LINCOLN-Alcona football coach Jason Somers knows the kind of impact a player like Trevor Schrader can have on a team.

Now Schrader will get a chance to show he can make an impact at the next level.

Schrader, an Alcona senior, signed a letter of intent on Tuesday with Finlandia University and will join the football program in the fall. He intends to study criminal justice and said that signing his LOI fulfills a dream he’s had since elementary school.

“It feels awesome; it’s what I’ve always wanted to do is play college football,” Schrader said. “I like it (the school) because it’s really small. Not a lot of kids that go to it and it’s pretty cool.”

In joining Finlandia, Schrader will follow in the footsteps of his parents George and Tina, who are both Finlandia alums. He’ll also be part of a program that’s relatively new. The Lions went 3-7 in their inaugural season last year and are a Division III school. Schrader said Finlandia’s coaches have told him he’ll play somewhere on the offensive line.

Schrader’s impact in the trenches was evident and important last season for Alcona as the Tigers went 6-4. During a run to the playoffs, Schrader anchored an offensive line that blocked for an offense that averaged more than 45 points per game and rushed for more than 3,000 yards during the season. He was named to the North Star League’s first team on the offensive line and second team on the defensive line last season and was also an All-Alpena News selection.

“He was one of our only guys that was over 200 pounds, so we’ll be missing a huge piece of our offensive line, which as you know in our situation is a huge part,” Somers said. “On the defensive line, he can play all three positions, so replacing him will be tough.”

Schrader will look to provide a similar impact for the Lions. Finlandia gained less than 1,000 rushing yards last season and only 2.3 per carry to go with only nine rushing touchdowns. Schrader met with Lions offensive line coach Travis Wiltzius during his recent visit to the Hancock campus and the team has already given him an offseason workout schedule to adjust to the faster tempo of the college game.

Somers said Schrader’s signing of his letter of intent is not only a big accomplishment for Alcona, but it’s also a testament to Schrader’s leadership and work ethic.

“It’s a pretty cool experience and it’s just really neat. I’ve only coached Trevor for two years, but in those two years you could see his willingness to go the extra mile and just be a real good supporter for our team,” Somers said. “His work ethic in the weight room and on the field speaks volumes to who he is as a young man.”

James Andersen can be reached via email at sports@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5694. Follow James on Twitter @ja_alpenanews.