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When North Pole coach Kevin McHenry found himself talking to Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges coaches about one of his seniors, Travis Church, he compared him to a local player they knew all too well — Brad Oleson.

“I told a lot of the JC coaches that I talked to from the NWAACC, that I feel like Travis is a poor man’s Brad Oleson, that they’re a similar type of player,” McHenry said. “Not to put (Travis) on the pedestal too much or give him too big of shoes to fill, but if you saw him on a playground, you wouldn’t pick him on our team, just like Brad in high school; but he quietly fills up the stat line. Especially defensively, he reminds me of Brad.”

The message must have paid off.

Church signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Skagit Valley College, an NWAACC member in Mount Vernon, Wash.

And he’s hoping to live up to his coach’s billing.

Oleson lit up the NWACC with Peninsula College for one year before starting at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

“I’m hoping to have some success like that,” Church said Wednesday.

Church got his first look at Skagit Valley, and Mount Vernon, when he traveled down there two weeks ago to participate in the open gym — arriving just in time for the Tulip Festival.

“I liked the coach. It seemed like a good place to go,” Church said. “It’s a beautiful town, good tulips.”

The 6-foot-3 Church played the wing for the Patriots, and is looking to fill the same role at Skagit.

“I’ll probably play swing guard because they like my shot,” Church said.

The lanky Church said the transition from high school to junior college ball, where the athletes are stronger across the board, will force him to spend more time in the weight room. But he’ll also have a shot to play right away.

“(Skagit head coach Roger Valentine) seemed to like me. He said everyone gets an opportunity to play,” Church said. “You’ve just got to prove yourself once you get in there, keep doing your thing.”

Skagit, which has made the NWACC Tournament 10 of the last 15 years, finished with an 8-19 record last season and a 4-12 mark in conference play.

And Church is looking to make his mark.

“It’s always good to play at the next level,” he said.