*The names of the graduates featured in this article were provided to Lantern by the athletic office, as reported by the students themselves. Thank you to Mr. Seeker and Mrs. Lechman for their help with this article.
Carson Banks – Basketball – University of Mount Union (NCAA Division III)
Carson Banks committed to Mount Union to continue his academic and athletic career with the Purple Raiders. Banks has played basketball since he was three years old, and this is the most major jump in his career thus far. Banks explained how he first found a passion for the sport.
“I first found my passion for the sport when I was three. I always had a ball in my hand; I had to force my grandpa to lift me up so I could shoot,” Banks said.
For any Senior, deciding where to start your next stage of life can be challenging, but that choice is even more complex for an athlete. Banks explained why he took his talents to Mount Union.
“I chose Mount Union because when I went down for a visit, I was treated like family, and it felt very warming to be around that environment,” Banks said.
Joab Bockstoce – Track and Field – Otterbein University (NCAA Division III)
Joab Bockstoce has committed to Otterbein University for track and field, specifically long jump and high jump. Bockstoce has been running for five years, and it first started because of inspiration from his brother. Although he has also played soccer, Bockstoce shared that when he first started running, he knew it was the sport for him.
“Once you start, it is something that you’re like, ‘Oh, I want to keep doing this,’” Bockstoce said.
Bockstoce talked about how he enjoys continuing to push himself and get better during every meet or practice.
“I can compete against myself and my own personal best,” Bockstoce said.
Bockstoce talked about the mental side of the sport and how it can take a toll on his performance.
“It’s definitely a mental sport. If you get down on one thing in your head it kind of ruins everything, especially in jumping. It’s a very technical event because if you mess up one thing, you can mess up the whole jump,” Bockstoce said.
He said his coaches and teammates have helped him excel during his career and throughout the process.
He shared that he was most excited to step onto a bigger stage in college with a bigger team and higher stakes. College sports are quite a change from high school sports, and he is ready to tackle this challenge head-on.
“[I’m excited for] better competition and more opportunities,” Bockstoce said.
He shared a piece of advice that he would give to someone striving to do the same thing and go down a similar route as him.
“Anything can happen, especially in sports. One season can change your whole career,” Bockstoce said.
Andrew Caranna – Football – Westminster University (NCAA Division III)
Andrew Caranna has committed to Westminster University for football. He kicked for the RHS football team for two years while playing soccer.
Caranna talked about how he first got into football because of Billy D’Amico, RHS’s football coach and track coach.
“I got recruited sophomore year by Mr. D’Amico to play,” Caranna said.
The chance to improve and become a better player intrigued him when he started. It made him want to keep working to become the player he dreamed of being.
“I had a lot of room to grow. There was a lot of room for improvement, and that’s what [inspired] me to keep doing it,” Caranna said.
He specifically thanked D’ Amico for his assistance getting him started with football and keeping him going.
“[He] pushed me to go to practice and pushed me in the summer to get better. It’s kind of a challenge to play both sports, and he helped me through it,” Caranna said.
Caranna expressed his excitement about getting to play more football and getting to be in a totally different environment.
“[In college,] you go to something completely new,” Caranna said.
Caranna said that if someone wants something, to just go for it. He said that people just have to go for it and try something new if they are interested.
“If you’re on the fence about playing, see if it’s fun, because you’ll probably end up falling in love with it,” Caranna said.
Fiona Cooper – Volleyball – Wright State University (NCAA Division I)
Fiona Cooper has committed to Wright State University for volleyball. Cooper has been playing volleyball for six years and originally started by joining her school’s Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) team. She talked about what first sparked her interest in joining the team.
“I decided to join because I wanted to do something with my friends outside of school,” Cooper said.
Cooper moved to RHS in the second semester of her sophomore year from Padua Franciscan High School. She was a co-captain of the RHS volleyball team her senior year. Cooper mentioned her favorite part of volleyball.
“My favorite part of volleyball is the feeling of winning long rallies. Even though the game is very fast paced and the rallies are short, there are some that seem to go on forever,” Cooper said.
She went more in depth as to why these rallies, going back and forth with the other team for an extended period of time, are her favorite part of volleyball and the feeling they bring to her.
“The feeling of winning one of those rallies is the most rewarding feeling ever, and it brings all but fulfilling and accomplished feelings,” Cooper said.
She reflected on her time playing volleyball and specifically addressed her favorite memory. She said it was when her club team, Maverick Volleyball Club, beat their rivals.
“The game was extremely close the whole time, but we ended up winning the game. It was a great feeling because it was something my team and I have never done before,” Cooper said.
Cooper thanked her parents for their unconditional support throughout the years. She talked about how many opportunities they provided her with to get to the athlete she is today.
“They have always supported me through all the challenges and believed that I could get to where I am today,” Cooper said.
Cooper mentioned what excites her most for these next steps in her life and what she is looking forward to.
“I am so excited to play at the highest level and be given the opportunity to play with the most dedicated athletes,” Cooper said.
Conner Groce – Basketball – University of Akron (NCAA Division I)
Conner Groce chose to stay home when he committed to the University of Akron to continue his athletic career with the Zips. Groce will play under his father, John Groce, a coach who has helped lead his squads to multiple NCAA tournaments.
Groce explained how he first found a love for the game, and how his father helped to foster his passion.
“Growing up around basketball with my dad especially helped me come to love the sport. I’ve always had a dream of playing college basketball.” Groce said.
As Groce steps into a premier Division I program, he leaves a legacy of dedication on the Revere program. Groce shared advice he would give to athletes with dreams of playing at the Division I level.
“The biggest advice for people who want to take their game to the next level is to outwork your opponent in every way you can and to always have a positive attitude. You will always have to deal with adversity as a student athlete and learning how to deal with it will help you greatly.” Groce said
Groce’s journey was not without challenges, through every stage of his career he had to fight to achieve his goals. Groce described his feeling when his dreams were realized, and he received his first Division I offers.
“Finding out I was going to be a college athlete was very surreal to me. In middle school, I never played and didn’t even think I’d ever be able to start a game for my varsity team in high school. I’m glad that I worked hard and made it to this point and I’m thankful for everyone who helped me get to this point.” Groce said.
Hadley Hajdu – Basketball – Mount Vernon Nazarene University (NAIA Division I)
Hadley Hajdu has committed to Mount Vernon Nazarene University for women’s basketball. Hajdu has been playing basketball for eight years. Her dad first signed her up for it and after her first season she fell in love with it.
Hajdu talked about her favorite parts of basketball and what she loves about it.
“I love how there are so many aspects of basketball, players can be good at multiple things and it is not just solely based off of how you play offensively alone or defensively,” Hajdu said.
Hajdu talked about how she went through struggles of having self confidence. She spoke about how once she overcame this, it made the game much more enjoyable because she was putting less pressure on herself to succeed.
“My biggest challenge has been believing in myself. People would always tell me that I was a good player, but the one thing that was holding me back was that I did not think I was a good player. . . .Overcoming that roadblock paved the way for my career now,” Hajdu said.
Hajdu also touched on what qualities and mindsets helped her to get to where she is today.
“Things that have helped me along the way are continuing to enhance the skills that I’m good at, and knowing my role and performing the best I can each game,” Hajdu said.
Hajdu said what advice she would give to someone if they were struggling with believing in themselves.
“Life is too short to doubt yourself, give yourself some grace. . . . Always work hard and give 110% no matter the circumstance,” Hajdu said.
She gave her thanks to all the people who have been by her side and supported her through her journey.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone at Revere High School who has supported me for so many years. I am so happy that I decided to come back home,” Hajdu said.
Dylan Halm – Soccer – John Carroll University (NCAA Division III)
Dylan Halm committed to John Carroll University to continue his soccer career with the Lobos. Halm had an illustrious career at RHS, leading the team to a state championship game appearance, while also receiving All-American honors. Halm explained his feelings when he first learned he would be a college athlete.
“It felt amazing as I knew my dream came true playing college sports because that’s what I’ve been working for for such a long time so it was a really good feeling,’’ Halm said.
Having achieved at such a high level, Halm has a large amount of experience that can help those on a similar track. He shared some advice he would give to younger athletes.
“My Advice would be to work really hard and always give your best even when you don’t feel like doing that. And also, you have to understand that it’s going to take a lot of work to play at the next level so practicing and training every day would be extremely necessary,” Halm said.
Jefferson McKinnon – Football – Marist College (NCAA Division I)
Jefferson McKinnon committed to Marist College to continue his academic and athletic career with the Red Foxes. The football recruiting process is notoriously complex, McKinnon shared advice he would give to athletes going through the process.
“Find the best fit for you. You may love one school but if it isn’t the best fit for you it won’t work out. Finding the right fit with all aspects of the school itself, your sport, and academics make for the best experience,” McKinnon said.
Football is a trying sport and to make it to the next level requires an elevated level of passion for the sport. McKinnon explained where he first found his passion for football and how it helped him get to this point.
“I first found my passion when I went to Indiana University, where my father played, to watch them play. It really made me fall in love with the game and want to keep learning more about it whenever possible,” McKinnon said.
Ellie Meech – Track and Field / Cross Country – Ohio University (NCAA Division I)
Ellie Meech has committed to Ohio University for cross country and track and field. She has ran for five years and initially joined to get in shape for lacrosse season. She mentioned the team dynamic and how it helped her love the sport even more.
“Everyone on the team is so supportive and it really feels like a family environment,” Meech said.
She spoke about her favorite memory from over the years.
“My favorite memory was my freshman year when the whole team went to states for the first time,” Meech said.
Although she loves the sport and would not change anything about her experience, she touched on the mental side of it and how it can be challenging.
“It’s a very mental sport and one that’s hard on the body,” Meech said.
She transitioned into what her next steps are going to look like and what she is most excited about.
“I am beyond excited to meet new teammates and create another family atmosphere with them,” Meech said.
Zach Olechnowicz – Football – University of Mount Union (NCAA Division III)
Zach Olechnowicz has committed to Mount Union University for football. He started playing football fifteen years ago because his dad played in high school, his mom was the team manager for Revere and his stepdad played for the Revere team that went to the state final. He mentioned a funny way his dad sparked his interest in football.
“My dad first told me that it was a nice way to be able to hit people legally,” Olechnowicz said.
He spoke about a difficult injury he had to fight through during his time playing.
“I have hip dysplasia, which I was born with. It’s a genetic bone disease that my dad has,” Olechnowicz said.
He explained that although it was challenging, it helped him appreciate his journey more.
“I’ve grown to deal with it and try to mitigate the issue I have with it. After I figured out I had it, it made me feel different about where I was and how I got there,” Olechnowicz said.
Olechnowicz talked about what he loves the most about football and why he has played it for so long.
“My family likes to watch me and it feels good to have people watch you. I also just like the game,” Olechnowicz said.
He shared what he is looking forward to when playing at the next level.
“I’m excited about meeting new people and I’m excited to play in front of a crowd with some big guys in front of me,” Olechnowicz said.
Kylie Perez – Lacrosse – Ashland University (NCAA Division II)
Kylie Perez has committed to Ashland University for women’s lacrosse. Perez moved to RHS during her sophomore year and has been playing lacrosse for six years because her dad wanted her to play a spring sport. She spoke about how she was actually upset at first.
“I was so mad my dad made me start,” Perez said.
Perez said she loves all the friendships she was able to make during her time playing and mentioned how her favorite parts are the enjoyable times she got from lacrosse.
“[My favorite parts were] team bonding and just funny moments on the field,” Perez said.
Perez spoke about conflicts and challenges that come from being a high school athlete and wanting to continue onto becoming a college athlete.
“I’ve had a lot of dumb injuries that hindered my performance, and it can sometimes be hard to contact coaches and get the exposure you need to compete at the level that you want,” Perez said.
She gave her appreciation to her coaches, teammates, parents and her sister for being there for her. She said she would not change a thing about her time playing lacrosse and how much she loved every moment.
“I’m so grateful for every experience playing lacrosse, even the failures have helped me improve as a player,” Perez said.
Garrett Sedlock – Cross Country – Rocky Mountain College (NAIA Division I)
Garrett Sedlock has committed to Rocky Mountain College for cross country. Sedlock moved to RHS his junior year but first started running at his previous high school in Virginia.
“I was on the school rowing team but I lost interest pretty quickly into the beginning of my sophomore season. I always knew I was better than average at distance running so I gave cross country a try and enjoyed it,” Sedlock said.
He brought up how cross country is different from other sports and that is why he likes it so much.
“What interested me about distance running was how it’s less focused on talents, bodies and skills and more so focused on hard work,” Sedlock said.
He focused on an emotional memory for him during the suburban league meet of 2023. He spoke about how it was raining and why the memory means so much to him.
“It was a challenging day but sentimental because it [was] my last suburban meet, and it signaled the end of the season was approaching,” Sedlock said.
He mentioned how he holds himself to an extremely high standard and constantly keeps pushing.
“I’ve never wanted to settle into a spot and accept it,” Sedlock said.
He talked about what lies ahead of him and how he is ready to embark on a new running journey.
“I look forward to getting a fresh start on my journey. There’s going to be new distances to run, new courses to conquer, new rivals to squash and new memories to make,” Sedlock said.
Georgia Stegner – Volleyball – Otterbein University (NCAA Division III)
Georgia Stegner has committed to Otterbein University for volleyball. She has been playing for seven years. She spoke about what she saw that made her want to join volleyball.
“I saw these two girls playing on vacation and I wanted to be just like them. I thought it was super cool, so I started playing,” Stenger said.
She talked about how she enjoys working together for a common goal rather than competing individually.
“I thought the team aspect was fun, it wasn’t really individual,” Stenger said.
She mentioned how she likes that she can keep working to become a better player.
“I like improving and practicing,” Stenger said.
She brought up that her favorite memory was when her team went to Cedar Point over the summer to compete. She said it was a great way to team bond while also getting to play together.
On the heels of that trip, she suffered an injury that stopped her from being able to play at the time. She talked about the changes that this brought her and described the first practice back after the injury had heeled.
“The first practice back was kind of rough. My legs were in shock and I couldn’t really do anything on my feet,” Stenger said.
She mentioned that her RHS senior year coach, Alanna Ramsey, helped her enjoy and appreciate her time playing.
“She was telling me to enjoy every second and always try your best because you’re going to blink and you’re going to be a senior. That’s exactly what happened,” Stenger said.
She expressed that she is excited to move onto something new and surround herself with a new group of people.
“It’s a whole new era of my life,” Stenger said.
Leah Valentine – Track and Field – Johns Hopkins University (NCAA Division III)
Leah Valentine has committed to Johns Hopkins University for track and field. She originally joined the team in middle school because, oftentimes, people would tell her she was fast. She spoke about why she picked track to begin with.
“I think I was just competitive and since I’m not very coordinated, running was my only option,” Valentine said.
Valentine talked about the benefits that have come from the sport and how she is grateful for it.
“I like how much it has pushed me both physically and mentally, and also how it has given me close friends,” Valentine said.
She brought up a highlight of her career when their team made history by winning the suburban league championship last year for the first time in 33 years. This was a core memory for her.
Valentine mentioned struggling her sophomore year and how she had to overcome personal struggles.
“I struggled a lot with my sophomore season because I didn’t get the times I wanted and I wasn’t really enjoying it because of the pressure I was putting on myself. So I had to learn how to have a better mindset about running,” Valentine said.
Valentine gave her advice for someone wanting to pursue athletics and what to do to succeed.
“[Don’t] put too much pressure on yourself and work hard in the off-season so that you can be confident in yourself,” Valentine said.
Laura Wagner – Track and Field / Cross Country – Ohio Wesleyan University (NCAA Division III)
Laura Wagner has committed to Ohio Wesleyan University for cross country and track and field. She has been running since seventh grade and ironically said that she hated it at first, but after training in the summer, she ended up loving it. She talked about how intense but also friendly the competition is.
“I don’t know any other sports that are so competitive with the person right next to you,” Wagner said.
She mentioned one of her favorite memories over her years of running.
“My favorite from this year was jumping into the mogadore reservoir after a long run with my teammates,” Wagner said.
Wagner mentioned a specific challenge she had to overcome during her journey. She suffered from tendinitis her junior year in both of her hips and she talked about the pain she endured.
“It was incredibly painful both when I was running and when I wasn’t,” Wagner said.
Wagner talked about the one thing she would change about her career as a runner.
“The only thing I wish I could change is that I didn’t start sooner,” Wagner said.
Wagner transitioned to what her future is going to look like and how she is excited to meet new friends. She also touched on the difference between college track and high school track and what she is looking forward to.
“I am super excited to try new events in track that high school doesn’t offer like steeplechase,” Wagner said.
Lilly Wojtala – Volleyball – Walsh University (NCAA Division II)
Lilly Wojtala has committed to Walsh University for volleyball. Wojtala has been playing volleyball for seven years. She originally started because she had a family friend that played and her mom wanted her to try it out.
“Originally, I actually didn’t like it at all. . . . I’m really glad that I did play because I actually ended up playing with [my family friend] for a while and she was a huge role model for me,” Wojtala said.
Wojtala mentioned why she kept going at the beginning when she was struggling to enjoy it.
“I love progressing as a player and learning new skills and playing on higher teams. It felt very rewarding after a while,” Wojtala said.
She specifically mentioned that her teammates made her really start to love the sport. Wojtala explained why.
“Your teammates just offer you so much support on and off the court. The people I have met playing volleyball are some of the most incredible people that I’ve ever met,” Wojtala said.
She reflected on her past and said that her favorite memory was making varsity as a freshman. She went more into depth as to why this was so important to her.
“I worked so hard for something and the fact that I actually accomplished it and met my goal made it a very big memory for me,” Wojtala said.
Wojtala shared her gratitude for her parents because of everything they have given her. She explained that she could not have done it without their help.
“They have always supported me through absolutely every decision that I ever made. . . .They really have put so much time and energy and effort into making this experience as good as it possibly can be for me,” Wojtala said.
When talking about the future, she expressed that she is most excited for the people she is going to meet and the bonds that are going to be created.
“I guarantee that my teammates are probably going to end up being my bridesmaids one day,” Wojtala said.
She also spoke about how she is ready to take the next steps as a person, not just as a player.
“It’s not just about you being a player and playing a sport. [Walsh University] uses the sport to incorporate it into your real life because they know your sport isn’t forever. They want to make you the best possible person,” Wojtala said
