by Andrew Garda
garda@montclairlocal.news
One of the aims of high school sports is to help students find an avenue to go to colleges they might not otherwise have access to. In that way, Montclair High School has been very successful, not just in regards to larger sports like football, but in other sports like lacrosse, track and field and crew.
Wednesday, April 11, was a day to celebrate those other sports, as a 17 Mounties signed Letters of Intent to continue both their education and athletic careers.
Gathered by athletic director PJ Scarpello, the athletes, their friends and family gathered in the LGI room at the high school to officially declare what school they were going to.
The Montclair crew team was best represented, with eight students who will be competing at the next level. All three women — Julianna Langhorn and Chloe Rosenberg (University of Pennsylvania), plus Beate Kaz (Brown University) — will be heading to Ivy League schools, as will Kenny Coplan (Harvard) and Henry Vecchione (Princeton). Of the remaining boys, Djoume Traore will be rowing at Temple University, Paul Mihalis will be going to George Washington University and George Rogers will attend the University of Delaware.
Mountie track and field is also sending multiple athletes to college. Of course, Shelby Bigsby — who was top in the state this winter at shot put — heads the list and will be attending and throwing for the University of Albany. She was accompanied on stage by Elizabeth Cummings, who will be competing at Towson University. Runners Dale Ross (Wesleyan University) and Victoria Liverpool (University of Rocherster) also signed their letters of intent.
Nora Giordano had already committed to Lehigh University in an earlier ceremony, but girls lacrosse is now also sending goaltender Olivia Lynch to compete at Colgate University.
Boys lacrosse added two athletes to the mix as well, with Charlie Miller committing to McDaniel College and Dylan Vespole declaring for Scranton University.
Last, but certainly not least, Bobby Knoth will continue his soccer career at Bard College while Mountie volleyballer Annura Hamilton will play at the University of New Haven.
Scarpello plans on gathering all of the future collegiate athletes of the Class of 2018 — including those who signed during the fall and winter seasons, plus more who are sure to sign as spring sports continue over the next few months — for a picture closer to the end of the academic year, so the school can celebrate them one more time before they leave Montclair.
**an earlier version of this story had Annura Hamilton incorrectly labeled as Laura Emerson. We apologize for the error.