Oaks Christian School's National Signing Day Ceremony Honors 26 Athletes

Feb. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Westlake Village, California—Each year, Oaks Christian School honors its student-athletes who are signing National Letters of Intent to participate in college athletics.  This year, OCS athletic scholarships represent eight different sports. In an early morning ceremony on February 5, OCS Athletic Director Jan Hethcock introduced each scholarship recipient and encouraged each of them that whether they played to hundreds in a smaller stadium or hundreds of thousands on national television, they should each recognize that ultimately they play to an audience of one—Jesus Christ.

The OCS Track and Field program has much to celebrate as it sends six athletes to the next level. Canadian Junior Decathlon Champion and record holder Zack Bornstein will compete in both track and field and football for University of California, Los Angeles. Bornstein has already qualified for the World Junior Decathlon Games and plans to train for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Sprinter of the Year and football wide receiver Malik Cyphers will sign for Portland University to contribute to both the track and field and football.  More track standouts include Nathan Cruz signing for Wheaton University and Asha Culhane signing for University of California, Berkeley.  OCS track stars Kyle Frederickson and Mateo Gomez are still considering college offers.

The Lions football program always attracts attention and this year, seven OCS football players will be going on to play college ball.  They include Chris Davis heading to University of New Mexico, celebrated quarterback Brandon Dawkins going to University of Arizona, Chase Gardella playing for University of Puget Sound, Clayton Hibbert signing for California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Damon Riggins going onto University of Hawaii, Manoa, and Tyrone Faanono signing with Montana State University.

This year, soccer makes another impressive showing with Alexandra Bruder signing for University of Southern California, Andrew Stalboerger signing for California State University, San Marcos, Dante Pezzi signing for Loyola Marymount University, Kerry Manion signing for Columbia University, Abby King signing for University of Oregon, and Jessica Pantuso signing for University of Central Arkansas.  OCS softball has three girls going on to play college ball:  Kristin Cullen to University of California, Berkeley, Sam Glantz to University of Utah, and Carly Roleder to Claremont McKenna College.  Boys and Girls Basketball teams have had exciting seasons with Aleksandr Abrams signing with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Jordan Flannery signing with University of California, San Diego, and Kailee Severt signing with Claremont McKenna College.  Girls Volleyball had an exciting season as well and will send Grace Napolitano to New York University and Shelby Livingstone to Rice University. OC baseball star Spencer Vogelbach signed for Hamilton College and lacrosse standout Dominic Santor signed for Ohio Wesleyan University.

Congratulations to all these dedicated student-athletes who have risen to distinction in athletic performance and character, while maintaining academic excellence.