The pipeline of Lowry High School football players moving on to Eastern Oregon University will continue this fall as Gratian Dawson signed a letter of intent to play for the Mountaineers.
He will join past players such as Jace Billingsley, Michal Arenas, Calvin Connors and Luis Cardenas. Victor Rosas, also a Lowry grad, is currently on the roster.
“It was a great fir for me,” Dawson said. “I have been up there plenty of times for camps. I know the coaching well and built a good relationship with (head) coach (Tim) Camp. I really like La Grande and it’s the perfect size. It makes me feel like I never left home. Coming up as a freshman, I told coach (Taua) Cabatbat, I wanted to play college football. Ever since they have pushed me harder and harder, every year. At the beginning of my junior year, I wasn’t sure if I was good enough. I never left the weight room since my sophomore year and worked hard to get where I am.”
Eastern Oregon and its coaches have conducted camps in the summer at Lowry High School and now have moved that camp to Fernley. Players from Lowry, Pershing County and Fernley take part in the camp. Players from all three schools have gone on to Eastern Oregon.
Dawson noted on his recruiting visit, he was able to build a strong rapport with some of his teammates.
“They are a bunch of great guys,” he added. “It’s a great atmosphere up there and I love the head coach.”
Dawson was a second-team, all-league selection this past fall, as he helped Lowry to its second consecutive playoff appearance.
Dawson had 49 tackles in 2019, including 25 solo from his linebacker position. He noted that is where he will probably play for Eastern Oregon, but also stated that things change and he will play where needed. Dawson also played on the offensive line.
Eastern Oregon was 4-7 this past fall and 4-6 in the Frontier Conference.
The Mountaineers conference opponents include Montana Tech, Montana Western, Carroll, College of Idaho, Southern Oregon, Rocky Mountain and Montana State-Northern.
Dawson is going to study Fire Administrative Services and hope to be firefighter after graduation.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Dawson said. “I know will be tough, but I am ready for it.”
