Monroe Quarterback Shaun Conwell Jr. signs to Division II’s Fort Lewis College

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - When Shaun Conwell Jr. is your quarterback, your team is just...simply better. After guiding the West Valley Wolfpack to the semifinals of Alaska State High School Football Playoffs in 2019, Conwell led Monroe Catholic - the school he calls home- to their first State Playoff berth in eight years.

His combination of arm talent and leadership is something Fort Lewis College wanted to add to their program. The Rams signal caller signed his National Letter of Intent to compete for the NCAA Division II program in Durango, Colorado in front of supporters at Monroe on Friday, something he had dreamed about since first picking up a football.

Conwell may be the first football player out of Monroe Catholic to sign to a four-year program, according to the school, and he is ready to prove what Alaskans can do on the gridiron.

“I am definitely excited to represent Alaska and I am just going to show them that there are athletes here that can compete just like the Lower 48.″ said Conwell after officially putting pen to paper.

Along with good conversations with Fort Lewis head coach Darrius G. Smith and having family in the Colorado-area, the Skyhawks’ offer to allow Conwell to thrive in his preferred spread offense was also a determining factor in choosing a school.

A dual threat with his arm and his legs, Conwell is what Monroe football head coach Kyle Allison described as a strong-minded, prototypical quarterback whose leadership is contagious. With that said, the best of Conwell may still be yet to come.

“He has all the raw talents of any quarterback that you could want coming through the doors out of high school,” said Allison, who was in attendance of Conwell’s signing. “I think it is going to be nice for him to step into the next level and have a dedicated quarterback coach that is just focused on refining his skill set.”

Conwell was an instant impact for Monroe’s Division III football program, championing the Rams to first-ever victories over the Eielson Ravens and the much larger, DII West Valley Wolfpack. In six games of action his senior year, Conwell threw for 1,025 yards and tossed eight touchdowns through the air, while adding four more scores on the ground on his way to being named Offensive Player of the Year among interior programs.

For a school in which football may not be the first sport that comes to mind, Conwell was honored to lead the program to new heights.

“Man, it was great to show some recognition to the Monroe football team, I know they didn’t really have that much recognition,” added Conwell. “With the following teammates that were there and just helping them achieve their goal and having a winning season, was just a great feeling to me.”

The Fort Lewis Skyhawks compete in the DII Rocky Mount Athletic Conference under Coach Smith, who has spent time at the FCS and FBS Division I level.

Conwell has also competed in baseball, wrestling and baseball during his high school career and plans to study criminal justice in college.

Copyright 2021 KTVF. All rights reserved.