MUKILTEO – With a few pen strokes, they were transformed from teammates to rivals.
Kamiak football players Gary Rogers and Bobby Dockter sat at the same table at Kamiak High School, signing documents that will lock their divergent college football careers in place.
Both will wear red and try to earn their stripes in the Pacific-10 Conference next season, but the similarities end there. Dockter signed his letter of intent on Wednesday – the opening day of the football signing period – to play on Stanford’s offensive line. Rogers, a quarterback, signed away his strong arm to Washington State.
“It’ll be fun to play against a teammate,” said Rogers, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound two-year starter who passed for 1,480 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead a young Knights team to a 7-3 record during his senior season.
In addition to joining a college program known for developing quarterbacks, Rogers is glad Dockter will play offense instead of defense for the Cardinal.
“I wouldn’t want to get sacked by him,” Rogers said.
Dockter blocked for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers (Justin Washington in 2001 and Derrick Bradley in 2002). Tony Virata nearly became the third in 2003, falling just 34 yards shy of 1,000. He also helped give Rogers the time he needed to guide Kamiak’s potent offense. The job of blocking for Rogers was a rewarding one, Dockter said.
“You knew that if we had the ball and you checked your guy, he’d shoot it over your head and we’d get some points,” Dockter said.
Both players have been around Kamiak football for a long time. Dockter, the youngest and biggest (6 feet 5, 290 pounds) of three brothers, watched older brothers Chris and Aaron play for the Knights. He started for three seasons, anchoring offensive and defensive lines that contributed to Kamiak’s 24-7 record and two postseason appearances during his varsity career.
Rogers began coming to Kamiak’s summer football camps in the seventh grade with the dream of becoming the next great Knights quarterback. Rogers will become the fourth straight Kamiak quarterback to participate on a college team, joining 2000 graduate Ryan Kanekeberg, Ryan Jones (2001) and Johnny Mack (2002). Based on his size, arm strength and athleticism, Rogers became a Division I recruit before he ever started a varsity football game.
In addition to their natural gifts, Kamiak coach Dan Mack said, Dockter and Rogers set an example for a work ethic that the rest of the team followed.
“They’ve done a tremendous job with their leadership and mentoring the younger kids,” he said. “They are both great people and selfless individuals.”
Mack could go to just about any Pac-10 football game in a given week to catch a glimpse of one of his former players. Jerry Matson, a 2000 graduate, walked onto the Oregon football team in 2000 and worked his way into the starting lineup as a junior. Pat Loney will be a senior tight end at Oregon State. Derrick Bradley will be a redshirt freshman cornerback at Washington while Rogers and Dockter push Kamiak’s Pac-10 representation to five schools.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Mack said. “The kids have been great. They all keep in contact with each other.”
With dreams of someday playing in the NFL in their minds as they put their futures in ink at the Kamiak career center, the Kamiak twosome shook hands as teammates one last time before signing papers that will send them in separate directions.
“I’ve been waiting for a long time (for letter of intent day),” said Rogers, who was believed to have been the earliest oral commit in WSU history when he made his decision on May 5. “It feels good to get it out.”
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