STREAKS CELEBRATE COLLEGE CHOICES
Saratoga Springs honors 14 athletes headed to next level
Less than a month from graduation, 13 Saratoga Springs student athletes celebrated their college choices at a signing ceremony Wednesday at Saratoga Springs High School.
Adam Anderson will continue his basketball career in the Capital District after accepting an offer from Division II Saint Rose.
“All those long nights, early mornings paid off,” Anderson said. “I really started taking basketball serious the summer of 10th grade. I started playing at the Y and AAU. With my build I could play at the collegiate level. I just had to put the work in to get here.”
Declan Hines, who will run track and field at Division II University of Charleston, was applauded even though he was unable to attend the signing.
Boys soccer player Matt LaRosa will also be a short drive away at Union College, while cheerleader Fallyn Brennan will cheer for UAlbany.
Four football players attended
the signing, including a trio of defensive backs. Jack Cairns will play cornerback at RPI, Noah McFarland safety at Hartwick and Nick Ingles safety at St. John Fisher. The trio’s Blue Streaks teammate Eric Stone, a linebacker, chose Castleton University.
Varsity baseball teammates Keegan Leffler and Zach Vavasour signed together. Leffler is headed to Herkimer and Vavasour will play at SUNY Adirondack.
Julia McDonald and Mariellen Penzer weren’t teammates, but they’ll both be headed to Geneseo. McDonald hopes to play goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team and Penzer will compete on the cross country and track and field squads.
Other athletes at the signing were Madison Dallas, who will cheer at Syracuse University and Sierra Garcia, who is headed to Hartwick women’s swimming.
“We’re here to celebrate the accomplishments of individuals who set a goal, worked towards that goal tirelessly and have positioned themselves to have the opportunity to do what very few high school athletes have an opportunity to do — participate in athletics at the collegiate level,” Saratoga Springs athletic director Pete Sheehan said. “It’s a very small percentage of athletes that get that opportunity.”
The following are some of the athletes’ comments on their college choices:
Fallyn Brennan, UAlbany cheerleading: “It’s close to home and it offers really good opportunities for my future.”
Jack Cairns, RPI football: “It’s right down the road. They have beautiful facilities, but most importantly — school first. Of all the schools I applied, it was the only place that had a D3 football program that I fit in.”
Madison Dallas, Syracuse cheerleading: “I got to cheer at the Dome a few years ago for the high school football team state championship. I loved the experience and knew I wanted to cheer there.”
Sierra Garcia, Hartwick swimming: “It was between (Hartwick) and Brockport but I really liked the coach here and they were super welcoming.”
Nick Ingles, St. John Fisher football: “They are the first team that started recruiting me. I love the facilities. The coaches brought me in and made me feel like family. I think I fit best in their program.”
Matthew LaRosa, Union soccer: “I really liked the school, the campus was great. The soccer coach (Jeff Guinn) is a good guy. I was choosing before RIT and Union.”
Keegan Leffler, Herkimer baseball: “I chose it because of the coaching staff and my dream of playing Division I baseball. They can help me get to that next level.”
Julia McDonald, Geneseo soccer: “I had not really thought I was going to play in college until I got in contact with their coach and he seemed interested. I play goalkeeper and they were looking to bring some girls in.”
Noah McFarland, Hartwick football: “Academically it was a great choice for me. I got recruited to play safety and I plan to stay there.”
Mariellen Penzer, Geneseo track and field: “I was looking at a lot of different schools and I kept coming back to Geneseo. They have a really strong D3 program for running.”
Zach Vavasour, Adirondack baseball: “It’s close to home and the other schools that gave me offers didn’t guarantee me a chance to play. I can go there and transfer to another school if I want.”