Tuesday afternoon, friends, family, and teammates gathered in the Hart gym to honor seven student-athletes as they signed their National Letters of Intent (NLI) to compete at the collegiate level.

The athletes represented a wide range of sports, including football, flag football, men’s and women’s soccer and baseball.

Jacob Paisano – Football – University of Northern Colorado

Jacob Paisano

Paisano led the Foothill League in total yards with 3,066. He finished the season with 2,238 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, 787 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 186.5 passing yards per game.

Those numbers, along with his intangibles, earned him a scholarship to Northern Colorado. Paisano said the process took time, but he remained patient, knowing the opportunity would come.

“It feels great to finally put that pen to paper,” said Paisano.

Although his recruiting journey had been ongoing, Paisano did not take an official visit to Northern Colorado until two weeks before signing.

“The coaching staff from the head coach to every position were welcoming and everybody was excited and it seemed like the right fit,” said Paisano. “It was a no-brainer for me. As soon as I went on to the campus, seeing everything and meeting everybody, I just knew that I wanted to be.”

One of the biggest adjustments Paisano will face is playing in snowy conditions, something he experienced during his visit.

“Even the coaches said ‘I hope we don’t scare you away because we know you’re a California kid,’ but I know anywhere you go you’re going to have to deal with new conditions,” said Paisano.

Ellie White – Flag Football / Soccer – Marymount University

Ellie White celebrates with her family.

White became the first athlete in Hart history to sign and receive a scholarship for flag football.

“It’s been amazing and I thank my coaches for helping me become the player I am today and I don’t think I can be where I am without them and my family,” said White.

She said it was an honor to be the first Hart athlete to earn a flag football scholarship, noting that the sport’s emerging status made the recruiting process challenging.

“They’re on the east coach most of the time (referring to universities with a flag football program), so I did a lot of emailing and following on Instagram,” said White. “The university I went to DMed me, so I applied, went out there and visited. So it was definitely a tough process of figuring out how to get there and visit.”

White also planned to compete as a dual-sport athlete, making it essential that her college allowed her to play both flag football and soccer.

“I knew I couldn’t give up one or the other, so I really tried my hardest to do both sports,” said White.

She contacted both programs at each school she considered to ensure she would not have to choose between the two. Marymount proved to be the best fit for her dual-sport goals.

During her junior season, White totaled 40 carries for 511 yards and seven touchdowns. She also recorded 25 receptions for 203 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, she finished with 56 tackles and five interceptions.

Hayden Rhodes – Baseball – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Rhodes was part of Hart’s 2024 CIF Division 2 championship team as a sophomore and has been with the varsity program for three seasons. He earned second-team all-league honors during his sophomore year.

Across his varsity career, Rhodes has totaled 12 hits, eight RBIs, five stolen bases, and seven runs scored, while striking out 18 times at the plate.

“The work that this kid puts in the weight room, in the battling cages, with his long toss, he’s an incredible outfielder and hitter,” said Hart Head Baseball Coach Brad Meza.

Entering his senior year, Rhodes will have another opportunity to add to his legacy.

Malachi Wobrock – Baseball – Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Wobrock is committed to MIT as he prepares for his senior season. Meza said Wobrock has made major strides from his junior year, now topping 88 miles per hour on the mound.

He added that both Wobrock and teammate Hayden Rhodes are known for their work ethic on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom.

Messiah Antwi – Men’s Soccer – California State University, Northridge

Messiah Antwi takes a picture with his family.

Antwi helped lead Hart to a perfect 12-0 league record last season, securing the Foothill League title. He will now take his talents to CSUN, where he will have the opportunity to play alongside his older brother.

In addition to soccer, Antwi is also part of Hart’s basketball program, which defeated West Ranch on Wednesday to clinch a playoff spot.

Makenna Herrick – Soccer – Pittsburg State University

Herrick played a key role in the Hawks’ season, helping the team finish 11-7-3 and second in the Foothill League.

She led the league with 15 assists, placing her in the top 10 among all CIF-SS girls players. Herrick also ranked third in the league with eight goals.

Kylah Bennett – Soccer – Colorado Christian University

“As a soccer player, she’s someone that give you a lot of trouble and is someone you don’t want to play against, but someone you want to play with,” said Head Coach Brett Croft. “So we’re super thankful to have had Kylah here.”

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