ACE ENGLE

STIGLER HIGH SCHOOL

Photo courtesy Fan Zone – Wendy Smith 

What a difference a few years makes in football mentality as our story about Stigler linebacker Ace Engle will tell. But more on that later.

“Ace is the leader of our defense averaging about 12 tackles a game. He flies to the ball and has made several big-time tackles for us this season,” said his head coach Cade Shearwood.

One of several seniors on the Panther team, Ace is a take charge kind of guy when it comes to team leadership.

“I’m pretty vocal and I’m pretty good at getting everyone fired up and I feel like I can show the team how to make the big play. I feel like I’m kind of the commander of the defense when I’m out there,” said Ace.

In addition to football, Engle is also into drama and powerlifting.

“I really hadn’t thought about drama, but the teacher had a part to fill and asked me to audition and she said I was pretty good, and I enjoy it. Right now, we’re getting ready for the state one-act competition.

Ace qualified for state in powerlifting last year but got hurt between regionals and state and didn’t get to participate. So now to finish our lead-in.

“My parents really pushed me to play football when I was little, but I really didn’t want to. I finally tried it when about I was nine,but I still didn’t like it because I didn’t like to hit people,” said Ace.

Now a few years later when given the choice of playing offense, which he does a little, and defense, which does he prefer?

“I really like defense best because I LIKE TO HIT PEOPLE.”

What happened to that innocent little boy who didn’t want to hit people just a few short years ago?

At this writing the Panthers are 4-1 on the season and ranked seventh in Class 3A but have tough games ahead against Lincoln Christian, Berryhill and Checotah to close out the regular season.

After he’s done at Stigler, Ace wants to go to college, maybe play football, and eventually become a football coach.