Platte County senior security Mogie Walkingstick invited to 2025 Native All-American Recreation – KSHB 41 Kansas Metropolis

KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports activities enterprise and japanese Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.
—
Senior security Mogie Walkingstick loved a dream finish to his highschool profession Friday as Platte County gained the Missouri Class 5 state championship.
Now, he’ll stay out one other gridiron dream this week in Minneapolis, the place Walkingstick is ready to participate within the annual Native All-American Game and Camp. The Minnesota Vikings are internet hosting the occasion at US Financial institution Stadium together with the Native American Athletic Foundation.
Walkingstick, a member of the Cherokee Nation, made 9 tackles in serving to the Pirates high Carthage in additional time to grow to be back-to-back unbeaten state champs, however he’s had treasured few alternatives to share the sphere with different Native American soccer gamers.
“There’s going to be some nice athletes there, one of the best that Indian nation has to supply,” Walkingstick mentioned. “I’m going to have the ability to bond with them over our heritage, but additionally on the identical time breed competitors between us. I simply really feel prefer it’s going to be a very enjoyable expertise.”
Gamers from throughout North America, together with Canada and as distant as Hawaii, have been invited to take part within the sport.
Walkingstick described himself as a “JV warrior” as a sophomore at Platte County soccer. He progressed to a reserve and special-teams function final season earlier than locking down a beginning spot as a senior.
He mentioned the 9 tackles he had Friday at Missouri Western State’s Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph may need been a career-best.
“I knew that this was going to be my final sport taking part in with these guys, and I simply needed to simply give it my finest,” Walkingstick mentioned. “… We needed to exit with a win.”
The Pirates’ protection returned just one starter from the 2024 title-winning staff, however Walkingstick stepped right into a management function with the secondary.
“The seniors above us, they had been actually good,” he mentioned. “They form of took us underneath their wing and confirmed us what a very good chief was imagined to be like. I needed to hold that into the subsequent 12 months, simply attempting to imitate what they did as a lot as potential.”
Platte County didn’t miss a beat.
“As a senior, he stepped in and performed a vital function at security — took the spot, owned the spot and by no means gave it up,” Pirates coach Invoice Utz mentioned.
He couldn’t say whether or not the state title sport was Walkingstick’s finest efficiency in a Platte County uniform.
“Primarily as a result of he was so constant,” Utz mentioned. “… He was good all 12 months, so I don’t wish to simply pinpoint one sport to say, ‘Oh, this was your best sport.’ He had an awesome season, and I’m very proud for all of the accolades he was in a position to get.”
Utz additionally understands that Walkingstick can really feel as if he’s “on an island” because the lone Native American participant for Platte County, so all these accolades actually embrace being considered one of 70 gamers chosen for the 2025 Native All-American Recreation.
“It’s a type of issues that, he’s Mogie,” Utz mentioned. “So, it’s not one thing that defines him, by any means, however it’s not one thing that he shies away from both. He’s very pleased with it, very pleased with the heritage, as he ought to be.”
Incomes a spot within the sport was a senior-year mission for Walkingstick.
“Going into my senior 12 months, I knew that there have been going to be faculty coaches there at this bowl,” he mentioned. “I used to be actually betting on this being my most important technique to join with faculty coaches and attempt to get recruited.”
Native Individuals are severely underrepresented in faculty sports activities.
“There’s a statistic that lower than 1% of faculty athletes are literally Native American,” Walkingstick mentioned. “Being part of that minority offers us, I really feel like, a chip on our shoulder. We wish to present that Native Individuals can actually play soccer as properly.”
Thus far, he has one scholarship supply — to NCAA Division III Minnesota Morris — however he hopes to earn a number of extra after Sunday’s sport.
—

Report a typo

source