UNK football adds 11 players, including McCook's Sam Sis

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School senior Sam Sis, right, shown here making a defensive play during the 2006 season, signed with the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The 6-foot-1, 255-pound Sis is projected as an offensive lineman.

KEARNEY -- Nebraska-Kearney head football coach Darrell Morris announced Thursday the names of 11 players -- four transfers and seven high school seniors -- who will join the Lopers next year.

One of the high school seniors is McCook's Sam Sis, a 6-foot-1, 255-pound offensive lineman.

The group includes four defensive backs, four offensive linemen/tight ends and a quarterback. In February, UNK brought in 32 players on signing day.

Included in the latest group of newcomers is Overton High star Andrew McCarter. In the 2006 Class D1 state title game, he had 19.5 tackles, rushed for 62 yards and two scores and threw for 49 yards and two TD's as Overton beat Bancroft-Rosalie, 32-8.

He is projected to be a linebacker for the Lopers.

Also joining UNK is defensive back James Wideman (Northglenn, Colo.). Wideman was a key member of the Fort Hays State defense in 2004 and 2005, leading the Tigers in tackles (76) as a sophomore. He didn't play this past season at Hays.

He prepped at Northglenn High, home to several current and former Lopers such as Cory Sleeth, Deano Korecky, Steve Bremmer and Jessup Pfeifer.

Finally, Paden Faulkner (Littleton, Colo.) will be the fourth true freshmen QB in fall camp. Also in that group will be Bobby Adamson (Byers, Colo.), Justin Barry (Wahoo) and Jake Spitzlberger (Lakewood, Colo.).

The Lopers begin the 2007 season on Sept. 1 with a home game vs. UNO.

Recent UNK signees

Sean Duggan, OL, 6-4, 275, Long Beach, Calif. (Millikan H.S.)

Brandon Frakes, TE, 6-4, 205, Omaha, Neb. (Elkhorn H.S.)

Paden Faulkner, QB, 6-3, 180, Littleton, Colo. (ThunderRidge H.S.)

Andrew Keirns, OL, 6-6, 220, Loveland, Colo. (Loveland H.S.)

Andrew McCarter, LB, 6-1, 215, Overton, Neb. (Overton H.S.)

Ryan McCarthy, CB, 5-11, 190, Riverside, Calif. (San Bernardino Valley College)

Mike Neal, CB, 5-8, 180, Brentwood, Calif. (City College of San Francisco)

John Newcomer, RB, 5-9, 190, Morrison, Colo. (Bear Creek H.S.)

Byron Sconiers, CB, 5-10, 185 Reedley, Calif. (Reedley College)

Sam Sis, OL, 6-1, 255, McCook, Neb. (McCook H.S.)

James Wideman, CB, 6-0, 200, Northglenn, Colo. (Fort Hays State U.)