Five Dawgs sign with colleges; Cove cousins continue family legacy at Temple Junior College
Fri, 2015-03-06 05:00
News Staff
By TJ MAXWELL
Just about all families have traditions. Three Copperas Cove athletes – and cousins - will take their tradition to the next level at Temple Junior College. Offensive lineman Colton Tuiasosopo, along with defensive linemen Phil Aumua and Logo Kaleopa, have been playing together their whole lives and that will continue at the next level. They chose to follow Colton’s brother, Caleb, to Temple Junior College. “It’s awesome,” said Colton. “It’s really good because you start off with family connections.” Aumua downplayed the fact they are continuing their career together. They have been doing it so long it just comes natural. “It’s nothing really because I’ve been playing with them since I was little,” he said. “It’s really great that I’m going up there with family and not just by myself. It’s going to be fun.” Kaleopa agreed. “It’s like playing with brothers,” he said. “It’s good to know that I’ll have family and stuff. It’s going to be great. A lot of my family goes there so they wanted me to come there and play with them.” That family connection has ties to the school as well with the elder Tuiasosopo making his mark there. “We had a good connection with Tyler because my older cousin (Caleb Tuiasosopo) went there and he did really good there,” said Aumua. “We had a good connection with them and they liked how we played, so we just fit right in with their program.” All three answered similarly when asked why they chose Temple Junior College. “We visited the campuses and the coaches seemed to like us a lot,” said Tuiasosopo. “So it seemed like a great place to go Also signing to play at the next level were wide receiver Tre Powell and defensive back Breyon Jackson. Powell, who finished the season as the No. 15 receiver in Class 6A, will continue his career at Missouri Valley College in Marshall Missouri. “It’s a really nice campus,” said Powell. “They’re exceptional in football. They’re No. 8 in the nation for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). “It’s going to be a great opportunity.” Powell didn’t let the recruitment process weigh him down. He’s just glad he gets to continue his academic and athletic careers. “There was never really any weight on my shoulders,” he said. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity, thankful to be here and thankful for everything. It’s just a great feeling.” Jackson, however, is glad the stress of the recruitment period is done. “It feels good getting all that stress out and just knowing where I’m going to school at so I can continue my football career,” he said. Jackson moved to cornerback in his senior season after playing safety his entire career. He’s hoping to return to his native position at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma. “I’m going to try and go back to safety,” he said. “I feel more comfortable there.” Like the other four guys, the feeling of belonging and good facilities spurred Jackson’s decision. “The coaching staff – they were really nice and really down-to-earth people,” he said. “I know I can go far with them. They’re like a Division I facility and they’re supposed to be getting new field so it will be pretty goodin the future.” The five guys will take a plethora of memories along with them and most of them have a similar theme. “Just the relentlessness and how hard the coaches pushed all of us to succeed in life and in football,” said Jackson. “I just think about all the hard work we put in, all the dedication and all the hours we gave,” added Powell. The five football signees bring the total in the Jack Welch era to 254 football players who have signed to played at the next level. “It’s an exciting time,” said head football coach and athletic director Welch. “Anytime you see young people signing to participate in college, I think it’s great thing. It doesn’t matter if you get a full scholarship to go to the university of whatever, if you’re walking on, or you have an academic scholarship. It doesn’t matter - what matters is, you have an opportunity to go participate.” “We’re going to miss these young men,” said CCISD superintendent Joe Burns. “They provided tremendous leadership in our athletic program but they also provided leadership within our school program.”