Sturgeon signs with Central Arkansas for baseball

NWA Democrat-Gazette/RICK FIRES Trace South (from left), Drew Sturgeon, and Evan Shoffit signed letters at Cardinal Arena in Farmington Friday to continue their athletes careers in college. Sturgeon signed for baseball with Central Arkansas and Shoffit signed for baseball with Allen County (Kan.) Community College. South is a pole vaulter who signed with Arkansas State.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/RICK FIRES Trace South (from left), Drew Sturgeon, and Evan Shoffit signed letters at Cardinal Arena in Farmington Friday to continue their athletes careers in college. Sturgeon signed for baseball with Central Arkansas and Shoffit signed for baseball with Allen County (Kan.) Community College. South is a pole vaulter who signed with Arkansas State.

FARMINGTON -- Drew Sturgeon is a two-sport athlete who was unsure of a future in college athletics because he had no offers.

There was none for football, none for baseball.

That changed last summer when baseball coaches from Central Arkansas drove to Joplin, Mo., to watch Sturgeon play in a game, and they liked what they saw.

"They called me after the game and said they had instantly fallen in love with what I was doing," said Sturgeon, who is an all-state football and baseball player at Farmington. "Right before school started, I committed, and I haven't looked back since then."

Sturgeon was one of three Farmington athletes who signed at Cardinal Arena on Thursday to continue their careers in college. Trace Evans signed as a pole vaulter with Arkansas State and Evan Shoffit will continue his baseball career at Allen County (Kan.) Community College.

Sturgeon is a center fielder and leadoff batter for the Cardinals. He hit .450 last season with 14 doubles, six triples, one home run and 24 stolen bases as a junior. He's also an all-state football player who 51 passes for 845 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior.

Farmington coach Jay Harper likes the potential for Sturgeon at UCA, a Division I program that advanced to an NCAA Regional Tournament in 2013.

"Drew is probably the best outfielder we've ever had here at Farmington," said Jay Harper, who has coached the Cardinals for 21 years. "He's a great player and great young man. I know UCA is very excited about Drew. He's fast and very instinctive on the bases. Coach (Allen) Gum thinks he can come in there and play quickly. So do I."

Harper raves about the work ethic and improvement of Shoffit, a left fielder who batted .305 as a junior. Shoffit will start off in the tough junior college circuit in Kansas, which routinely sends top players onto the Division I level.

"That's the plan," Shoffit said. "I want to go DI after spending a year or two up there. I'm glad to receive this opportunity."

Arkansas State has a long history of producing world class pole vaulters like Earl Bell, who won a bronze medal in the 1984 Olympics. More recently, Jeff Hartwig was ranked No. 1 in the world by Track and Field News in 2002.

"ASU has such a good history with pole vaulters," Farmington track and field coach Spencer Adams said. "Going to Jonesboro to be a part of that program is awesome for Trace. He can be as good as he wants to be."

South said he accepted an offer from ASU assistant coach Matt Vining after touring the school and its facilities about a month ago.

"(Vining) talked to me about their commitment to the (track and field) program, and he convinced me A-State is where I need to be," South said. "I'm very excited about my decision."

Preps Sports on 12/14/2019

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