2011 Western Carolina signing class

[catamount man]

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous School)
Olukayode Akinmoladun OL 6-2 320 Jr. Kansas City, Mo. (College of the Sequoias / Grandview HS
Rainey Ala DL 6-2 315 Jr. Pago Pago, American Samoa (Monterey Peninsula College / Tafuna HS
Eric Banford DL 6-2 275 Jr. Newark, Calif. (Foothill College / Newark Memorial HS)
Karnorris Benson DB 6-1 195 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. (Therrell HS)
Petey Boone RB 6-0 210 Fr. Ahoskie, N.C. (Hertford County HS)
Isaiah Johnson WR 6-1 195 Fr. Mont Clair, N.C. (Panther Creek HS)
Isaiah Moore DB 5-11 175 Fr. Garner, N.C. (Hargrave Military Academy / Garner HS)
Admir Mujakovic OL 6-2 340 Jr. Doboj, Bosnia (Merced College / Northeast HS)
Richard Sigmon K 5-11 160 Fr. Mount Holly, N.C. (East Gaston HS)
Jawan Simmons QB 6-2 195 Fr. Syracuse, N.Y. (North Carolina Tech / Nottingham HS)
Thomas Vonashek OL 6-8 320 Jr. St. Simmons Island, Ga. (Iowa Central / Glynn Academy)
Shaun Warren RB 5-9 180 Fr. China Grove, N.C. (Jesse C. Carson HS)



Olukayode Akinmoladun
OL - 6-2 - 320 lbs. - Jr.
Kansas City, Mo. (College of the Sequoias / Grandview HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Originally attended Independence Community College out of high school ... Played in nine games at Independence recording 20 tackles along the defensive line including 10 solo stops ... Transferred to the College of the Sequoias where he converted to offensive line, starting at right guard ... Committed to transfer to Kansas State before signing with Western Carolina; At Grandview HS: Finished with 115 career hits including 16 sacks in three seasons along the defensive front ... Was an honorable mention all-conference selection as a junior, earning second team all-conference accolades in his final year as a prep.
Personal: Is the son of Sherryee Akinmoladun ... Is one of eight children.

Rainey Ala
DL - 6-2 - 315 lbs. - Jr.
Pago Pago, American Samoa (Monterey Peninsula College / Tafuna HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Appeared in 15 games over two seasons at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, Calif., recording 40 total tackles with 9.5 for loss and two and a half sacks ... Played for head coach Mike Rasmussen; At Tafuna HS: Played prep football for Jason Magalei ... Tafuna High School is the alma mater of Cincinnati defensive tackle Jonathan Fanene.
Personal: Full name is Kodaro Rainey Ala ... Is the son of Kodaro and Noa Ala ... Has two younger siblings.

Eric Banford
DL - 6-2 - 275 lbs. - Jr.
Newark, Calif. (Foothill College / Newark Memorial HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Was a two-time All-NORCAL Conference selection at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. ... Recorded 92 total hits in two seasons, amassing 26.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks ... Returned a fumble 96 yards as a freshman for his lone collegiate score ... All told, forced four fumbles while recovering five ... Was a part of two Silicon Valley Bowl championship teams at Foothills, earning Defensive Player of the Game following the 2010 victory; At Newark Memorial HS: Earned first team All-Mission Valley Athletic League honors both his junior and senior seasons ... Was also a first team all-conference selection in track & field throwing the discus.
Personal: Full name is Eric Cameron Banford ... Is the son of Eric, Sr., and Jaime Banford ... Has four younger siblings - Damien, Dante, Kaleb and Tuff Tuff.

Karnorris Benson
DB - 6-1 - 195 lbs.
Atlanta, Ga. (Therrell HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: As a two-way player, amassed over 1,400 yards receiving with 16 touchdowns on offense and recorded 142 career tackles in two varsity seasons at Therrell HS ... Set a city record with nine interceptions his senior season, finishing with 16 career INTs ... Tabbed All-Area by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (AJC) ... Named Defensive Player of the Year as a junior... Also rushed 17 times for 200 yards and a pair of scores along with completing four passes for 30 yards and a score ... Earned first team All-State as a wide receiver during his final prep season.
Personal: Full name is Karnorris Bernard Benson... Is the son of Lula Kemp.

Petey Boone
RB - 6-0 - 210 lbs.
Ahoskie, N.C. (Hertford County HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Played quarterback, running back and defensive back during his prep career ... Rushed for 47 career touchdowns ... Was a part of Hertford County's 10-2 Northeaster Coastal Conference Championship as a sophomore and led the Bears to a 13-1 mark during his junior season ... Also played high school baseball and basketball earning all-conference honorable mention in 2009-10 in the latter ... As a sophomore, set a school single-game record with nine made 3-pointers.
Personal: Full name is Alfred Alonzo Boone, but prefers to go by "Petey" ... Is the son of Alvin Boone and Joan Godwin ... Has two younger siblings, Jeston and Christopher.

Isaiah Johnson
WR - 6-1 - 195 lbs.
Montclair, N.C. (Panther Creek HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Spent four years on the varsity team, moving to the senior squad for the final four games of his freshman season ... Two-way player who recorded 71 career tackles including 50 solo stops and eight sacks ... Finished with 13 career interceptions including seven during his senior season returning two for touchdowns in earning first team NCPreps.com All-State at defensive back ... Two-time All-Tri-Nine Conference selection, garnering second team plaudits as a junior and first team as a senior ... Caught 46 passes for 666 yards and 11 touchdowns as a wide receiver in his final prep season helping Panther Creek HS - also nicknamed the Catamounts - go 13-2 and advance to the regional round of the North Carolina state high school playoffs ... Averaged 13 yards on 20 punt returns in his final season ... Listed as a two-star athlete by Rivals.com ... Was also a four-year varsity letterwinner in boys basketball where he earned first team all-conference accolades as a junior.
Personal: Full name is Isaiah Nigel Johnson ... Is the son of Chris and Mary Johnson ... Has three siblings ... His cousin, Keith Hamilton, played professionally for the New York Giants.

Isaiah Moore
DB - 5-11 - 175 lbs.
Garner, N.C. (Hargrave Military Academy / Garner HS)
Notes: Mid-term transfer who enrolled at Western Carolina for the Spring, 2011 semester.
Prior to Western Carolina: Played postgraduate football at Hargrave Military Academy ... Finished with 108 tackles his senior season ... Intercepted 12 passes during his prep career while also blocking three punts.
Personal: Full name is Ronald Isaiah Moore.

Admir Mujakovic
OL - 6-2 - 340 lbs. - Jr.
Doboj, Bosnia (Merced College / Northeast HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Was a two-time, All-Golden Gate Conference selection at Merced Junior College earning first team accolades as a true freshman ... Helped Merced rush for 119.7 yards per game as a sophomore ... Collectively, the offensive line only surrendered 16 sacks ... Worked within the spread pistol offensive system as a sophomore, playing both center and guard; At Northeast HS: Earned All-Star selection along the offensive line as a prep ... Started playing football in the 10th grade.
Personal: Was born in Doboj, Bosnia and moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., in 2001 ... Is the son of Maida Mujakovic ... Is nicknamed "Tiny."

Richard Sigmon
K - 5-11 - 160 lbs.
Mount Holly, N.C. (East Gaston HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: A two-time All-Mega-7 Conference selection who garnered first team Gaston Gazette honors as a senior ... Was named Dynamic Performance Sports 2010 Kicker of the Year... Finished his prep career 16-for-21 on field goal attempts including four field goals of over 40 yards during his senior season ... Held a 38-yard punting average as a senior ... Went 6-for-7 on field goals as a junior with his lone miss of the season blocked ... Was a 4.5 star kicker by Chris Sailer kicking exposure camp ... Additionally played club soccer for the North Meck Soccer Club for seven years.
Personal: Full name is Richard DeWitt Sigmon ... Is the son of Mike and Jeannie Sigmon.

Jawan Simmons
QB - 6-2 - 195 lbs.
Syracuse, N.Y. (North Carolina Tech / Nottingham HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Attended North Carolina Tech after graduating from Nottingham HS in Syracuse, N.Y., in June of 2010 ... Tabbed first team offense on the New York Section 3 National Division Class A football team as a junior at Nottingham HS ... Threw for more than 3,000 yards during his career with the Bulldogs ... Rated a three-star quarterback coming out of high school class 2010 by Rivals.com ... Preseason top 10 in New York State by rivals.com while also ranked as one of the Top 125 QBs in the nation by Scout.com ... Played in the Upstate-Downstate All-Star game in New York at the Carrier Dome during the summer of 2010 ... Listed in the 2010 preseason issue of Super Prep Magazineþ ... Guided NC Tech to a 9-1 record a season ago ... Also played basketball at Nottingham HS.
Personal: Is the son of Bill and Helen Simmons.

Thomas Vonashek
OL - 6-8 - 320 lbs. - Jr.
St. Simmons Island, Ga. (Iowa Central / Glynn Academy)
Prior to Western Carolina: Originally signed by the Univ. of Wyoming out of high school where he was the largest signee in the Cowboys' 2009 class ... Earned All-Area honors three seasons and All-Region honors his last two years at Glynn Academy for head coach Rob Ridings ... Was originally a two-star recruit out of high school by Rivals.com ... Additionally played boys basketball and participated in track & field as a prep ... Averaged 17 points and 15 rebounds per game for his high school basketball team while also playing for the Georgia Elite AAU basketball team ... At the regional championships, placed second in the discus as a junior and eighth at the State Championships; At Iowa Central: Named an honorable mention All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) selection while grading out at 83-percent along the offensive line with 40 pancake blocks.
Personal: Full name is Thomas Charles Vonashek ... Is the son of Rick and Miriam Vonashek ... His mother played collegiate volleyball at Valdosta State ... Has two younger siblings, Frazier and J.P.

Shaun Warren
RB - 5-9 - 180 lbs.
China Grove, N.C. (Carson HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Concluded his prep career with 6,023 yards rushing and over 60 rushing touchdowns in three seasons ... Led the state of North Carolina in rushing as a senior, amassing 2,967 yards - the second-highest total in state history - with 31 rushing TDs to earn State Player of the Year by NC Preps.com ... Rushed for over 200 yards 10 times for head coach Mark Woody ... Earned All-North Piedmont Conference and North Piedmont Offensive Player of the Year honors, while also garnering All-Area and All-State accolades.
Personal: Full name is Shaun Everith Warren ... Is the son of Shaun, Sr., and Trina Warren ... Both parents ran track in high school ... Has an older sibling, Greg, who played high school football at A.L. Brown HS.

[Grizalltheway]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SpeedkingATL]

Lots of beef!

[catamount man]

Signed a kid from Russia as well.

Andre Shishkin
DL - 6-3 - 285 lbs. - Jr.
Izehusk, Russia (Santa Rosa Junior College / Novato HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Accounted for 52 tackles including 12 for loss and nine sacks in two seasons at Santa Rosa ... Recovered a fumble during his freshman season ... Also during his rookie year, set the SRJC defensive line vertical and shuttle run records; Attended Novato HS in Novato, Calif.
Personal: Is the son of Sirgay Shishkin, who lives in Russia, and Elena Shishkin who resides in Petaluma, Calif. ... Has an older sister, Jenny.

[Appaholic]

Signed a kid from Russia as well.

Andre Shishkin
DL - 6-3 - 285 lbs. - Jr.
Izehusk, Russia (Santa Rosa Junior College / Novato HS)
Prior to Western Carolina: Accounted for 52 tackles including 12 for loss and nine sacks in two seasons at Santa Rosa ... Recovered a fumble during his freshman season ... Also during his rookie year, set the SRJC defensive line vertical and shuttle run records; Attended Novato HS in Novato, Calif.
Personal: Is the son of Sirgay Shishkin, who lives in Russia, and Elena Shishkin who resides in Petaluma, Calif. ... Has an older sister, Jenny.

Coming from Russia, I doubt this kid's ever seen good football.....and going to Cullowhee, he still won't.... Seriously though, are you guys having to go overseas to find anyone willing to don the "Cats" logo? It's like a mail-order bride scheme gone horribly awry....

[catamount man]

all sophomoric humor aside, the ACT had a telling article the other day about how neither ASU or WCU landed any WNC prospects this season. Both schools essentially went after what they needed. And let us not kid ourselves, local WNC HS football hasn't been as dominant the last few years as in years past. When is the last time a WNC team won a state title?

[catamount man]

Another addition:
Mason Pirtle, North Lincoln, WR (Western Carolina, preferred walk-on)

And I believe we are getting another big Samoan linemen, Sini Tauauve'a, a Utah JUCO. It's down to us or Nicholls State.

GO CATS!!!

[catamount man]

http://articles.dailypilot.com/2011-02- ... e-brantley" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another Isaiah in the 2011 class is coming in. GO CATS!!!

[ASUG8]

all sophomoric humor aside, the ACT had a telling article the other day about how neither ASU or WCU landed any WNC prospects this season. Both schools essentially went after what they needed. And let us not kid ourselves, local WNC HS football hasn't been as dominant the last few years as in years past. When is the last time a WNC team won a state title?

App may get this kid from Reynolds High in Asheville as a preferred walkon.

http://blogs2.citizen-times.com/hshuddl ... app-state/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[catamount man]

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20 ... t|Sports|s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tale of the tape in WNC. Tim Clifton and MHC continue to rack up local talent.

[Appaholic]

all sophomoric humor aside, the ACT had a telling article the other day about how neither ASU or WCU landed any WNC prospects this season. Both schools essentially went after what they needed. And let us not kid ourselves, local WNC HS football hasn't been as dominant the last few years as in years past. When is the last time a WNC team won a state title?

Didn't Reynolds win it last year? And Murphy should have this year....lost on a missed extra point...what a pisser... WNC HS football has some great individual talent recently (Jeoffrey Pagan going to Bama, the Tuscola QB who went to State), but you're right, there hasn't been a dominant WNC team of the Robbinsville (7 straight state titles) or even of Asheville 2005 caliber in past couple of years.

[catamount man]

you're right. Reynolds did win one last year. Those Robbinsville teams were good and Dee Walsh, former CAT BTW, is getting them headed back in the right direction. Boyce Deitz's Swain County teams were dominant as well, especially when Heath Shuler was under center. Jim Fox had some good years at Rosman as well. BTW, didn't know if I told you, Briggs is volunteering at Smoky Mountain HS these days. They beat North Hendo to end a long losing streak last October. Tom Pawlowski, son of WCU DC Matt Pawlowski, already turning some heads over there and he is just a 9th grader.

Hopefully the quality will pick back up. Of course, Pisgah and Tuscola are always gonna be good.

[ASUG8]

you're right. Reynolds did win one last year. Those Robbinsville teams were good and Dee Walsh, former CAT BTW, is getting them headed back in the right direction. Boyce Deitz's Swain County teams were dominant as well, especially when Heath Shuler was under center. Jim Fox had some good years at Rosman as well. BTW, didn't know if I told you, Briggs is volunteering at Smoky Mountain HS these days. They beat North Hendo to end a long losing streak last October. Tom Pawlowski, son of WCU DC Matt Pawlowski, already turning some heads over there and he is just a 9th grader.

Hopefully the quality will pick back up. Of course, Pisgah and Tuscola are always gonna be good.

That's right bitches.

[catamount man]

Just for you G8,

Tuscola Mountaineers 2011 schedule

Aug 19 at Polk County
Aug 26 at Hbriten
Sep 2 at Asheville
Sep 9 Elizabethton (TN)
Sep 16 Smoky Mountain
Sep 23 at Brevard
Sep 30 North Henderson
Oct 7 Pisgah (THE BATTLE OF HAYWOOD COUNTY)
Oct 14 at West Henderson
Oct 21 at East Henderson
Oct 28 Franklin

[Appaholic]

Just for you G8,

Tuscola Mountaineers 2011 schedule

Aug 19 at Polk County
Aug 26 at Hbriten
Sep 2 at Asheville
Sep 9 Elizabethton (TN)
Sep 16 Smoky Mountain
Sep 23 at Brevard
Sep 30 North Henderson
Oct 7 Pisgah (THE BATTLE OF HAYWOOD COUNTY)
Oct 14 at West Henderson
Oct 21 at East Henderson
Oct 28 Franklin

Mark it down...West will kill them on 14th....G8 & missus should come up for the game in Mills River....

[ASUG8]

Just for you G8,

Tuscola Mountaineers 2011 schedule

Aug 19 at Polk County
Aug 26 at Hbriten
Sep 2 at Asheville
Sep 9 Elizabethton (TN)
Sep 16 Smoky Mountain
Sep 23 at Brevard
Sep 30 North Henderson
Oct 7 Pisgah (THE BATTLE OF HAYWOOD COUNTY)
Oct 14 at West Henderson
Oct 21 at East Henderson
Oct 28 Franklin

Mark it down...West will kill them on 14th....G8 & missus should come up for the game in Mills River....

I haven't seen a game since ......I was 18.

[Appaholic]

Mark it down...West will kill them on 14th....G8 & missus should come up for the game in Mills River....

I haven't seen a game since ......I was 18.

Me neither... ...but we can use that as an excuse when we'll actually probably just drink beer on the back porch & howl at the moon....

[ASUG8]

I haven't seen a game since ......I was 18.

Me neither... ...but we can use that as an excuse when we'll actually probably just drink beer on the back porch & howl at the moon....

Sounds good....I might do that tonight.

[CharlestonAppFan]

Just for you G8,

Tuscola Mountaineers 2011 schedule

Aug 19 at Polk County
Aug 26 at Hbriten
Sep 2 at Asheville
Sep 9 Elizabethton (TN)
Sep 16 Smoky Mountain
Sep 23 at Brevard
Sep 30 North Henderson
Oct 7 Pisgah (THE BATTLE OF HAYWOOD COUNTY)
Oct 14 at West Henderson
Oct 21 at East Henderson
Oct 28 Franklin

your team's a going down G8! Had to throw my old high school alma mater (Hibriten) in there

[ASUG8]

Just for you G8,

Tuscola Mountaineers 2011 schedule

Aug 19 at Polk County
Aug 26 at Hbriten
Sep 2 at Asheville
Sep 9 Elizabethton (TN)
Sep 16 Smoky Mountain
Sep 23 at Brevard
Sep 30 North Henderson
Oct 7 Pisgah (THE BATTLE OF HAYWOOD COUNTY)
Oct 14 at West Henderson
Oct 21 at East Henderson
Oct 28 Franklin

your team's a going down G8! Had to throw my old high school alma mater (Hibriten) in there

You would pull against the (Tuscola) Black and Gold Mountaineers? What kind of ASU fan are you? I think the low country has gotten to you.

[SDHornet]

Hell of a job scouring the nation and landing players from all over to play at WCU.

[SDHornet]

Double post.

[CharlestonAppFan]

your team's a going down G8! Had to throw my old high school alma mater (Hibriten) in there

You would pull against the (Tuscola) Black and Gold Mountaineers? What kind of ASU fan are you? I think the low country has gotten to you.

probably so. my high school finished with 2 wins in the 4 years I was there (I played soccer and won 70+ games in 4 years) so I don't get a chance to brag about them too much since then, but they did go to the semi-finals this year hopefully App will start recruiting some of them in the near future since we've had a couple sign with USC (S. Carolina) and Duke the past couple of years.