La Jolla student-athletes sign letters of intent, proceed to CIF

The La Jolla High School Vikings, Bishop’s School Knights and La Jolla Country Day School Torreys all have something to celebrate this month, including a handful of student athletes signing national letters of intent, winning local championships or proceeding to CIF. Here’s a roundup of sports happenings.

The Bishop’s School

Nine senior Knights participated in the winter National Signing Day event, Feb. 7 at Petco Park if they play football, boys and girls soccer, and boys’ water polo (the fall event was in November 2017, at which students from other sports signed their letters). By signing a letter of intent, the athletes committed to a certain higher institution’s athletic program.

Those who announced their commitments include Clay Witmeyer to Washington University in St. Louis for football; Nick Eldridge to Carnegie Mellon University for football; George Hagestad to Stanford University for water polo; Jeffrey Jackson to University of Chicago for football; Jacob Jackson to University of Chicago for football; Mozes Mooney to Columbia University for football; Amanda Majernik to University of Pennsylvania for sailing; Paige Hardy to Villanova University for rowing; and Caitlin Hendricks to Johns Hopkins University for soccer.

The Bishop’s School Lady Knights water polo team also earned a No. 2 seed in this year’s CIF championships. The series started Feb. 17, in which the Knights defeated Valhalla in overtime, 10-8. They next take on Carlsbad High School in the semifinals Feb. 21 (beyond La Jolla Light deadline), at La Jolla High School’s Coggan Pool.

La Jolla Country Day School

La Jolla Country Day School also sent athletes to Signing Day, and others are still being recruited.

Torrey athletes Spencer Alligood committed to Tufts University for football, Abby Ausmus to New York University for volleyball (she had not yet completed her recruiting process by the volleyball signing date and the Hall of Champions encouraged all athletes who did not announce at the November date to do so last week) and Zach Engfelt to at Soka University for soccer.

“Today’s signings brings the number of senior class Torreys who will compete at the next level to 14 with a few more still in their recruiting processes,” said athletic director Jeff Hutzler.

Others from the class of 2018 who have committed to universities, but have yet to sign a Letter of Intent, are: Jayda Villareal to Cal Poly Pomona for basketball; Kiera Oakry to University of San Diego for basketball; Kendal Ellenbeck to UC San Diego for basketball; Carson Greene to Stanford for baseball; Cade Wesolowsky to UC Davis for baseball; Austin Mowery to Columbia University for baseball; Samantha Stanley to Northwestern University for softball; Lauren Dvorak to Northwestern University for softball; Maya McLeod to Juniata College, PA for softball; Ben Gollin to Columbia University for tennis; and McKenzie Kelly to Cal Baptist University for swimming.

La Jolla High School

La Jolla High School athletic director Paula Conway said no seniors participated in the February Signing Day event this year, but the girls soccer team recently won the Western League Championships and was ranked sixth in the county. “The team defeated top teams Cathedral and Scripps for the title. The team is 14-4-4 and went 6-1-1 in the top City Conference League,” Conway said.

With the win, they entered CIF Feb. 20, and should they win, proceed to semifinals Feb. 27.

The Vikings girls water polo team went on to earn a No. 6 seed in the CIF championships. They started (and ended) Feb. 17 against Carlsbad High School, where they lost 11-4.

Other sports advancing to CIF include boys and girls basketball, and boys soccer.

With seeding announced Feb. 17, their schedule is: The No. 11-seed boys basketball started Feb. 20 (beyond La Jolla Light deadline), with an away game against Mission Hills. Should they win, they proceed to the quarterfinals Feb. 23.

Girls Basketball (No. 13 seed) starts Feb. 21, with an away game against Otay Ranch.

Boys soccer takes on Calexico on a date to be announced at La Jolla High School.