Antoni Ogumoro is player to watch by college football scouts

The American football season is just around the corner but the high school football season is about to kick off tomorrow and a tall kid tracing his roots from a tiny island—6’6” student-athlete Antoni Ogumoro—is making waves in his athletic endeavors while still in high school.

Son of former CNMI national basketball team member Ambrose Ogumoro and his wife, former CNMI national volleyball team member, Mayumi Aguon, Antoni is a multi-sport athlete who is on the watch list in his high school junior year by several NCAA Division I football programs.

Antoni plays basketball and football but as of late has shifted his focus to football. The White Oak, North Carolina student played last season under the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) for Team United out of Charlotte, North Carolina until he made the transition to football.

His father said, “If he’s fortunate enough and if the same school recruits him to play basketball too, he’ll go play for that school, but I’d say his focus and attention currently is on football.”

The 16-year-old defensive lineman impressed many scouts after his father said they’ve seen game film of him from last season. “They were impressed by what they’ve seen and what his potential is in the coming years,” said Ambrose.

During the summer, Antoni was invited to college football camps and took advantage of the opportunity. Ambrose said, “We took advantage of [these] invitations this summer and he’s done really well at all of them that they’ve invited him back for a visit during the college football season so that he could experience a college gameday and feel out the school environment.”

On Antoni’s high school sports career, Ambrose said so far it’s been great. Antoni started out his freshman year playing on the varsity basketball team and earned his first start midway through the season, then transitioned to football during the fall season. 

Antoni, who has never played football before, caught on quickly. He played football his sophomore year and was selected to play on the varsity team as well and was named the starter for both offense at tight end and defense at defensive end. 

From there, he led his team to their first Conference Championship Title in 22 years. Also last school year, Antoni led his basketball team to their first Conference Championship title in 21 years.

For Ambrose, when asked what he sees for his son’s future, he said “I see a very bright future for my son in college sports just because I see how much he pours into the sports he plays and his passion to chase his dreams to play at the next level. Honestly, the only expectation my wife and I have for Antoni in college is to continue being that student-athlete where his studies come first before being an athlete. Without that education, eligibility to play that sport will be denied no matter how good of a player you are.”

Antoni Ogumoro’s grandparents are Ambrosio Ogumoro and Felicidad Kaipat Ogumoro of Capital Hill and Rufino and Carol Aguon of Kagman. Rufino Aguon incidentally is Ambrose Ogumoro’s former coach in the CNMI national basketball team.