BHS grads pursue football in college

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

Two of this year's starters on the Bigfork High School football team will build upon the success and hard work they had at BHS, as they make the move to playing college football.

Bobby McDonald and Aaron Vogel, both of whom are 2007 graduates of BHS, head east to continue their football careers.

Vogel will attend Rocky Mountain College in Billings on a football scholarship.

"It was kind of always a dream of mine to play in the NFL," Vogel said.

Despite the realization that his chances of fulfilling his dream are slim, Vogel decided to continue his football career in college.

A pre-physical therapy major, Vogel first drew the attention of the Rocky Mountain College football program with the help of Bigfork High School's former football coach Aaron Stiegeler.

"He sent them video of me, they watched it and were interested," Vogel said.

He has met the head coach and defensive specialist of his new team and heads to their training camp August 13.

Vogel was the Vikings' leading rusher in 2004 and started the 2005 season at quarterback, a position he did not play in 2006. He completed 20 of 41 passes for a total of 128 yards, but had no touchdowns and four interceptions. Vogel started the 2006 season at tailback, a position he started at as a sophomore and was taken out of in 2005.

"He's a hard worker on the practice field," Stiegeler said of Vogel prior to the 2006 season. "He brings an explosiveness."

Besides the football scholarship, Vogel said he likes Rocky Mountain College because it allows his parents to watch him play and, as all college students find is important, he can bring his dirty laundry home on weekends.

McDonald is heading further east — all the way to Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

"They had some recruiters come to Bigfork and talk to a couple of players," McDonald said. "They said I'd be a good fit."

McDonald will fit in well too in Concordia's pre-med program. A football player for nine years, McDonald played two years in Frenchtown and two years in Bigfork.

He said he'd always thought about playing college football, and noticed the differences between high school and college football right away while watching a spring practice in Moorhead.

"It's going to take a lot more work. There's a lot more competition, but it will be fun," he said. "There's some big guys."

McDonald will play center and possibly some guard on offense.

McDonald was a lineman for the Vikings. He started at center and noseguard during the 2006 season. McDonald started the 2005 season on the offensive line and was part of the defensive line in 2006.

"He worked hard in the weight room (during the offseason). I expect him to be a strong leader," Stiegeler said last fall.