Seven seniors from West Hartford’s Hall High School officially committed to playing college sports on Monday during the early signing period.

By Ronni Newton

Seven members of the Hall High School Class of 2019 who have committed to participating in sports at the Division I or II level formalized their commitments Monday during the National Letter of Intent early signing period.

The following students, pictured above from left to right, officially signed their letters at the ceremony, which was attended by families, friends, high school coaches, and teammates.

Miller Anderson – Cross Country and Track, Villanova

Trey Courmier – Cross Country and Track, Dartmouth

Clay Courtmanche – Soccer, University of New Hampshire

Charlie Cubbage – Soccer, Bucknell

Giovanna Dionicio – Soccer, Yale

Patrick Keith – Swimming, Southern Connecticut State University

Emily LaSpada – Swimming, Assumption College

“We are celebrating what some might call the culmination of our students’ athletic careers,” said Athletic Director Jason Siegal. He noted how much hard work and dedication over the years went into reaching this day.

Swim coach John McClure noted that both Keith and LaSpada are captains, and both hold top-10 times in Hall’s record books for their events.

Everett Hackett, a cross country coach and 2008 Hall graduate, said that all of the records he set are gone thanks to Anderson and Cormier. He noted that Anderson won the Class LL cross country meet, while Cormier is the New England cross country champion. “I’m not sure that has ever happened before,” he said of two students reaching that level of achievement.

Cross country coach Jeff Billing said that when Anderson and Cormier were freshmen, they were good runners, but not superstars until they put in years of hard work. “You carried this program to places it has never been before,” Billing said, adding that he is most excited about what they will be able to accomplish in the future.

“She is an absolute competitor,” girls soccer coach Scott Ferguson said of Dionicio. He said that in his more than 20 years of coaching, she was the first to be named a team captain as a junior. “She will do great things at Yale,” he said.

“I’ve been very blessed and very fortunate to work with both of you for the last four years,” boys soccer coach Zeke Seguro said as he addressed Courtmanche and Cubbage. When they both started playing travel soccer, both were on the B-team, Seguro said, but “it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish,” and both are such positive role models for the “character, hard work, and dedication” they have exhibited through the years.

“Our success this year has a lot to do with these two as well as the whole senior class,” said Seguro. On Sunday, the Hall boys played for the Class LL championship, losing 1-0 to Glastonbury.

“You’re great soccer players but you know what, you’re better people,” Seguro said.

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Hall students sign their National Letters of Intent (from left): Miller Anderson, Trey Cormier, Clay Courtmarch, Charlie Cubbage, Giovanna Dionicio, Patrick Keith, Emily LaSpada. Photo credit: Ronni Newton