ENID, Okla. — Enid’s record-setting tailback, Seth “Popeye” Handley, has made his decision on playing football at the next level and is expected to sign a letter of intent Wednesday to attend Ada-based East Central University on a football scholarship.

The Plainsmen senior rushed for 1,240 yards and 10 touchdowns this past season on his way to being named All-State by the Oklahoma Coaches Association. His rushing total for the 2012 season was the fifth-highest in school history and he finished fourth all-time with more than 2,200 yards rushing in his career.

His  31 receptions for 427 yards also led the team.

Handley owns four of the top 10 spots on Enid’s all-time single-game rushing list.

This past season, he rushed for 336 yards against Stillwater (second all-time), 243 yards (fifth all-time) against Choctaw in the season-opening win, and 213 yards (10th all-time) against Guthrie.

 He previously set the all-time single-game mark with 377 yards against Bixby in 2011.

East Central, a member of the NCAA Division II Great American Conference, finished with a 6-5 record last season (4-4, GAC) under head coach Tim McCarty. The Tigers finished the 2012 season with a three-game winning streak, including a 37-27 win over No. 20 Ouachita Baptist.

Also expected to sign Wednesday from Enid is Plainsmen defensive tackle Logan Miller. The 300-pounder earned All-District honors and was named to the coaches’ 6A All-Star team. He recorded 59 tackles  in 2012 and led the team in quarterback sacks.

Miller is expected to sign with Northwestern Oklahoma State, which finished its first season in 2012 as a provisional member of the Great American Conference after moving up from NAIA to NCAA Division II. The Rangers finished 4-7 last season, winning four straight games to end the season.

A third member of the 2012 Plainsmen team also may be signing a letter of intent Wednesday, as well.



8-man standouts expected to sign



Enid News & Eagle’s 8-man player of the year, Pond Creek-Hunter’s Brady Krittenbrink, is heading to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) to play football.

Krittenbrink, who led the Panthers into the state Class B finals this past season, rushed for 2,109 yards and 32 touchdowns in addition to catching 24 passes for 368 yards and another 10 touchdowns in 2012. He finished his high school football career with more than 7,000 yards in total offense and 111 touchdowns. Krittenbrink also led the Panthers with 144 tackles and had two interceptions.

NEO, under head coach Dale Patterson, finished the 2012 season ranked No. 9 in the nation among junior colleges this past season and posted a 9-2 record. The Golden Norsemen completed their 2012 campaign with an appearance in the Citizens Bank Bowl in Pittsburg, Kan., against No. 15 College of DuPage, Ill., falling 42-29. It was the 31st postseason bowl appearance for the Miami-based school, but first since 2005.

Another local signee will be Waukomis’ Tyler Terrel, who will be signing Wednesday to play football for NAIA-member Southwestern College, Kan. Terrel, a member of the News & Eagle’s 8-man All-Northwest team, made the move from quarterback to tailback prior to last season and rushed for 1,004 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Chiefs.

Terrel will be joining a Moundbuilders program that finished 4-7 last season and 3-6 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Collegiate coaches cannot comment on player commitments until they have officially signed a letter of intent. �