SCOT KOPPENHAFER, a senior on the Mancos High School wrestling team, signs an NCAA Division II National Letter of Intent to attend Adams State College. He will join his older brother, Travis, who is an All-American, at the school. Looking over are his father Gerald Koppenhafer and MHS head coach Travis Bryant.

Scott Koppenhafer, a senior with the Mancos High School wrestling team, Monday, Nov. 19, signed an NCAA Division II National Letter of Intent to attend Adams State College. He will be following his older brother, Travis, a sophomore All-American wrestler at Adams State.

Bryant said Koppenhafer signed a half-ride scholarship on his tuition and books.

He is three-time Class AA State Wrestling Tournament placer. He actually was the very first wrestler at the school to place (sixth at 125 pounds as a freshman) although Travis placed a few weight classes later that night. He finished second at 130 as a sophomore and 135 as a junior each of his last two seasons.

Koppenhafer, who just finished playing football for the Blue Jays, is an all-around athlete.

"I think he will bring to Adams State all the attributes which he displays here," MHS head coach Travis Bryant said. "He is an awesome leader and a hard worker at practice. He has great values and morals. He is an outstanding student (3.85 grade point average). He will take all those attributes to college," Bryant said.

He said that Koppenhafer is very smart not only in the classroom but on the mat was well.

"Wrestling is more than just muscle. You have got to be smart in thinking about techniques. He is smart on the mat and knows what he has got to do. He stays focused. He is a very influential in what he does," he added.

Bryant said that having his older brother on the same team will be a definite plus.

"When they were together a few years ago here (at MHS) they pushed each other hard. They will push each other there. Travis will mentor him. That will be awesome," he noted.

Koppenhafer wants to be an FBI agent. He will likely be majoring in criminology and police science.

But young Koppenhafer still gets to look forward to the 2001-02 prep season.

"Right now he will wrestling in the middle weights, probably 140 or 145," Bryant reported.

Since the program was restarted now five years ago after many years of being dormant, Bryant has mentored three (Travis, Mike Montoya, and now Scott) to college scholarships, all to Adams State.

Scott is the son of Gerald and Carla Koppenhafer of Mancos.