Anton, George, Harper All Commit Football Futures on National Signing Day
ZANESVILLE, OH
Tuesday, February 5th marked National Signing Day in 2025, and local athletes weren’t to be left out from signing their national letters of intent to compete at the next level for football.
After starting for West Muskingum as a sophomore onwards, Jake Anton put pen to paper to confirm his football future with the Ashland Eagles, about 76 miles north of home. Once given the reins at quarter, Anton never looked back, setting records for touchdowns and passing yards in a single season along with the career touchdowns and wins mark in Tornadoes history, while also gaining all-MVL recognition as one of the elite defensive backs in the league. Anton will be joining the Eagles solely as a quarterback, aiding an Ashland team which made a second round NCAA tournament appearance in Division II in 2024.
“I want to a lot of places over the fall. I went and saw a lot of games” said Anton. “The coaches, the players, the facilities, the campus, it’s just a great place to be and I’m excited.”
He won’t be the only local athlete heading to Ashland, as he’ll be joined by fellow small school star Mitchell George out of Meadowbrook. The 6’5 offensive lineman also confirmed his future for the Eagles after receiving much consideration from plenty of other schools, including visits to Ohio State over the past number of months. George capped off a stellar career with the MVL lineman of the year award after the 2024 season. He was also named first team all-MVL and first team all East District from his senior year with the Colts. George had originally announced his commitment to the Eagles back in January on social media, thanking family, teachers, coaches, and teammates, as he gets ready to don the purple and gold for the Eagles in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC).
Maysville kicker Mathew Harper will also continue his playing career in Ohio, heading up to North Canton to play with the Walsh Cavaliers. Harper honed his craft as the Panthers’ place kicker as a senior this year in the MVL small school division, and after much deliberation, he knew that Walsh was the perfect home for him.
“Right on the official visit, when I got to talk to all the coaches in person, they really made me feel comfortable. They made me feel like I could see my future there” said Harper.
These three athletes are among many nationwide who confirmed their future college destinations to continue their athletic careers.
