The students and their families convened in the theater for the opportunity to showcase where they’re continuing their studies and sports
By KRYSTAL NURSE
The Sun
Five students, their families and coaches were welcomed to Clearview Regional High School’s theater last week as the students signed their National Letters of Intent to their prospective colleges and universities.
Athletic Director Mike Vicente remarked how proud he is of all the athletes in obtaining NCAA Division I and Division II scholarships. He said the athletes are pushed to focus on their grades first and sport second because scouts will turn away students who aren’t in good academic standing.
Head coach of the girls lacrosse team, Megan Conklin, said, through a letter, how Ashley Slowicki, who signed with Holy Family University in Philadelphia, had the “unique ability to play any position on the field.” She went on to say Slowicki has a tenacious personality on the field, and off the field she has a quiet and subtle sense of humor.
Slowicki said she chose Holy Family due to its proximity to the area and because it was a small school. Since her lacrosse career started in third grade, Slowicki said she’s had to overcome a stress fracture and that it made her work harder in the following season to get back out on the field.
“I was very determined and worked hard to get my goal, and I’m happy that everyone is by my side and helped me get there,” she said.
She plans to study marketing at the university.
Golfer Gage Wolfle signed with St. John’s University in Queens and said he wanted to study finance, which he said he became interested in after taking four years of accounting classes at Clearview. He hopes to become a financial analyst. As far as his golfing career, Wolfle said he adored the courses at St. John’s and grew to love the school.
His coach, Dan Lafferty, remarked how Wolfle and the rest of the golf team has been able to accelerate the program to overall and individual success, which hasn’t been done for 20 years.
“It’s truly been an honor to watch what he’s done, including with everyone else’s games because he helped bring them up to a very high level,” said Lafferty.
A year following a thumb break, football player Justin Iaccio said he signed with Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to study business because, when he made his first visit, “the coaches were very welcoming and it felt like a great atmosphere.”
The break, he said, was difficult to recover through, but he’s overall satisfied knowing his hard work paid off.
“As a teammate, player and person, he’s everything you’d want your program to stand for,” said head football coach Steve Scanlon. “He, along with his teammates, have helped revitalize and elevate our program.”
Soccer player Josie Wilson signed to play at Chestnut Hill College and study Spanish because of the overnight visit she experienced there, and her love for the language. Wilson added her favorite moment in her athletic career was defeating Eastern Regional High School in penalty kicks and running up Victory Hill — an area between Clearview’s football field and athletic entrance teams run up and down following wins.
Head coach Dan Matozza remarked on Wilson’s work ethic, especially through a back injury, and fought her hardest to be cleared for play.
Brandon Dick committed to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., for wrestling and to study nursing. He added his first visit at the university made him feel at home, and he fell in love with the campus, coach and facilities.
Dick said a tear in his right knee this year, which he tore previously, almost made him want to stop wrestling, but he said he didn’t want to end his career just yet as he was able to win districts on Feb. 16.
“As a person, Brandon is a phenomenal kid,” said wrestling head coach Steve Duncan. “When a kid asks for help, Brandon is always there and stops what he’s doing to go over and help a kid out. He’s always right there to help them along the way.”
Dick is in the midst of his final wrestling season. Wilson has concluded her high school soccer season, and Iaccio concluded his football season in the fall. Slowicki and Wolfle have their final seasons starting in a few weeks for lacrosse and golfing, respectively.
