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Five Gaels Sign National Letters of Intent

Five Gaels Sign National Letters of Intent

Five Gaels Sign National Letters of Intent

ROXBURY, NJ (November 09, 2022) – Roxbury High School saw five seniors sign letters of intent on Wednesday morning committing to continue their athletic careers at institutions of higher learning. Surrounded by friends, family, and teammates these five student-athletes committed to playing different sports at different schools. Kendall Fehsal will head to Rider University to play softball while Justin Ford will head to Seton Hall University to play baseball. Gabriel Ruitenberg will play soccer for William & Mary University, Luke Stanich will wrestle for Lehigh University, and Victoria Latino will play volleyball for Merrimack College in the fall.

Coaches Reflections

Coach Greg Trotter on Justin Ford:

“Justin Ford has had a huge impact on our program and school community. On the field, Justin’s tremendous ability has been evident since he was a freshman. Unfortunately, that season was canceled due to the pandemic. However, we could see after just a week of practice that Justin would have been a big part of our team. Through his sophomore and junior seasons, Justin has continuously been one of the best players on the field. At the plate, he is the player that the opposing team game plans around. On the mound, Justin has taken huge steps forward and has become the ace of our staff. His athleticism is on full display during each game, whether he is pitching, playing the outfield, or playing the infield. Justin can do it all on the baseball diamond.”

“He has become the unquestioned leader of our program and he has also stepped up as a leader of our student body. He is active in our Peer-to-Peer Program, which helps our younger students understand what it takes to be a Gael. He is well-liked by his peers, teammates, teachers, and coaches. Seton Hall University is getting an excellent young man and a great player.”

Coach Kevin Franco on Gabriel Ruitenberg:

“Gabe was named player of the year for all of Morris County in 2022 and runner-up in 2021. Gabe burst onto the scene as a sophomore when he came off the bench to score a game-winning free kick goal against Morris Knolls in his first game as a Roxbury Gael. Ever since that goal, Gabe has been an incredible addition to the long list of great players to come through the boys soccer program. Gabe has an elite mentality in everything he does from an academic or athletic standpoint. No matter if it is a training session, pre-season game, or state final, Gabe is locked in and reliably the best player on the field. Gabe has provided an example to all those who played with him, older or younger, on how to rise to the next level. From his approach to the little things such as nutrition and recovery to the larger things such as scoring a hat trick in the state final, it has been a pleasure to watch. Gabe has provided an example to all those looking to succeed on and off the soccer field within the Roxbury boys soccer program moving forward.”

Coach Anthony McMichael on Victoria Latino:

“Victoria Latino will continue her academic and athletic career at Merrimack University. A four-year Varsity starter, Victoria helped lead our program to the 2021 Morris County Championship, and the 2021 North I, Group III State Sectional Championship. She received All-State and All-Group Honors in 2021, as well as All-Conference Honors in 2022, 2021, and 2020. More importantly, as a great teammate and leader, Victoria always gave credit to others when she and our team were successful.  We wish her nothing but the best in the classroom and on the volleyball court at Merrimack University.”

Coach Daniel “DJ” Roman on Luke Stanich:

“Luke will graduate Roxbury High School as the most accomplished wrestler in Roxbury history. He is already a 3x state place winner, with an excellent chance to become a state champion this March. Over the summer, Luke also became an All-American, by placing 2nd at Fargo Nationals. Luke is one of the hardest-working athletes I’ve had the pleasure to coach. Not only does he put an excellent effort in every day at our practices, but once he is done he regularly leaves and attends another practice at a private club with some of the best wrestlers in the state.”

“Luke was voted captain as a Junior by his teammates because of his leadership qualities. He not only leads by example but is also a vocal presence in the wrestling room, encouraging all of his teammates throughout every practice. If you could describe what a Roxbury wrestler should be both in the classroom, and on the mat, Luke would be the prime example. Luke is also as competitive as they come. Not only does he hate losing, but he is hard on himself even when he lets up a point. This is one of the main reasons Luke will be extremely successful in the sport of wrestling.”

Coach Paul Critelli on Kendall Fehsal

“Kendall Fehsal is a 2x first-team all-state catcher who represents Roxbury in the highest regard both on and off the field. She is the epitome of the phrase student-athlete. Kendall's strong work ethic is equally evident on the softball field as well as in the classroom. Her softball acumen has helped lead the Roxbury Softball program to back-to-back sectional titles and a Group 3 championship in 2021. This year, Kendall was named team captain by her peers. Her dedication to the sport and her studies has led Kendall to receive a scholarship to play softball at Rider University.”

Congratulations Gaels and we wish you all the best of luck next year!

PHOTO ATTACHED (courtesy of Roxbury Schools)

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For more information, contact: Roxbury Community School/Community Relations Coordinator Ann Rhodes at arhodes@roxbury.org or 973-584-7699.