Local schools celebrate college-bound athletes as winter signing period begins

Huntington Beach High School has had large classes for signing day before, but Melissa Vandenbosch, the school’s athletic director, believes this one might just become the biggest ever.

Already, there have been 36 Oilers that have signed or committed to play a sport in college from the current senior class, and Vandenbosch said she expects there to be more.

The school welcomed hundreds into its football stadium for Wednesday’s winter signing day event that was full of anticipation and excitement. From those waiting to put pen to paper to begin the winter signing period, to a live performance by the Music Media Entertainment Technology rock band from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, there was something there for everybody.

Across the athletic department, there were sports that were well represented on signing day, baseball leading the way for the Oilers with seven players committed. Ben Jacobs, a left-handed pitcher who said his fastball has touched 94 miles per hour, is headed to UCLA.

Baseball player Ben Jacobs, far left, introduces himself and what college he intends to commit to during a winter signing day event for Huntington Beach High School athletes on Wednesday at Cap Sheue Field in Huntington Beach. Background from right to left, baseball players Jack Smith, Nick Dumesnil, Ryker Sullivan, Jay Schulze, Adyn Lucero and Jackson Brummett.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“It’s amazing,” Jacobs said. “It’s always been my dream. UCLA has been my dream since I can even remember playing baseball. Obviously, UCLA is a top baseball school, and the head coach there, [John Savage], is the best pitching coach in the nation, and I’m excited to develop there and achieve my goal of playing professionally.”

Huntington Beach saw a good amount of success in fall sports this school year, with the boys’ water polo and girls’ volleyball programs both reaching their respective CIF Southern Section championship matches.

Kate O’Steen, an opposite for the Oilers in indoor volleyball, will be taking her talents to the sand. O’Steen signed with UC Davis for beach volleyball.

Thirty-six Huntington Beach High School athletes participate in signing their letters of intent during a winter signing day event on Wednesday at Cap Sheue Field in Huntington Beach.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“It was really cool,” O’Steen said of signing her National Letter of Intent with 35 of her classmates simultaneously. “It’s really awesome to be a part of a group this big, and to grow up with a lot of them.

“I was sitting next to two of my really good friends, and I’ve known them forever. I’ve known Natasha [George] since I was super little, so to just grow up and be able to commit with them and play at the next level was really amazing.”

Huntington Beach saw O’Steen, George (Oregon) and Jillian Rodig (University of the Pacific) make commitments for beach volleyball.

James Rozolis-Hill, a center who was a catalyst in leading the Huntington Beach boys’ water polo team to a runner-up finish to Newport Harbor in the Open Division playoffs, committed to Harvard.

Cheerleader Kyla Daniels, right, introduces herself and what college she intends to commit to during a winter signing day event for Huntington Beach High School athletes on Wednesday at Cap Sheue Field in Huntington Beach.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“I was fortunate enough to have a lot of options throughout the whole recruiting process,” Rozolis-Hill said. “But at the end of the day, I don’t think I could turn down Harvard.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, Edison running back Troy Fletcher was still fielding offers for his recruitment. The Daily Pilot Football Dream Team Player of the Year said Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s head coach Beau Baldwin made a home visit, and then he had an official visit to the campus in the weekend that followed.

“They offered me a scholarship before I left, and I was super excited about it,” Fletcher said via text message. “I committed a little after and signed today. Super grateful and excited for the opportunity, and thankful for Coach Baldwin and the rest of the coaches for believing in me.”

Luke Degner, an explosive wide receiver from Laguna Beach, committed to the University of Chicago football program.

Soccer player Penelope Nelson, far right, introduces herself and what college she intends to commit to during a winter signing day event for Huntington Beach High School athletes on Wednesday at Cap Sheue Field in Huntington Beach. Background from left to right, soccer players Chloe Taque, Kyley Asheim and Riley Urquiza.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Marina had six new signees in the winter signing period, half of which were connected to the cheerleading program — Alena Uhamaka (Davenport University) and Ciara Hughes (Vanguard University) for cheerleading, and Ella Hodson (Cal Baptist) for stunt cheer.

When the COVID-19 pandemic impacted how competitions could go on, the Vikings did not let the virus stop them from putting their best foot forward. Marina cheerleading coach Vraunwyn Denny said the program won the medium non-tumbling division of the UCA Nationals last April.

“My girls wanted a season, so we did what we were allowed to do for as long as we were allowed to do it,” Denny said. “The beginning of last year, we got the OK to have contact again in stunt, so we actually put together a nationals routine and filmed it and made that all happen in five weeks.”

Newport Harbor athletes sign their National Letter of Intent on winter signing day. From left: Nathan Peters, Nicholas Kim, McKayla Cotton, Joseph Wright and Samuel DiCarlo.

(Courtesy of Newport Harbor High School)

The UCA Nationals are held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and the Vikings will soon be traveling there to compete in person.

Ocean View had two signees choose to continue their careers on the diamond — Ava Arce with the Cal State Fullerton softball program and Rizal Collado to Pacifica University (Ore.) for baseball.

Fountain Valley’s Taylor Heit committed to the Seattle Pacific women’s soccer program.

Newport Harbor’s McKayla Cotton, a pitcher who can swing the bat, is set to join the Avila University softball program.

Newport Harbor’s McKayla Cotton has committed to the Avila University softball program.

(Courtesy of Newport Harbor High School)

EDISON

Madie Ambrose, Michigan women’s water polo

Nico Brown, Yale football

Lucy Curran, Loyola Marymount women’s soccer

Troy Fletcher, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo football

Tyler Gioia, Missouri S&T football

Maddie Klasey, Concordia University women’s soccer

Delaney Murphy, University of Texas of the Permian Basin women’s diving

Gwen Ontiveros, Anderson University (S.C.) women’s lacrosse

Nicole Scott, Dixie State women’s soccer

Alex Wood, Wake Forest women’s soccer

FOUNTAIN VALLEY

Taylor Heit, Seattle Pacific women’s soccer

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Kyley Asheim, San Francisco State University women’s soccer

Jackson Brummett, Whittier College baseball

Jericho Callender, Concordia University women’s water polo

Kyla Daniels, Concordia University cheerleading

Natasha George, Oregon beach volleyball

Gabriel Haddad, Long Beach State men’s water polo

Hana Homma, Brown University women’s water polo

Sophie Jackson, Ottawa University (Ariz.) softball

Tyler Kakimoto, Cal Lutheran men’s soccer

Brad Kirkman, Hope University men’s soccer

Daniel Kotkosky, Harvey Mudd College men’s soccer

Claire Lewis, Army women’s cross-country and track and field

Adyn Lucero, Navy baseball

Emma McCraw, Hope University softball

Penelope Nelson, Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s soccer

Nicholas Olquin, Ashland University men’s swimming

Kate O’Steen, UC Davis beach volleyball

Jillian Rodig, University of the Pacific beach volleyball

Quinn Roldan, Cal State Fullerton women’s cross-country and track and field

Jay Schulze, Whittier College baseball

Chloe Tague, Simpson University women’s soccer

Riley Urquiza, Concordia University women’s soccer

Gaby Zaretskiy, Loyola Marymount women’s water polo

McKenna Zehnder, Lewis and Clark softball

LAGUNA BEACH

Luke Degner, University of Chicago football

Acacia Edwards, Femenino (Spain) women’s soccer

Jordan Sprague, Cal State Northridge women’s soccer

MARINA

John Critz, Nebraska gymnastics

Ella Hodson, Cal Baptist stunt cheerleading

Ciara Hughes, Vanguard University cheerleading

Sydnee Magpoc, Westmont women’s golf

Lisa Ponti, Linfield College women’s tennis

Alena Uhamaka, Davenport University (Mich.) cheerleading

NEWPORT HARBOR

McKayla Cotton, Avila University softball

Samuel DiCarlo, Sonoma State University baseball

Nicholas Kim, Pomona College football

Nathan Peters, Carnegie Mellon football

Joseph Wright, UC Davis baseball

OCEAN VIEW

Ava Arce, Cal State Fullerton softball

Rizal Collado, Pacifica University (Ore.) baseball

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