Richie King ‘22, Nora Larson ‘22, and Luke Whitfill ‘22 signed to their respective colleges for athletics.
For many high school students, participating in college sports acts as the next step to achieve athletic success in their sport. Additionally, college athletics can give players a step-off point into the world of professional sports. Barstow takes pride in its athletics caliber and proudly presented three senior athletes who have committed to college sports programs.
For Richie King ’22, Nora Larson ‘22, and Luke Whitfill ‘22, sports have become a way for them to not only apply and receive admission to colleges and universities, but also an outlet for their talent, skill, and passion. To honor them and all their hard work, the school assembled in the Varsity Gym, on April 14 to watch the athletes commit to their colleges.
Their admission into college athletics is remarkable, and it displays just how talented these students are at their sport. On top of the students being scouted by their respective universities, the students also displayed great academic achievement through grades, GPA, and test scores.
Luke Whitfill ‘22 has participated in Cross Country and Track in Field for all four years of high school. His hard work and excellence in running has paid off and he signed for cross country at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.
Whitfill ‘22 has attended state every year for cross country, and he placed 37th this year. He frequently placed top 10 in local meets and PRed regularly. He has had similar success in his track career and looks forward to continuing running in college.
Nora Larson ‘22 has participated in school and club volleyball for seven years, being a member of the Varsity girls’ volleyball team all four years of high school. She has played on the MOKAN all-state team, attended nationals and achieved over 1,000 digs. Throughout her highschool volleyball career, Larson ‘22 made academic all-district and all conference awards every year, and her senior year she achieved academic all-state. Larson ‘22 helped to guide the team as a senior captain and will carry her skill and leadership through to Swarthmore College, where she signed to.
Richie King ‘22 has played tennis since he was 3 and is currently one of the best boys tennis players in the state. In 2021, he was an instrumental part of the tennis team’s state victory, where he only lost one set throughout the whole tournament. King ‘22 signed to Wichita State University and will continue his fruitful career there.
While students filed into the gym, the three students sat at their respective tables, proudly displaying their documents, medals, photos, and college paraphernalia. Students sat on the bleachers while Whitfill ‘22, Larson ‘22, and King ‘22’s family and coaches sat next to the athletes.
Don Stelting, the Athletics Director, introduced each of the students, reading off their accomplishments. First, Stelting introduced Larson ‘22, who was joined by both of her parents and was surrounded by her teammates, who sat in the front row of the gym.
Her table was decorated with Swarthmore’s burgundy and white colors, as well as the multitude of trophies the Barstow team has won with her at the helm. Larson ‘22 has been captain for the girls team for multiple years of high school, ascending to the role of senior captain in this last year. Her role as libero also displays another skill set unique to that volleyball position, illustrated by her achievement of close to 1,000 digs over her high school career.
Chloe Foster, the Varsity volleyball head coach and the Barstow Social Media Coordinator, gave a speech in Larson ‘22’s honor. On top of highlighting Larson ‘22’s leadership, especially in helping the middle school volleyball team, Ms. Foster noted Larson ‘22’s immense dedication and hard work. She regaled the gym with stories about Larson ‘22’s two-a-day practices and her insistence on coming in on the weekends to work on her skills. Additionally, Ms. Foster added anecdotes about her stubbornness while being captain, saying that it would be a strength, not a weakness, as she ascended to the next levels of her career.
Once Foster concluded the speech, Larson ‘22 signed the document, committing to Swarthmore College volleyball. She was immediately met with whoops of happiness from her teammates and a round of applause from the audience.
Next, Whitfill ‘22 was presented. His coach of four years, Candace Baldwin, middle school math teacher, and student success center teacher, read a speech highlighting Whitfill ‘22’s great qualities.
On top of being exceptional in his sports, Whitfill ‘22 also demonstrated great leadership as the captain of both teams, and sportsmanship inside his meets and practices. Ms. Baldwin also demonstrated his general kindness and respect for the sport and the others who participate in it.
Whitfill ‘22 was joined by his parents, his brother, Joe Whitfill ‘24, and his grandmother. After Ms. Baldwin finished her speech, Whitfill ‘22 signed to Trinity College for track and cross country.
Finally, King ‘22 was introduced by Stelting to the rest of the gym. King ‘22 was joined by many members of his family, including his parents, his two sisters, his grandparents, and his brother, Bobby King ‘25.
With Wichita State’s yellow and black adorning his table, King ‘22 also sat next to the Boy’s State Championship trophy, won last year by the team in the Class 1 Division.
Stelting invited Tom O’brien, the Varsity tennis coach and retired middle school history teacher, to say a few words about King. In his speech, Mr. O’brien emphasized King ‘22’s great success during the season. With his multiple tournament wins, King ‘22 has made a name for himself as one of the best players in the entire Kansas City area. Even though Mr. O’brien applauded King ‘22’s talent and skill, he also emphasized King ‘22’s immense sportsmanship and selflessness, illustrated by his achievement of the Sportsmanship Award during the Boys State Championship last year.
Once Mr. O’brien concluded his speech, King ‘22 signed his papers to Wichita State. As students filed out of the gym, many wished the athletes well for the achievement and luck for the next years of their sports career.
All three of the athletes demonstrated immense athletic prowess in their high school careers, and there is no doubt that this success will continue in their college time as well. Barstow can’t wait to see all they accomplish in their next years!
