ARCADIA SPORTS PAGE ARCADIA SPORTS PAGE Page 58 December 2012 Five Titans sign letters of intent to continue career By Nathan Humpherys Three volleyball players, a tumbler, and a slugger sat at tables outside the Arcadia High School cafeteria on the school’s fall signing day. Those who hadn’t already signed their letters of intent folded them out on their table and rested their ballpoint pens on top. As principal John Biera delivered a short address, some of the athletes smiled, while others looked pensive. The family members sitting beside them beamed, without exception. Arcadia will hold another signing day in the spring for those athletes who weren’t ready to make a commitment. For parents, it’s a time to bask in their children’s achievement. For the athletes, it’s a chance to feel a mix of excitement and invigorating relief. “It’s just a breath of fresh air to know where you’re going,” said volleyball player Stacy Benton, who committed to Dartmouth after being offered a partial academic scholarship. Studying and playing at an Ivy League school is the last thing Benton thought about before recruiting began, but after a visit to the Big Green in New Hampshire, Dartmouth was the only place she wanted to go. She’s still thinking about what she wants to study once she gets there. Benton’s teammate, Jensen Barton, had full-ride offers from Northern Arizona University and Georgia Southern University, but decided to commit to NAU because it will allow her to be away from home without going too far. She wants to study exercise and fi tness, but hasn’t picked a speci fi c major yet. Barton started playing volleyball so she could get a scholarship and play in college, but the realization that all the hard work has started paying off is still sinking in. “It’s unbelievable,” she said. “It’s surreal. I’m so excited that it actually happened.” After visiting more than fi ve schools, Izzy Miller committed to Boise State for volleyball. She knows moving to a place so different from home will be an adjustment but feels that it’s the right place for her. More than anything else, she fi nds the prospect of change exciting. “I think it’s going to be a great transition for me,” she said. “A new place, a new opportunity. Continued on page 60 Arcadia boys grab state swimming championship By Nathan Humpherys The awards podium at the swim and dive state meet is a familiar place for Arcadia, and Saturday was no exception. The 2012 Titans will be taking up more space in the school trophy case after the boys won the Division II state championship and the girls placed second. The meet was at the Mesa Skyline Aquatic Center. This is the third boys championship Arcadia has won under coach Erica McClurg, who has led the girls to seven state championships. The boys have placed fi rst or second for six years running, while the girls have done likewise for seven straight years. But that doesn’t make it any less exciting. “It feels awesome, really,” McClurg said. “This was such a tight meet, especially on the girls’ side. I feel like every swim that we had today mattered. “Our divers, in the end, are who came through for us, because if we didn’t score any points in diving, (the girls) would have gotten third in the meet.” The boys beat out Salpointe Catholic 252-221 for fi rst place by starting strong with a second place in the 200-yard medley relay and fi nishing by placing one-two in the 100-yard breaststroke and winning the 400 freestyle relay. “It’s really just a blast,” said Matt Anderson, who anchored the 400 freestyle relay and placed fi rst in the 100 breaststroke. “So many of these guys have been so much fun, and I’m just glad that we pulled it off.” Danny Bullington followed Anderson in the 100 breaststroke, fi nishing second, and also placed second in the 50-yard freestyle. Anderson and Paul Jacobs fi nished second and fourth, respectively, in the 200 individual medley. Freshman Antonio Ramirez was fourth in the 200 freestyle but blew the competition away in the 500 freestyle, leading by half of a lap down the fi nal stretch and fi nishing eight seconds better than the next fastest swimmer. Ramirez, Bullington, Anderson and Jacobs were on the winning 400 freestyle relay team. The girls foursome of Matti Harrison, Katherine Gonzales, Sarah Fournier and Emily Harrison fi nished third in the 400 freestyle relay. Harrison was fourth in the 100 butter fl y. Divers Alyssa Roden and Hayley Pachman fi nished in the top 16 to push their team into second behind Salpointe, 246-221. HUBBARDSWIM.COM 602.971.4044 JOIN US for year-round indoor swim lessons FREE BABY SPLASH 8 wks - 5 mos LITTLE SNAPPERS 6 mos - 35 mos GROUP LESSONS 6 mos - 12 yrs REGISTER TODAY! learn-to-swim, strokes & squads PHOENIX, MESA & PEORIA

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