Six Republic athletes committed to college sports programs Wednesday — four for football, one for baseball, and one for basketball. Here’s what Misora Nambara, Carter Nation, Cory Craigmyle, Michael Worthy, Daniel Phillips, and James Rexroat had to say on their big day.
Misora Nambara
Misora Nambara, Republic’s all-state point guard, will reach her goal of playing college basketball when she attends Culver Stockton.
RTS: Why Culver Stockton?
Misora Nambara: Well, I had a lot of choices, but I think it just came down for me financially. And I really like the campus, the coaches. I haven’t met a lot of the girls, but I’ve heard the team is very nice.
RTS: What are you looking forward to the most about college basketball?
Misora Nambara: Probably just competing at that level. I’ve always wanted to play in college, so I think it’s going to be exciting.
RTS: And finally, what do you think you’ll carry with you from your time at Republic that will carry over to college and beyond?
Misora Nambara: I think just continuing to work hard and just put in the effort, and that nothing’s just going to get given to you just because of what you’ve accomplished.
Carter Nation
Carter Nation will be a part of a brand new baseball program being started at Missouri State University-West Plains.
Republic Tiger Sports (RTS): Why West Plains?
Carter Nation: So, I chose West Plains because when I went there, I liked that it was a new program. I really liked the idea of building a new culture. That’s what we did with the football team. We really turned around the culture, and I liked that, being a newer program, a completely new program, I could be a part of something and hopefully turn that into a really successful baseball team. Also, I really liked the coaches, and it was the perfect distance away. It was far enough from home, yet close enough at the same time.
RTS: What are you looking forward to the most about college sports?
Carter Nation: I think what I’m looking forward to the most is just putting all of my time into one sport, because I’ve always been a multiple sport athlete, and I think baseball’s kind of got my heart. I love it the most out of all the sports I’ve played, so I think that’ll be really fun for me.
RTS: And what do you take from competing here, not just in baseball, but in football too, just competing here at Republic that you think you’ll take with you to college and beyond?
Carter Nation: I think one thing that Republic has is that we’ve always kind of played with a chip on our shoulders, and that’s just really helped me because it’s kind of the mentality of the job’s never finished. That’ll really help me in college, because, you know, you’ll have some days that you’re playing great, and then you’ll have some days that you aren’t playing great. But even on those days that you are playing good, you still have to motivate yourself, like, you know, “Yeah, I played good, but the job’s still not finished. I’ve got to keep going. I’ve got to keep playing good.”
Cory Craigmyle
Cory Craigmyle will get another chance to help turn around a football program when he attends Westminster College in Fulton with his teammate, Michael Worthy.
RTS: First question, why Westminster?
Cory Craigmyle: You know, it just seemed like a great college. Outside of football as well, it’s a liberal arts school, so it’s great academically for me. I’m going to major in business management, and they’ve got some really good professors for that, a very good program. And the coaches seem very good. It’s another rebuild for them. They’ve got a whole new coaching staff, new AD and everything, so it’ll be fun to be part of a rebuild team again.
RTS: What are you looking forward to the most about college sports?
Cory Craigmyle: I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of new friends, having that college life, doing all the new workouts, having a new, completely different offense, and I’m excited to be a part of it.
RTS: And what do you, what will you carry with you, you think, from your time at Republic?
Cory Craigmyle: My dedication, battling adversity and everything. Through the three years, we’ve battled a lot of adversity. We’ve always been the underdogs, so I’m going to carry that with me, have that underdog mentality, and just keep working as hard as I can to be the best I can.
Michael Worthy
Michael Worthy will join Craigmyle at Westminster College in Fulton as that football program enters a rebuilding phase.
RTS: So, why Westminster?
Michael Worthy: You know, I didn’t really plan on going to college to play football, and they reached out to me. I just went up to the campus to check it out, and I kind of fell in love with the place. It has a great campus, and I think the atmosphere and what the coaches are building there, the program, kind of has a fresh start. It’s going to be a good fit for me and Corey, once we go up there.
RTS: What are you looking forward to the most about college football?
Michael Worthy: I think I’m just ready to be a part of a new team. Of course, I love playing for Public, and the experience of this last year was awesome. But I think being a part of another rebuild and just having a fresh start will be something to be excited about.
RTS: All right, and finally, what do you think you’ll carry with you from your time here that you’ll carry over?
Michael Worthy: Hopefully, some good run blocking. Hopefully, I can block well in college. But really, just what we made a staple of the program here was work ethic and working, even during the offseason, staying in the weight room, doing stuff to make ourselves better athletes. I think that will carry over well at Westminster.
Daniel Phillips
Daniel Phillips has committed to play football at Mid-America Nazarene, especially because the team runs a style suited to take advantage of his speed and quickness.
RTS: So, why Mid-America Nazarene?
Daniel Phillips: I really liked Mid-America Nazarene because of the interest they showed in me. I went to a camp in the summer, and I got a phone number from one of the coaches. We stayed in contact ever since, until the season was over, and they offered me. They showed a lot of interest in me, so that’s why I showed a lot of interest in them.
RTS: What are you looking forward to the most about college and college football?
Daniel Phillips: About college football, I’m really going to enjoy the new pro-style offense because I’ll be able to catch the ball more. That’s what I’ve always loved to do. And college life is going to be a brand new experience. I don’t really know what to expect, but I’m looking forward to it, and I’m happy and excited.
RTS: What will you take with you from your time at Republic?
Daniel Phillips: Definitely not to take anything for granted, especially time, because time is coming to a close here. I only have a couple of days left in this place. I’m definitely going to take relationships and friendships seriously, and whatever God has for me, I’m going to keep, and whatever He doesn’t want for me, I’m going to let it go. And that’s that.
James Rexroat
James Rexroat has committed to play football at Arkansas State University, becoming the first player from Republic to earn a full-ride scholarship to a Division I football program directly out of high school.
RTS: Why Arkansas State?
James Rexroat: I like the coaching staff they put together. They’ve all come from pretty elite schools that have had good seasons, and they just formed them together with a great head coach. As for Coach Butch Jones, he’s coached the Kelce brothers, and Coach Grimes is a successful tight end coach with a successful father as a coach as well.
RTS: So, what are you looking forward to the most about college football?
James Rexroat: I’m looking forward to the advancements in technology. I just want to know what I need to do to get better in certain areas because I’m looking to go on and play in the League after college.
RTS: And what do you think you’ll carry with you from your time at Republic?
James Rexroat: Well, I think I’ll carry some accountability. Coach Cornelsen and all the coaches here really preach accountability and to take responsibility for your actions, so I think that’s going to be the main part.