Sports

Hometown SportS HIGH SCHOOLS, RECREATION & SIGN-UPS

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Former Freedom star named college player of the week

Former Freedom High School football star Giles Jackson, now playing for the University of Michigan, was recently named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week following his explosive kick return touchdown to help the Wolverines defeat Rutgers 48-42 on Nov. 21.

Jackson, a 2019 Freedom grad, took the third-quarter opening kickoff 95 yards for a score, which brought Michigan within three of Rutgers with 14:49 left in the third quarter.

The Michigan sophomore finished the game with four kick returns for 159 yards and the score to go along with four catches for 50 yards.

In two seasons, the 5-foot, 9-inch,

Heritage water polo star Ella Simone

Heritage High School water polo star Ella Simone has signed her letter of intent to play at Fresno State University.

The three-time first-team all-league member and 2018 league MVP has led her squad to a 53-25 record over three seasons, including an 18-1 mark in league play, three playoff appearances and one North Coast Section team title.

“I chose Fresno State because it was really important to me to be able to play the sport I love and still focus on my future, and I am going to be able to do that at Fresno State,” Simone said in a statement released by the Heritage Athletics earlier this year. “I’m so excited to be a Bulldog.”

If all goes as planned, Simone will have one more season to play for the Patriots.

Heritage catcher Julia Barnett

Heritage senior catcher Julia Barnett recently signed her letter of intent to attend California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo.

Barnett, a first-team all-league member 188-pound lightning bolt has made 24 catches for 309 yards and a touchdown. He’s also returned 37 kickoffs for 976 yards and two touchdowns in addition to taking five punts back for 45 total yards. He also rushed 12 times for 74 yards and a score.

The budding college star’s performance is an extension of an electric high school career that saw him rack up 142 receptions for 2,580 yards and 32 touchdowns in 38 games over three varsity seasons, accompanied by 267 rushing attempts for 1,820 yards and 26 touchdowns.

The Wolverines are slated to host will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan Athletics Former Freedom High football standout Giles Jackson, now playing for the University of Michigan, was recently honored for his performance in the team’s win over Rutgers University.

More star athletes sign letters of intent

Penn State on Nov. 28, at 9 a.m. The game

SIMONE

as a sophomore, has hit a .435 with 40 hits, 25 RBI and nine runs scored in 47 games over two seasons, according to Maxpreps.com.

She has been committed to Cal Poly since she was a freshman, according to Heritage’s Athletic Department.

Barnett missed out on her junior season after the COVID-19 pandemic halted play early in the year. If the team is al-

BARNETT

lowed to return to action in the spring, Barnett is slated to play out her senior season with the Patriots.

Heritage swimmer Courtney Coplan

Heritage swimming star Courtney Coplan is headed to Western Colorado University.

Coplan wasted no time making a splash in high school, swimming onto

COPLAN

the all-league first team in the 100-yardfreestyle event as a sophomore. She also garnered second-team honors in the 100yard backstroke event the same season.

Coplan missed out on her junior season after the COVID-19 pandemic halted competition early in the season. She is slated to return to the pool this year if competition is permitted.

This week in Press’ Sports history

In 2015, the Freedom High School varsity cheer team had reason to celebrate its own achievements.

The squad won first place in the Super Large Varsity Division, at the Universal Cheerleaders Association regionals, in El Dorado Hills. The win qualified the team for the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando. They also received awards for the best stunt sequence and for sportsmanship.

The following month, the team competed in the USA High School Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, which they reached after winning first place in the Super Large Varsity Show Cheer Advanced Division at the USA Federation for Sport Cheering’s Great America Competition. During that event, the team was also named the Grand Champions, earning the highest score of all cheer teams in attendance.