AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Three West Plains High School athletes signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the college level.
Reid Macon and Omar Lopez signed to play football at West Texas A&M and Angelo State respectively, while Jayden Freeby will play golf at Collin College.
Macon heads to West Texas A&M
Macon wraps up his high school career as a four-year starter for the Wolves at quarterback. He finished 10th all-time in career passing yards in Texas with 11,856 yards over 55 games played. He completed 905 of 1,331 passes for 120 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,810 yards and 41 rushing touchdowns.
Macon said West Texas A&M won him over with the coaching staff and proximity to home.
“WT just kind of won me over with the coaching staff and how close it is to home,” Macon said. “A lot of my family can come and watch the home games and whatnot, and so that’s a pretty cool thing to know that they’re just right there. So if I need anything, I’m 20 minutes away.”
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He said his freshman class helped build the foundation for West Plains football success.
“West Plains has just been such a blessing. It’s a family more than anything,” Macon said. “All these coaches love every single one of us, just like their own. It’s special to know that we built this and that we can pass on the torch.”
Macon said he plans to compete for the starting job at West Texas A&M.
“ I always have a chip on my shoulder regardless of where I’m at and what I’m doing, but I’m going to try to win the job and do the best I can,” he said. “It was just Coach Lynn and the hospitality that they showed me when I was on my visit and how close it is to home, that mom and dad are super close, and the rest of my family is super close and can come watch and support me.”
West Plains head football coach Adam Cummings praised Macon’s leadership across multiple sports.
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“The character and the leadership that he provided over the past four years, and laying that foundation for West Plains. Not just football, but basketball, baseball, track, and all the things that he’s involved in,” Cummings said. “Can’t say enough about what he’s meant to this program, and he’s going to go on and do great things right in our backyard at WT. We’re excited to go and to see him play.”
Lopez signs with Angelo State
Lopez spent his time in the trenches helping protect Macon in the backfield on the offensive line. He said West Plains played a major role in his development.
“West Plains was definitely a big part of my life. It helped me grow as a man,” Lopez said. “Coaching staff helped us with everything, helped us grow as men, helped us build strength, help us fight with each other, as a team, as a family.”
Lopez said Angelo State was the right fit for him.
“I chose Angelo State because it was like a great fit. Coaching staff was awesome, I just felt like it was a great fit for me,” he said. “They really welcomed me, and the facilities were really great, and I could definitely see myself playing there.”
He said he feels blessed to have the opportunity to play at the college level.
“I’m definitely very blessed, because not [many] football players get to play at the next level, and I’m just very blessed to go get the opportunity and go play,” Lopez said. “They said I have a chance to fight for a spot, but it’s not going to be just open. I got to go fight for the spot.”
Cummings said Lopez has been instrumental in the success of the offensive line and set a high standard for future players.
“You talk about all the things that he’s done for us up front. If you know anything about West Plains football, our offensive line has been really good past several years, and that’s been a credit to what Omar has done and the impact that he’s left,” Cummings said. “He set the bar really high for future offensive linemen in our West Plains football program.”
Cummings said Lopez’s leadership extends beyond football.
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“I come back to, it’s not just about the x’s and o’s and things that he’s done. He’s a first team all-state offensive tackle, but he’s also led with conviction. He’s led with character integrity,” he said. “He’s a great leader for not only our program, but he walks these halls, and he’s a leader in the hallway and in the classroom. Straight-A student, just can’t say enough about what he’s done in the legacy that he’s at West Plains.”
Freeby continues family golf tradition
Freeby is carrying on the family tradition and following in the footsteps of her mother to play college golf. She started playing golf at age nine and said she has always had a natural talent for the sport.
“This means the world to me,” Freeby said. “My mom played at the college level, and it’s just amazing to be able to go that level like my mom did and follow in her footsteps, and do it with the Lord on my side and with everyone here, like it’s just a blessing to be able to go and go to that next level.”
Freeby said she was attracted to Collin College because of the campus and coaching staff.
“Collin College is just a great campus. They’re redoing the campus, and they just got a whole project going on, and it’s really cool,” she said.
She said her goal is to improve her scores before heading to college.
“I would like to lower my scores just a little bit. I’m not quite where I want to be, but I’m excited to kind of drop those scores just a little bit, and hopefully by the end of the season, be where I want to be before I go to college,” Freeby said.
West Plains head golf coach Eric Moore said Freeby joined the program in the spring of her freshman year and immediately became the team’s best player.
“She has set that standard every single year when she comes through, she works harder than anybody that I’ve met on the girls side. She sets an example for the other girls, and I know when she gets [to Collin], she’s just going to keep getting better and better.”
Moore said college golf requires total commitment.
“If you guys weren’t familiar with college golf, it is all in. You got to be all in if you’re going to go play college golf,” he said. “I feel like she can do that, and I’m just so proud of her, and hopefully she is one of the first in the line of many coming through that decide to go play at the next level in our program.”
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