By Rich Chrampanis
RED BANK – The lobby of the Eck Center was filled with athletes and proud family members. The line was long to get to the table for pictures for Red Bank Catholic’s spring Signing Day ceremony, a testament to an athletic department that continually produces student-athletes who move on to play collegiately in just about every sport the school offers.
This was the fourth Signing Day ceremony of the year at RBC with 12 more athletes adding to an already long list. “It’s literally such an amazing feeling,” senior girls soccer standout Grace Gibson said. “It’s so relieving to just enjoy senior year. RBC’s helped me so much to get this point and I’m just so excited and I know everyone else is, too.”
Gibson was a strong and steady presence on the back line of the Caseys’ defense for a team that went 13-5. She’s excited to continue her soccer career at St. Lawrence University, which she said offers her the perfect blend of competitive soccer along with a quality education.
RBC’s football team continues to produce talent at all levels. Defensive end Aidan Donohue is the latest player to continue in the FCS ranks in the Patriot League after signing with Lafayette College.
“I’m really thankful that I get to play football in a great division in the Patriot League,” Donohue said. “I get to play against a lot of my former teammates, a lot of guys who also play in the Patriot League and I’m getting a great education as well, so I’m thankful for that.”
On the day the RBC baseball team was ranked No. 1 in the New Jersey state preseason poll, the Caseys had three more players sign to play at the next level, including senior catcher Shane Andrus who will give Drew University one of the state’s top backstops.
“It feels great to finally be able to sign, especially with two of my teammates,” Andrus said. “We’re just excited to start the season. We’re just going to try and keep that No. 1 in the state and our goal is to win every game possible.”
If there’s one thing that was obvious watching the diverse group celebrating, it is that RBC’s athletes clearly feed off each other and it’s that spirit that is the reason 12 more Caseys continued the tradition of moving on to the next level.
“I feel the sports community here is so uplifting,” Gibson said. “We have so much pride in everything that we do. Every Friday night football games, Saturday soccer games, everyone wants to be there and support each other. It’s such an amazing community.”
The article originally appeared in the April 6 – 12, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
