Lights ink a talented mix of high school recruits

(Created: Friday, March 16, 2007)

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

With spring drills set to start next week, and a Frontier Conference Most Valuable Player having to be replaced at quarterback, Montana State University- Northern football coach Mark Samson recently released a list of 19 new recruits. The list includes an All-State quarterback from Idaho, as well as two Havre High standouts. Heading the list of new signees for MSU-N is 6-1, 190-pound quarterback Garren Hammons from Couer d’Alene, Idaho. Hammons played for Lake City High where he was a two-year starter. This past season, Hammons led Lake High to the 5A state championship game, and he was named to the Idaho 5A All-State team. The Spokesman Review also tabbed Hammons as the firstteam quarterback on its North Idaho all-star team. Samson also signed several other skill players, including Drummond running back Ty Cochrell, as well as wide receivers Tyson Lucier of Superior and and Josh Ditzenberger of Woodenville, Wash. Libby’s Jake Graham and Andrew Mosby of Anchorage, Alaska will also join MSUN’s backfield next fall. Cochrell was a big get for the MSU-N program. The 5-9, 195-pound two-time all-state selection played for the Trojans during their three-year unbeaten streak in Class C eight-man football. Cochrell was heavily recruited by the entire Frontier Conference, and did have a walk-on offer at the University of Montana. Graham was another excellent find for the Lights. The 6-1, 220-pound Libby fullback was a two-time Class A All-State player for the Loggers, who have had much success in the Class A ranks. Graham was also a three-time Class A state champion wrestler for Libby. Mosby, a two-time all-state player at Anchorage’s Service High School, is a multidimensional player. At Service, he played running back, caught passes and returned kicks, as well as playing defensive back. Samson also beefed up the offensive line by signing three standout linemen. Troy McGillvray (6- 5, 225) from Great Falls High, Russell Penner from Seeley- Swan and Zeb Oslon of Malta, are all big, athletic lineman who should bolster the future of MSU-N’s offensive line. Olson was an all-state selection on both the offensive and defensive line for the 2006 Class B state champion Malta Mustangs. On the defensive side of the ball, the Lights landed several gems, including three local standouts. Northern signed HHS defensive end Chris Buskirk, who was a Class A All- State selection this season, as well as linebacker Kyle Rummell, who earned Central A All-Conference honors. Joining Buskirk and Rummell is Harlem linebacker Tyler Faulkinberry. The 6-0, 185- pound Faulkinberry was a Class B All- State selection at both center and linebacker this season. The Lights also got several outstanding defensive backs led by Tyler Jinright of Sand Point, Idaho. Jinright (5-11, 190) was a two-time Idaho All-State selection at Sand Point High School. Greg Samson (5-10, 188) and Jeff Freeman (5-10, 175) are two other All-District Dbs from the Denver area that are coming to Northern, and both were highly-touted players who were recruited by larger schools. Rounding out the list of signees is Colstrip defensive end Colton McKinney (6-3, 210), Lewistown linebacker Cole Brevig (6-0, 210), Missoula Loyola linebacker Brent Schaff (6-0, 195) and Sandpoint, Idaho linebacker/punter Will Andrews. Andrews was another big find for MSU-N, as he earned all-state honors this past season. Samson is expected to announce more recruits later this month. The Lights have also finalized their 2007 schedule. MSU-N will open the season on Sept. 1 at home against Dickinson State University, and they begin Frontier Conference play on Sept. 8 at Montana Tech. MSU-N plays three home games in September and back-to-back home games the first two weeks of October. In all, the Lights will have five of their first seven games at Blue Pony Stadium.