WILLIAMSTOWN - First team all-Little Kanawha Conference defensive back Hunter Barton of Williamstown will continue his career as a student-athlete at West Virginia Conference member Glenville State.
Also a wide receiver for the Yellowjackets of head coach Terry Smith, Barton played both his sophomore and junior campaigns at Parkersburg South.
Barton said he attended his first GSC football camp the summer after his 10th-grade year and, "I've pretty much been hooked from there."
The 6-foot-2 Barton was recruited by Pioneer head coach Dave Hutchison as a wide receiver.
"I've always wanted to go play college ball and just do the best I can in any sport Iave ever played," said Barton, who made the state playoffs all three years as a varsity starter.
A solid student in the classroom who carries a near 3.5 GPA, Barton knows he's going to have to pay his dues before he gets an opportunity to see game action for the Pioneers.
"For this year I just want to try and concentrate on getting in the program and hitting the weights," he said.
"I'll try to get some playing time if I can, but mainly I want to get the feel of things and how they run stuff and just try to work my way to the top."
Barton noted that he wanted to stay within the Mountain State and he liked the country setting and atmosphere in Glenville. Although he was a solid prep player in the secondary, he's fine with going to college and being just a wide receiver.
"I like to get after the ball," Barton said of his style. "I trust myself to go up and try to catch any ball. I'd rather play receiver because I feel that's where I'm the strongest at.
"They can ask me to run any route. I've got enough faith in myself and work enough in practice to achieve whatever it is I want to achieve."
An expected forestry or criminal justice major, Barton admitted head have to work on his speed for the next level as probably his biggest area of need. While he considers himself a pretty good run blocker on the outside, Barton also said he is hoping to improve his ability to get off the line of scrimmage quicker as well as refining his cuts on routes.
With high school almost over, Barton feels blessed to have received a scholarship offer from the Pioneers and hopes he has a successful career for the Division II program in Gilmer County.
"Right now I feel pretty comfortable with it," Barton said of being a student-athlete in college. "I think it will be fun and I'm excited about it. I'm not too nervous yet.
"I'll be pretty nervous the day we have to show up. I'm excited and ready to go up there and see what I can do and see what the atmosphere is like."
