They’re going places. But that doesn’t mean Maurice Wright and Dwayne Rhodes won’t leave part of their hearts at home. At their senior year winds down at Luther High School, the star athletes recently signed to play football for separate NCAA Division II Oklahoma universities in the fall.
Maurice Wright is headed to his Coach’s alma mater, Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, OK as a defensive back.
Dewayne Rhodes will join the Dawgs of Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, OK as a defensive lineman.
The chapter ends with a goal achieved, for the boys, and their head Coach Shawn Meek who started at LHS the year they were freshmen. He started promoting the guys as top prospects way back then, and coached them to an undefeated regular season their senior year.
Since Meek is currently the interim high school principal, he won’t be able to hide it if he sheds a tear up on the graduation stage come May.
“They’re the kind of players you don’t replace,” said Meek. “You just kind of figure it out.”
Both Wright and Rhodes are grateful. Grateful to Coach. Grateful for the early morning workouts. Grateful for the new school building. Grateful for the education. And grateful for teachers, family and friends.
They encourage Lions coming up behind them – athletes or not – to take advantage of the whole high school experience.
“Everyone has a dream,” said Rhodes. “You have to work hard to achieve it.”
Wright is looking at a degree in business, while Rhodes will pursue nursing. Each is determined to take the same work ethic and grit they learned at LPS with them to the next level.
“It’s been amazing. Coach Meek and the whole coaching staff have been good to me and the whole team. Coach got on to us but he loves us at the same time. We’d do anything for him,” said Wright.
Do they feel the pressure to do well in college?
They feel it, but they said it doesn’t phase them.
“We always go hard.”
Always a Lion.
