The last high school football game University’s Adam Riley participated in may have been his most impressive effort. Entering the Metro Conference All-Star Senior game at the conclusion of the 2007 season, Riley figured he had one more shot at proving his worth to coaches and scouts in attendance. And he made the most of every snap behind center and the punts he sent downfield.
“I honestly think that was the best football game he’s ever played,” said UHS head coach Jeff Smiley, whose East team rotated three quarterbacks that day, including his own signal caller. “He always worked hard and always was a competitor on the field, one who always wanted the ball in his hand and wanted to get the job done,” said Smiley.
Riley threw two touchdown passes and recorded punts of 49 and 57 yards in defeat, but his efforts helped land him a partial scholarship to Webber International University this fall in Babson Park. “Knowing I had those high-caliber athletes around me, I was just glad I could go out on a good note," said Riley looking back.
At Webber he’ll handle punting duties for the Warriors after averaging over 40 yards per kick as a senior for the Cougars. But football isn’t the only thing on the mind of this former Arbor Ridge Elementary and Corner Lake Middle School student.
He was attracted to Webber not solely for the opportunities he could receive on the football field or while studying business and sports management, but also by what he’d be able to do with his free time while at a school that sits on a lake. “Me being a Southern boy, they have fishing tournaments there every year and that also helped a little,” he said with a grin.
“And they’re supposed to be really good this year [in football] and I really wanted to get in a winning environment.” But most of all, Riley says he didn’t want to stray too far from home despite opportunities to do so out of state. Being close to his parents, who have played an active part in his young athletic life, surely helped.
“They’ve always supported me and they’ve always been a part of it in some way or another,” he said of growing up playing football. “So staying close to them was important for me. “I knew I didn’t want to go too far away for school and I knew that with this being the closest [school] and having already been around that area that it was the place for me.”
Being born and raised on the eastside of town, Riley said he will miss the family environment that was forged among his teammates at UHS as he moves on to college. Though he’s also looking forward to building those same relations with a new group of teammates.
“I’m going to definitely miss that because I’m going to have to start all over again when I get to Webber,” he said. “But it’s been fun, I’ve made some great friendships. We’re like brothers here. It’s been the time of my life.”
