By Erika Greco

Last Friday, May 16, marked a day that Central’s young athletes will never forget.  Signing day took place in the WLC auditorium at 12:30 p.m. for seventeen student athletes planning to pursue athletics at the collegiate level where they revealed their final choices.

These athletes included Jasmine Brown, Natalie Casab, Tim Ford, Jerret Haas, Steven Hoef, Kylie Hornsby, Zach Kallgren, Kevin Kwapis, Ben LaPointe, Stephen Lee, Michael Morelli, Monica Norton, Kevin O’Malley, Exhildi Prekaj, Tyler Todd, and Kayla Womack.

The track and field team has an impressive number of student athletes continuing on to take it to the next level.  Jasmine Bown plans to attend Alabama State University to run track where she plans to study biology.  Steven Hoef plans to attend Ferris State University. Kayla Womack will attend Clemson University in South Carolina where she will study psychology.  Exhildi Prekaj plans to attend Northwood University to throw shot put and discus where he plans to study finance.  Robert Harris made a tough decision and will attend the University of Alabama where he plans to study criminal justice.

“I chose Alabama because their academics were good and I’ll have to compete on a daily basis in practice seeing as they’re one of the fastest conferences in the nation,” Harris explained.  “I’ll just have to work very hard which I know I’m capable of doing,” he continued.

The baseball program helped to take three of its players to the collegiate level.  Zach Kallgren and Kevin O’Malley will play for Trine University in Indiana.  Kallgren plans to study sports management while O’Malley will study chemical engineering. Their fellow teammate Michael Morelli plans to play for Saginaw Valley State University and will study Mechanical Engineering.

As for football, Tim Ford plans to attend Siena Heights where he will study graphic design.  Kevin Kwapis will attend Western Iowa Community College and plans to study business administration.

Natalie Casab will cheer at the University of Detroit Mercy where she plans to study nursing.

Ben Lapointe has committed to Lourdes University in Ohio to play lacrosse and plans to study athletic training.

Rochester College has received two commitments from the Viking family.  Kylie Hornsby will attend to bowl and she is undecided on what she plans to study.  Justin Nafso has committed to play basketball and is also undecided on his plans of study.

Central’s Hockey program dishes out two athletes as well.  Jerret Haas will play at Indiana Tech and plans to study business sports management.  Tyler Todd will attend Adrian College where he plans to study business management and marketing.

Swimmer Stephen Lee will join the team at Olivet Nazarene University in Chicago on a 90% tuition scholarship and plans to major in information systems and minor in chemistry.

The incredible turnout for these athletes is highly reflective of their hard work and determination throughout their athletic career.  “At first, I didn’t even know I would get this far, but people worked with me, they saw my potential and got me to this next level,” stated track commit Womack.

Assistant principal and Athletic director Michael Fray said, “As a school we are extremely proud and honored at the efforts and commitment that our athletes have shown.”