For in-game updates, news and more for all the San Clemente High School sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCSports and on Instagram @South_OC_Sports.

San Clemente High School honored 20 of its student-athletes signing their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at the next level in a National Signing Day ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

The Tritons girls soccer team had the most signees with four players making their college choices: Malia McMahon (UC Berkeley), Adelaide Brislen (Colgate), Makenzie Gutkowski (Chico State) and Mia Owens (Utah Valley).

The San Clemente boys soccer team also added two signees with Isaac Nixon (UC Irvine) and Kai Trager (Coast Guard Academy).

IMG_3427

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3407

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3408

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3254

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Athletic Director John Hamro. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3433

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3426

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3420

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3267

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Principal Chris Carter. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3462

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3465

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3413

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3457

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3453

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

For some, the weighty decision wasn’t made until recently, like cross country and distance runner Juan Chantaca, who signed with UC Berkeley. Chantaca only got contacted by the coaches at Cal late in his stellar senior cross country season just before the state meet. Chantaca’s decision process lasted until Tuesday when he made the choice to go to the Bay Area, and the senior said, “A lot of stress and anxiety went away.”

“It was the environment of the team,” Chantaca said of why he chose Cal. “It was a decision that I made and I was thinking about for the past two weeks. The whole environment of the team reminds me of San Clemente’s cross country team. I felt that I fit in to that school and that team.”

For others, the decision was made publicly months ago, like football safety Brad Gerken, who signed with Bucknell University on the opening of the early signing period back in December.

“It felt really nice to go in front of the school at lunch and be with all the rest of the signees from all the other sports that I haven’t really either been with or talked with college with,” Gerken said of the ceremony. “It was a cool experience.”

Reece Torticill also made her college choice in December, but she kept the decision to herself to soak it in. Torticill, known to many as the integral setter for the San Clemente girls volleyball team, chose to play rugby at Sacred Heart University.

“I’ve always been around rugby,” Torticill said. “My brother played. My dad played. So, it’s always been in my family, and I kept deciding back and forth, but my heart’s with rugby.”

Signing Day is always a family affair, as parents get to celebrate all the hard work put in by their children and themselves. For the Eshleman family, Signing Day was that but doubled as twin sisters Abigail and Savannah Eshleman signed on for STUNT cheer at Cal Baptist.

“We’ve done everything together,” Abigail said.

“Honestly, we didn’t plan or think about going to college together,” Savannah said, “but it’s the way it works out. We’re going to school together, rooming together. It’s like home but somewhere else.”

Abigail and Savannah Eshleman are part of just the third class of San Clemente cheerleaders to get scholarship opportunities in STUNT, known as competitive sport cheer in CIF. The Eshlemans were joined by Claire Zenisek, who signed with Hope International.

“I never really thought of STUNT until we came here,” Abigail said. “Cheer didn’t have many scholarships or opportunities to go to college for cheer. When STUNT became an avenue, we really pursued that and love STUNT.”

“I never really thought of STUNT until we came here. Cheer didn’t have many scholarships or opportunities to go to college for cheer. When STUNT became an avenue, we really pursued that and love STUNT.”

“If you were going to college for cheer, you’d have to go through sideline and do the whole football and  all of that,” Savannah said. “STUNT gives you the opportunity to do the sport version and get scholarships and get all the same treatment as an athlete. It’s a really cool opportunity.”

IMG_3276

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Chase Brunson. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3280

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Rhyn Chambers. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3290

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Noah Sech. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3295

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Wyatt Miller. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3299

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Madelyn Phillips. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3305

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Abigail Eshleman. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3307

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Savannah Eshleman. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3311

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Claire Zenisek. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3319

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Lily Dwinell. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3321

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Ella Scott. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3327

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Malia McMahon. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3330

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Adelaide Brislen. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3337

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Makenzie Gutowski. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3344

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Mia Owens. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3348

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Isaac Nixon. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3356

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Kai Trager. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3362

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Reece Torticill. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3369

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Tess Bojorquez. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3377

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Juan Chantaca. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

IMG_3385

San Clemente 2023 Signing Day. Brad Gerken. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Here is the full list of San Clemente honorees on National Signing Day:

  • Chase Brunson (Baseball), Loyola Marymount  
  • Rhyn Chambers (Baseball), Chaminade-Hawaii
  • Noah Sech (Swim), Princeton
  • Wyatt Miller (Swim), Biola
  • Madelyn Phillips (Swim), Purdue                           
  • Abigail Eshleman (Stunt), Cal Baptist     
  • Savannah Eshleman (Stunt), Cal Baptist
  • Claire Zenisek (Stunt), Hope International                          
  • Lily Dwinell (Volleyball), Colorado                         
  • Ella Scott (Volleyball), Cal Poly SLO                       
  • Malia McMahon (Soccer), UC Berkeley                                         
  • Adelaide Brislen (Soccer), Colgate  
  • Makenzie Gutowski (Soccer), Chico State
  • Mia Owens (Soccer), Utah Valley
  • Isaac Nixon (Soccer), UC Irvine
  • Kai Trager (Soccer), Coast Guard Academy
  • Reece Torticill (Rugby), Sacred Heart
  • Tess Bojorquez (Softball), Macalester
  • Juan Chantaca (Cross Country/Track), UC Berkeley
  • Brad Gerken (Football), Bucknell