Lights add nine new gridders for 2013

Today is college football's national signing day, and the Montana State University-Northern Lights are in on the fun. MSU-N recently announced nine more recruits to its 2013 recruiting class.

Of the the nine is a Hi-Line prep standout in Chester/J-I's Jordan Oraw, along with four transfers and several more prep stars.

Among the Montana high school commits is a pair of Class AA All-State wide receivers. Joining the Lights next fall will be Butte High's Bryce Armstrong (5-10, 170) and Missoula Sentinel's Jake Messerly (6-1, 180). Armstrong earned All-State honors after racking up 907 yards and seven touchdowns on 72 catches for the state champion Bulldogs. Messerly was named First-team All State after grabbing 59 balls for 962 yards and 10 TD's for the Spartans. Both players were selected for the 2013 Shrine Game as well.

Among Northern's other in-state recruits are Oraw (6-1, 195) and Cut Bank's Tyler Ollinger (6-0, 215). Oraw earned Class C All-State honors on both sides of the ball and helped the Hawks to the 2013 Northern C title. He'll play linebacker at MSU-N. Ollinger could play either linebacker or running back for the Lights. He's also headed to the 2013 Shrine Game after earning Class B All-State honors this past fall.

Chester/J-I's Jordan Oraw runs the ball during a Class C eight-man football game this past fall in Chester. Oraw is one of nine new commits to play for the Montana State University-Northern football team. So far, the Lights have signed 20 new players to their 2013 recruiting class.

Through transfers, MSU-N also continues to shore up areas of need, including the kicker position. The Lights inked Jordan Reuschhoff (6-1, 185), a former standout at Gillette High School in Wyoming, who will transfer to MSU-N from Glendale Community College in Arizona.

Also coming to the Lights is defensive lineman Will Devos (6-2, 260), who transfers from College of Siskiyous in California where he was a First-team All-Conference standout. He's originally from Vale, Ore. Cornerback Victor Fermin (6-0, 175) comes to the Lights from Moorpark College in California where he was a First-Team All-Conference selection and picked off seven passes this last season. He's originally from Pacoima, Calif. The Lights are also bringing in wide receiver James Erickson from Idaho Falls, Idaho. Erickson (5-10, 185) is transferring to MSU-N from NCAA Division I Boise State, and will have three years of eligibility with the Lights.

Finally, Northern added linebacker Jesse Morales (6-1, 190) from La Habra High School in La Habra, Calif. Morales will be joining his older brother Pete, who is currently a freshman at MSU-N.

"We are very excited to announce the signings of these nine student athletes," Northern head coach Mark Samson said. "All of them are great competitors and will represent our program very well on and off the field. These are the types of players that we want in our program. We have signed some very talented kids that not only are great athletes but good people as well. We have addressed some immediate needs with Victor Fermin in the secondary, Will Devos on the D-Line and Jordan Rueschhoff as a kicker. Those three men will have an opportunity to play right away for us.

"We also feel that we have signed two of the best wide receivers in the state with Jake Messerly and Bryce Armstrong," Samson continued. "These players will definitely help fill some holes that we have in certain positions and provide some great experience for our team. With these nine recruits and our 11 transfers that are already here on campus, we have the makings of a very good recruiting class and are excited about the potential that these young men have. We feel our recruiting has gone very well so far and look forward to wrapping up this class in the next few weeks."