News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Judy, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound fullback who helped lead the Outlaws to a winning season last fall, is the first student athlete in Sisters Middle/High School's five-year history to receive a full-ride athletic scholarship.
"I couldn't be more excited about going to the University of Montana," Judy said. "It feels real good."
Signing Judy probably feels real good to the Montana Grizzlies football staff, too, says Sisters High School coach Bob MacCauley.
"Not only is Griff a good football player, he plays with great emotion," MacCauley said. "He's a good leader and a good student. He has all the tools to be successful in college. Successful programs only recruit successful people. Montana is a classy program."
The Grizzlies, who dominate the Big Sky Conference, were the NCAA Division I-AA national champions in 1995 and missed the 1996 title by a single game, their only football loss in the past two years.
Aside from the program's winning ways on the field, Judy chose Montana over Boise State and Montana State -- the two other colleges offering him full scholarships -- because of a sense of family he felt on a recent visit to the Missoula campus.
"I went to an awards banquet and spent some time with the players," Judy said. "Everybody really got along well with each other. It was very encouraging."
Judy will likely play as a pass-rushing defensive end or a middle linebacker for Montana, but expects to sit out his first season.
"Redshirting gives you a year to mature and get to know the your position and the program," Judy said. "It also lets you get used to being in college and work on studying."
Having earned an honor role spot at Sisters, Judy says he'll probably choose a general studies major at Montana and focus on history. Judy, who moved to Sisters from Portland with his family four years ago, carries a 3.0 GPA.
A three-year Outlaws most-valuable-player and last season's Capital Conference defensive player of the year, Judy will also play in the 1996 East-West Shrine Game at Baker City in August.
"You don't replace a player like Griff," MacCauley said.
"We'll probably switch some things around to make up for him. There's not many high school teams that get a 250-pound fullback."
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