Hart High School boys’ volleyball coach Mary Irilian was there to celebrate one of her student-athletes signing to play at the college level.
But when she saw the 11 signees last week inside the Hart High School gym foyer getting ready to sign their certificates commemorating the occasion, she couldn’t help but acknowledge the resilience she said it takes to make it to that point.
“It takes a lot of hard work and effort that’s beyond measure, and the mental toughness is astounding to see,” Irilian said. “These athletes work through a lot through high school and all these extra distractions that can take them away. So, it should absolutely be applauded.”
Boys’ volleyball player Branden Hubbard was Irilian’s lone student-athlete being celebrated on Hart’s signing day as he signed to play at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Also being celebrated were the following Hart High seniors (name, sport, college/university):
- Zach Rogozik, football, California Lutheran University.
- Nathan Bellith, football, Cal Lutheran.
- Oliver Welch, football, University of Chicago.
- Vivian Vega, lacrosse, Concordia University.
- Sofia Ganshirt, tennis, University of Redlands.
- Alireza Tofangdar, cross country and track, Occidental College.
- Aly Yokoyama, swim/dive, Cornell University.
- Julia Lecrivain, swim/dive, Biola University.
- Brady Werther, baseball, Cal Lutheran.
- Luke McCarty, baseball, The Master’s University.
Head football coach Jake Goossen-Brown said he’s happy to see both Rogozik and Bellith going to Cal Lutheran in nearby Thousand Oaks, where he can watch them run the gridiron at the college level.
Rogozik scored 25 touchdowns in total during his all-Foothill League campaign, while Bellith is a two-time all-league selection.
“I can’t wait to catch as many games as possible, and practices,” Goossen-Brown said, “and watching you line it up on the field on Saturdays will make your family and your community proud of what you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished.”
Welch was also an all-league selection following a campaign that saw him play on both the offensive and defensive lines. His future plans include becoming a doctor.
“He was not only a leader by example, but he was a vocal mentor, ensuring that everyone would stay focused and gave their all at practice,” Goossen-Brown said. “His brilliance shines through, both on and off the field. He earned a coveted spot at the University of Chicago, known for its incredibly tough acceptance rates.”
Vega scores the vast majority of the goals for the Hart girls’ lacrosse team, according to head coach Craig Jaffee, and was a first-team all-league selection as a junior.
“She is a leader in our program, one of our senior captains, and a wonderful individual on and off the field,” Jaffee said.
Ganshirt was a three-time all-league selection and the captain of the girls’ tennis team as a senior in the fall.
“It’s not about just to play; it’s about her growth,” Ganshirt said. “She started out the same as everybody else — she just wanted to play, wanted to learn, have a good time. But she rose through the ranks right away.”
Tofangdar was part of the boys’ cross country team that took third place in Division 3 at the CIF state meet in the fall. He’s also a distance runner for the Hart track and field team and recorded a personal-best mark of 4:27.99 in the 1600-meter run at the Meet of Champions held at Arroyo High School in El Monte in March.
“Alireza is part of a group of seniors this year that we have,” said John Ahart, head coach of the track and field team. “They came in, I think, to avoid physical education classes, and they fell in love with distance running. The number of miles these boys put in is incredible. He’s also our team tutor in math, and he’s going to Occidental to major in applied mathematics.”
Yokoyama took first place in the 100-yard backstroke at the league finals in 2023, then took second at the CIF Southern Section finals with a time of 55.01 seconds, easily beating the state qualifying time. It’s the second time in her career that she’s placed second at the section finals.
Lecrivain is the go-to anchor for relays, said head coach Tim Lim, and finished in the top three at the league finals in multiple events and qualified individually for the CIF section finals as a sophomore.
Both Werther and McCarty were part of the Hart baseball team that captured league and CIF section titles last season, sending off longtime head coach Jim Ozella with his first CIF trophy. Brad Meza took over the program prior to this season, and while he said he’s only known the pair since last summer, he’s seen them embody what it means to be a Hart baseball player.
“Both of these guys are CIF champions, league champions, and, for sure, gonna take on the next level,” Meza said.
