- April 30, 2026
Matanzas wrestler Cardy Michel signed with Brewton-Parker University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas college athletic signees: Sergio Posada, James De'Esposito, Jackson Grace, MaKenzie Manhart, Ruby Fogel, Cardy Michel, Ladarien Baker, Javonte Patton, Nolan Schmidt, Jacob Register, Vincent Ferrugiaro and Kenneth Roberts. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas softball outfielder McKenzie Manhart, with her mom and head coach Sabrina Manhart, signed with Pensacola State College. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas softball third baseman Ruby Fogel, with parents Cindy and Brett, signed with Florida Gateway College in Lake City. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas golfer Jacob Roster, with Flagler County Sheriff Commander Jennifer Nawrocki, signed with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas lacrosse attacker Vincent Ferrugiaro signed with Oglethorpe University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Nolan Schmidt, with his parents Tiffany and Nate, signed to play baseball at Minnesota North College. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas safety Javonte Patton signed to play football at NCAA Division III Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas wide receiver Ladarien Baker (left) and offensive linemen Kenneth Roberts signed with St. Thomas University in Miami. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas soccer player Sergio Posada signed with Webber International University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas soccer player James D'Esposito signed with Webber International University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanazas soccer goalkeeper Jackson Grace signed with Wbber International University. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas High School held a signing ceremony on April 29 for 12 seniors who will continue their athletic careers in college next season.
Three football players have signed athletic aid agreements. Wide receiver Ladarien Baker and offensive lineman Kenneth Robinson are heading to St. Thomas University in Miami, an NAIA school, while their teammate, safety Javonte Patton, will play at NCAA Division III powerhouse Coe College in Grand Rapids, Iowa.
Three soccer players — Sergio Posada, Jackson Grace, and James D’Esposito — signed with Webber International University. Two softball players signed with junior college programs — outfielder/utility player McKenzie Manhart with Pensacola State College and third baseman Ruby Fogel with Florida Gateway College in Lake City.
Baseball player Nolan Schmidt will play for Minnesota North College. Wrestler Cardy Michel, a two-time qualifier to the state girls wrestling championships, will continue her wrestling career at Brewton-Parker Christian University.
Jacob Roster will join the men’s golf team at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical College in Daytona Beach. And boys lacrosse attacker Vincent Ferrugiaro, who scored over 140 goals in his high school career, has signed with Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.
Baker caught 92 passes for 1,164 yards and 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons. and Roberts were recruited throughout the football season by St. Thomas, they said. They plan to room together.
“The coaches there really care about the players,” Baker said. “They’re not just interested in football. They make sure you succeed academically too.”
Patton will be joining a program at Coe College that has won nine games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in each of the past three years.
“It’s a good community and it has a good football atmosphere,” Patton said. “It’s a great academic school too.”
Webber International coach Bryan Mejia is familiar with Matanzas High School. He graduated from Matanzas in 2015 and played soccer for the Pirates. Matanzas boys soccer coach Beto Aguilar said Mejia liked how each of his Matanzas recruits brought something different to the table. Posada is an attacking midfielder. Grace is a goal keeper. And D’Esposito is a utility player who found a home this past season as a defensive wing.
“He’s always been an underdog,” Aguilar said of D'Esposito. “He’s worked hard. He was just determined to pursue the next phase in his career.”
Baseball coach Sean McManus called Schmidt the ultimate team player, who volunteered to play wherever he was needed.
"He is a great representative of Pirate baseball," McManus said.
Fogel and Manhart join four other former Matanzas softball players who are currently playing softball in college. Emma Wood is a senior at Embry-Riddle batting .347 with a team-leading 137 hits. Her .413 on-base percentage also leads the team and her .518 slugging percentage is second. Chloe Baker, a junior, is the starting shortstop at Southeastern University in Lakeland. Juliet Fogel, Ruby’s sister, is a freshman third baseman at St. Johns River State College. She is batting .315 with 14 home runs. And Leah Stevens, a freshman pitcher at eighth-ranked University of Florida, is 4-1 in 16 appearances.
