Wednesday, Feb. 4 was National Signing Day and it was a special and historic day at Vernon High School, as a signing ceremony was held in D.O. Fulton Gym for six athletes who signed letters of intent to attend college on athletic scholarships.
Five of those students – Ty Scott, Jamari Chance, Tru Gipson, Manny Ochoa, and Cordell Scott – will be going on to play football at the collegiate level, while one – Brinden Farrell – will hit the baseball diamond.
Ty Scott is heading to Midwestern State University, while both Chance and Gipson are going to Hardin-Simmons University, Ochoa is going to Wayland Baptist University, and Cordell Scott is heading to Butler Community College in Kansas. Farrell will be playing baseball at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
These six students join powerlifter Kamryn Hall in the group of VHS seniors who have received athletic scholarships. Hall signed her letter of intent to attend Friends University in Kansas a couple of weeks ago.
Kevin Sherrill, Lions Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, told the students and Vernon residents attending the ceremony that this group of athletes is special.
“These young men were eighth graders when me, Coach Payne and a few others got here five years ago, and we grew together,” said Sherrill, who left Vernon this month to join Blooming Grove ISD as the head football coach and athletic director. “These young men left an impression on the football program, their school and their hometown. They all have great hearts and character.”
Sherrill added all had stellar careers as Lions and he enjoyed his time here with them.
“They embraced what we wanted to do here and what we did wasn’t always easy,” the coach said in reference to the Lions’ workouts. “They turned the football program around and put us back on the map. I know they’re going a long way. I know they’ll see this thing through because they have staying powering and know how to persevere.”
Brock Payne, defensive coordinator and assistant AD, remembered how talented the eighth-grade class was when he arrived five years ago. He spoke about each player, and then he spoke to them.
“You’ve got a great support system behind you (where family members stood) and some of those in front of you are the future of VHS, and they’re looking forward to doing what you’re doing right now. And, all of these people here have got your back,” Payne said.
Coach Edwin Bah, an assistant coach who also serves as the recruitment coordinator, said some may not realize how special the day was.
“Today is National Signing Day, these young men up here are the 1 percent of the 1 percent,” he said.
-----
TY SCOTT
Scott was a four-year letterman for the Lions and three-year starter. As a sophomore he started in the secondary, and the last two seasons he has been the starting quarterback for the Lions and helped lead them to the third round of the playoffs both years. In 2025, Scott eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing and passing.
“Ty made the play time, after time,” Payne said of the multi- all-district honoree. “We’d be in a tight spot offensively, and we’d just put the ball in Ty’s hands and let him do what Ty does, which is make plays. Defensively, in the secondary if we needed to stop someone, Ty was the answer.”
Bah added, “Time after time Ty always made the play. He will go down as one of the best QBs in Vernon history.”
Along with football, Scott also plays basketball and runs track for the Lions. In the Fall, he considered going to the University of Colorado Pueblo to play football, but that changed after the Christmas break.
“When I visited Midwestern I just loved the environment and the campus. The coaches were all great too,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to compete with other people and make bonds with new teammates.”
The physical therapy major is also excited about another change.
“Midwestern recruited me to play slot receiver and I’m looking forward to that,” Scott said. “I just want to play football for as long as I can and pursue the career I choose. One of my goals is to be financially stable and be able to provide for my family.”
-----
JAMARI CHANCE
Chance was a three-year starter for the Lions. He started in the secondary as a sophomore and added starting receive to his resume his junior and senior year. This year Chance’s versatility allowed the coaches to move him from receiver to the backfield when injuries struck the Vernon running backs room. Chance finished the year second on the team in rushing, and led the team in receiving.
“In a game when he was a freshman, Jamari caught the ball and he got popped hard, and he didn’t like it,” Payne said. “He didn’t come off the field, but you could tell he didn’t like what happened. The next play was a running play and Jamari lays the kid that hit him out with a clean block. Then we’re on defense and he delivered a hit on that same kid. That’s the type of player Jamari is.”
While his speed and athleticism make Chance, who has earned multiple all-district honors, an elite athlete, he also played basketball and runs track at VHS, sports are not all he thinks about.
“Jamari had offers to go to D2 schools,” Bah told the crowd. “But he looked at the bigger picture. He put his future in front and went with the school with the best PT program.”
One of those other offers was a very serious one from Oklahoma Baptist University.
“I had a lot of great offers, but I chose Hardin-Simmons because while it has a great athletic program, the academic side of things is even better," said Chance, who will be majoring in Kinesiology. “I plan on becoming a physical therapy assistant and travel while doing that job.”
Chance heads to Abilene unsure of the position he will play for the Cowboys.
“They listed me as ‘athlete’ and told me I might play receiver or defensive back,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me where I play, I’m looking forward to building team chemistry with new teammates.”
When it comes to college goals, Chance has two – one for athletics and one for academics. “I want to help us win a conference championship and keep a 4.0 GPA while graduating at the top of my class.”
-----
TRU GIPSON
Gipson was a three-year varsity letterman for the Lions, while also participating in the basketball, wrestling, baseball and track programs. After an outstanding junior season in 2024, injuries hampered the running back this season. Gipson missed several games and when he returned to action, he was limited to playing his defensive back position for a few more weeks before he was allowed to see time at running back.
“Before I saw him play another coach told me how talented Tru was with the ball in his hands,” Payne said. “In the first game I saw, he did a move that looked like something you see on a video game – a cut, a spin, another cut – it was amazing. In the secondary Tru did a great job covering guys. He’s got a very bright future.”
Although he hasn’t set any goals for his college career just yet, the business major is excited about the next chapter of his life.
“I love playing football, creating bonds with your teammates and having fun,” Gipson said. “I had offers from five other schools, but when I visited Hardin-Simmons, it felt like home.”
Gipson hopes to become a real estate agent after college.
-----
MANNY OCHOA
Another three-year varsity starter for the Lions, Ochoa was a standout on the offensive line where he earned all-district honors.
“Manny stood out as an eighth grader,” Payne said. “He’s always been big and strong. He played defense his sophomore season, but was mainly an offensive lineman his junior and senior year. He has a great future as an offensive lineman.”
Bah was Ochoa’s position coach his freshman year, and the coach said he didn’t think Ochoa liked him very much because he made the linemen run laps. Fast forward a couple of summers and a student who was doing extra workouts with Bah asked the coach if a friend could join them. The friend was Ochoa.
“I told the kid ‘man I didn’t think Manny liked me,’” Bah said with a laugh. “But, Manny started coming to workouts and he didn’t miss a single one his junior or senior year, and he’s already working hard getting ready for next Fall.”
For Ochoa, who is also on the powerlifting team, choosing Wayland Baptist was a simple choice. “It is close by and it was recommended,” said Ochoa, who is a man of few words. “I wanted to play football. I like being able to play with my brothers.”
Ochoa is undecided on his major and just wants to continue to improve on his college journey.
----
CORDELL SCOTT
Scott played defensive end for the Lions last season and earned all-district honors. It was the first time he had played football since he was in eighth grade.
“I’m not quite sure Cordell enjoyed football in the eighth grade,” Payne said. “With maturity and growth, he decided to come out last season and I’m very happy he came out to play football his senior year. He was an outstanding defensive end for us, able to shut down the outside run and rush the passer.”
Bah said Scott worked hard in the weight room. “He wanted to play football his senior year,” the coach said. “And, you talk about a dog! It was easy to see how good he was on defense. I love coaching guys like Cordell.”
Scott will be heading to Butler to play defensive end as well, with hopes of playing a four-year college in a couple of years.
-----
BRINDEN FARRELL
Among the six who signed on National Signing Day, Farrell was the only one who did not play football. Farrell played tennis his freshman year when Vernon won the state team tennis title, but after that year he turned his full attention to baseball. The catcher has been an all-district selection and has spent summers playing on teams to hone his craft.
“Brinden is solid defensively,” Payne said. “He can control the game from behind the plate. I think he has a bright future ahead of him.”
It’s a future that Farrell is determined to have.
“As the recruitment coordinator I helped all of the guys put highlight videos together and helped with filling out paperwork, and making contact with universities, but Brinden did all of his own recruiting,” Bah explained. “He checked in with me and asked me a few things, but he did everything on his own. That’s how determined he was to play baseball at the next level.”
Farrell’s determination landed him three offers, but choosing USAO was not a hard choice.
“I have had some friends who have played there, but I also had a great visit there,” Farrell said. “I loved the environment and what the program is being built into and I want to be a part of it.”
Although Farrell is looking forward to playing at USAO he has bigger goals.
“My biggest college goal is to be able to transfer up to a Division 1 school, and my biggest future goal would be to make it to pro ball,” he said.
If he is unable to attain that second goal, Farrell has a good back-up plan. “I’m majoring in Kinesiology and sports management, and I want to become a coach,” he said. “I want share the knowledge I have of the game with kids and help them fall in love with baseball like I did.”