Numerous Cenla athletes sign to colleges on early national signing period

Before the Class of 2019's prep boys and girls of spring turn their sights to Sulphur, there was another order of business to take care of.

Central Louisiana had 11 players sign to colleges Wednesday for the early signing period for all non-football sports as 10 were softball signees and one was a baseball signee.

Northwestern State's softball program picked up a trio of players from its backyard Wednesday as Pineville infielder Kacee Mertens, Rapides pitcher Sydney Lewis and Many shortstop Keely Dubois signed their National Letters of Intent with the Lady Demons.

All three players made the All-Cenla team in May as Dubois was a first-teamer after batting .618 with eight home runs and 48 RBIs, while Mertens and Lewis were second-teamers. Mertens batted .382 with 30 runs scored and 20 stolen bases, while Lewis went 18-10 and struck out 200 batters.

"I love the coaches and I love the atmosphere," Mertens said. "I'm excited to be in Natchitoches."

Lewis added, "I've been there a couple of times and I just really liked the atmosphere (there). Coach (Donald) Pickett is a great coach and I really like the program that they're running."

Leesville's Johnathon Harmon was the lone baseball player to sign Wednesday, and he will also call Natchitoches home for the next four years after signing his NLI with the defending Southland Conference tournament champions.

"It's a dream come true," Harmon said. "I've been working my whole life for this moment and to do it in front of my friends and family, it means everything to me."

Alexandria Senior High catcher Jaislyn Merendino will also play Division I ball but is stepping outside of Louisiana after she signed her NLI to Southeast Missouri State.

"SEMO's a great college, the coaches are great and the softball team's amazing," Merendino said. "Overall, it's just a great fit for me."

Pineville catcher Adelle Chapman is also going out of state for her college career as she signed a non-binding waiver form to Mississippi College.

"It's really special," Chapman said. "It's something that Kacee and I have always worked for and it feels good to finally pay off."

Leesville has been in the mix in going to Sulphur in each of the last three years thanks to catcher Ryleigh Hicks and infielder Keyana "KeKe" Poteat.

Those two players signed to nearby schools as Hicks inked with Louisiana College and Poteat will go the junior college route to LSU of Eunice.

"I've coached them since they were 5 or 6 years old," said Lady Cats coach Betty Hicks, who is also Ryleigh's mother. "I've watched them grow as young ladies and it's been a big deal watching them grow and be a part of everything they've been successful at." 

Outside of the area, former LSU of Alexandria assistant coach Robbie Tate guided Caldwell Parish to its first state title last season and his looks poised to repeat behind its backbone of Victoria Abrams, Anna Hunt and his daughter, Whitney Tate.

Abrams signed with LSU, while Hunt inked with Memphis and Whitney will be heading to McNeese.

"The big part is the work ethic that these girls have had from a young age," Robbie said. "The discipline, focus and sacrifices that they made to get to this point is what's really impressive. It's easy to get distracted and give up, but these girls have been focused, locked in and had a goal. They didn't waver from that and they push each other and make each other better."

The Lady Spartans had a fourth player sign on Thursday as Bailey Carson signed to Crowley's Ridge College in northeast Arkansas.

CENLA SIGNEES

ASH
Jaislyn Merendino, softball, Southeast Missouri

CALDWELL PARISH
Victoria Abrams, softball, LSU
Bailey Carson, softball, Crowley's Ridge College
Anna Hunt, softball, Memphis
Whitney Tate, softball, McNeese

LEESVILLE
Jonathan Harmon, baseball, NSU
Ryleigh Hicks, softball, LC
Keyana “Keke” Poteat, softball, LSUE

MANY
Keely Dubois, softball, NSU

PINEVILLE
Adelle Chapman, softball, Mississippi College
Kacee Mertens, softball, NSU

RAPIDES
Sydney Lewis, softball, NSU