High school stars focus in on future on signing day
Signing day at Colleyville Heritage went a lot smoother on Wednesday than it did last year.
The Panthers’ volleyball team swept Saginaw Boswell on Tuesday night to advance to this weekend’s Class 5A Region I tournament in Abilene. Boswell won the same meeting last year, the day before the 2016 early signing period began.
“It wasn’t as fun coming off that loss,” senior Bryn Gerlich said.
Gerlich is an outside hitter on the team, but her primary sport is basketball where she signed a national letter of intent with Oklahoma State.
“Today has been a long time coming,” said Gerlich, who has 1,981 points in 100 career games. “I’m really excited about the future and what Oklahoma State can hold for me. I’m excited to get there and start a new journey.”
Gerlich has been a top area recruit all four years. The 6-foot forward has made the Star-Telegram Super Team three times, including Newcomer of the Year as a freshman.
“I’ve had a lot of kids sign Division I,” Heritage coach Dianna Sager said. “A lot of people just see Bryn as an athlete, and her stats are incredible, but she’s also a good kid and that’s special. I’m proud of the person she’s become.”
Boys state champs
Mansfield Timberview guards Chris Mullins and Isaac Likekele – who helped the Wolves to the UIL Class 5A state championship last season – signed to play basketball at Rice and Fresno State.
“It makes me appreciate the growth of the player and the work that the individual and the team have put in to help create the opportunity,” coach Duane Gregory said. “I’m very proud of both of them.”
Four players who helped Keller softball win the past two state titles also signed: shortstop Kasey Simpson (Iowa State), Hanna Jones (Harding), Kathy Davis (Friends) and Kayla Durbois (Hardin-Simmons).
Keller’s Julia Black and Abbey Santoro, who helped the cross country team win back-to-back state titles, signed to Texas A&M. Black was state runner up on Nov. 4 and finished fifth last season. Santoro was eighth last week.
Humble Beginnings
Wednesday will always be remembered at Haslet Eaton. The Eagles held their inaugural signing day.
Seven student-athletes signed, including volleyball player Lindsey Ferkel to Northwestern Oklahoma State.
“It felt very unreal being at that signing table with future generations watching,” Ferkel said. “It’s a memorable feeling knowing we made history.”
BASEBALL
Brock
Cole Lightfoot, Stephen F. Austin
Euless Trinity
David VanVooran, Wichita State
FW Paschal
Matt Urban, Coppin State
Granbury
Kade Turnage, Tarleton State
Grapevine
Nick Pierce, UT-Arlington
Brett Squires, McLennan College
Darren Zarillo, Frank Phillips College
Haslet Eaton
Jarod Seals, Arkansas Monticello
Colby Seltzer, Tarleton State
Cade Winquest, UT-Arlington
Joshua
Connery Peters, Wichita State
Keller
Kyle Rich, Dallas Baptist
Keller Timber Creek
Mateo Gil, TCU
Zack Gregory, Arkansas
Drew Pollum, Central Arkansas
Nic Thompson, Newman University
Mansfield Lake Ridge
Brandon Uhse, Stephen F. Austin
Mansfield Summit
Payne Rodgers, Northwestern State
Southlake Carroll
Cade Bell, Grayson College
Nicco Cole, Howard
Marcus Hill, Eastern Kentucky
Cole Johnson, Weatherford College
Charlie Kiefer, Fort Scott
Jake Miller, East Texas Baptist
Will Quillen, Grayson College
Adam Stephenson, Wichita State
Weatherford
Blake Burrows, Kansas State
Mason Hilton, McLennan College
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Arlington Grace Prep
Jordan Phillips, Arkansas
FW Southwest
Mike Underwood, Central Connecticut State
FW Wyatt
Traylynn Spencer, Arkansas Little Rock
Justin Northwest
Mason Hix, UT-Arlington
Keller
Carson Hughes, Dallas Baptist
Mansfield Timberview
Isaac Likekele, Fresno State
Chris Mullins, Rice
Midlothian
Kaden Archie, TCU
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Arlington Bowie
Jasmyne Robinson, North Texas
Brock
Rylee Lavender, Ouachita Baptist
Colleyville Heritage
Bryn Gerlich, Oklahoma State
Crowley
Taelour Pruitt, Southeast Missouri State
FW Trinity Valley
Madison Williams, Oklahoma
Keller
Mallory Lockhart, Oklahoma City University
Keller Timber Creek
Brooke Lay, Trevecca Nazarene
Mansfield Legacy
Cyliest Smith, Weber State
Mansfield Timberview
Lauryn Thompson, VCU
Saginaw Boswell
Audrey Warren, Texas
Southlake Carroll
Abigail Zeitsiff, Saint Leo
CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK
Brock
Madison Hernandez, Harding
Haslet Eaton
Allyn Tyer, Texas Tech
Keller
Julia Black, Texas A&M
Abbey Santoro, Texas A&M
Justin Northwest
Taylor Esquivel, Cameron
Mansfield Legacy
Jais Smith, Houston
Southlake Carroll
Taylor Legan, Central Arkansas
Caitlin Marie Mertz, Oklahoma Baptist
Cate Tracht, Mississippi
Trophy Club Nelson
Sanaa Barnes, Villanova
White Settlement Brewer
Katie Simpkins, Pittsburg State
GOLF
Brock
Garrett Leek, Midwestern State
Colleyville Heritage
Quinn Barber, Texas Wesleyan
Southlake Carroll
Malak Bouraeda, Colorado
Will Fore, McLennan College
SOFTBALL
Aledo
Caden Cunningham, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Gracie King, Tarleton State
Lindsey McElroy, Northwestern Okla. State
Megan Reynolds, Weatherford College
Brock
Mattye Tyler, Lubbock Christian
Bailey Wagner, Harding
Azle
Logan Graham, Angelo State
Macey Hicks, East Central
Burleson
Lauren Isbell, Odessa College
Burleson Centennial
Gracie Morton, Memphis
Cleburne
Bekka Castillo, Trinity Valley CC
Sara King, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Colleyville Heritage
Maggie Black, Northwestern State
Abby Pounds, Hardin-Simmons
Everman
Katie Marshall, Hardin-Simmons
FW Arlington Heights
Ashleigh Sgambelluri, A&M Corpus Christi
FW Country Day
Samantha Burke, A&M Corpus Christi
Cedrina Landrum, Georgia
Grapevine Faith
Hannah Dykes, Henderson State
Haslet Eaton
Paige Tamayo, McNeese State
Hurst Bell
Randi Castillo, Northeastern State
Alicia Marion, UT-Permian Basin
Peyton Newman, East Central
Joshua
Miranda Pruitt, Tarleton State
Keller
Courtney Cagle, UT-Permian Basin
Kathy Davis, Friends University
Kayla Durbois, Hardin-Simmons
Hanna Jones, Harding
Kasey Simpson, Iowa State
Keller Timber Creek
Mady Lohman, Oklahoma State
Kirsten Redfern, Kansas Wesleyan
Sydney Smith, Oklahoma Christian
Kennedale
Mary Grace Howard, North Central Texas College
Mansfield
Paxton Scheurer, UNLV
Mansfield Lake Ridge
Kate Tovar, Hardin-Simmons
Mansfield Legacy
Sophie Hannabas, Southeastern Louisiana
Nolan Catholic
Avery Boley, A&M Commerce
Richland
Abbie Moore, Henderson State
Stephanie Pfeifer, Hardin-Simmons
Saginaw
Hailie Fellers, Southern Nazarene
Kat Huseman, Abilene Christian
Saginaw Boswell
Peyton Robinson, Southern Nazarene
Southlake Carroll
Avery Zeigler, Angelo State
Abigail Stuart, Columbia
Trophy Club Nelson
Maddie Flores, Regis University
Madi Savell, Central Arkansas
Weatherford
Kristen Kamnick, Weatherford College
SWIMMING
Keller
Emily Grund, North Carolina
John David Spence, Missouri State
Southlake Carroll
Logan Davis, Air Force
Jack LeVant, Stanford
Alexander Zettle, Texas
VOLLEYBALL
Aledo
Sarah Haeussler, North Texas
Arlington
Katie Clark, TCU
Arlington Martin
Emilie Ickes, McNeese State
Cleburne
Sadie Hough, West Florida
Colleyville Heritage
Lauren Evans, Arkansas
Euless Trinity
Veronica Dollar, South Alabama
FW Arlington Heights
Marissa Hernandez, A&M Commerce
Grapevine
Kerstynn Grobe, St. Edwards
FW Trinity Valley
Bri’Anna Hudson, Angelo State
Haslet Eaton
Lindsey Ferkel, Northwestern Okla. State
Kaylee Payne, A&M Corpus Christi
Fabiola Rivera, Southern Arkansas
Joshua
Abbie Smith, Western Texas College
Keller Timber Creek
Kenna Muff, Texas Woman’s
Mansfield
Lindsay Harris, Houston Baptist (beach)
Mansfield Lake Ridge
Capri Davis, Nebraska
Alexis Praytor, Texas Southern
Mansfield Legacy
Janell Fitzgerald, Texas State
Saginaw Boswell
Hannah Boyd, Northeastern
Southlake Carroll
Abby Carroll, South Carolina (beach)
Sabrina Monaco, Stephen F. Austin
Asjia O’Neal, Texas
Kate Privett, Florida State (beach)
Trophy Club Nelson
Sanaa Barnes, Villanova
Danielle Duis, Colorado School of Mines
Weatherford
London Austin-Roark, Texas A&M
Kaitlyn Rogers, Texas A&M
This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 6:18 PM with the headline "High school stars focus in on future on signing day."