Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Sailors offensive tackle Jason Wenzlau took a major step in his football career Wednesday when he inked his John Hancock on the dotted line during National Signing Day.

Wenzlau, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior who helped lead the Sailors to the state playoffs this season, was the first player in his class to make a written commitment to play college football. He will attend Fort Lewis College in Durango, where he plans to major in computer science beginning in the fall.

Wednesday was Signing Day for high school athletes across the country, which marks the first day of the year that they can sign a letter of intent to play in college.

Six other Sailors will soon decide where they will continue playing football, according to Steamboat head coach Mark Drake.

Wenzlau received a scholarship from Fort Lewis that will cover his tuition costs.

He had been offered scholarships by other colleges, including Western Montana, Adams State and Peru State which is in Nebraska.

At home at Gardner field this season, Wenzlau and his teammates compiled a 5-0 record that included a 49-6 win over Moffat County on Friday, Oct. 13.

The Sailors finished the season with an 8-3 record and a first-round state playoff appearance in Lakewood.

Wenzlau chose Fort Lewis, he said, because he felt it offered him the best opportunity to excel in his educational field.

"I thought they had a good educational program which I thought should be the No.1 priority," he said.

Drake said Wenzlau would provide Fort Lewis with size and mental smarts. This season, the senior helped pave the way for Steamboat's high-powered running attack, Drake said.

"I thought he brought his knowledge of the game to the field because he was always a good blocker for us," Drake said. "That just helped our running game that much more.

"He just stepped in there and did a really good job for us."

Wenzlau plans to fight for a tackle position on the Skyhawks' offensive line.