National letters of intent roll in

When Cianna Tejada had just graduated from Indian Ridge Middle School, she had already given her verbal commitment to play volleyball at the University of Miami.

“I knew where I was going to college before where I was going to high school,” Tejada said, chuckling. The star outside hitter for Pine Crest helped the Panthers to a 21-6 record this season and a Class 4A regional semifinal appearance. “I didn’t think I would end up committing so soon since I had only been playing real volleyball for about two years.”

Tejeda was one of nine Pine Crest student-athletes recognized by the school as she joined Ella Bishara (Lacrosse, Colgate), Isabella Chambers (Swimming, Tufts), Antonio Correa (Baseball, Lafayette), Esther Lin (Swimming, Carnegie Mellon), Ashlyn McGinn (Crew, Virginia — coxswain), Sloan Shade (Lacrosse, Vassar), Hanna Elks Smith, Swimming, Naval Academy and six-time defending state diving champion Kevin Mendez (Diving, North Carolina) in putting pen to paper on a national letter of intent on National Signing Day for all sports other than football.

“I started getting interest from schools and wound up going to the University of Miami campus and ended up loving it there,” said Tejeda, who hopes to be a doctor. “Being able to commit so early and knowing where I was going for so long has been the craziest thing. It had been leading up for years and now it is here ... people thought that I would relax after committing, but it just pushed me to work that much harder.”

Calvary Christian Academy senior volleyball star Taylor Bates is headed to Liberty University. Bates has helped the Eagles reach the state final four for the first time where they will face Orlando Boone at home on Saturday afternoon. It is the furthest the school has ever gone.

“I have been waiting for today for about four years now,” said Bates, who also committed in her freshman year. “Today made it official, and it is over and now my future will be at Liberty. If we would go on and win a state championship on top of this, that would be amazing. And with this being my senior year, that would be something I will never be able to forget.”

Bates was joined at the signing day table with her two best friends, Gabby Brissett (Bellarmine) and Jenna Keller (Arkansas Tech). Other signees at Calvary included boys’ basketball players Gregg Glenn (Michigan), Brenan Lorient (Florida Atlantic), Taylor and Tyler Hendricks (Central Florida).

Ethan Firestein, a senior at David Posnack School, also made history on Wednesday as the righthanded pitcher signed with Bucknell University. He becomes Posnack’s first D-1 baseball signee.

“Receiving a scholarship to continue playing baseball at the next level is an incredible feeling as this has been a dream of mine since I was in little league,” Firestein said. “In addition to the baseball scholarship, I received an academic scholarship which I take with equal pride as I’ve worked hard on and off the field.

“I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to represent my community and school as the first Division 1 athlete to not only play but receive a scholarship to continue pursuing my academics and athletics at the next level,” Firestein continued. “I am also honored to pave the way for other aspiring athletes in my community to play at the next level. I’m looking at multiple fields to study at the moment that includes engineering, business, and medicine.”

In just two short years, Wellington High School senior pole vaulter Alana Kate Hoblin has reached both on and off the track.

Hoblin, who at the end of her sophomore year, already had enough credits to complete high school, plans to study neuroscience at Yale University where she received a full ride.

“I have two autistic siblings and I hope to find answers someday,” said Hoblin, who took four official visits, but knew Yale was the school after her visit.

“It was the Yale coach and the Yale track team that truly stole my heart,” she added. “It was at Yale that I felt I found my home for the next four years.”

Hoblin was a former gymnast, who started pole vaulting in 2019 when COVID hit and the gyms were closed. She said she would hear on the announcements at school that the track and field team was looking for gymnasts or cheerleaders to do pole vaulting.

“I thought this would be the perfect opportunity, and I immediately fell in love with the sport of pole vaulting,” she said. “I was a quick success at pole vault because it used all of my strengths from gymnastics.

“I learned from watching my own videos,” Hoblin said. “I would lean my phone against a stump of a tree so that I could watch myself pole vault and give myself corrections and for hours and hours each night I would keep trying until I could improve.”

Other student-athletes from Broward and Palm Beach counties who signed national letters of intent on Wednesday included: American Heritage: Luke Clanton (Men’s Golf, Florida State University), Kelly Shanahan (Women’s Golf, FIU), Emily Thompson (Soccer, West Virginia), Brandon Barriera (Baseball, Vanderbilt University), Ray Bermudez (Baseball, University of Miami), Erik Blair (Baseball, University of Florida), Evan Dobias (Baseball, University of Virginia), Brandon Gonsalves (Baseball, University of Central Florida); Cardinal Newman: Drake Flowers (Baseball, Florida State University), Griffin Hugus (Baseball, Cincinnati), Jack Bello (Baseball, Air Force Academy), Louis Paolillo (Baseball, Eastern Florida State College), Raul Feliz (Baseball, Indian River State College), Santiago Gutierrez (Baseball, University of St. Thomas, MN), Chris Rexach (Baseball, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg); Cooper City: Kirsten Caravaca (Softball, University of North Florida), Jordan Hustey (Softball, Tennessee Martin University), Sydney Totarsky (Softball, St. John’s University), Bianca Polistina (Softball, St. Leo’s University), A.J. Albano (Softball, Converse University); King’s Academy: Abigail Alvarez (Lacrosse, Palm Beach Atlantic University), Mya Dobson (Soccer, Evangel University), Ava Fountain (Beach Volleyball, Carson Newman University), Donovan Glisson (Baseball, Dennison University), Mason Shipman (Competitive Cheer, Liberty University), Christian Proscia (Swimming, St. Bonaventure); Palm Beach Gardens: Aaliyah Crews (Softball, Marshall University), Bradley Hart (Baseball, Wingate University), Joshua Hogue (Baseball, Santa Fe College), Jayden Hylton (Baseball, Stetson University), Carson “Billy” Reid (Golf, Keiser University), Kairi Rodriguez (Softball, Duke University); Park Vista: Danielle Anglin (Diving, University of Iowa), Austin Fawley (Baseball, University of Kentucky), Maison Martinez (Baseball, Virginia Commonwealth University), Malia Osbourne (Beach Volleyball, Palm Beach Atlantic University), Cristina Penney (Softball, Daytona State College), Peyton Samuels (Baseball, Palm Beach State College); Ethan Strikowski (Baseball, University of Tampa); Pembroke Pines Charter: Kolby King (Basketball, St. Johns University), Madison Garcia (Softball, Lincoln University), Victoria Torres (Swimming, University of North Florida), Eliana Salama (Soccer, Southern Methodist University), Sabrina Aruajo-Elorza (Soccer, Northeastern University)