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SPORTS
Cabell Midland's Shoemaker, Sansom sign with WV State
ONA -- Heck, they're in a band together.
If there ever was a one-two combination ready to continue their athletic careers with each other, it'd be Cabell Midland's Evan Shoemaker and Tyler Sansom.
Just like they complement each other on the musical stage (Shoemaker plays the base and rhythm guitar, Sansom takes care of the vocals and piano), the duo will be each other's sidekicks on the football field this fall at West Virginia State University.
Just how they planned it.
Shoemaker and Sansom, sitting side-by-side on a stage in Midland's auditorium, signed Wednesday with the Yellow Jackets, an NCAA Division II member of the West Virginia Conference.
"Ever since Little League, we've been talking about going to the same school together," Shoemaker said. "We've been having troubles (doing that), but finally State came up and wanted us both.
"And it just worked out."
As it did for recently resigned Knights coach Chip McMillian.
Sansom and Shoemaker grew up through the Barboursville Youth Football League ranks as arguably the top passing-catching combination in the area.
"We were like the first people ever in Barboursville Little League to have more than 1,000-yards passing," Sansom said. "I was the quarterback and he was the receiver.
"And then we broke records in middle school as quarterback and receiver too."
So when McMillian first set his eyes on them, the expectations for his offense went up -- literally. Because of the potential he had in the Sansom-Shoemaker combination, McMillian tweaked his game plan from controlling teams on the ground to getting over them in the air.
"I was never sure," Sansom said about whether he thought McMillian would start throwing more when he and Shoemaker arrived at Midland in fall 2007. "He was always talking to us when we were in eighth grade. Being like, 'Yeah, I can't wait to get you guys up here.' So, I kind of figured we'd pass a little bit, but not nearly as much as we did. And I didn't think I'd be playing receiver, either."
Sansom joined Shoemaker in the receiving corps in 2008 and the rest can be found in the Knights' record books. Sansom's 75 career receptions and 1,293 yards are good for second in school history. His 11 receiving touchdowns rank him No. 1. Shoemaker is the No. 4 all-time receiver with 50 catches and 658 yards. He also ranks No. 3 in career interceptions with seven.
"This is an exciting moment for these two guys," McMillian said. "They've been together since they've been kids. And they've been an integral part of what we've done here at Cabell Midland the last four years. They're both super players and will be sadly missed."
