Eight seniors gathered for what was another step in their athletic careers, celebrating with their family, friends, coaches and teammates in a signing ceremony at Columbus North High School on Wednesday.
North had its share of Division I athletes on hand. Capser Clark signed with Indiana University. Last season on the mound, Clark went 4-2 with 52 strikeouts and 11 walks with 1.99 earned-run average in 38.2 innings pitched. At the plate, he had two home runs, two doubles and 18 RBIs on the Bull Dogs team that went 22-8 and captured the Conference Indiana title.
Also from the baseball team, Grant Trinkle signed with Kentucky after hitting .412 with 44 runs, seven triples, two home runs, 16 RBIs and 20 stolen bases last season.
“It’s a great moment for us in the program. These guys are four year starters No. 1. No. 2, they’ve been around the program for a long time,” North baseball coach Ben McDaniel said. “They’re both part of a lot of the success we’ve had as a program. They’re a couple of the hardest workers we have. It’s a good day for us, it’s a good day for the program and for the younger guys to see the hard work pay off.”
North swimmers Olivia Morlok and Betsy King, both state qualifiers last year, have both signed with respective Division I colleges.
Morlok is headed to Ohio University, while King is headed to Ball State University. The third swimmer to sign, Erica Samuel, another state qualifier from last year, is heading to Indiana Wesleyan University.
“I’m very excited to celebrate this day with them. This is the beginning of their next step in their careers. It’s really exciting for all of us,” North swimming coach Logan Schaefer said. “It’s a great opportunity to come and work with three internally motivated girls that want to succeed at the highest level, and they’ve earned their place going off to their respective colleges next year.”
Caroline Hollenkamp will be the farthest from home next year, signing with Brandeis University in Massachusetts. She scored six goals and had 12 assists on a Bull Dogs squad that went 14-3 and winning the Conference Indiana title this past season.
Sierra Norman signed to continue her softball career at Marian University. She hit a team-best .439 with seven doubles, a triple and six home runs and 22 RBIs last season.
“From day one, she’s been one of our best players, always leading in the average and usually one of the top two in home runs, RBIs,” North softball coach Ron McDonald said. “She’s a great team leader, and she’s probably leading in the conference every year as far as hitting. She’s just phenomenal, and she’ll do real well up there. I really look forward to watching her play up there.”
Lauren Opalka signed to continue her volleyball career at Muskingum University in Ohio.
Opalka hoped to have a solid senior season, but tore her ACL in the third game. She returned to the court to do some serving in the Bull Dogs’ senior night victory over Bedford North Lawrence, and then had surgery the following morning after the game.
It’s exciting for Opalka’s coach, Caitie Greiner, that she’ll get the chance to play volleyball at the next level.
“It’s really great that she found one school that she’s going to thrive at academically, and then also that she can be successful at volleyball athletically, too,” Greiner said. “She’s worked so hard for four years, and she’s been through so much. It’s a nice end to all of her goals, and I know that she’s just going to do so great, and it just shows all of her hard work really does pay off in the end, and I’m just so excited for her.”
