Trey Smith and Kameron Gonzales spent the 2018 football season sharing time at quarterback for the Odessa High Bronchos.

On Wednesday afternoon, both shared the stage at the Odessa High Fieldhouse to continue their careers at the collegiate level.

Smith signed his letter of intent to continue his career at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth while Gonzales will play at Sul Ross State in Alpine.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was little and to be able to do this is a blessing,” Smith said. “I give all glory to God and I thank him and all the people that helped me get to this point.

“Signing this paper means more for them than it does for me.”

Gonzales also was happy to see familiar faces when he took the next step in his football career.

“It feels great to see all my teammates, friends and family come out and support me,” Gonzales said. “I’m just thankful to get an opportunity to play at the next level.”

One of the most important aspects about playing college football is finding the right fit.

That’s what both Smith and Gonzales say they have found at their respective schools.

“I took a visit down to Sul Ross and it just felt like the right place for me,” Gonzales said. “The coaches talked a lot about how much they wanted me there as a quarterback.”

As for Smith, he heads to a school that brought back its football program just two years ago.

The opportunity to be a part of that rebuilding process along with what the school had to offer academically is what stood out for him.

“It wasn’t just about sports; it was about grades,” Smith said. “College is about getting an education and it seems like it was the best fit for me to do that.”

Both Smith and Gonzales left their mark on the football field with Smith as the starter and Gonzales coming in when needed.

The duo combined to make plays as runners and passers, combining for 2,082 total yards and 21 total touchdowns.

Odessa High finished at 5-5 in 2018 and on the brink of making the playoffs.

It marked another tangible step of improvement, after an 0-10 season in 2016 and a 3-7 record the year after that.

Odessa High coach Danny Servance is most impressed by what the duo did off the field.

“They were great leaders with their play and a great example for our young men,” Servance said. “Sometimes, there is a lot of riff-raff between two guys competing for the same spot but that wasn’t the case with them.

“They exemplified what it meant to be great teammates. It’s outstanding and they both deserve these opportunities.”

Signing day is a day for programs and athletes to celebrate, taking a look back at the accomplishments while looking forward to new opportunities.

Smith and Gonzales can look ahead knowing that they helped each other and the program get to a better place.

“I know it was a dream for Kam to play at the next level as it was mine,” Smith said. “He worked hard to get this point and I’m happy for him. It means even more that we can do this together.”

“The team had a lot of heart this year and the program continues to get better,” Gonzales said. “Hopefully, Trey and I left the program in a good place so the younger guys can take over and make it better.”
