Wednesday's all-school assembly at Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria included a run-of-the-mill rundown of morning announcements. The chess team would meet later in the afternoon, books are being collected for a book drive and a dress rehearsal for the talent show would not need to include props.
After a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance and those messages, football coach Dave Hopkins took the microphone and ran the gymnasium like a paid motivational speaker.
He had reason to be excited.
Three of his players soon made their college choice official: Trent Nady and Peter Vakulskas to Augustana College and Peter Westerhaus to the Gophers.
Westerhaus, who will play linebacker at Minnesota, was literally recruited by coaches from coast-to-coast. After pulling on a maroon and gold ball cap Wednesday, Westerhaus let out a big puff of air.
"It was a long recruiting process. A lot of learning and you meet a lot of great people," the Mr. Football Award winner said. "But it feels great to have it finished right now."
-- Brian Stensaas
