Dozens Of High School Athletes Make College Choices On National Signing Day

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - It's a day marked on the calendar for months for local high school athletes, dozens of whom made their college plans official on Wednesday.

There were a lot of smiles, high-fives, and dreams realized for a select group of 10 student athletes at Jesuit High School. Ten athletes at the Catholic private school put pen to paper on National Signing Day.

Thomas Sperbeck, son of Sacramento State football coach Marshall Sperbeck, committed to Boise State on a football scholarship.

"It's kind of a big relief," he admitted. "I feel really blessed that I have this opportunity, and I'm not going to take it for granted."

Austin White committed to Oregon.

"It's still soaking in," he said. "It just means so much to me. It's just amazing."

Sperbeck said achieving the goal was rewarding.

"Hard work pays off, because I've put a lot hours into it, and I've practiced a lot, so I'm really satisfied that I got this opportunity," he said.

The opportunity that many students never get - National Signing Day is a life-changing moment.

"Oregon has always been my dream school," White said. "I've never dreamed of even competing at the University of Oregon. Just to have this opportunity is an amazing blessing."

Family packed the signing wearing their emotions on their sleeves.

"He's keeping it going," said J. Arthur White, whose grandson committed to New Mexico. "I went to college and I'm successful, and I know he's going to be, and I look forward to seeing great things from him."

At Granite Bay, 15 students signed with colleges Wednesday. Parents packed the career center to take pictures and show their support.

A pair of tennis-playing twins are heading to the Air Force Academy. One student who signed with Cal as a runner happened to run late for his own signing day. He credited his coaches for helping prepare him for college.

"They've really helped me grow the way I wanted to grow, not just as a runner but as a person too," Trent Brendel said. "And it's been a great experience all-around."

He promised he won't run late for classes at Cal.

Other students are going to San Jose State, UC Davis, Loyola Narymount, and Indiana.

One of the top recruits in the country, Placer High lineman Eddie Vanderdoes, waited until 5 p.m. to make his much-anticipated announcement. One of his final choices, Notre Dame, listed him as one of its signed players Wednesday morning but then backtracked and said it made a mistake.

Turns it it wasn't. Vanderdoes confirmed the choice during his news conference.