From staff reports
Kyle —
Tyler “Scooter” Walker and Payton Pringle, like most area football players, began playing the sport back in the third grade as teammates on a CFPO Youth Football Team.
They have been teammates ever since, all the way through their senior years as varsity players for San Marcos High School.
But that’s all about to change this August. Walker is headed to play college football at Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, while Pringle plans on doing the same at Texas Lutheran in Seguin. Both players are going to school on academic scholarships.
And since the two schools compete as NCAA Division III programs in the American Southwest Conference, Walker and Pringle will be looking at each other from opposite sidelines.
“It’s really going to be different playing against Scooter,” Pringle said. “We have been teammates for so long, it’s going to be weird not having him around.”
The pair can still be seen working out together almost every day at the old Bobcat football practice fields. Along with friend Aubrey Oswalt, a senior at San Marcos Academy, they work running routes and catching the ball, and the future foes use every opportunity to pester each other.
“Too bad you’re not going to be with me when we win a conference title,” Walker taunts.
Pringle laughs, before telling his friend how the UMHB is going to have to get past TLU first.
“We’ll just have to see about that,” Pringle retorts.
The Crusaders recruited Walker, a four-year starter at running back for the Rattlers, as a running back and wide receiver in Coach Pete Fredenburg’s pro-set offense. Walker will back up senior All-American running back Quincy Daniels, and is expected to see playing time next season.
“I just want to go ever there and get my name out there to where everyone knows who I am and represent San Marcos in a positive way,” Walker said. “I want to be able to help them win conference again and win a national title.”
Considering UMHB’s recent history, Walker’s aspiration isn’t that far-fetched.
The Crusaders were 10-2 in 2009 and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the nation. The team went 7-1 in ASC play for a share of the conference title and went two rounds deep in the national playoffs before getting knocked off by Linfield College. UMHB has advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA Division III National Championships in each of the last six seasons.
Pringle, on the other hand is head to a program that is hoping to right the ship under first-year head coach Danny Padron, a first-year who took when Dennis Parker resigned after a 6-24 record in three seasons.
Pringle will play wide receiver in a University of Florida type of offense, and should get playing time considering there is only one player ahead of him on the depth chart.
“I’m excited about going to college and playing in a new type of offense,” Pringle said. “It’s really a moment I’ve dreamt about ever since my older brother told me how it felt to play college football.”
Payton’s brother, Kyle, was a starting quarterback at SMHS and played at Navarro College before enlisting into the Army.
“I can’t wait, to tell you the truth,” Pringle said. “I’m excited about going to college, playing football and hopefully help them win a conference championship.”
And while the pair of Walker and Pringle may no longer be teammates, their friendship will remain in tact.
“We’re still best of friends and I don’t see that changing just because he’s going to wear a different colored jersey,” Pringle said.
“I’m sure we’ll be pulling for each other to do well...whenever we’re not playing each other that is,” Walker said.
