Notebook: Local athletes making waves in college recruitment

Two meaningful members of Downey High’s athletics programs will graduate this spring, but their careers will continue in college.

Volleyball player Kylie Griffin and basketball player Lloyd French both signed to continue their respective athletic careers at the next level at Division I Cal State Fullerton and Division II Stanislaus State, respectively.

A four-year varsity player Griffin, a 6-foot-4 right side, finished her career with 548 career kills, 163 aces and 195 blocks.

“Her freshman year, we had one win, but that didn’t deter her work ethic at all,” said head coach Tara Coleman. “Each day, she came in ready to work. In the summer, she would get extra reps and she was just always super dedicated. … It’s indescribable what she’s meant to the program and me as a coach.”

Griffin started playing club volleyball in eighth grade and most recently played for NorCal Volleyball Club out of Livermore. She said she’s looking forward to getting to Fullerton to experience the life of a college athlete.

“I’m excited to meet my team because it’s built in friends, which is always nice,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the campus again and … just exploring the area.”

Griffin helped lead the Knights to the playoffs last season as a junior. In her senior season, she earned Central California Athletic League First Team honors, finishing first on the team in blocks (79) and aces (59) and second in kills (203). The Knights finished fourth in the CCAL, missing out on the playoffs, but through a difficult season, the usually quiet Griffin embraced Coleman’s challenges to become a leader.

“Even with the obstacles that she faced off the court, as well as the ones we faced as a team on the court, she just continued to persevere. … I think that speaks a lot to her character and her ability to show up for other people,” Coleman said. “She’s prepared to serve in whatever role is required of her.”

French has grown into the backbone of the Knights basketball program over the past three seasons.

When he first joined the varsity team as a sophomore during the COVID season, it was coming off a 3-21 season without a league win. Three years later, French led the team to a 23-6 overall record and perfect 10-0 league record. This season marked the Knights’ first league championship since 2008.

“He left a big legacy here,” he said. “He’s been the core of all of it. A lot of people will see him score in games, but they miss when he’s leading everything in practice. … Sometimes before (coaches) can say anything, he’s telling teammates how we want to do things.”

French averaged 25 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.5 steals, all team highs, and earned CCAL Most Valuable Player honors. He picked up the offer in early April.

“It just felt comfortable,” he said. “It felt like a place I could play at. The coaches made me feel comfortable and made it feel like I could play for them. That’s what I looked for.

“I’m only 25 minutes away from my family. It feels good for them to be able to come to almost all our home games.”

Apart from the deep threes, thundering fastbreak dunks and lockdown defense, basketball coach Mitch Evans says two of French’s best attributes are his leadership and team-first mindset.

“He led us all the time. He was a great teammate and obviously a great player,” Evans said. “One thing that I liked the most was how excited he got for his teammates when they succeeded. We had some games when the gameplan was to stop him and other teammates stepped up and he was just as excited for them.”

French picked Stan State after fielding offers from UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced, among other schools. The chance to play college basketball was always a goal.

“Early on, we had conversations about what his goal was and he mentioned that he wanted to get a scholarship to play basketball when he was a sophomore,” Evans said. “We knew there was a lot of work to put in and he didn’t know what level he could get to … but over the last three years, he’s put in six, seven days a week in the gym working out and keeping his grades up. It’s been really cool to see all that play out over the past few years.”

Enochs record-setting swimmer signs with Cal Poly: Iain McCarthy is bound for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo after a stellar prep career as a swimmer at Enochs High School. McCarthy started swimming competitively at 10 years old and has since set 14 Merced Skimmers Relay & Individual Team records. In 2022, he was named a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and qualified for the Junior Nationals in the 50 freestyle.

At the Central California Athletic League championships April 20 and 21, he won the 50- and 100-yard freestyles, setting CCAL records in both events and helping the Eagles secure the league’s second spot behind Turlock.

Ripon Christian guard commits to Southern California school: Ripon Christian’s Eli Terpsma was named an All-District first team guard and won Trans-Valley League MVP honors after averaging 19 points a game and leading the Knights to a Sac Joaquin Section Division V championship and a NorCal Division V Regional Championship appearance.

Terpsma on April 18 announced on his social media that he has committed to The Master’s University. Terpsma, a three-sport athlete who starred on the section championship football team in the fall and leads the baseball team in triples, will join a program coming off a trip to the NAIA National Championships in Lakeland Florida. The Mustangs finished the 2022-23 season 20-9 overall and 13-5 in the Golden State Athletic Conference, one of the best NAIA conferences in the country.

TVL coach honored by CIF: Hilmar High football coach Frank Marques was honored by California’s high school sports governing body, the California Interscholastic Federation, as a 2022-2023 Model Coach Award Winner.

“A model coach demonstrates and teaches the six core ethical values: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship.” the CIF said in a press release announcing the 14 winners.

Marques has coached at Hilmar High for 20 years. He is also a teacher and was one of two football coaches honored this year.

“He is a true beacon of respect, responsibility and trustworthiness, and his impact on numerous players and students as a teacher, coach and mentor is vast,” the release said. “Marques’ tireless dedication to not only the football program but also to the Hilmar community is only second to the devotion and love he shows his family, friends and the players he coaches and has coached throughout the years.”

The Yellowjackets made the Sac Joaquin Section Division V championship in 2021 and the 2022 quarterfinals.

Central Catholic’s Cheek rising on college coaches’ radars: Central Catholic defensive back Brooklyn Cheek has continued to pick up offers this off-season. The three-star junior picked up his eighth Division 1 scholarship offer from Utah State on March 22 and recently made trips to Arizona and Arizona State for visits. The All District defensive back finished his junior season with 37 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. With camps and 7-on-7 events picking up in the coming months, Cheek’s recruitment will likely pick up entering his senior year.

Gregori High hosts successful signing event: On Thursday, April 20, around 20 student athletes and their families gathered in the Gregori High library for a signing ceremony. The yearly event hosted athletes from all sports from basketball and football to wrestling and water polo who committed to play at the next level. In total, 31 Jaguars will continue to play their respective sports at all college levels at junior college, NAIA and NCAA schools across the country.

“I really believe that if you can make any college athletic roster at any point, that is an absolutely awesome success story.” said Gregori athletic director James Davis. “In order to be considered, these young men and women had to absolutely grind, not only on the field but in the classroom. We want to make sure we recognize them and show them some love.”

Here is a full list of Gregori athletes who will play in college:

Za’Khari Bean, San Joaquin Delta College, Basketball

Joseph Benavides, MJC, Football

Francesca Bruno, MJC, Water Polo-Swim

Ajenae Castenada, Simpson University, Wrestling

Jonathan Crespin, Western Wyoming, Wrestling

Nate Dobbins, Lewis & Clark, Oregon, Football

Paul Gutierrez Contreras, San Joaquin Delta College, Baseball

Camara Echavarria, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Softball

Chloe Cook, Oregon Institute of Technology, Soccer

Felix Daclan, MJC, Baseball

Sarah Davis, MJC, Basketball

Lola Facha, MJC, Soccer

Reece Fisher, Vanguard University, Beach Volleyball

Xavior Garcia, MJC, Soccer

Lexie Gomez, Sacramento State, Cross Country-Track

Xavier Gray, San Joaquin Delta College, Football

Hannan Groves, MJC, Volleyball

Sofia Heutmaker, MJC, Water Polo

Kaelin House, San Joaquin Delta College, Football

Molly Kendrick, MJC, Water Polo-Swim

Ryan Lal, MJC, Wrestling

Adam Lancaster, Schreiner University, Wrestling

Ethan Macias, MJC, Baseball

Dustin Merlos, Menlo College, Wrestling

Isabella Salgado, Southern Oregon University, Wrestling

Jaleena Shull, Monterey Peninsula, Basketball

Landon Stone, MJC, Baseball

Natalie Sutherlin, Southern Oregon University, Wrestling

Grant Veneman, MJC, Baseball

Isabella Zahra, MJC, Soccer

Omar Cervantes Zambrano, MJC, Soccer