BLAS, ROSARIO SIGN COLLEGE DEALS

High school seniors Lola Rosario and Ray Blas had their official collegiate signings in the past days.

Rosario, an rugby standout with the Academy Cougars, committed to play at Wheeling University in West Virginia. Blas will take his golf clubs from the halls of Father Duenas to Pacific University in Oregon.

CHAMPION TO CHAMPION

Considered the island’s best scrum half in her age division by coach Tony Costa, Rosario will be hitting the pitch with the Wheeling University Cardinals, the current women’s 15s national champions.

“I chose Wheeling because it offers the opportunity to grow both academically and athletically. I believe the program will help me develop my skills and help me be a better player on and off the field. The strong team bond I observed was also important to me. I’m looking for a college experience that will help me improve, and Wheeling provides the environment I need to achieve that,” Rosario said at her Saturday morning signing.

She was a vital part of Academy’s championship runs the past two years.

TAI TO PNW

FD’s Blas follows in the rich golfing history of the Friars dating back to the early 1990’s when high school golf was introduced. Countless FD golfers have gone on to play collegiately, and you can add Blas to the list. In fact, his dad Ray Blas was one of Guam’s top junior golfers in that era, even playing in the same group with Tiger Woods in a junior national tournament in California. That tradition has been handed down to his son.

The younger Blas made All-Island since his freshman year and has competed in the Junior World Championships since he was 6.

“I chose Pacific University because it offers the perfect balance of strong academics and a competitive golf program. The small class sizes and hands-on learning opportunities will help me excel in my studies, while the golf program provides the coaching, facilities, and competition I need to keep improving,” Blas said.

“Coming from a small island like Guam, I’ve worked hard to gain exposure in national and international tournaments, and I’m eager to bring that dedication to the Boxers Men’s Golf team. Overall, Pacific is the ideal place for me to grow as a student-athlete and contribute both academically and athletically.”

Blas will be playing for the Pacific University Boxers out of Forest Grove, Oregon.