EWU's 2019 February Signing Class (Feb. 6, 2019)

 

LOI SIGNEES
Luke Dahlgren	OL	6-3	260	Forks, Wash. / Forks HS '19
Trey Edwards	CB	6-0	165	Los Angeles, Calif. / Narbonne HS '19
Blake Gobel	TE	6-6	220	Banks, Ore. / Banks HS '19
Sebastian Gomez	DT	6-1	260	Salinas, Calif. / Salinas HS '19
Matthew Hewa Baddege	OL	6-7	325	Port Coquitlam, B.C. / Terry Fox Secondary '19
Jaeger Hoffmann	LB	6-3	205	Moorpark, Calif. / Moorpark HS '19
Jakobie James	WR	6-2	185	Redlands, Calif. / Redlands HS '19
Chris Johnson	WR	6-4	210	Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS '19
Marlon Jones Jr.	CB	6-0	175	Tacoma, Wash. (Curtis HS '19)
INVITED WALK-ONS
*Steven Flowers	LB	6-2	215	Grand Coulee, Wash. / Lake Roosevelt HS '19
*Nick Kokich	P	6-2	200	Tacoma, Wash. / Bellarmine Prep HS '19
*Kellen Kranc	QB	6-3	180	Enumclaw, Wash. / Enumclaw HS '19
*Cameron Lynch	OL	6-3	250	Sammamish, Wash. / Eastlake HS '19
*Jacob Newsom	DT	6-3	250	Colville, Wash. / Colville HS '19
*Silas Perreiah	RB	5-11	210	Spokane, Wash. / Northwest Christian HS '19
TRANSFER
Ty Graham	LB	6-0	205	Cheney, Wash. (Cheney HS '16 & Univ. of Idaho)

 
*Announced with class after being admitted and confirming his attendance at EWU.
 
Pronunciations
Matthew Hewa Baddege – Heh-vah Bad-uh-gay
Kellen Kranc – Krance (rhymes with France)
Silas Perreiah – Purr-ree-uh (rhymes with Maria)
Nick Kokich – Coke-ich
 
 

EWU's 2018 Early Signing Class (Dec. 19, 2018)

 

George Becker	OL	6-4	265	Gridley, Calif. / Gridley HS '19
Kyle Bryant	RB	6-0	185	San Fernando, Calif. / San Fernando HS '19
Isaac Flemmer	OL	6-7	265	Banks, Ore. / Valley Catholic HS '19
Warren Hardin	DE	6-3	225	Riverside, Calif. / Riverside Poly HS '19
Brock Harrison	DE	6-3	235	Ridgefield, Wash. / Ridgefield HS '19
Dawson Ingram	TE	6-5	240	Camas, Wash. / Camas HS '19
Soli Paleso'o	DT	6-3	270	Fife, Wash. / Fife HS '19
Trey Turner	QB	6-1	190	Pittsburg, Calif. / Pittsburg HS '19
Jordan White	S	6-0	190	Lynwood, Calif. / Chaparral HS '19

Pronunciations
Soli Paleso'o – Sole-ee Paul-a-so-oh
 

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With a common theme of finding players who are "long," the Eastern Washington University football team signed nine high school players to national letters of intent on Wednesday (Feb. 6) to attend EWU and play for the school next fall. In addition, six other invited walk-ons will join the Eagle program and are being announced after being admitted and confirming attendance at EWU beginning this fall. Plus, EWU officially announced the addition of hometown product and University of Idaho transfer Ty Graham.
 
The players signed include a pair of cornerbacks – one from California and one from Washington – to help replace a trio of departed seniors from EWU's 2018 team. Two wide receivers, a tight end, two offensive linemen, a defensive lineman and a linebacker with great bloodlines were also signed, joining nine players who signed in December in the early signing period.
 
The cornerbacks include Trey Edwards from Narbonne HS in Los Angeles and Marlon Jones from Curtis HS in Tacoma, Wash.
 
"Getting players with length was what we wanted to lean on with signing cornerbacks," said Eastern head coach Aaron Best. "We've had some really good corners as of late who have that length to get in the way and interfere with balls – whether breaking them up or intercepting them."
 
A Californian who was born in Spokane, Jaeger Hoffman, was the linebacker EWU signed. His father, Dave, was an All-American and Pac-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year while at the University of Washington, The class also includes a Canadian – 6-foot-7, 325-pound offensive lineman Matthew Hewa Baddege from Port Coquitlam, B.C.
 
"In totality, we figured we would sign 18-20 student-athletes," said Best. "With 27 seniors departing, it was a big class to replace, but we'll fill that with some of the players already on campus and continue the recruiting process. We'll reward some on-campus players with scholarships that they have earned."
 
Among the players who will have a chance to earn scholarships down the road include a pair of local players – running back Silas Perreiah from Northwest Christian High School in Spokane, Wash., and defensive tackle Jacob Newsom from Colville (Wash.) HS.
 
"Signing half in December and half in February will probably be how we operate moving forward," added Best. "We could get really lucky and sign a ton in December, but we always like to allow ourselves that extra month to see how the chips fall. We like to see who becomes available after the first signing day. We don't want to put all our eggs in the basket, but want to continue to recruit classes in the month of January."
 
Spring practice for the 2019 season is expected to start on Tuesday, April 2, at 4 p.m., and culminate with the annual Red-White Game on Saturday, April 27th (time TBA). Scrimmages are also scheduled to take place on April 13 and 20.


Eagle Football in 2019 . . .
 
Eastern had 27 seniors on its 2018 team, including 18 four-year letterwinners and another seven who earned three. Combined, those 27 players combined for a total of 1,085 games played and 496 starts. But EWU will return as many as 46 letterwinners, including 24 on defense, 22 on offense and one on special teams. The Eagles will have back four full-time starters on defense, plus three others who received significant time as starters. Offensively, three return, plus possibly two more who were listed as seniors in 2018 and will petition the NCAA for a sixth year to complete their four years of eligibility.
 
Despite missing nine players near the end of the season who had begun the season as starters – six on defense and three on offense -- the Eagles finished 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the Big Sky Conference to share the league title with Weber State and UC Davis. The Eagles won their last four games of the regular season, then hosted three fellow conference champions in the FCS Playoffs – knocking off Nicholls, UC Davis and Maine to advance to the NCAA Division I Championship Game.
 
A total of 23 All-Big Sky Conference honors were won by Eastern players in the 2018 season, including five on the first team. Six Eagles went on to win FCS All-America honors, with Roldan Alcobendas winning the Fred Mitchell Award as the top placekicker in the nation.
 
And the Eagles did all that while combining for a 3.07 grade point average in the fall, and the entire team currently has a collective 3.15 accumulative GPA. In January, a record 32 Eagles were named to the Big Sky Conference Academic All-Conference team.
 
Along the way to Eastern's 13th FCS playoff berth and 10th Big Sky title in school history, Eagle Nation supported the team in droves along the way. Eastern was unbeaten with a perfect 8-0 record at Roos Field, and extended the school's consecutive regular season sell-out streak to 30 games. Then more than 4,000 fans showed up to support the Eagles in Frisco.
 
A 22-year veteran of the Eagle program, Aaron Best himself was FCS Coach of the Year in a fan vote conducted by Hero Sports, and was the Big Sky Conference co-Coach of the Year. In two years at the helm, he has compiled a 19-7 record overall (73.1 percent) and 13-3 mark in the league (81.3 percent). Both percentages currently rank as the best in school history, just ahead of the Beau Baldwin with an 85-32 overall mark (72.6 percent) in nine seasons from 2008-16, and a 58-14 league record (80.6 percent).
 
 
More on EWU's 2018 season may be found at:
http://goeags.com/index.aspx?path=football
 

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Luke Dahlgren

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Dahlgren: "He was a late find for us. He's long and tough, and is a great wrestler. He's a hard worker and falls in the footsteps of some of our other offensive linemen with his best years on the football field ahead of him. He has the skillset we are looking for in an inside player. He has a guard/center type of body, and we'll start him out as a guard to help him understand our scheme. He'll redshirt and before we know it he'll be 300 pounds and working his way up the depth chart. We're excited to add Luke to our long-standing tradition for the better part of three decades of great recruits on the offensive line."
 
Will graduate in 2019 from Forks HS. He earned first team All-1A Evergreen League honors as both an offensive and defensive lineman. The Peninsula Daily News selected him to its All-Peninsula Team as an offensive lineman. As a junior he earned honorable mention 1A Evergreen League honors as both an offensive and defensive lineman. He also earned honorable mention on the offensive line as a sophomore. The Spartans finished 5-4 in his senior season, 7-3 in 2017 and 4-5 in 2016. Is also a top-notch wrestler at Forks, having finished fourth at 220 pounds at the State 1A Mat Classic XXX Championships as a junior and fifth as a sophomore. Through Feb. 2, 2019, his career record stood at 28-3 with 24 pins, with five first-place tournament wins as a senior at 285 pounds and four as a junior. Also competed in track and field in high school.
 
Personal: Born 4/28/01 in Forks, Wash. His parents are Chad and Shannon Dahlgren.
 
 
 

Trey Edwards

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Edwards: "He's another long player and will only get better and bigger with time. Getting players with length was what we wanted to lean on with signing cornerbacks. We've had some really good corners as of late who have that length to get in the way and interfere with balls – whether breaking them up or intercepting them. Trey allows us to play both man-to-man and zone defense. On top of having the length, he is a physical individual who played very well in high school."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Narbonne HS. Was a three-star recruit by 247Sports. Edwards finished his senior season with 25 tackles, an interception, seven passes broken up and a fumble recovery. He had seven tackles and broke-up three passes in a 27-26 win over Serra, and his interception came versus Hawaii powerhouse St. Louis. After winning the Marine League title with a perfect 4-0 record, Edwards helped lead Narbonne to a 10-4 overall record and the CIF Los Angeles City Section Championship with a 55-7 win over Garfield in the title game. The Gauchos scored over 50 points in every playoff game and held each opponent to under 25 points. Narbonne went on to lose 24-21 to Cathedral Catholic in the semifinals of the CIF Division 1-AA Playoffs. In his junior season, Narbonne was 5-0 in the Marine League and finished 12-3 overall. The Gauchos won the CIFLACS championship with a 48-7 win over Crenshaw in the title game. They went on to beat Paraclete (56-14) and Pitsburg (28-21) to capture the CIF Division I-A title.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in marketing at Eastern. Given name is Paul. Born 11/4/00 in Inglewood, Calif. His parents are Paul and Tasha Edwards. Will be a first generation college student from his family. Nickname is P3.
 
 
 

Blake Gobel

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Gobel: "He's a really long tight end, a multi-sport athlete and state champion in football. We were attracted to him for not only his size and length, but also for his hand-eye coordination and his make-up as a person. He's a very well-rounded individual. We looked at him early in the recruiting process, and in our minds he was under-recruited. We are gladly welcoming him to our Eagle family. We expect that he will add weight and be that 6-6, 245-pound athlete before his career is done. He'll be a red zone threat when we get him in the mix."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Banks HS. Was a three-star recruit by 247Sports. In three varsity seasons he accumulated 22 total touchdowns at tight end with 88 receptions for 1,236 yards. At defensive end he had 39 total tackles over his career and 11 tackles for loss. Earned first team All-State honors as a senior when he helped lead his team to the State 4A championship. Twice he earned first team All-4A Cowapa League honors. He had 47 receptions for 689 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. He had touchdowns on all four of his catches in a 55-0 win over Valley Catholic, which were good for 82 yards. His highs for receptions and yardage came in a 56-13 win over Tillamook when he had seven catches for 110 yards and two scores. He caught six passes for 88 yards and a TD in a 31-20 victory over league-rival Seaside to capture the state title. The Braves won their final 11 games to finish 11-1 after capturing the 4A Special District 1 championship with a perfect 5-0 record. In his junior season, Banks finished 8-3 after losing 41-40 to Ontario in the first round of the State 4A Playoffs. Was coached by Cole Linehan. Also lettered in basketball and baseball. Was a second team Prep Hoops All-State selection in basketball for the Braves, and earned first team All-State Tournament Team accolades. He helped the Braves finish his junior season 26-4 and advance to the semifinals of the State 4A Tournament. Through 1/31/19, Banks was 19-2 in the 2018-19 season. Was also an all-league pitcher in baseball.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business at Eastern. Born 9/26/00 in Portland, Ore. His parents are Scott and Jodie Gobel. Will be a first generation college student from his family.
 
 
 

Sebastian Gomez

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Gomez: "He's a tough cookie from a great family. He might be a little undersized, but he has an oversized heart and a willingness to work hard. He's going to be much like the interior defensive tackles we've had – they put their hand in the ground and just work at making life miserable for guards and centers. He has a bright future ahead of him and will do everything we ask of him. We're excited to see his progression once he gets on campus."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Salinas HS. Capped his high school career by being selected to play in the Central Coast All-Star Game. Earned first team All-Central Coast Section honors as a defensive lineman as selected by Prep2Prep.com. He was a first team selection on the All-Salinas Area team as a defensive lineman as picked by The Californian, and was also on the Monterey Herald All-Area team. He was the Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in the Pacific Coast League Gabilan Division and won the same honor from his team. He finished with 78 tackles and six sacks in 2018. The Cowboys finished 8-4 and won the Pacific Coast League Gabilan Division title with a 6-1 mark. Salinas beat San Benito 38-14 in the quarterfinals of the CIF Central Coast Section Playoffs before losing in the semifinals. He also earned second team all-league honors as a junior and was his team's lineman of the year. The Cowboys finished the 2017 season 11-3 overall and won the league title with a perfect 7-0 record. They won three games in the CIF Central Coast Section Playoffs before losing in the 4-AA semifinals of the CIF State Playoffs. Coached in high school by Steve Zenk.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business at Eastern. Born 1/4/01 in Salinas, Calif. His parents are Rigo and Michelle Gomez. Will be a first generation college student from his family. Nickname is Seabass.
 
 
 

Matthew Hewa Baddege

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Baddege: "He's a large individual. We've had our sights set on him for some time now, and he had been to our team camp so we had a first-hand look at him. He's a big human but has great feet. He projects as an offensive tackle for us with a great wingspan and great base. He's only going to get better over time, so we're excited to introduce him to the American game. We've worked extremely hard during the recruiting process, and he believed Eastern was his best fit among a lot of suitors. We're excited to have him on-board."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Terry Fox Secondary School. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. He was a first team selection in 2018 on the All-Canadian team as an offensive lineman. For the second-straight year, he was on the AAA British Columbia High School Provincial All-Star Team and on the AAA Eastern Conference All-Star squad. He won his school's Top Offensive Lineman Award as well for the second year in a row. The Ravens were a semi-finalist in the AAA British Columbia championships. As a junior, Baddege was a second team selection on the All-Canadian squad and was among 50 players on the Canada Football British Columbia All-Stars. He was on the Provincial and Eastern Conference all-star teams, and won the school's Top Offensive Lineman Award. From 2014-19 he was an offensive lineman for Team British Columbia. The Ravens were a finalist in the AAA British Columbia championships after earning the title in 2016.
 
He earned Academic Honors with Distinction while in high school, and also competed in basketball and rugby in high school.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business or accounting at Eastern. Born 6/2/01 in New Westminster, B.C. His parents are Kamalsiri and Shiranee Hewa Baddege.
 
 
 

Jaeger Hoffmann

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Hoffmann: "He has football bloodlines with his father, Dave. We talk about length, and he has it at the linebacker position. He plays inside and he's not fearful. He has a high IQ and will be 225 to 230 pounds when all is said and done. He can move from sideline to sideline well, and was a highly-recruited individual. In his mind he felt the best five years would be in Cheney under the tutelage of Josh Fetter and company. We're excited to sign him and get him in the mix. We expect him to do great things from a defensive and special teams standpoint."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Moorpark HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. Earned all-league honors three times. As a senior he had 53 total tackles, including a season-high 12 versus Notre Dame in a 35-34 win. Hoffmann was credited with one sack, three passes broken up and 10 quarterback hurries. He had his sack, three hurries and a PBU in a 35-7 win over Higley. He helped lead the Musketeers to an 8-4 record and a runner-up finish in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Playoffs. His coach in high school was Ryan Huisenga.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business or education at Eastern. Born 5/23/01 in Spokane, Wash. Nickname is "Hoff."
His father is Dave Hoffmann, who was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1993 and played most of his professional career for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the University of Washington from 1989 to 1992, and in 1992 was a first team All-America selection, Butkas Award finalist, the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and team captain. He twice earned all-league honors and was a member of three Pac-10 conference champions under Don James, including the 1991 National Championship. Following his Washington career, Hoffman played in both the East–West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl, and was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 2012. While based in Spokane, he was a member of the United States Secret Service, protecting presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush as well as vice presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney. He was teammates at UW with long-time Cheney resident Steve Emtman, who was the Pac-10 Defensive MVP the year before Hoffmann won it and eventually was the No. 1 pick overall in the 1992 NFL Draft by Indianapolis.
 
 
 

Jakobie James

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on James: "He's a playmaker and is explosive. He finds a way to get yards after the catch. He will be effective on both punt and kickoff returns, so he's multi-faceted that way. He's tough and can get vertical after catches. He hasn't scratched the surface of his ceiling, and we looking forward to having him among our next great crop of receivers for our quarterbacks to throw to. We see him as a bigger, inside slot receiver who will make life miserable for defenses. We like his ability to get stronger and progress in football. All things considered, he has a huge upside and we're excited to add him to the family."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Redlands HS. Was a first team All-Citrus Belt League selection as both a junior and senior, and earned second team All-CBL honors as a sophomore. The Terriers finished 2-8 overall in 2018, but were 4-6 in 2017 and 6-6 in 2016. As a junior he caught 21 passes for 560 yards and five touchdowns, and also rushed 13 times for another 128 yards and a TD. He also lettered as a freshman and competed four years in track and field. Coached in high school by Mike McFarland. His Eagle teammate Brad Godwin ('19) also attended Redlands.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in sports management and analysis at Eastern. Born 9/26/00 in Las Vegas, Nevada. His father is Joshua James. Nickname is Sweet Feet.
 
 
 

Chris Johnson

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Johnson: "We've been fortunate to have a ton of Skyline players, and all of them come from a great, well-coached program. He's long and has great ball skills. He's not just a possession receiver – he can run multiple routes and our route tree gets bigger every year. We expect him to play outside for us, and when we get the ball to him he can make guys miss. He makes tough catches and he'll get into traffic. He's a tough-minded individual and comes from a great family. He's excited to become the next Skyline Spartan to join the Eastern Eagles."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Skyline HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. He was named by the Seattle Times as a "White Chip" selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. In 21 career games he had 97 receptions for 1,550 yards and 12 touchdowns and an average of 73.8 yards per game. Johnson also had 20 tackles. As a senior he earned first team All-KingCo-Crest Division 4A honors at wide receiver. Was also team captain in 2018. He finished the year with 65 catches for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns. Five times he had at least 100 yards receiving, including a season-high 195 on nine catches with two touchdowns in a 41-21 victory over Inglemoor. He had nine catches on two other occasions as well. Skyline advanced to the State 4A Playoffs, but lost in the first round to finish 6-5.
 
In his junior season, Johnson caught 32 passes for 515 yards and five scores to earn honorable mention all-league honors. He had a season-high 110 yards in a 41-13 win over Inglemoor in which he had a career-high three touchdown receptions. He twice caught a season-high six passes. Skyline finished 8-4 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the State 4A Playoffs after beating Bothell 37-28 in the first round. He was coached in high school by Mat Taylor and also played basketball for Skyline. In addition, he played in the Ford Sports Performance 7v7 program, including numerous championships and a third-place finish at the 2018 adidas West Coast Regionals. Former Eastern wide receiver Nic Sblendorio ('13) also attended Skyline, as did current EWU offensive line coach Jase Butorac ('10) and numerous other former Eagles.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in communication studies at Eastern. Born 5/30/01 in Bellevue, Wash. His parents are Mike and Tami Johnson. Nickname is C.J.
 
 
 

Marlon Jones Jr.

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Jones: "He's worked his tail off and plays an aggressive style of defense. He's willing to put his face on people, knock balls down and pick balls off. He's willing to press, bail, back-peddle – he has everything we need from a long, athletic cornerback. We ask a lot from cornerbacks in zone and man-to-man situations, and he'll fit in well with Coach Ena's defense."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Curtis HS. Was a three-star recruit by 247Sports. He was named by the Seattle Times as a "White Chip" selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Earned first team All-South Puget Sound League honors as a senior as a kick returner and second team as a wide receiver. Curtis advanced to the State 4A Playoffs, but lost in the first round and finished 7-4. He was also second team All-SPSL at receiver and defensive back as a junior. The Vikings finished 5-5 that season. Was coached at Curtis by Chris Paulsen. Also competed in track and field at Curtis, finishing third in the 200 at the 2018 State Championships with a personal-best time of 21.99. He also competed in the 100 and had a time of 11.22, but had a career best of 11.09 earlier in the season. His school's 4x100 relay team won the state title during his sophomore season and was second in 2018. He also ran a leg on the school's 4x400 relay which finished fifth in his junior season. Eastern head coach Aaron Best also graduated from Curtis ('96), as well as several other former Eagles.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in physical therapy at Eastern. Born 8/19/01 in Tacoma, Wash. His parents are Marlon and Amena Jones.
 

 

Steven Flowers

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Flowers: "He was in our football camps and is a football junkie. We love him and have known about him for some time. He has football intelligence and a willingness to tackle. He has versatility from not only a linebacker standpoint, but from a special teams perspective as well. He has great size and his best football is ahead of him. He'll be coached well and be given the opportunity to make a ton of plays for us. He'll use the linebackers we have in the program now to help him progress in college football. We're excited about having him on campus."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Lake Roosevelt HS. He was the Central Washington Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive MVP as a senior linebacker and running back. His school advanced to the State 2B Playoffs, but lost in the first round against Onalaska. The Raiders finished 9-1 after winning the 2B Central Washington League with a perfect 6-0 record. In his junior season, Lake Roosevelt also lost in the first round and finished the season 7-4. He completed nearly 50 percent of his passes (65-of-137) for 982 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for 714 yards (8.0 per carry) with 12 touchdowns. He earned second honorable mention All-CWAC honors as a sophomore. Coached in high school by Bubba Egbert and also competed in wrestling, baseball and track and field. He finished second in the shot put as a junior in 2018 with a throw of 47-8 at the State 2B Championships at EWU's Roos Field. Has a 3.74 grade point average in high school.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business at Eastern. Born 9/18/2000 in Spokane, Wash. His parents are Josh and Jaleen Flowers. Nickname is Steve.
 
 
 

Kellen Kranc

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Kranc: "He's a long quarterback and a multi-sport athlete. He understands schemes and told me a story that when he was a sophomore he was the offensive coordinator for his JV team. He's been given the keys at an early age. He comes from a great family and school, and wants to come in and compete. He was impressed by the Gage Gubrud story as a walk-on in the same class as a recruited quarterback. Kellen is a competitor and has an unwavering personality – his competitiveness is what sets him apart."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Enumclaw HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. He was named by the Seattle Times as a "White Chip" selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Has been selected to play in the East-West All-State game. Completed 57.7 percent of his passes (211-of-366) for 2,793 career yards and 30 touchdowns. He earned second team All-4A North Puget Sound League Mountain Division honors at quarterback his senior year. He completed 57.7 percent of his passes (116-of-201) for 1,528 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2018, with just six interceptions to give him a NCAA passing efficiency rating of 141.9. He had four performances with at least 200 yards, including a season-high 244 with three touchdowns in a 12-of-16 performance against Decatur, which equates to a NCAA rating of 265.0. The Hornets won their first six games and finished 7-3.
 
As a junior, Kranc earned first team All-4A North Puget Sound League Mountain Division honors at quarterback. He completed 58.4 percent of his passes (94-of-161) for 1,259 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His best game came in his opener against White River when he completed 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) for 262 yards and three touchdowns for an efficiency rating of 223.3. The Hornets finished 8-2 his junior season and won the school's first league title in two decades. Was coached in high school by Mark Gunderson.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business management at Eastern. Born 2/1/01 in Enumclaw, Wash. His parents are Kevin and Richelle Kranc.
 
 
 

Silas Perreiah

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Perreiah: "He was a workhorse in high school and has been in our summer camps. He can also figure in on special teams, and has a big body. He's a local product and we always like to start in the Spokane area and then try to get to the rest of Washington. He had multiple opportunities at other institutions, but he felt like this was the best spot for him to spend the next five years. We're excited to have such a productive and tough individual onboard. He embodies the EKG mantra."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Northwest Christian HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. In his career he rushed for 5,602 yards and 72 touchdowns, and caught another 23 passes for one more score. On defense he had 236 career tackles with five interceptions, seven passes broken up and a pair of sacks. He also had a touchdown on a kickoff return and finished with 444 total points (74 TDs) in his career.
 
As a senior, he was a first team 2B All-State selection as a running back as selected by Associated Press. For the third-straight season, he earned first team All-Northeast 2B League honors as a running back. He finished his senior year with 2,100 yards, 26 touchdowns and four interceptions on defense. He was a WIAA Athlete of the Week winner after rushing 37 times for 455 yards and six touchdowns in a 62-45 victory over Oroville. He also had 11 tackles and an interception on defense in that game. His other top rushing performances were 372, 246 and 197, with a total of 10 games with at least 100 yards. Five times he had double figures in tackles to finish with a season total of 106, including 22 in a 35-26 playoff win over Pe Ell/Willapa Valley. That was a quarterfinal game in the State 2B Playoffs, then the Crusaders bowed out in the semifinals.
 
In his junior season, he earned first team all-league honors while rushing for 1,238 yards with a high of 202 and eight performances with at least 100. He also had 67 tackles on defense. As a sophomore, he rushed for 87 yards in the team's opener and then had at least 103 in every game after that to earn first-team All-NE2B honors. He had a high of 309, with other performances of 227 and 224. He closed the year with 2,254 yards and 39 touchdowns, plus 63 tackles on defense. The Crusaders were 5-5 in his junior season after finishing 10-2 and sharing the 2B Northeast League title with two other schools. They picked up a 48-15 first-round win over Lake Roosevelt before losing in the quarterfinals of the State 2B Playoffs.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business or exercise science at Eastern. Born 8/1/2000 in Spokane, Wash. His parents are Chris and Stephanie Perreiah. Nickname is Si.
 
 
 

Nick Kokich

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Kokich: "He was the punter we were after. Replacing Roldan Alcobendas is not going to happen overnight, but we think Nick can come in and compete right away. He hails from a great family and a very solid high school program. He's going to come in and show that he has what it takes. He's long and athletic, so we'll see how that unfolds. We're excited to have him in our family."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Bellarmine Prep HS. Earned honorable mention All-South Puget Sound League honors as a kicker in his senior season. He averaged 42 yards per punt, with an average hang time of 4.45 seconds. He helped lead the Lions to a berth in the State 4A Playoffs and 7-4 record in 2016, then Bellarmine Prep was 6-4 in 2017 and 4-6 in 2018. Was coached at Curtis by Brian Jensen.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business management at Eastern. Born 3/28/01 in Tacoma, Wash. His parents are Vince and Michelle Kokich.
 
 
 

Cameron Lynch

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Lynch: "He projects as a center, and we felt like this class needed a center-only type of player to be able to compete when Spencer Blackburn finishes here. We think he could be that guy and factor in at some point of his career. He still has some bulk to put on, but we're excited about his athleticism. He played offensive tackle and defensive tackle in high school, and understands the interior part of things from a defensive perspective. But he'll soon understand the interior perspective on offense from the center position."
 
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from Eastlake HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. Earned first team All-KingCo Crest Division honors as a defensive end. The Wolves finished 8-3 and lost 56-51 in the quarterfinals of the State 4A Playoffs.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business at Eastern. Born 1/28/01 in Bellevue, Wash. His parents are Jim and Suzanne Lynch. Nickname is Cam.
 
 
 

Jacob Newsom

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Newsom: "Colville was a state champion, and a lot of that was due to Jacob Newsom. He's a great wrestler too. He's an EKG with great grades, great in the community and a great player. His parents moved to Mississippi, but he moved back to finish his senior year with his Colville teammates and classmates. That says a lot about an individual coming back to finish what he started. He has some versatility to play on the outside if needed, but we project him to be an inside defensive tackle. We're excited to get a local product with his caliber onboard."
HS: Will graduate in 2019 from HS. He had 143 career tackles at Colville, with 15 sacks, 36 total tackles for loss and an interception. Was a first team 1A All-State selection as both an offensive lineman and defensive lineman as selected by Associated Press. He was the co-MVP of the Northeast 1A League while earning first team all-league honors as both an offensive and defensive lineman. He had 78 tackles and six sacks as a senior, helping lead Colville to the State 1A Championship in 2018. Colville finished 11-2 and won the 1A Northeast League title with a perfect 6-0 record. The Indians beat Connell (48-7), Meridian (42-22), Royal (31-28) and league rival Newport (48-7) to win the state title. As a junior he had 46 tackles with seven sacks, and also had two sacks as a sophomore. Colville was 9-2 overall and 7-0 in the league in 2017, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the State 1A Playoffs. In 2016, the Indians advanced to the second round of the playoffs and finished 7-4 overall and 5-2 in league play. Was coached in high school by Randy Cornwell and also competed in wrestling and track and field at Colville.
 
Personal: Born 11/11/2000 in Albuquerque, N.M. His mother is Janalea Newsom-Gades. Nickname is Newby.
 
 
 

Ty Graham

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Graham: "It's exciting to announce his addition to the Eastern family. We tried to get him to stay in town four years ago and it took us four years to get it done. His addition gives us much-needed veteran leadership at that position. He comes from a great football family. His father coached here and at Central Washington for many years and his brother played at Montana Tech and Central Washington. Football is something they understand, and we recruited him out of high school as a linebacker. He played against us this past year and was somebody we had to game plan for. He knows where he needs to be and is efficient with his movements because of his football intelligence and his off-the-field study. He's eager to get going and has already been in many film sessions by himself to be ready to play when that day comes."
 
Idaho: While playing from 2016-18 for the Vandals, Graham had 133 tackles, including 13 for a loss. He had 2 1/2 sacks, an interception, two passes broken up and a forced fumble in 27 career games. As a junior in 2018 he had 65 tackles, including 12 in 38-14 loss at EWU at Roos Field on Oct. 27, 2018. He had 28 tackles as a sophomore and 40 as a true freshman in 2016.
 
HS: Graduated in 2016 from Cheney HS. He played in the 2A/1A/2B/1B Earl Barden All-State football game in June of 2016 and had a pair of interceptions. He also scored a touchdown on a 2-yard run to help the East win 25-0. He played on both sides of the ball while at Cheney, and in his career had 109 total tackles and four interceptions, plus rushed for 1,484 yards and 25 touchdowns. Was also a team captain and also played basketball and baseball at Cheney. Former Eagle defensive end Keenan Williams, a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection as a senior in 2018, graduated from Cheney in 2015.

Personal: He pursued business and economics while at Idaho. Born 9/24/97. His parents are John and Becky Graham. John spent eight years as defensive coordinator at EWU under head coach Beau Baldwin and 12 years at his alma mater, Central Washington. He spent a short time as Idaho's linebackers coach when Ty was on the roster there. Ty's older brother, Andrew, played football at Montana Tech and Central Washington. His grandfather, Dan Graham, spent 11 years as head coach at nearby Reardan (Wash.) High School.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2018 December Signees

 

George Becker

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Becker: "He has versatility in what he can accomplish. He's more of an inside player for us than on the outside, but he could play all five positions. He has some good length. His parents own a rice farm and we like workers, and you can't replace work ethic. We think he'll be a good player for us, and had other schools wanting his services. He felt like this was the best place for him. He has a very good ceiling and he'll be very good for years to come."
 
Will graduate in 2019 from Gridley HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. He earned All-Butte View League honors in both 2017 and 2018. He was also his team's Offensive Lineman of the Year both seasons, and twice received a Scholar-Athlete Award. Becker earned Gridley Herald All-Area honors as a defensive lineman. He had 33 tackles as a junior and 34 as a senior for two-year totals of 67 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries. Gridley finished 8-4 in his senior season and advanced to the second round (semifinals) of the CIF Northern Section Division 3 Playoffs. As a junior the Bulldogs were 9-3 and also advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Competed three years in football. His high school coach was Matt Kemmis. Was also a four-year rodeo competitor in high school.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business/marketing at Eastern. Born 4/9/01 in Chico, Calif. His parents are Clark and Kourtney Becker.
 
 
 

Kyle Bryant

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Bryant: "I call him L.J. – Little Juice. He has great character and is a special talent. He has some size at the running back position which we covet. He's an every-down back who can catch the ball out of the backfield, so he's versatile. He has some length, speed and vision – everything we look for at the running back position. We recruited him early and he committed early, and stayed true to that commitment. He's going to be a good running back here."
 
Will graduate from San Fernando HS in 2019. He rushed for 3,554 yards – 11.0 yards per carry -- and 44 touchdowns in 36 career games. He was a two-time Mission Valley League Player of the Year (2017 and 2018) and all-city running back. He helped his team win the Mission Valley League title three years in a row (6-0 each year) and go a collective 30-6. He also caught 18 passes for another 295 yards and four scores, finishing with 3,854 all-purpose yards in 36 career games (107.1 per game). Defensively he had 154 tackles with five sacks and a pair of interceptions.
 
In his senior season, Bryant rushed for 1,262 yards (12.0 per carry) in 10 games, with 17 touchdowns and 10 games with at least 100 yards. He added eight receptions for 191 yards and three scores, and defensively had 40 tackles. He rushed for a career-high 253 yards on just 15 carries (16.9 per rush) with three touchdowns versus Canoga Park. He helped San Fernando finish 8-3 and win the Valley Mission League championship with a 6-0 record. The Tigers advanced to the CIF Los Angeles City Section Open Division playoffs.
 
As a junior, he rushed for 1,707 yards and 21 touchdowns, and rushed for at least 100 yards in 11 games. His season high was 172 versus Panorama when he scored twice on just six carries (28.7 per rush). He had 37 tackles and an interception in 2017, helping his team to a 12-2 record. The Tigers were league champions with a 6-0 record, and won the CIFLACS Division I title with a 28-21 victory over Dorsey in the championship game. He had 123 yards and a touchdown in that game.
 
As a sophomore in 2016, he was mainly used on defense and had 77 tackles with four sacks and an interception. He did rush for 560 yards and six scores, and had a high of 155 with a touchdown versus Canoga Park. He had a season high nine tackles in four separate games, and had six tackles and a pair of sacks versus Reseda. San Fernando was 10-0 before losing to Garfield 35-28 in the CIFLACS Division I Playoffs. He saw action in one game as a freshman. His high school coach was Robert Garcia. Also competed in track and field at San Fernando.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business and marketing at Eastern. Born 4/19/01 in Van Nuys, Calif. His mother is Demika McLemore. Nickname is K.B.
 
 
 

Isaac Flemmer

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Flemmer: "He's a project in the making – we have one or two a year on the offensive line. He's just like we like them – he's long, lean and will be able to put some weight on. He's an offensive tackle who can play on both the left and the right. He comes from a great family with great structure, and there is athleticism in his family. He's raw, but he's a hard worker and willing to be coached. He'll redshirt and get his bearings in the offensive line arena. We're excited to get him onboard."
 
Will graduate from Valley Catholic HS in 2019. Earned first team All-Cowapa League honors as a senior, and received honorable mention in his sophomore season. The Valiants won just two games in both his junior and senior seasons, but were 6-3 in his sophomore season in 2016. His high school coach was Nick Hegwood. Also competed in basketball and track and field in high school.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in mechanical engineering at Eastern. Born 5/5/01 in Forest Grove, Ore. His parents are Rick and Kristen Flemmer. His father was a high jumper, leaping 6-feet, 11-inches in 1984 for Hillsboro High School to still rank among the top 15 in state history. He won the Northwest Athletic Conference title in 1988 for Clackamas Community College with a 6-8 jump.
 
 
 

Warren Hardin

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Hardin: "He was highly-coveted by a lot of schools. He's an avid outdoorsman and played both sides of the ball in high school. He did what they asked him to do, and he puts his nose down and keeps his eyes up. He plays the way the game is supposed to be played. He's capable of doing many things – he can rush the passer and stop the run. He's violent in how he plays, which is always welcome from a defensive standpoint. We're extremely excited about signing him and what he can bring to the table."
 
Will graduate from Riverside Poly in 2019. In 2017 he was selected to the Cal-Hi All-State Junior Football Team. He also earned All-Inland Valley League honors in high school, as well as all-area accolades. He finished his career as the all-time sack leader at Riverside Poly with 26, including 13 as a sophomore. The Bears finished 6-5 in his senior season, including a 4-2 record in the Inland Valley League. His high school coach was Derek DeWitt. Received a pair of academic awards in high school.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in nutrition and physical education at Eastern. Born 12/19/2000 in Redlands, Calif. His parents are Timothy and Meredith Hardin. He also received offers from Air Force and Northern Arizona.
 
 
 

Dawson Ingram

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Ingram: "He's going to play the same position as his brother, so that could be very interesting and competitive. He comes from a highly-renown football program and won a lot of games at Camas with Coach Eagle and company. He played both sides of the ball and was hurt a little bit both his junior and senior seasons. So he hasn't really reached his full potential yet, which we like. He's not making a trek too far away from home, and he'll be on the same team and in the same meeting room as his brother. That should be fun journey – it is fun to play alongside your brother."
 
Will graduate in 2019 from Camas HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. He was named by the Seattle Times as a "White Chip" selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. He earned second team All-4A Greater St. Helens League honors as a tight end in his senior season. Camas was just 5-5 in 2018, but in 2017 the Papermakers were 9-2 and advanced to the WIAA 4A State Playoffs. As a sophomore, with his brother Dylan also on the team, Camas finished 14-0 and beat Richland 24-14 for the State 4A title. His high school coach was Jon Eagle, whose son Zach was a senior wide receiver for Eastern in the 2018 season.
 
Also competed in wrestling at Camas. His brother, Dylan Ingram, was a 2017 graduate of Camas and has played in all 14 games as a redshirt freshman tight end and special teams player for the Eagles in 2018. He has two catches for six yards and a touchdown for EWU this season, with his first career catch coming versus Southern Utah and his first career TD versus Northern Colorado. Eastern All-America kicker Roldan Alcobendas is a Camas graduate (2013), and EWU wide receiver Zach Eagle (2014) graduated one year later. Both were seniors on Eastern's Big Sky Conference championship team in 2018, which concludes its season on Jan. 5 in the NCAA Division I Championship Game.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business at Eastern. Born 5/24/01 in Portland, Ore. His parents are Jason and Michele Ingram.
 
 
 

Soli Paleso'o

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Paleso'o: "He had a knee injury which turned a lot of people off, but one of those teams wasn't us. We were true to our word and stayed with him the entire way. He's a man with a smile off the field, but on the field I don't know if he smiles at all which is what we like. He's able to flip the switch. You can never have too many hand-down defensive linemen, because we play eight or nine in a game. He'll probably redshirt, but we'll see how that goes. His whole family is all-in and he's excited for the opportunity. He was committed to us because we were committed to him."
 
Will graduate in 2019 from Fife HS. Was a three-star recruit by 247Sports. Was sidelined for the 2018 season as his school finished 11-2, won the 2A South Puget Sound League Mountain Division title and advanced to the semifinals of the State 2A Playoffs. As a junior, he was the 2A SPSL Mountain Division Defensive Lineman of the Year. He helped lead his team to a 9-2 record, the first round of the 2A Playoffs and the SPSL Mountain Division title with a perfect 7-0 mark. In his sophomore year he earned first team All-SPSL honors as Fife finished 7-3 and advanced to the 2A Playoffs. Played for Kent Nevin at Fife.
 
Also competed in track and field in high school. As a junior he advanced to the State 2A Championships in the shot put and placed 14th with a personal best of 46-5 3/4.
 
Personal: Undecided on a possible major at Eastern. Born 1/24/01 in America Samoa. His parents are Sorrow and Susana Valoaga. Will be a first generation college student from his family.
 
 

 
Trey Turner

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Turner: "He came to our quarterback camp and showed his physical talents and his character. He's very humble, competitive and driven which we need at all positions, but especially at quarterback. He has playmaking ability and can elude the first, second and third rushers, which in our system you have to be able to do. He's not a statue in the pocket. He's a leader and a captain, and he makes everybody else around him better. He comes from a great, structured family, and is very good in the classroom. We're excited to sign him as our 2019 quarterback in this class."
 
Will graduate from Pittsburg HS in 2019. Coached by Victor Galli at Pittsburg. He passed for 857 yards and rushed for another 103 in seven games as a senior in 2018. He completed 53.7 percent of his passes (80-of-149) and had 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and also rushed for a score. Pittsburg finished the season 7-4 and 4-1 to finish as the runner-up in the Bay Valley League. The Pirates advanced to the open division of the CIF Playoffs where they lost to powerhouse De La Salle 38-0 in the semifinals.
 
His junior season was wiped out with a knee injury suffered in preseason practices, but as a sophomore he passed for 957 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 52.7 percent of his passes (110-of-957). He also rushed for 200 yards and three scores. The Pirates finished 9-2 overall and 4-1 in league play, and lost to its league rival Freedom 55-35 in the semifinals of the open division of the CIF Playoffs.
 
His high school coach was Victor Galli. Turner also played baseball in high school. Had a 4.15 GPA in high school to currently rank 62nd out of 864 students.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in pre-law at Eastern. His nickname is "Six Points." Born 5/9/2000 in Vallejo, Calif. His parents are Aaron and Maria Turner. His father played college football from 1989 to 1992 at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. In 11 games during the 1991 season, he caught 92 passes for 1,604 yards and 18 touchdowns to lead NCAA major colleges that year in receiving yards. He led the Big West Conference in receiving yards for three consecutive seasons from 1990 to 1992, and in his career he caught 266 passes for 4,345 yards and 43 touchdowns. Inducted into the Pacific Hall of Fame in 2007, he earned third team AP All-America honors in 1990 and second team UPI All-America accolades in 1991. He was a first team All-Big West selection in 1991 and 1992. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League and coach.
 
 

Jordan White

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on White: "In high school he was matched up against the best receiver on the other team, and he usually had his way with him. He's very physical and long, and when you are talking about a safety or corner, you can't substitute length for anything. He's another player who came to our camps. He has a lot of charisma and enjoyed learning from our players who coached him at camps. That was something he cherished, and a lot of that is how he was treated by our players at camp. He is very appreciative of the opportunity to come here, and we believe he'll make the most of the opportunity."
 
Will graduate in 2019 from Chaparral HS. Was a two-star recruit by 247Sports. Earned first team All-Southwestern League honors as a senior wide receiver, and was a second team selection as a defensive back. He caught 31 passes for 544 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior. He helped Chapparal finish 7-4 and advance to the CIF Southern Section Playoffs. He was honorable mention all-league as a junior in 2017. His high school coach was Andrew Ramer. Also competed in basketball in high school.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in criminal justice at Eastern. Born 5/14/01 in Bellflower, Calif. His parents are Dwayne White and La Tasha Burns.
 
 
 

Brock Harrison

 
Head Coach Aaron Best on Harrison: "He can play multiple positions, but we see him as a defensive end in our scheme. He just makes plays. He's a Spudder, which is the best nickname in the state. He had other opportunities to go different places, but felt like this was his home away from home. He connected well with our coaches and our players. He's one of the most well-rounded players in this class. He's also a very good catcher in baseball, so he's already working on his craft for the spring of his senior season."
 
Will graduate from Ridgefield HS in 2019. He was named by the Seattle Times as a "White Chip" selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Was an honorable mention 2A All-State selection as a linebacker as selected by Associated Press. He was the 2A Greater St. Helens League Defensive Most Outstanding Player as a senior and earned all-region honors as a linebacker. He averaged 10 tackles per game in 2018. He earned all-league honors as a senior (first team), junior (second team) and sophomore (first team). He also was an academic scholar all four years, an honor given to players with a 3.5-plus grade point average. His high school coach was Chris Abrams. He also competed in basketball and baseball at Ridgefield.
 
Personal: Interested in majoring in business or marketing management at Eastern. Born 6/14/2000 in Vancouver, Wash. His parents are Brent and Misty Harrison. His sister, Kylei, is also an Eastern student.