The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Longtime Long Beach Poly boys’ athletic director Rob Shock has lots of fun days on his calendar–this year, for example, the Jackrabbits have already claimed three CIF Southern Section team championships, with a fourth championship up for grabs this Saturday for the school’s softball team.
But no day ranks above the day the Jackrabbits recognize their college scholarship signees.
“Always my favorite day,” he said during last week’s celebration. “Always.”
This year the Jackrabbits once again had more than 30 student-athletes sign scholarships to play sports in college, which has happened every year since COVID–Poly’s total currently sits at 34 student-athletes for the current school year, with at least one more likely to sign by year’s end.
Students’ lives and families’ futures are forever changed by each one of the nearly three dozen scholarships signed this year, each one representing the culmination of a lifetime of work by the athlete and their families. One of the fun stories this year was Sydney Mercado’s recent signing with Georgetown–the Jackrabbits’ libero’s older sister, Taylor, is already a member of Georgetown’s team.
“I was like, ‘You’re stuck with me for another four years,’” said Sydney. “I know her and her class are going to pick on me because I’m her sister. She’s going to make it 10 times more fun and 10 times harder, too. It’s going to make the experience a lot better.”
For pitcher Daylen Carey, his scholarship to NCAA Division II’s Westmont College lets him join a family legacy while also pursuing his dream of playing college baseball.
“Going to a Christian college was my priority, not baseball actually,” he said. “My brother and my dad went to Westmont so it was a family thing–I went to a baseball camp there and the coach called me the next day. It wasn’t my only option, but it was the one I was most interested in. It was where I wanted to go.”
For Poly basketball’s Austin Unegbu, a junior year Summer injury kept him off the recruiting circuit and led to some stress. That made the scholarship offer from the University of Redlands even more appealing this year.
“I tried to go somewhere that was the best fit for me,” said Unegbu. “It’s a great school, the whole school is centered around sports, and it’s a winning program. It’s everything I would want in a school.”
Here’s the full list of Poly signees:
Spring: Gus Armstrong (track, USC), Daylen Carey (baseball, Westmont College), Maya Guevara (swimming, Converse University), Jarrius Hill (track, San Jose State), Nevaeh Lewis (track, Norfolk State), Sydney Mercado (volleyball, Georgetown), Sylvia Orliczky (soccer, Soka University), Eriss Portley (cheer, LSU), Dalila Preciado (wrestling, University of Providence), Austin Unegbu (basketball, Redlands), Jonathan Weston Jr. (football, Mars Hill University), Mark Williams Jr. (football, South Dakota), and Andra Greer (soccer, University of Jamestown).Fall: 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), Layla Moore (volleyball, CSUN) and Jillene Wetteland (track, Harvard).
Great action shots by Art O’Neill and All-In Press from the Cabrillo win at Poly on Monday.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009. High School Track: Long Beach Poly vs. Wilson Old rivals Poly and Wilson squared off in a Moore League dual meet for track & field. For more coverage of all Long Beach sports, head to www.The562.org. We are a non-profit, […]
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