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(NewsDakota.com) This year marks the first time that high school football players who graduate the following spring can sign with colleges and universities well ahead of the traditional early February National Signing Day.

Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm’s Clayton Grueneich took advantage of the early signing period by verbally committing to play at the NCAA Division II level next season, with Northern State out of Aberdeen, South Dakota in the Northern Sun Conference.

Grueneich was a part of the Thunder’s 2016 State Class A Football Championship, and finished his career; in which he was named Class A Senior Athlete Of The Year in 2017, with just over 5,300 yards to go along with 64 touchdowns.

In addition, Grueneich won the 195 pound weight class at the State Class B Wrestling Tournament back in February.

North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota also expressed interest in signing Grueneich.