fall and play football.

Coburn was one of the key cogs to a strong offensive line for the Hearts this past season.

Hefner, though, knows how hard Coburn has worked to get to this level.

"He's a kid for us that never missed — in his four years here — workouts, practices," Hefner said. "Good things happen when you keep showing up and working and as I've said to the other guys, his rate of improvement from the first game he started to the last game was drastic."

Coburn will join former teammate Jacob Stoneburner at McKendree next season, giving him some familiarity when he walks into the locker room.

Coburn said having Stoneburner already there played a role in his recruitment, but it wasn't the only reason.

"I liked the campus; it's a good school," Coburn said. "Eighty percent of the campus are athletes and Jacob Stoneburner is up there, so that was a big factor."

Another big factor for Coburn was being closer to his family, as well.

"It made it easier because I get to be closer to people I know and my parents won't be that far away," he said.

McKendree — an NCAA Division-II university in Lebanon — finished last season 5-6 and 2-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

GABBI KREKE

Effingham cheerleader Gabbi Kreke will continue cheerleading at the University of Central Florida (UCF) — a school that she calls her "dream school."

"I love the weather down there and I just like beaches and there's so much to do there," Kreke said. "It's a great opportunity for me and I've wanted to go there since I was a freshman — it's been my dream school. Their coaches are so sweet and nice and the cheer team is so bonded."

The bond she is bound to have at UCF is the same bond she had with the Hearts, too.

Sister and assistant coach Ashley Clough knows that all too well.

"It's been special because she is also my sister. I started in eighth grade, helping out with the program and then have been able to coach her all four years of high school," Clough said.

It has also been an equally special experience for Kreke's tumbling coach Cayla Meyers.

"Gabbi Kreke is an exceptional athlete due to her amazing determination and strong mindset," Meyer said. "Gabbi has always been open to trying new things and achieving new skills because she was never afraid of failing. I am so excited to watch her continue her love of cheerleading in college and can't wait to see what the future holds for her."

RILEY CRAIN

Effingham cheerleader Riley Crain will continue cheerleading at Lindenwood University in the fall.

Crain cheered for the first time as a senior, with head coach Lisa Sigg noting that she thought he did well for his first go-around in the sport.

"Riley started his first year cheering this past season and did well. He showed that he was very good at stunting, being a team leader, encouraging everyone, and enjoying cheer," Sigg said.

Lindenwood is an NCAA Division-I university in St. Charles, Missouri.

The Lions compete in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Crain said that he liked the "big program" Lindenwood offers.

"I like Lindenwood's big program. It's like a big family and people are always encouraging you," he said.

Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.