By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
OTTAWA -- Former Rossville star offensive lineman Jacob Carver is set to continue what has become a Bulldawg pipeline to Emporia State's football program this fall, with Carver to begin his freshman year with the Hornets next month.
Former Rossville star Jacob Carver (middle) will play offensive line for the East in Saturday's Kansas Shrine Bowl at Hays. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Bulldawgs' connections to ESU include Rossville coach Derick Hammes as well as former Bulldawg standouts Dawson Hammes and Cole Schumacher, who completed their Hornet careers last season, and Carver's former teammate, Brody Lietz.
But as deep as Rossville's connections to Emporia State run, Carver said his fellow Bulldawgs stayed out of the way when it came time for him to pick a college.
"They left it up to me and I just loved the environment that they had there, so I thought it fit right for me,'' said Carver, who will play for the East team in Saturday night's 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl at Hays.
"I kind of thought about a couple other schools but after just talking to the (Emporia State) coaches, I just felt like that was the perfect spot for me.''
Carver, who earned All-Shawnee County Top 22 recognition as a senior, said it will be especially nice to have Lietz to lean on at ESU as he gets acclimated to college football.
Lietz redshirted last season after teaming with Carver to help lead Rossville to back-to-back Class 2A state titles in 2020 and '21.
"Brody being there is awesome.'' Carver said before Sunday's East practice session at Ottawa University.
Also a state class wrestler for the Bulldawgs, the 6-foot-2, 290-pound Carver fought through a shoulder injury as a senior, but said he's back to full strength physcially.
"I had a superior labral tear and then I got that repaired and I'm back to normal,'' Carver said. "I got it operated on in March and it was back to normal about early May, mid-May.''
Carver could have wrestled in college after finishing second in 3A-1A as a junior and fourth last season, but said he always had his heart set on playing college football.
"Football's definitely been the first love for me,'' Carver said. "I loved wrestling, but I don't think it will ever be able to top football.''
Carver is expecting to redshirt at Emporia State this season, which he thinks will be good for him.
"I think most of the freshman will redshirt,'' he said. "I'm excited for it. It will just be a year of growth for me to learn everything and kind of get up to everybody else physically.''
Carver is one of four Shawnee County products who will play for the East, joining Shawnee Heights' Gavin Zaperku, Hayden's Ben Evans and Washburn Rural's Ty Weber, while Hayden coach Bill Arnold is an assistant coach for the East.
Zuperku will play offensive line for the East while Evans will play defensive line and Weber will play linebacker.
Kickoff for Saturday night's game is 7 p.m.
