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High School Sports

Early signing day: Athletes, parents, schools celebrate across Southern California

Corona Centennial coaches Josh Giles and Shannon Sharpe with Carter Bryant and Eric Freeny,
Corona Centennial coaches Josh Giles, left, and Shannon Sharpe with Carter Bryant and Eric Freeny, who signed with Arizona and UCLA, respectively, for basketball.
(Corona Centennial)
EL SEGUNDO, CA-AUGUST 14, 2019: Eric Sondheimer, Prep Sports Columnist, Los Angeles Times
By Eric Sondheimer
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Wednesday is the first day to sign an early national letter of intent for all sports but football, and that means schools, parents and athletes are celebrating around Southern California.

The Southland continues to have one of the strongest representations in high school baseball.

UCLA coach John Savage had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation last season and is taking away another strong group, including the No. 1 player from the City Section, Easton Hawk of Granada Hills.

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Peyton Waters, the reigning City Section player of the year, will try to leave Birmingham as a three-time City champion.

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“The sky’s the limit with him,” Granada Hills coach Matt Matuszak said of the pitcher-outfielder. who throws in the 90s. “I think he’s a guy who will play on TV one day in the big leagues.”

Other UCLA signees are Corona pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein, Mater Dei pitcher Wylan Moss, La Salle center fielder David Mysza, Santa Margarita outfielder Logan de Groot and San Dimas shortstop Kasen Khansarinia.

Orange Lutheran baseball signees include Ben Reiland (Oklahoma State), Derek Curiel (LSU), Finnegan Stewart (Utah Tech), Nate Savoie (Loyola Marymount), Vinny Hudson (Arizona), Gabe Fraser (Arkansas) and Alex Chavez (Loyola Marymount).

Collin Clarke of Santa Margarita.

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Harvard-Westlake’s big three pitchers are signing: Thomas Bridges (TCU), Bryce Rainer (Texas) and Duncan Marsten (Wake Forest).

Corona catcher Josh Springer signed with Oregon and pitcher Sam Burgess with TCU.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s baseball signees are all right-handed pitchers: Levi Sterling (Texas), Sammy Petrocelli (Stanford), Erikas Puodziunas (Michigan) and Nathan Kuglar (Dartmouth,

Corona Centennial basketball players Carter Bryant (Arizona) and Eric Freeny (UCLA) signed on Wednesday. Mercy Miller of Notre Dame signed with Houston. Trent Perry of Harvard-Westlake will sign with USC. Isaiah Elohim of Sierra Canyon is headed to Arkansas. James Evans of West Ranch signed with UNLV. Jack Turner of St. John Bosco signed with Loyola University. Sebastian Rancik of JSerra signed with Colorado.

The shocker of the day came at Loyola, where the nation’s No. 1 boys’ volleyball player, Sean Kelly, signed with UCLA. He had been committed to Princeton for months. He had an injury recently and took time to reconsider his options, coach Mike Boehle said.

“There was a whirlwind of events that took place,” Boehle said. “He felt UCLA was going to give him his best chance for athletic and academic success.”

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This article will be updated throughout the day with more signing day news.

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Eric Sondheimer

Eric Sondheimer is the prep sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has been honored seven times by the California Prep Sportswriters Assn. for best prep sports column.

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