Mount Pleasant, IA- One of the three senior captains that helped snapped a 23-game losing streak and nearly got the Panthers to finish the year with an over 0.500 record, Payton Walker has signed his National Letter of Intent to play football at St. Ambrose University.
He discussed what went into his decision to play for the Bees,
“Honestly, after talking to their coaches and going there, it really wasn’t that hard. They were close. They have a nice culture there and they have the major I was looking for. So those things kind of lined up and made a really easy decision for me.”
Walker first saw Varsity action in his sophomore campaign and instantly made his mark for the Panthers. Patrolling the middle of the field on defense, he finished second on the team in total tackles with 34.5, while adding 7.5 tackles for a loss, a fumble recovery, and an interception.
As a fullback on offense, he would open lanes and occasionally get the call to carry the ball, resulting in 87 yards and three touchdowns on four yards per carry for the season. Walker would end up taking home District Punter of the Year honors after stepping in for Owen Vansickel and averaging 34.3 yards per punt.
The promise shown in his sophomore season exploded onto the gridiron as Walker turned into a star his junior year. The jack-of-all-trades started the year exclusively in the backfield, whether that was running or blocking and occasionally catching a pass.
That was until starting quarter Cooper Coleman was knocked out of a road game at Tipton in the third game of the season, ushering a need for a new signal caller and who else to step in but Walker.
The running quarterback led the team on the ground in yards and carries with 609 yards, while scoring eight of the team’s nine rushing touchdowns; additionally, he completed 31 passes for 582 yards and added four passing touchdowns.
Moreover, he was also the leader on defense. The middle linebacker totaled 71 tackles and 3.5 tackles for a loss and still held the role of the team’s punter, averaging 31 yards per punt. This culminated in him earning 2nd Team All-District running back.
However, he was still looking for his first victory in the Maroon and Gold.
Week one of his senior season provided the perfect opportunity in a road matchup against non-district rival Fairfield. Offensively, Walker only had to focus on blocking and running the ball, while defensively he was still the sheriff of the squad.
For the first time in nearly three years, Mt. Pleasant ended the game with the victory as Walker scored both touchdowns in a 13-12 win over the Trojans. Two weeks later at Bob Evans Field, he came through on defense, registering 8.5 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and a sack for a safety in a win over Tipton.
Walker had trouble describing what it meant to get Mt. Pleasant back in the win column,
“I don’t know how to explain it honestly because we were 1-8, 0-9, 0-9 and after we got that first win it was just kind of like a sense of relief and then building on it and going 4-5 and I just want to keep seeing more and more win totals and it’s just a lot of gratification there and feel amazing.”
Overall, in the eight games he played his senior season he found the endzone in seven of the contests as he led the team in carries, despite splitting his share with Ramzy Davis.
Walker again led the team in tackles with 75 on the season, including 11.5 tackles for loss and an interception and fumble recovery. His impact on defense earned him 1st Team All-District linebacker.
For his Panther career, Walker compiled 180.5 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions on defense. The side of the field he will continue to play for the Bees,
“I’m probably just going to stick with a linebacker. mean, punting is fun and all, but I think I’m more of a next level linebacker. I don’t think the leg is quite there”
On offense he totaled 1,100 rushing yards on four yards a carry and found paydirt 18 times and he’s not quite ready to close the chapter on that side of the ball,
“Definitely for sure. It’s definitely fun to run the ball. I mean, who knows if the opportunity presents itself.”
Walker will study Sports Management as he would like to become an Athletic Director. Though he looks toward his collegiate career, he will never forget the past four years at Mt. Pleasant High School,
“Oh, it’s just been amazing. Probably the best four years of my life right here playing football here. My best memories are with the guys out there on that field. So, I kind of realized that as soon as I was having fun out there, I just wanted to keep doing it for as long as I can.”
The Bees finished the season with a 3-8 overall record with a 1-5 mark in conference. They are searching for their first winning season since going 5-3 back in the 2020-2021 season. St. Ambrose will kickoff the season on the road against Briar Cliff on August 30th at 6 pm.