To have the chance to play your chosen sport at the college level is a testament to one’s ability.

All the more so when that college has a long-standing record of success, as is the case for Powell’s Jackson Griffin, who will be joining the Fighting Saints of Carroll College in Helena, Montana, in the fall.

Saints head coach Mike Van Diest has been at the helm for nearly 20 years at the NAIA program and has guided his teams to 14 Frontier Conference titles, including 12 straight from 2000-2011, and six National Championships.

Their 2015 season started out well enough, with an opening-day win against the previous year’s NAIA runner-up Southern Oregon, but having lost some key players to graduation and injury resulted in a 4-6 season.

An abberation in Van Diest’s history, but one he is sure to want to make up for with his recruits, which included 22 signees on signing day.

A pretty big step for anyone, especially a late bloomer like Griffin.

“I didn’t start playing football until eighth grade,” he said. “Growing up, I played basketball and some baseball and did some running in cross country and track.”

Even then, it wasn’t until his second season playing that things started to really click.

“I started finding a passion for it my freshman year,” he said. “And it’s been my favorite sport since then.”

Through his years as a Panther, Griffin grew to last season’s varsity listing of 6 feet, 3 inches and 175 pounds, while excelling on both the offensive and defensive lines.

It was enough to garner the attention of a few schools, though Griffin knows there will be adjustments, including his position.

“At Carroll I’ll be playing what’s called a ‘bandit backer,’” he said. “From what I understand, the spot is similar to a walk-up outside linebacker and is about 60 percent pass rush and 40 percent pass coverage.

“I think my speed and ability to read the field are going to help me out,” Griffin continued. “But I’ll have a lot to learn and will definitely need to gain some weight to play at the next level.”

And while Griffin relishes the chance to take the next step in his playing career, what made Carroll the choice for him had more to do with the school itself.

“I experienced some of the football program and was very impressed with everything,” he said. “But I mainly chose Carroll because it has a terrific medical program and I am very interested in that career field.”

The Carroll campus and the city of Helena, a 300-mile drive from Powell, also suited Griffin just right in making his decision.

“It is just the right distance away,” he said. “It’s nice to have the option to come home, but it’s still far enough away that it is something new. The campus is close to the downtown area but has its own kind of atmosphere, which is great, and Helena seems like a pretty outstanding place. I don’t expect anything but a positive experience.”