Three-sport standout

will play football
By Steve Behr

There seems to be a football pipeline being built between Watauga and Emory and Henry College.

One year after standout center Mike Farris chose to play football at the Division III program, tight end Jake Wallace has done the same. Wallace announced his intention to play football for the Wasps last weekend.

Wallace, who spent much of the 2008 season working through an injured knee and ankle, said much of the reason why he chose to go to Emory and Henry was that the team’s coaching staff kept recruiting him despite the injuries.

“When I was hurt, I went down there and they acted like it never happened,” Wallace said. “They still wanted me and they still felt strong about me wanting to go there.”

Wallace had a standout junior season with Watauga, and was set to return as an All-Northwestern 4-A Conference tight end for the defending league champs last season. Not only was Wallace supposed to play tight end, but also play linebacker on defense and be the backup quarterback to Devan Corum.

However, Wallace injured his knee in a preseason scrimmage against Newton-Conover. He missed several games, returned for one game, but was injured again and was out for the season.

Other colleges lost interest, but Emory and Henry stuck with Wallace. It didn’t hurt the Wasps that Farris was keeping in contact with Wallace.

“Mike and I were talking all along,” Wallace said. “I was talking to his dad a lot. His dad was the one who first put the idea into my head. It definitely helped me make my decision.”

Since Emory and Henry is a Division III program, it does not give out athletic scholarships. Wallace said he would receive other types of financial aid to cover most of his expenses.

It’s an encouraging sign in what has been an injury-plagued senior year for Wallace. He missed part of the basketball season because of his football injuries but was able to return to the court midway through the year.
Another ankle injury put him on the shelf, costing him the rest of the hoops season.