PARKERSBURG — It’s a dream he was working for since he was 5-years-old, and now Parkersburg South’s Nick Yoho has signed as a preferred walk-on to play football at West Virginia University. At his Friday afternoon signing in Parkersburg South’s cafeteria were scores of family and friends, and that connection with his community is a bond he won’t forget. “There are too many to think of,” the Patriot running back-linebacker hybrid said of the memories he made at South. “Really, just being with my family here is great. The community is amazing. When you work with someone for four years, you just build a relationship, and those relationships last a lifetime.” The standout multi-sport athlete earned a starting spot on the gridiron midway through his freshman season and never looked back. Yoho quickly built up a resume which includes multiple all-conference honors, being named a 2018 Class AAA first team all-state defensive player at linebacker and also being named the 2018 Two Rivers Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Ambitions of playing for the Mountaineers and new head coach Neal Brown shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, and that’s especially true for former South head coach Mike Eddy. Eddy left the program in January after six seasons and two playoff berths under his belt, and even though he moved on to coach at Logan High School in Ohio, he wasn’t shy to talk about the legacy his star player leaves behind at PSHS. “Well, I think Nick is an example of what doing the right thing is all about,” he said. “He’s a great student, and he’s a great person. He was one of those guys who was a natural leader for us. When he walked in the locker room and started to talk, guys paid attention.” As a preferred walk-on, Yoho is on WVU’s roster but is not under scholarship. The next step for him is to earn that scholarship, and it’s safe to say he is ready for the opportunity to prove himself. When Yoho was courted by Mountaineer assistants, he knew he was about to have the opportunity he waited for. “After my senior season, I was really pulling for something to happen. I actually had two coaches come down here to Parkersburg South High School and talk with me here,” Yoho said of the recruiting process. “Probably about a month ago, I got a call from the coach, and it was official.” Yoho said he’ll major in electrical engineering when he makes it up to Morgantown and that he may have to “drag (the 4-year program) out a little bit.” This Patriot may be moving on to wear the Old Gold and Blue, but he can always look back fondly at his time on the Southside.