BY JOSEPH STURGEON
On Wednesday, nine student-athletes from CCHS officially committed to the colleges they will be attending and playing for over the next four years. Held in the auditorium at 3:15 p.m., the signing was attended by the students’ families and friends.
The event was run by athletic director Paul Megna. On the stage of the auditorium, there were a few balloons, a backdrop that featured the logo of Pistol Pete and a table where each student-athlete signed their athletic scholarship. As each student did so, Megna would give a short speech about the student, where he complimented their character or described a memory of them.
“As the athletic director, I’m ecstatic,” Megna said. “When we can put kids in college and they can go play their sport as well as get a degree, [it] makes me super happy.”
The signing was organized by sport. Of the nine players that signed, there were three lacrosse players, one soccer player, three football players and two softball players. Hailey Brown, who will be attending Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas to play soccer, was the first to sign.
“When we can put kids in college and they can go play their sport as well as get a degree, [it] makes me super happy.”
“This young lady I’ve known for quite a while, ever since she was really small,” Megna said of Brown. “She really loves Cooper City. She had her choices of high schools but she decided to come [to CCHS]. Her mom’s a graduate from here, which I can attest to because I think she came here when I attended. Hailey loves Cooper City, and she’s really all about it.”
Next to sign were the lacrosse players—Rylee Horton, Kellianne Schlosser and Grace Barr. Horton will be attending the University of Montevallo in Alabama, Schlosser will be attending Piedmont College in Georgia and Barr will be attending Young Harris College, also in Georgia.
The next group of student-athletes to sign were three football players—Peyton Monaco, Matthew McCausland and Matthew Wong. Monaco will be attending the University of Rochester in New York, and McCausland and Wong will both attend St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Wong, who has played running back for the football team all four years of high school, views the upcoming four years as an opportunity to improve his game.
“I’m ready for the next four years.”
“As soon as I get to college, I’m ready to start working,” Wong said. “It is what it is. I’m ready for the next four years.”
The final athletes to sign were softball players Kyleigh Sprigle and Brenna Lokeinsky. Kyleigh Sprigle will be attending Webber International University in Babson Park, Florida and Lokeinsky will be attending Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
While the families of the newly committed students are proud to see their students commit, they also view this moment as a reminder of their family member’s departure.
“It’s bittersweet,” Kyleigh Sprigle’s mother April Sprigle said. “I’m excited to see her move on and take her talents further, but I’m gonna miss my girl. But I think she’s wonderful and wish nothing but the best for her, so this is fabulous.”
Disclaimer: Kyleigh Sprigle is a sports writer for The Lariat.
Photo by Makinzi Burgs
