By Scott Nickerson
Wetumpka High Senior Nate Rogers is one of the top two sport athletes in the area. The way he has started his senior season, Rogers is making a case as one of the top two-sport threats in the entire state of Alabama.
Rogers is in the midst of an excellent senior season as quarterback for the Wetumpka Indians. It is his third year behind center for Wetumpka. In three years, Rogers never lost to the rival Stanhope Elmore Mustangs as the starting quarterback. He is a threat throwing and running the ball. Against the Mustangs, Rogers threw for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also rushed for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. In his most recent outing against Carver, Rogers rushed for over 100 yards for the 8th consecutive game.
The senior is following up an impressive junior season on the gridiron, in which he was named 1st Team All County as an athlete. Rogers had 1,172 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, Rogers passed for 1,378 yards with 10 touchdowns, leading the Indians to the Class 6A playoffs.
Rogers explained some of the things he loves most about football. “I like having the ball in my hands, and I like to try and take control of the game if necessary. I’m the type of leader that I like to communicate with my teammates to help fix any mistakes so the team can play better.”
Surprisingly, Rogers only began playing football in 7th grade. The sport he has played his entire life is basketball. As a junior, Rogers was named the Elmore County Player of the Year. He has made All Elmore County three years in a row. He has scored 1,095 points and one sporting agency has Rogers listed as the #7 basketball prospect in the State of Alabama for the graduating class of 2024.
He also plays travel basketball for Driven out of Montgomery. The travel team has played several tournaments in Atlanta and Hoover.
“I learned a lot from my older brother, who just transferred from UNA (University of North Alabama) to MidAmerica Nazarene University,” Rogers said. “I think the physicality I play with now comes from playing against my older brother and all his friends when I was growing up. And my dad was a coach at Wetumpka. He coached boys and girls basketball, as well as middle school football. So I grew up watching both sports and playing a lot.”
Rogers is receiving interest from colleges for both football and basketball. The Marshall University Thundering Hurd, a Division 1 school from Huntington, West Virginia, has offered Rogers in football. Alabama State University has offered for football, but they are also interested in the possibility of Rogers playing basketball.
They’re not the only school. He has also visited the Troy University Trojans and is receiving interest from Southern Union and Samford.
Despite the possibility of playing both sports in college, Rogers is considering focusing on one sport at the next level. He’s not sure what the deciding factor will be to influence his decision. “I’m going to wait to see what God has to offer and go from there,” Rogers said.
The Indians’ football team is currently 4-4 this season. Rogers said the team’s goals are to win a playoff game and then see what happens. For the basketball season, Rogers wants the Indians to win the Area Championship, host and win a sub-regional playoff game, and advance to the Regionals.
He hopes to make the Wetumpka fans and coaches proud in his final season suiting up for the Indians. “I’ve lived in Wetumpka my entire life. It’s been great. Wetumpka has a really good support system. There is nowhere else I’d rather be.”
