Poplar Bluff's Wontor signs with McKendree University

Playing at the next level in sports takes a different commitment, and Poplar Bluff High School football senior Romeoh Wontor is ready for the challenge.

After a solid season with the Mules, Wontor is ready for the next chapter in his football career. With family and teammates in attendance, Wontor signed his National Letter of Intent to play football for the McKendree University Bearcats.

Wontor is excited about his next journey. He felt McKendree was the best choice for him when it came to football, but it was also the best place to achieve academic excellence as he plans to major in their business program.

“One of the big selling points in my decision was that it isn’t far from home,” Wontor said. “They have a young coaching staff that understands my strengths on the field. After taking my first campus visit, I felt like I meshed well with everyone. They’re going to play me at wide receiver. They run a lot of position groupings with multiple receivers, so hopefully, I will have a good chance of getting some playing time as a freshman.”

Wontor helped the Mules to a 5-5 record and finished with solid numbers at receiver for his final season. He led the Mules with 58 catches for 856 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 14.8 yards per catch and had a game-high 166 yards with two touchdowns against Fox High School and eight solo tackles. He was also named All-Region, All-District and All-Conference.

Mules football coach Dave Sievers said it’s been a pleasure to watch Wontor grow as a player, and he knows he is ready to play football at the collegiate level. Wontor is the first of many seniors to sign this season, and Sievers said it’s a bittersweet moment watching his players move on to bigger and better things.

“McKendree is going to be a good fit for him,” Sievers said. “I think it’s a good place and they’ve been looking at him for a while, so they kinda have a relationship already. He’s going to fit in really well at the next level. He’s a good deep-ball threat, and I know he’ll make those tough catches if given the opportunity.”

Wontor will be leaving a major footprint with the Mules football team as he finished as one of the top 10 receivers in history.

For his career at Poplar Bluff, Wontor finished with 87 catches for 1,206 yards with seven touchdowns, is a three-year letterman in football and ranks ninth all-time in career receiving yards.

Poplar Bluff�s Romeoh Wontor (middle), alongside his coaches, signs his National Letter of Intent to play football for the McKendree University Bearcats. Photo Provided

“He’s just an impressive player because we’ve had some really good receivers go through here,” Sievers said. “For him to wind up in the top 10 receivers list is truly special. It’s kind of a tribute to his abilities and what he can do on the field.”

While accomplishing so much on the football field, Wontor has managed to hold a 9.592 GPA and is ranked 99th out of 289 in his class.

With Wontor’s senior year ending soon, Sievers said the best advice he can give him is to stay committed and never allow the moment to get too big.

“I want him to understand that playing at the college level is more a job, and it’s going to require all of you,” Sievers said. “He’ll still get the care from his coaches and everyone else, but it will be up to him to be better. He’s going to have to work through those first couple of months because everything will be different. I know Wontor is ready, and he will stay committed. One thing about taking the next step is that other players are taking that same step, and they’re the best of the best. I believe Wontor is one of the best, but he must work for it all.”