TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Friday was an eventful day for a pair of Canyon Ridge football players.
Christopher Erling and Paityn Rorris put pen to paper and signed to continue their football careers at the collegiate level.
Erling signed to NAIA Ottawa University (Kansas) while Rorris inked with NAIA Arizona Christian University.
“I’m beyond excited for this opportunity and to be in this situation,” Rorris told KMVT. “I didn’t think it was possible.”
For Rorris, his future on the gridiron didn’t seem certain until the last game of his senior season, when everything started to click.
“We played Columbia, and we won that game (23-13), and I scored and loved the feeling, and it was unbelievable,” Rorris explained to KMVT. “2-3 weeks later, I just couldn’t stand the thought of never playing football again.”
Rorris was a Great Basin All-Conference honorable mention at tight end.
Arizona Christian was the home for him after he took his visit.
“My visit sold me to go there. I learned about their culture, and they were big on Christian Faith, which was my deciding factor.”
Arizona Christian competes in the Frontier Conference and finished 2-8 in 2024.
Rorris will study political science and will go into criminal justice.
For Erling, he’s off to Ottawa University, a historic program with the 3rd most wins in NAIA history.
“The history of the program stood out,” Erling told KMVT. “Why play the game if you’re not winning? I knew I wanted to be there.”
Erling was a Great Basin All-Conference honorable mention as a linebacker for the Riverhawks. He was the glue guy and a leader on the gridiron.
“Something I tell the guys often is to just go play, ball out, and hit a dude. It’s that simple, and that’s how I play,” Erling said. “Roll it out, and I’m going to hit you as hard as I can every play, and we’ll see who wins at the end. Go get it.”
Head coach Juan Alvarado spoke passionately about the two athletes.
“We (Canyon Ridge) laid the foundation, but they (Erling and Rorris) lifted the walls,” Alvarado said. “These two set up the future for our program to learn, grow, and develop more leaders. When our success continues, it’s a reflection of these two who have helped lead it.”
Assistant coach Matt Osen spoke on the two that he coached since they were younger.
“I’ve been honored to coach these guys since they were freshmen, and now to becoming amazing seniors,” Osen said. “We’re trying to build a championship program at Canyon Ridge, and we can’t do it without champion players like these two. They will continue to get better, and I’m so proud of these two.”
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