3 MRH Athletes to Continue Football Careers into College

Three Maplewood Richmond Heights athletes signed letters of intent to continue their football careers into college Wednesday afternoon.

Lineman Antar Thompson committed to Missouri, quarterback Kahlid Hagens to University of Tennessee at Martin, and middle linebacker Wes Williams to Northwest Missouri State.

See more photos of the signing at Maplewood-Brentwood Patch Facebook.

Thompson was the highest-profile player of the three to commit, though he wasn’t at the signing ceremony at MRH High School. The Columbia Tribune, in an article on Thompson's signing, said MRH Head Coach Rich Nixon challenged Thompson "to play harder and better and he did both."

Hagens is going to UT Martin as a quarterback, the position he started at beginning his sophomore year.

“They run a spread, and I think I’ll fit good into the offense,” he said. Hagens said he plans on studying mechanical engineering.

Williams said Northwest Missouri State is a good family-oriented place.

“The education is good. Athletics are good, and football is amazing up there,” he said. Williams said he’ll be red-shirted the first year, but is looking forward to his sophomore year.

In addition to linebacker, Williams was known for his versatility in his MRH career, most memorably in his sophomore year when he stepped in as quarterback when Hagens was out with an appendicitis in the post season.

Williams plans to major in physical education.

All three players were on the State runner-up team in 2010. In 2011 and 2012 the Blue Devils won Districts and continued into the post season.

In this season Williams and Thompson were All-State 1st Team and Hagens was All-State 2nd Team.

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