Four local players sign with Greyhounds

Wes and Lane Wood have been there for the good times, the bad times, and the really, really good times for Muleshoe football. And they’ve done it together.

“It’s always been fun,” said Wes Wood. “I guess I’ve never known anything else.”

They’ll hit the gridiron again together in the fall, as they’re set to sign with Eastern New Mexico University.

The Woods will be joined at ENMU by Clovis High seniors Stefan Mills and Morris Sharp, with today being the first day for letter-of-intent signings with college football programs.

The Division II Greyhounds expect to sign about 30 players, according to head coach Mark Ribaudo. ENMU finished 2-9 last season.

Wes Wood, a 6-foot-2, 160-pound quarterback who threw for 4,550 yards and a Panhandle-record 64 touchdowns, said he was interested in the Greyhounds’ offensive overhaul to a passing system patterned after Mike Leach’s offense at Texas Tech.

“They kind of ran the same offense that we ran” in Muleshoe’s 15-0 campaign for the school’s championship, Wes Wood said, and, “it looked like I could maybe get some playing time in the future.”

Lane Wood played running back, but shined on defense with a team-high 160 tackles.

“I went both ways full-time,” said Lane Wood, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound linebacker, “so I didn’t care what position it was.”

Sharp, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive end who had a school-record seven sacks to help the Wildcats reach the Class 5A semifinals, said he may be moving from linebacker.

“I’m used to being in the open field making tackles anyway,” said Sharp, who plans to major in pre-med and has taken classes at ENMU every summer since ninth grade.

Mills isn’t so sure what position he’ll be playing. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Mills had a team-high 1,272 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns and played free safety for Clovis (10-2).

“They told me a couple of possibilities, but nothing for sure,” said Mills, who plans to major in education.

Portales football coach Andy Correll said two players from his Class 3A champion Rams intend to sign with college programs, but are clearing up a few eligibility issues.

NCAA rules prohibit college coaches from commenting on unsigned prospects.