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RISING ABOVE

SANTA MARGARITA, JSERRA AND ROSARY HIGH SCHOOLS HAD A TOTAL OF 34 ATHLETES SIGN LETTERS OF INTENT

By JENELYN RUSSO     1/13/2022

Nov. 10, 2021, marked the first National Signing Day of the 2021-22 academic year when high school seniors signed letters of intent to compete in collegiate level athletics.

Santa Margarita Catholic High School celebrated 23 of their senior athletes as they made commitments to play their respective sports at the next level. The Eagles saw five members of their girls swim team commit to college swim programs. Isabella Abrajan is headed to Duke University. Lindsay Ervin signed with Northwestern University. Abigail Isaly committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Justina Kozan will swim for USC, and Julia Stafford is headed to the University of Notre Dame. From the soccer pitch, Luke Burritt will play for SMU. And from the girls’ side of the program, Ella Giannola committed to the Ohio State University, Alexa Morris signed with Point Loma Nazarene University, and Teagan Wy is headed to UC Berkeley.

Moving back to the pool, boys water polo player Zachary Cwiertnia committed to Pepperdine University. The girls program saw four athletes make commitments including Carly McMurray and Isabella Rosensitto, who both signed with UCLA. Ruby Hodge and Ella Schneider will both play for Harvard University.

From the Eagles’ boys golf program, Andy Zou signed with UC Irvine, and Jack Yurosek will play for Denison University. And on the girls’ side, Jade Zamora is headed to University of Missouri.

Baseball player Matthew Porchas signed with University of Texas, and his teammate Tanner Warady will play for Loyola Marymount University.

The Eagles girls lacrosse program saw Brooke Cressy sign with Campbell University and Molly Jacobson commit to Towson University.

Sprinter Ashley Rodgers will run for Biola University’s track and field program, and Dillyn Griffin committed to play women’s volleyball for University of Pittsburgh.

JSerra Catholic High School recognized six of their athletes on Nov. 10 in the JSerra Pavilion. From the baseball diamond, three Lions made commitments to play at the next level. David Horn committed to Vanderbilt University, Tyler Gough signed with Oregon State University and Tristan LaMaison is headed to Pace University.

JSerra swimmer Liwen Cao committed to University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Softball players Hollie Farmer and Willa Poplawski signed with Boise State University and University of San Diego, respectively.

Rosary Academy celebrated five of their senior student athletes as they each made the commitment to play their respective sports at the next level. This included four members of the Royals softball program. Hannah Hernandez signed with University of Rhode Island. Isabella Fuentes committed to UC Santa Barbara. Martina Gutierrez is headed to Fairfield University, and Samantha Pagan will play for Azusa Pacific University.

Rounding out Rosary’s fall signing class was Kaylee Byon who will play basketball for Utah Valley University.

“Our fall signees were a very unique group, representing historic championships for Rosary,” said Rosary Academy Athletic Director, Tom Tice. “The four softball players were on the field when we won a [CIF-SS] championship this past spring, and our basketball player, Kaylee Byon, is one of the most decorated athletes in Rosary history, having brought two CIF State titles back to our gym. It was quite an accomplished group of student athletes.”