Players Put “Pen to Paper,” Commit to Division 1 Schools

BY BLAIZ BLACKSTON Staff Writer

A few Wilde Lake athletes are taking the next step in their sports journeys with commitments to play for several Division 1 colleges. From lacrosse to football, from Virginia to College Park, these Wildecats are taking their talents throughout the DMV.

Cassy Montgomery: Virgina Tech Lacrosse

For Cassy Montgomery, lacrosse is leadership. When deciding where her next journey would begin, Cassy, now committed to Virginia Tech for lacrosse, wanted a program that allowed her to embrace this aspect of the sport.

Virginia Tech’s D1 lacrosse program is upcoming. Cassy saw this as an opportunity to continue to help teach the sport to others.

At first Cassy was unsure of where she wanted to take her talents, knowing that she wanted to play at the Division One level.

“I kept my options open,” said Cassy, “Virginia Tech reached out and I got really interested and it just kinda happened.”

Cassy points to her time spent on the field as a club lacrosse player as a key in hr recruitment process. The club had her involved playing in many showcases and tournaments up and down the east coast. These showcases, according to Cassy, could be intimidating at times, but they helped her get to where she is now.

“Playing club and going to all the showcases and seeing the coaches is kinda of intimidating especially when you can’t talk to them but they’re there,” said Montgomery.

Having a strong support system throughout the recruitment process was incredibly important to Cassy and her commitment journey. “My parents, my teammates were always super supportive of me. They never held me down, they always pushed me forward, but they never forced me to do anything” said Cassy.

According to Cassy, her involvement in the Wilde Lake Lacrosse program helped her succeed on her club lacrosse team. “Wilde Lake helped me take a leadership role. It made me speak up and teach other people how to play lacrosse,” said Cassy.

Cassy says that consistent effort and dedication were vital for her as an athlete.

“I just picked a goal and I stuck with it... There was no stopping. Once I had a goal in mind, I just kept going.

Grace Dunbar: UMBC

Soccer

Soccer runs in Wilde Lake Soccer

Captain Grace Dundbar’s veins. From the moment Grace Dunbar stepped on the field, she was filled with a love for soccer.

Grace first started playing at an incredibly young age and her love was influenced by her older sister, Lily, who now plays soccer at Drexel University.

“I started when I was two or three years old because my sister who’s 4 years older than me started playing when she was young and my parents just kind of put me in it for fun to see if it worked out” says Grace.

Grace said her love for the sport took off when she started playing for the Baltimore Celtics. Her interest and passion for the sport continued to grow as she pursued club soccer. “It was immediately something I was good at. I liked being on a team. I liked playing with my friends. And I’m very competitive.”

When deciding where to continue her athletic and academic career, Grace decided she wanted to stay local. After receiving offers from St. Mary’s of Maryland and New Jersey Institute of Technology, Grace decided that University of Maryland Baltimore County was the place for her.

Both the athletic and academic opportunities at UMBC appealed to Grace.

“It was a really good fit for me academically. I love the school, and I love that campus,” she said, “It was just a big combination of the academics, the athletics, and the teammates were super nice. I loved the coaches”

Soccer is a large part of Grace’s life and she is looking forward to her college career playing for the UMBC Retrievers Girls Soccer Team. “It’s just been a really good outlet for me. No matter what’s going on as soon as I’m playing it feels right” says Grace.

Dylan Gooden: University of Maryland Football

As a transfer from Good Council, Dylan Gooden is a new face at The Lake. However, his talent does not go unnoticed. An invitee to the Under Armor All American Game, where stars such as Jamar

Chase, Travis Hunter and Justin Fields have played, and ranked number six in Maryland by ESPN, Dylan is a star on the football field.

After receiving a total of 26 offers, including schools such as Penn State and Virgina Tech, Dylan decided to keep his talents close to home and committed to the University of Maryland. According to Dylan, this will put him on the field as a Freshman.

When Dylan first started getting offers, it felt like something out of a dream for him. “It just didn’t feel real at first. It’s something you dream of most of the time so when it first came in it just wasn’t like a real thing” says Dylan.

The support Dylan received from his parents and coaches guidied him to where he is today. “Without my parents pushing me probably wouldn’t be where i’m at. Plus, good coaching” says Dylan.

Dylan looks forward to being able to continue honing his craft. He says he hopes to eventually carry his passion for the sport

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