Numerous other sports’ athletes also sign on the dotted line,

As high school football players around the country put pen to paper on Wednesday for National Signing Day, so did many of their classmates in sports ranging from soccer to rugby.

American Heritage Plantation teammates Taylor Dobles and Marlee Fray were among seven soccer players to sign their national letters-of-intent in the school’s theatre as part of a senior class of 24 headed to play college athletics.

Dobles, a Louisiana State University signee, and Fray, a University of Central Florida signee, are on opposite ends of knee injuries which left their signings in doubt. Both verbally committed during their sophomore years.

“Today was honestly a big deal for me,” Dobles said. “You are in the theater, all dressed up with all of the football players and other athletes. It was relief and closure. This was the last step to move on to the next four years.”

Dobles played just four games last season after tearing her ACL last December, while Fray, the Sun-Sentinel Small School Player of the Year last season, tore her ACL during the summer and has missed the entire season this year. They have leaned on each other for support.

“At first, I was a little nervous about calling my coach to tell her what happened, but in the back of my head I figured she was a soccer coach and had dealt with these types of injuries,” Fray said. “I was hoping for the best and she assured me it was going to be okay. Going through the injury, this was a big relief. I can relax now.”

American Heritage Plantation senior Benji Grossi, last year’s Sun Sentinel boys smallschools soccer player of the year, said it was a great atmosphere to share the stage with the football players and other sports athletes.

“It’s a big relief,” said Grossi, who signed with Lafayette University. “The recruiting process was pretty stressful, so it is really great to finally put pen to paper.”

St. Thomas Aquinas had 58 student-athletes sign their national letters-of-intent in the school’s packed gymnasium.

Among them were Brooke Giacin, an equestrian, who is headed to Baylor University and Shane Hunter, who opted to stay close to home at Nova Southeastern University where he will play basketball in college.

Park Vista volleyball player Alexa Bertsch signed her national letter-of-intent with Alabama.

Cardinal Gibbons’ Devon Roosna is headed to Louisville to play one of the little-known college sports, rugby.

Roosna has played on the Chiefs’ club lacrosse program for the past four years and is looking forward to continuing that path. Rugby is an up-andcoming [college] sport and I never thought I would be here. We won a state championship in football and I am sitting at the same table as those great players. I am really blessed.”

Stoneman Douglas baseball player Louis Esposito signed with nearby Broward College.

American Heritage Delray girls lacrosse teammates Allegra Catalano and Megan Mangines will continue to be teammates at the University of Louisville. They were among 13 student-athletes to sign their national letters-of-intent in the school’s gymnasium. They were ushered in with a marching band.