The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Long Beach Poly celebrated its February Signing Day with the school’s usual pomp and circumstances, honoring the 21 student-athletes who’ve signed college sports scholarships. As always the Jackrabbits had a big number which included three Harvard-bound athletes as well as those going to Cal, Michigan, and many others. The Jackrabbits will have another ceremony in May when the late signing period athletes have made their decision, and could add another 10 to the roster at that point.
At the gathering the Osman Auditorium, Poly boys’ athletic director Rob Shock asked the 21 student-athletes to stand and thank their parents for all of the work it took to get to that special day.
“It’s a culmination of all the hard work, dedication, and commitment, not just for the athletes but for the parents with those 6am wake-up calls, driving out to the middle of nowhere,” he said.
As always, Shock also encouraged the student-athletes to get their college degrees and to return home.
“Athletics is temporary, but that degree is forever,” he said. “Finish your studies, and then come back and pay it forward–talk to the future of those that are here. Long Beach Poly High School and the community of Long Beach are proud of all of you.”
Poly girls’ athletic director Crystal Irving is also the reigning state champion and CIF-SS champion coach of the Jackrabbits’ track and field team, and had four girls sign on Wednesday. She spoke and said, “Thank you for dedication on raising your babies up to this point–know that they are making history for your family and for Long Beach Poly today.”
Three of the signees were all going to Delaware State for football, with skill players Ezekiel Orozco, Tracy Jones III, and Corey Hudson all signing to play in college for DeSean Jackson.
“We’re going with our Long Beach brothers all the way to the East Coast, it’s a blessing,” said Orozco.
“It’s going to be more like another Long Beach Poly,” said Jones III, who pointed out that several other Long Beach athletes signed there as well.
Playing for Jackson was also too good of a chance to pass up.
“He came here to Long Beach Poly, he was the reason why I came here, to go play for him is a big dream come true,” said Orozco.
Three Jackrabbit girls are headed to Harvard, with Leila Holland and Jillene Wetteland both going for track and field, and Allegra Steege going for rowing. Making the transition easier for Holland and Wetteland, both excellent students in Poly’s PACE magnet program, is the fact that they’re already close friends making the trip together.
“I’d be way more scared to go if I didn’t have someone going and on the same team,” said Wetteland.
“Going with someone that I’m really close with is perfect,” said Holland.
Both said that they’ve heard from Poly/PACE alums in college that the magnet prepares students well for Ivy League education, and that Poly’s track program is similarly good at preparing kids for the next level.
“Everyone I’ve talked to in prestigious colleges right now says that the workload in PACE prepares you so well, and athletically my college coaches say that the training we do here is super similar to what we do there,” said Holland. “I’m not worried about being able to make the transition.”
For Steege, it was fun getting to be embraced by the Poly athletics world, given that rowing isn’t a high school sport.
“Not everyone knows that I do rowing and that part of my life isn’t really connected with this part,” she said. “It was cool to have them both meet and be able to enjoy this with all the other athletes here.”
She said she enjoyed how big the production was, with graphics and announcements and a big crowd in the auditorium.
“You just realize how many sports there are and how many athletes there are,” she said. “It was really special. And having all the families being supportive, having the auditorium full.”
No sport at Poly had more scholarship signees than the girls’ soccer team, which has five athletes moving on to play college ball (including Holland). It’s no surprise that Poly’s excellent senior class led them to their first league title in nine years.
“I’m really proud of everybody here because we put in the work and we’re all there for each other, and I’m just happy that we can all move on to the next level,” said Aaya McLyn, who’s heading to Washington State.
“We’ve all been playing together for years, and we have a lot of pride,” said Sydney Santos, who signed with San Jose State. “We’re really close and it’s a great experience to sign all together.”
Here’s the full list of Poly signees:
Kristen Dear (volleyball, Howard), Leila Holland (track, Harvard), Corey Hudson (football, Delaware State), Jaylin Hunter (track, Sacramento State), Tracy Jones III (football, Delaware State), Emerson LaPorta (water polo, Pomona College), Nevaeh Lemons (basketball, Cal State San Bernardino), Elonia Lobedecis (diving, Michigan), Aaya McLyn (soccer, Washington State), Ezekiel Orozco (football, Delaware State), Belle Puckett (swim, UCSD), Makayla Quesada (soccer, Chico State), Jovani Ruff (basketball, Cal), Leah Salas (soccer, Minot State), Sydney Santos (soccer, San Jose State), Allegra Steege (rowing, Harvard), Kweenkennahlae Tauala (softball, Bethune-Cookman), Alex Valente (soccer, CSUN), Brianna Wells (track, CSUN), and Jillene Wetteland (track, Harvard).
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This week, all of The562’s coverage is sponsored by Long Beach Gives. VisitLongBeachGives.org to find your cause and support local nonprofits! Donations will be accepted through Sept. 21. The562’s Athletes of the Week is sponsored by the Long Beach Century Club. Congratulations to our Athletes of the Week and thanks to the Long Beach Century Club […]
One of the most memorable games of this past season wasn’t played with a CIF championship plaque on the line, or even in the playoffs. The second regular-season meeting between the Poly and Millikan baseball teams was such an exciting, well-played, back-and-forth game, it needed a highlight video almost 10 minutes long to capture the […]
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