Modesto’s Gregori High holds signing ceremony for 11 athletes

Eleven athletes from Gregori High School signed letters of intent to play at colleges far and near Friday in the school’s library.

Football players Matt Vargas (Chadron State-Nebraska) and Tanner Goudeau (West Point), baseball players Tyler Janitz (Willamette) and Justin Cox (Merced College), softball players Cassie Apple (Pacific), Morgan Modesto (Santa Clara) and Samantha Shaffer (Vanguard), and soccer players Mariah McDuffy (Chico State), Karley Hall (Wayne State), Autumn Smithers (San Francisco) and Allie Rocha (William Jessup) made their college destinations official.

Also signing were volleyball players Nicole Desrochers (Chico State) of Oakdale and Jessica Gilbert (Eastern Washington) of Enochs.

Modesto, a senior third-baseman, gave a verbal commitment to Santa Clara last year during her junior season.

“I chose Santa Clara because I didn’t want to go too far away and not be close to my family,” she said. “And the campus isn’t big and all over the place. Plus, the fact that it’s a Jesuit institution influenced my decision. It’s not like I plan on majoring in religious studies, but that definitely played a part.”

Modesto’s classmate, Goudeau, began thinking of a career in the military during his freshman year. He recently received his recommendation to the U.S. Military Academy from Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock.

“My step-sister is currently there at West Point, so I’ll have her to lean on,” said Goudeau, son of Gregori principal Brad Goudeau. “I’m thinking about a career in the military, and I might go into engineering or business management after I retire.”

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Modesto’s Gregori High holds signing ceremony for 11 athletes."