Prep Blog

Davis High's Tracy Stapleton has coached swimming and/or water polo for 25 years at the school.

But even he admits to still getting butterflies.

So when the first event got underway Saturday morning at the Sac-Joaquin Section swim championships at Tokay High School in Lodi, Stapleton was busy gnawing on his fingernails.

"That first event, the medley relay, is so important, it sets the tone," Stapleton said. "But once we get through a couple of events, I settle down."

Stapleton's swimmers settled for something special.

Fourteen Elk Grove Unified School District athletes, including boys basketball standouts Cole Nordquist of Pleasant Grove and Ryan Manning of Sheldon, will be recognized during a spring letter of intent signing ceremony 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the board room of the Robert L. Trigg Education Center, 9510 Elk Grove-Florin Road, Elk Grove.

They are:
• Arriana Rieland, Cosumnes Oaks, soccer, Jackson State

• Dylan Wakefield, Cosumnes Oaks, soccer, Chico State

• Scott Votino, Elk Grove, wrestling, Army

• Brianna Avila, Elk Grove, soccer, UC Riverside

• Mike Wright, Elk Grove, baseball, San Jose State

• Alex Gulseth, Franklin, soccer, Sacramento State

• Kaylah Valdry, Franklin, soccer, Texas Southern

• Tatyana Garrett, Franklin, soccer, UC Irvine

• Mark Langston, Franklin, swimming, Seattle

• Cole Nordquist, Pleasant Grove, basketball, Hawaii Pacific

• Avonna Lee, Pleasant Grove, basketball, Northern Arizona

• Madison McCann, Sheldon, soccer, Louisiana Tech

• Ryan Manning, Sheldon, basketball, Air Force.

• Donielle Hair, Sheldon, basketball, Dominican

Fifteen members of the Sierra Marlins swim team are expected to participate in a college signing ceremony 4 p.m. Monday at the Folsom Aquatic Center, 1210 Riley St. in Folsom.
They are:
• Adam Banks, Vista Del Lago, Hawaii
• Bret Bonzell, Folsom, Boston College
• Hannah Calton, Granite Bay, Loyola Marymount
• Everett Conrad, Oak Ridge, Biola
• Lauren Fitzgerald, Granite Bay, Rice
• Kelsey Gasch, Folsom, Denver
• Whitney Jorgensen, Roseville, Boise State
• Dylan Kubick, Oak Ridge, Santa Barbara
• Cypress Lampe, Oak Ridge, UC San Diego
• Brandon Mills, Oak Ridge, Arizona State
• Chandler Pourvahidi, Vista Del Lago, UC San Diego
• Haylee Rademann, St. Francis, Washington and Lee
• Maddie Velez, Oak Ridge, Utah

Two other swimmers, Ryan Dewante of Oak Ridge and Kyle Peterson of Folsom, are scheduled to make their college announcements on Monday.

The swimmers are coached by Adam Schmitt and Brad Robbins.

Oak Ridge, Oakmont and Sheldon high schools are holding NCAA letter of intent signing ceremonies at their schools today while two other area athletes have announced their college plans.

Four athletes will be recognized 12:30 p.m. in Oak Ridge's multipurpose room.
They are basketball player Josh Simms (Concordia), diver Sydney Newman (Pepperdine) and cheer athletes Siena Potts (Concordia) and Nicolette Wichert (Texas Christian).

Oakmont volleyball player Brennah Galdwill (Saint Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.) and wrestler Peter Santos (North Carolina State) will sign letters at 1:15 p.m. in the Roseville school's career center.

Sheldon basketball standout Ryan Manning (Air Force) will sign his letter at 7 p.m. during a ceremony in front of friends, family and teammates in the South Sacramento school's library.

Two other area athletes have announced their college choices: Sacramento High basketball player Breanna Garrett has given a verbal commitment to play for Sacramento State and Folsom swimmer Bret Bonzell has signed with Boston College.

Rocklin's Shannon Garvella and Bella Vista's Brynn Sargent received Clark Coover Memorial Scholarships and 46 additional athletes received Sac-Joaquin Section A. Dale Lacky Scholarships at an awards ceremony this morning in Lodi.

The awards, which range from $600 to $1,500, are given to those athletes who show outstanding athletic, community service and academic success.

Garvella and Sargent received $1,500 Clarke Coover Scholarships as the top girls and boys award recipients.

By Trevor Horn
Special to the Bee

Fifteen student-athletes from Granite Bay High School signed NCAA letters of intent to 11 different four-year universities spanning 10 sports teams for the Grizzlies this morning.

"This suggests that each of the programs is strong," Granite Bay Athletic Director Tim Healy said.

Included in that group is the twin sisters of Chloe and Lily Forlini, who together have won four consecutive Sac Joaquin Section doubles titles together. The sister are headed together to the Air Force Academy.

Five Oak Ridge athletes will announce their college choices during a signing reception 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the school's multi-purpose room.

Those participating are:

• Paige Gugino, San Diego State, rowing
• Michaela Kelsey, UNLV, soccer
• Maddie Velez, Utah, swimming
• Carisa Rivers, Middle Tennessee State, soccer
• Oliva Frace, Louisiana-Lafayette, soccer

Four Bella Vista seniors were honored during a school National Letter of Intent day signing ceremony, reports athletic director Andi Wright.

They are:

• Shelbie Holden, Fresno State, diving
• Hanna Schneider, UC San Diego, water polo
• Kyndra Trevino-Scott, Hawaii-Hilo, volleyball
• Haley York, UMass-Amherst, rowing.