The excitement of winning a Class 3 state championship continues in Monett. On Wednesday, five of the young men who led the Cubs to that title back in late November made the biggest decision of their life to this point.
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Unanimous Class 3 Player of the Year Michael Branch will continue his career at Southwest Baptist University. Branch had over 2,500 total yards and 34 touchdowns during a breakout senior season. Also a standout linebacker, but Branch plans to carry the ball when he gets to Bolivar this fall for the resurgent Bearcats, who made their first ever NCAA-II playoff appearance last season.
“Just to see that these young coaches are changing that program from 1-and-whatever to a 10-2 program shows how good the coaches are,” said Branch who intends to major in Criminal Justice. “Them having a really good recruiting class shows just how much people want to go there and play.”
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All-state tight end/defensive end Alex Turner is also headed to the D-2 level, signing with MIAA powerhouse Pittsburg State. The 6’5″ Turner registered 43 solo and 65 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, three sacks; 28 catches, 459 yards, three touchdowns. He had other options, but fell in love with the Gorillas early on.
“From the first visit I went on my junior year to a game I just loved the atmosphere, I loved everything about it,” said Turner. “This year I got to meet all the coaches and the players and it felt like the place for me. It felt like family.”
All-district lineman Aiden Brown will be seeing a lot of Turner over the next four years as he signed with MIAA rival Missouri Southern.
First-team all-state kicker Cameron Cody is taking his big leg to the NAIA level, where he will play for Southwestern College of Kansas.
Brian Parra-Navarro made the most of his one season at Monett. The all-district defensive back signed with NAIA Mid-America Nazarene, a member of the Heart of America Conference.
Five great players headed in five different directions, but these young men will never forget their time as a Monett Cub.
“We’ll remember going to state and walking out and seeing a sea of purple,” said Branch. “Kids yelling our names, parents yelling our names, just having the feeling that the whole town is really supporting you. There would never be anything like that in my opinion, anywhere else that I’ll go in my life.”
