Double impact: Jimmies' Boe winds down stellar career

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Max Boe’s journey to Jamestown College was not a straight line.

There were twists and turns along the way, but once he arrived here everything was right on target.

A 2-sport star for the Jimmies in both football and baseball, Boe will go down as one of the school’s best multi-sport athletes, and for good reason.

He was a 3-time all-conference wide receiver in football and has twice won the same award in baseball with a third a mere formality.

Boe graduated from high school in Wylie, Texas in 2006. His preferred sport was baseball, but “there wasn’t as much (scholarship) money in baseball,” as there is in football, so that become a choice of necessity.

He accepted a scholarship to West Point Military Prep out of high school, but decided that wasn’t for him after one semester. After working construction back home in Texas, he got an opportunity to play football at Sam Houston State — the school NDSU beat in January in the FBS championship game. He was red-shirted for a year, but didn’t feel right there either, which is when Jamestown College came in.

Boe had spent some of his childhood years growing up in Fargo, the same place as his cousin Steve Hirchert, who after his high school career signed with the Jimmie baseball team.

So Jamestown College had family and familiarity on its side. Jamestown College baseball (Tom Hager) and football coaches (Tom Dosch) had recruited Boe out of high school, so when Boe again showed interest in becoming a Jimmie a match, and a very successful one at that, was made.

“When we got that call, both coach Dosch and I were very excited,” Hager recalled of Boe’s renewed interest in coming to Jamestown. “We recruited him hard originally and when he didn’t come it was hard to swallow. So when he expressed an interest in coming, we were pretty fired up.”

He had a bigger impact his first season with the football team than baseball, but from 2010-12 he’s been as valuable as anybody on Hager’s team.

This season he’s hitting .342 with 4 home runs, 34 RBIs and 18 stolen bases while playing a strong centerfield.

His career numbers in both sports demonstrate his impact.

His 24 touchdowns are the most ever by a wide receiver at the school. He finished with 2,844 yards receiving and was a dynamic playmaker in former coach Bud Etzold’s offense.

His name is sprinkled throughout the baseball record books as well. He carries a sparkling .374 career batting average in 470 at bats. He’s hit 17 home runs with 105 RBIs and 65 stolen bases.

He’s also been Mr. Clutch. He’s had game-winning home runs in the final game of the past two Dakota Athletic Conference tournaments.

But Hager says it goes beyond the numbers.

“You might think he’d be one of these guys with a big head on his shoulders because of his Division I experience, but that just wasn’t the case,” the JC baseball coach said. “He’s a team guy through and through and a true Jimmie and that’s probably the best compliment I can give him.”

He certainly hasn’t just skated by academically either.

The double major in criminal justice and business administration will graduate this weekend from JC. Not only that, he’s married and works a steady bartending job at IDK.

“Sometimes your head kind of starts to spin a little bit, but for the most part I really wouldn’t change anything about it,” he said. “You have those days when you only get 4 or 5 hours of sleep and I was a little ornery, but I’m lucky to have a wife (Rheannon) that puts up with me on those days. She’s helped me get through it.”

After the baseball season ends, he and his wife plan to have a rummage sale and then head back home to Texas, where he plans on becoming a police officer. He’d love to put that on hold for a while for an extended run in the NAIA baseball tournament. The Jimmies (31-14-1), seeded second, take on Arizona Christian (29-20) on Wednesday at 9 a.m. CDT in the opening round play at the A.I.I. Tournament in San Marcos, Calif. The top two teams advance to the NAIA National Tournament.

“It was kind of a winding road I guess in me coming to Jamestown, but it’s worked out pretty well,” Boe said. “I’ve been fortunate to have great coaches and great teammates. It has been a lot of fun.”

Hager said he was worth the wait.

“He’s what Jamestown College is all about. … Giving people a chance to participate in a lot of different things, balancing school with sports and growing as a person,” Hager said. “Max has excelled in all of those areas and it’s been a pleasure to have him in our baseball program and as a student-athlete at Jamestown College.”

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at daves@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, jimmies, football, baseball