Early signing day: Athletes celebrate across Southern California

Wednesday is the first day to sign an early national letter of intent for all sports but football, and that means schools, parents and athletes are celebrating around Southern California.

The Southland continues to have one of the strongest representations in high school baseball.

UCLA coach John Savage had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation last season and is taking away another strong group, including the No. 1 player from the City Section, Easton Hawk of Granada Hills.

“The sky’s the limit with him,” Granada Hills coach Matt Matuszak said of the pitcher-outfielder. who throws in the 90s. “I think he’s a guy who will play on TV one day in the big leagues.”

Other UCLA signees are Corona pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein, Mater Dei pitcher Wylan Moss, La Salle center fielder David Mysza, Santa Margarita outfielder Logan de Groot and San Dimas shortstop Kasen Khansarinia.

Orange Lutheran baseball signees include Ben Reiland (Oklahoma State), Derek Curiel (LSU), Finnegan Stewart (Utah Tech), Nate Savoie (Loyola Marymount), Vinny Hudson (Arizona), Gabe Fraser (Arkansas) and Alex Chavez (Loyola Marymount).

Harvard-Westlake’s big three pitchers are signing: Thomas Bridges (TCU), Bryce Rainer (Texas) and Duncan Marsten (Wake Forest).

Corona catcher Josh Springer signed with Oregon and pitcher Sam Burgess with TCU.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s baseball signees are all right-handed pitchers: Levi Sterling (Texas), Sammy Petrocelli (Stanford), Erikas Puodziunas (Michigan) and Nathan Kuglar (Dartmouth,

Corona Centennial basketball players Carter Bryant (Arizona) and Eric Freeny (UCLA) signed on Wednesday. Mercy Miller of Notre Dame signed with Houston. Trent Perry of Harvard-Westlake will sign with USC. Isaiah Elohim of Sierra Canyon is headed to Arkansas. James Evans of West Ranch signed with UNLV. Jack Turner of St. John Bosco signed with Loyola University. Sebastian Rancik of JSerra signed with Colorado.

The shocker of the day came at Loyola, where the nation’s No. 1 boys’ volleyball player, Sean Kelly, signed with UCLA. He had been committed to Princeton for months. He had an injury recently and took time to reconsider his options, coach Mike Boehle said.

“There was a whirlwind of events that took place,” Boehle said. “He felt UCLA was going to give him his best chance for athletic and academic success.”

This article will be updated throughout the day with more signing day news.