Posing with their gear, seniors Marly Carmona, Bryce Montes de Oca and Caitlin Broadwell show pride for the schools they signed to. Not pictured: Andrea Mills. Photo illustration by Ashley Hocking

By Roscoe Bradt

Four seniors have signed letters of intent promising to go on to a sports career in college.

Caitlin Broadwell

Volleyball outside and middle hitter Broadwell signed her letter on Dec. 4 to play at The University of Nebraska Kearney.

A sibling rivalry introduced Broadwell to the game.

“I started because my sister was playing volleyball,” Broadwell said, “I always wanted to be better than her at everything.”

That competitive spirit showed throughout her high school volleyball career, staking her as a key player on the team. It wasn’t all smooth sailing though.

Broadwell went through a surgery this year correcting an overactive thyroid gland that forced her to sit out for much of the season. The surgery was successful, and she’s on track for a successful college career.

Although Broadwell is committed to her volleyball career, she also has her mind set on education.

“I want to study psychology and photography,” Broadwell said. “I’m really interested in the mind and I’m also really into photography. [Photography teacher Angelia] Perkins just got me into it.”

Bryce Montes de Oca

Baseball right-hand pitcher Montes de Oca began playing when he was 4.

“I just thought that [it] was my favorite sport ever, kind of fell in love it,” Montes de Oca said. “I caught the baseball bug.”

Montes de Oca signed his letter to play baseball at the University of Missouri on Nov. 14. Similar to Broadwell, Montes de Oca faced his own medical issues.

“I had surgery on my [right] elbow but everything is fine now,” he said.

In the future, Montes de Oca wants to become a therapist or an orthopedic surgeon, but baseball is his passion now.

“It’s hard to describe,” he said. “You just are around it so much you get into it and you fall in love with it.”

Marly Carmona

Softball shortstop Carmona got quite the head start when it came to her sports career.

“My mom played slow pitch, and I just wanted to play softball — grew up around it,” Carmona said.

Carmona signed her letter on intent to play at Emporia State on Nov. 15, and she’s geared up to continue her sports career after high school. While Carmona isn’t 100 percent sure what she would like to study, she has an idea.

“They have a really good program for teaching, so I might go into that,” Carmona said.

Andrea Mills

Softball shortstop Andrea Mills recently signed to play for Kansas Wesleyan University. Starting at a young age, Mills’ mom got her started in the sport.

“She played at KU, and she pushed me toward softball,” Mills said. “I just loved it.”

Mills also plays volleyball and participates in LHS Link Crew, helping make the school a better place for newcomers. She plans on spending a lot of time in schools in the future as an elementary school teacher.

“It’s very exciting and very nerve-racking at the same time,” Mills said.