Local athletes sign letters of intent to play in college

Parkway South led area schools with a large group of high school athletes signing their college letters of intent. High school athletes recently signed letters to attend college for all sports except football.

Here are the seven Patriots who inked their college letters, all to Division I schools:
* Amanda Geile (softball): Arkansas
* Sara Davison (softball): Iowa State
* Ashley Brentz (softball): Missouri State
* Kevin Pohle (baseball): Clemson
* Matthew Weiss (baseball): Arkansas State
* Nick Langley (golf): Missouri State
* Olivia Wilkes (swimming): Xavier

"This is the largest Division I signing class we have ever had at South," Patriots’ Athletic Director Chip Allison said. "It is above average. It sure makes us very proud of our student-athletes. What I really enjoy about these student-athletes is what good people they have become. That comes from their parents, teachers and coaches."

Stephanie Villigram has been coaching Patriots’ softball for six years.

"I have not had one D-I recruit, let alone three in one year," Villigram said. "I believe this is the largest D-I recruiting class for the South softball program in its history. I know the seven athletes that signed represented the largest D-I signing class at South High."

Villigram is pleased about her athletes getting a chance to move on to college.

"I am very excited for all three ladies,” Villigram said. “Sara, Ashley and Amanda have worked very hard and poured their hearts into the South softball program. It is wonderful to see their efforts rewarded through scholarships. I also am happy for their families, who also have contributed so much to our high school program." 

Geile was second in the state in home runs with 13. She was a 2009 all-conference, all-district, all-region first-team selection. She is the career pitching wins leader at Parkway South with 47 pitching wins. She also is the career home run leader, single-season runs batted in (RBI) leader with 40 and she is second in career RBIs with 86. She had 28 RBIs this fall along with a .635 slugging percentage.

"Amanda was an integral player the past four years at South," Villigram said. "She not only hits well, but also pitches well. (It is) a great compliment to her work ethic as it takes a great deal of time to do either of these things well, yet she does them both. I always got a feeling of excitement when Amanda was at the plate, knowing the power of her bat. During a big game, I felt confident with the ball in her hands. I look for her work ethic, competitive drive and powerful swing to pave the way for much success at Arkansas."

Davison is the career leader at South with 135 hits and 49 career stolen bases. She is the single-season hits leader with 49 hits. This fall she had 25 stolen bases. She had only one strikeout this season. She was a 2009 first-team pick for all-conference and all-district and she was a second-team choice for all-region.

“Sara has led the infield from the shortstop position for the last four years," Villigram said. "She also has been a very effective lead-off batter and heads-up/aggressive base runner. I have not coached a player as softball wise as Sara. She knows the ins and outs of the game and is a player you want your underclassmen around. I would guess that Iowa State knows they are getting a very good softball player. I am not sure they know the impact Sara's leadership will have on their team and program."

Brentz has 50 career stolen bases. She led team with a .450 batting average this fall and led the team with .506 on-base percentage. She led the team with 36 hits and was second on the team with 19 stolen bases and 27 runs. She posted 50 assists at third base with only one error this year. She was a first-team pick for all-district and all-conference and was a second-team pick for all-region.

"Ashley plays with a passion and competitive drive that is unmatched," Villigram said. "She loves to win and hates to lose. She is a strong vocal leader, and you can always count on Ashley to give it everything she's got. Defensively, Ashley has been a solid and agile third basemen. At the plate, Ashley has been a threatening batter and base runner with speed near the top of the batting order in her career at South. At Missouri State, Ashley will undoubtedly succeed at the college level. She always has been the type of player to play her best when the pressure is on."

Villigram said she "graduated a very special group of senior softball players and their families this year. They have poured countless hours, support and passion into (the) South softball program. With the help of their 2008 and 2009 teammates, they have brought a renewed passion to advance to the state tournament back to South softball and raised the expectations for future South softball players."

South’s golf Coach Mark Wade said he is happy that Langley will continue to play golf in college.

"It is always exciting and rewarding when you have one of your players sign a college letter to continue their golf career,” Wade said. “Nick has been on our varsity from Day 1 of his freshman year. He has been a very consistent and great player these past three years. He also has provided leadership, especially last year when we were such a young team."

Langley’s older brother, Scott, is a junior at Illinois. Wade said Langley had some "offers from Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, but the offer from Missouri State was much greater and solid." In addition, Wade said Langley knows "a few players at Missouri State."

"Nick has always been a great representative of South," Wade said. "In golf you rely on your kids being honest and one who other kids enjoy playing with. Nick has been both."

Last spring, Langley placed second in district and tied for fourth at state. He also won the tournament at Crowne Pointe in a field of 90 golfers and was second in the Suburban West Conference tournament with a field of 50 and placed third at Pevely Farms in a field of 60.

"Missouri State is getting an outstanding player," Wade said.

South’s baseball Coach Adam Stahl said he was pleased for Weiss and Pohle.

"Those guys are quality individuals," Stahl said. "They've worked very hard here at South. This is exciting for us to have them sign letters."

Pohle is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound right-handed pitcher. He went 6-1 last spring with a 2.06 earned run average (ERA). In 51 innings pitched, he struck out 43 and walked 21 batters.

"It's just getting going for Kevin," Stahl said. "He's got draft possibilities as well. He's one of the top two arms in St. Louis and in the top five in the state of Missouri. He's got a solid average pro fastball of 89 or 90 miles an hour and he can get it to 92. He's got a lot of sink. His arm is very, very easy. It's special. Plus, he understands the concept of pitching, which a lot of guys his age have to develop. He understands he's not a big strikeout guy. He's a sinkerball guy who gets you to beat the ball in the ground. He's going to be a good one."

Pohle also plays first base when he is not pitching. He hit .348 last spring.

"We need to keep his athleticism in the field and we need his bat," Stahl said.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Weiss is a first baseman and left-handed hitter.

"He has great potential with his bat," Stahl said. "He has the ability to lift balls."

Both should do well in college, Stahl said.

"There's a world of potential in both of them,” Stahl said. “They definitely deserve where they're going.”

Coach Sara Gerth said Wilkes is a talented swimmer. She swims in freestyle, especially distance free in events such as the 200 and 500 free. At the 2007 state meet, Wilkes placed 15th in the 200 free and ninth in the 200 medley relay. She did not swim in high school last winter.

"I am very excited for Olivia to swim at Xavier," Gerth said. "She felt like it was a great fit for her when she visited the school, and I think that is the most important thing. Olivia has a lot of talent, and I think college swimming will bring it out of her even further than she has displayed thus far. She is unquestionably a great student, which is another reason why Xavier will be a good fit."

Here are other area schools and their athletes who have signed letters.

Christian Brothers College (CBC)
* Matt Kuelker (tennis): Cleveland State University
* Gerry Leonard (lacrosse): Manhattan (N.Y.) College
* Derek Mazzio (baseball): St. Louis University
* Ryan Pierson (basketball): Northeastern (Penn.) University
* Adam Welch (golf): Missouri State

DeSmet
Bryan Niedbalski signed to play baseball at the University of Iowa.

Eureka
Sarah Pewitt signed a letter of intent to play softball at Missouri Baptist.

Incarnate Word Academy
* Jazmine Hitchens (basketball): Ball State
* Chloe Nelson (basketball): Illinois State

Lafayette
* Michael Messer (basketball): Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE)
* Elizabeth Desloge (softball): Rockhurst University
* Christine Hibler (field hockey): Cornell University
* Hillary Lawless (field hockey): Missouri State
* Jessi Holz (swimming): University of Illinois-Champaign
* Shannon McCoy (swimming): Colorado State University
* Samantha Wright (swimming): University of Kentucky
* Sarah Whitman (golf): Westminster College

Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (MICDS)
Hallie Stupp has signed a letter of intent for swimming at the University of Arizona.

Parkway West
Conor Smith has signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Missouri State.

St. Joseph's Academy
* Misia Kedzierski (tennis): University of Illinois
* Katie Thome (tennis): Miami University
* Katye Nash (basketball): Rockhurst University