ROCHESTER — Two weeks after Jaden Nichols signed with Linfield to continue his football career, three more Rochester student-athletes signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic careers.
Sara Haury and Macey Fluetsch both signed with Centralia College Fastpitch, while Parker McAferty will head north on I-5 to join the track and field team at Evergreen State College in Olympia.
All three signed their NLIs in a ceremony in the foyer at the high school on Wednesday.
Haury and Fluetsch have been playing soccer and softball together for years, and they were both on the Rochester softball team that won three state tournament games two years ago.
“I’m excited to play more,” Haury said. “And I get to play with one of my closest friends.”
Fluestch echoed that sentiment, while adding that it will also be nice to play close to home in front of family and friends.
She noted that she knows many of the girls that will be on the team next spring, including her cousin Staysha Fluestch, who committed to CC for soccer and softball last month at W.F. West’s signing day.
“I’m just super excited to continue my career,” Fluestch said.
McAferty won’t be much further away, as he’ll head to Olympia to continue his athletic career. McAftery credited Talon Betts, who graduated in 2022, for showing him how to be a leader on the Rochester track team, which McAferty said helped him become a more well-rounded athlete.
“He was a big inspiration,” McAferty said. “With him leaving, I feel like I had to be a leader on the team.”
McAftery said that he clicked with Evergreen State track coach Joel Pearson, and a visit to campus only reaffirmed his decision.
“Their campus, their schooling, it really just all reaches out to me,” McAferty said. “I just hope I can stay away from injuries and get better. Just be the best person I can be and be the collegiate athlete that I want to be.”
