PITTSBURG, Kan. - A total of 19 high school seniors have signed letters of intent during the NCAA signing period to compete in football at Pittsburg State for the 1998 season. Among Pittsburg State's initial recruits are eight Kansas players who have been selected to compete in the 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl. Pittsburg State returns 14 starters (six offense, eight defense) from last year's team. The Gorillas posted a 9-2 overall record last fall, qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs for a record ninth straight year. Pittsburg State has reached the NCAA-II title game in three of the last seven seasons ('91-92, '95), including the 1991 NCAA Division II National Championship. Pittsburg States list of high school signees include: Richard Adkins, 6-0, 170, DB, Webb City, Mo./Webb City High School - a Missouri Class 4A All-State defensive back as a senior in '97 - helped the Cardinals to an undefeated 14-0 season and 4A state title last fall - led the WCHS secondary with seven interceptions Mark Broyles, 6-3, 250, OL, Pittsburg, Kan./Pittsburg High School - a Kansas Class 5A All-State pick (Topeka Capital-Journal, Wichita Eagle) - a Kansas All-State (all-class) Top 11 offensive player - a USA Today Kansas Top 11 selection - a 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Brad Clutter, 5-11, 190, OL/DL, Girard, Kan./Girard High School - a Kansas Class 4A All-State selection (Topeka Capital-Journal, Wichita Eagle) - helped the Trojans to two CNC conference championships - recorded 62 tackles with 10 quarterback sacks as a senior in '97 - a 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Milen Darby, 5-8, 180, RB, Midwest City, Okla./Midwest City High School - a first-team Oklahoma Class 6A All-State selection as a senior in '97 - rushed for 1,340 yards in 12 games (111.7 ypg) last fall - helped the Bombers to an 18-8 record his final two seasons Aaron Hight, 6-2, 190, RB/DB, Riverton, Kan./Riverton High School - a Kansas All-State (all-class) Top 11 player at running back - a two-time Kansas Class 3A All-State selection ('96-97) - a 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Eric Johnson, 6-2, 261, OL, Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural High School - a two-time All-State selection, earning honorable mention honors as a senior in '97 and second-team recognition as a junior in '96 - helped Washburn Rural to the '96 Centennial League title - a 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Scott Johnson, 6-2, 195, LB, Stockton, Mo./Stockton High School - three-time unanimous first-team All-Conference pick as a linebacker ('95-97) - earned All-District honors as a linebacker in '96 and '97 Josh Lawson, 6-2, 210, LB, Pittsburg, Kan./Pittsburg High School - a two-time first-team Kansas Class 5A All-State selection ('96-97) - earned first-team All-SEK League honors as a junior and senior - a 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Chris Lutz, 6-0, 190, LB, Eureka, Kan./Eureka High School - a two-time Kansas Class 3A All-State selection at linebacker (first team, '97; honorable mention, '96) - named first-team All-State (all-class) punter by Kansas Sports Magazine - averaged eight tackles per game and 42.6 yards per punt in '97 - a 1998 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Jeremy Moore, 6-2, 195, WR, Olathe, Kan./Olathe High School - a two-time All-League performer at wide receiver - an honor roll student with a 3.5 GPA Jesse Niederklein, 6-3, 185, TE/LB, Girard, Kan./Girard High School - a Kansas Class 4A All-State selection as a senior in '97 (Topeka Captial-Journal, Wichita Eagle) - helped the Trojans to a pair of CNC League championships - caught 16 passes for 387 yards (24.2 ypc) and eight TDs last fall Chris Polsak, 5-10, 150, WR, Pittsburg, Kan./Pittsburg High School - a two-time first-team All-SEK League placekicker ('96-97) - earned second-team All-SEK League honors as a wide receiver in '97 - helped PHS to conference and district championships last fall Cortez Pouncil, 5-10, 185, LB, Kansas City, Mo./Raytown South High School - led Raytown South High in tackles as an inside linebacker - an All-Conference pick as a senior in '97 - helped team to an improved 9-3 record last fall Kyle Rudolph, 6-0, 177, WR, Stillwell, Kan./Blue Valley High School - USA Today honorable mention All-America as a senior in '97 - a Kansas All-State (all-class) Top 11 offensive player - a '98 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant - had 62 catches for 880 yards and 10 TDs last fall Adam Schooley, 5-10, 190, RB/DB, Webb City, Mo./Webb City High School - helped the Cardinals capture the '97 Missouri Class 4A state title - a second-team Class 4A All-State pick at defensive back - recorded 122 tackles (70 solo), with seven forced fumbles and one INT - also rushed the ball 150 times for 900 yards and 10 TDs Josh Shay, 5-9, 175, RB, Edgerton, Kan./Paola High - a first-team Class 4A All-State linebacker and second-team All-State running back - rushed for 1,300 yards as a senior in '97 - has a 3.8 GPA - plans to pursue a pre-medicine degree - a '98 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Jess Smith, 5-11, 230, DL, Tulsa, Okla./Union High School - first-team All-State (Tulsa World, Oklahoma Coaches Assn.) selection in '97 - recorded 235 career tackles, including 25 career quarterback sacks Keith Suter, 6-1, 230, RB, Kansas City, Kan./Piper High School - an honorable mention Kansas Class 6A All-State selection as a senior in '97 - rushed the ball 150 times for 1,606 yards (10.7 ypc) Jeff Untereker, 6-3, 195, TE, Pittsburg, Kan./Pittsburg High School - earned honorable mention Kansas Class 5A All-State honors in '97 - helped Purple Dragons to conference and district championships as a senior In addition to the high school signees, six transfers joined the Gorilla football program at the start of the spring semester: Tyler Dunn, 6-1, 190, So., RB, Pittsburg, Kan./Fort Scott Community College Matt Harris, 6-3, 265, Jr., OL, Fort Scott, Kan./Fort Scott Community College Mark Henning, 5-11, 200, So., RB, Kingman, Kan./Fort Hays State University Evan Thrash, 6-4, 240, Jr., TE, Moore, Okla./University of Arkansas Jared Yockey, 6-6, 275, So., OL, Altamont, Kan./Emporia State University Kendal Zielny, 6-2, 260, So., DL, Bethany, Okla./NEO A&M College