Star quarterback and prolific point guard highlight first round of Alaska's high school senior signings

May 7—Graduating means the end of the athletic careers for most high school seniors each spring, but for a select few, it marks the conclusion of just one chapter as they prepare to embark on another at the college level.

The Anchorage Daily News has been tracking developments and, through reporting and submissions, we've compiled a list of nearly 50 official commitments from students around Alaska in the Class of 2024.

Among the most notable signings so far are West Anchorage's Azariah Atonio and Grace Christian's Kellen Jedlicka. Both standout players dominated in their respective sports this past school year.

Atonio parlayed a breakout senior season as the starting quarterback of the West football team — helping lead the Eagles to a Division I state championship — into a scholarship offer to play at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

"It feels great to be able to move forward with my football career and know what is next," Atonio said at his signing ceremony.

He had been in contact with the Wolves' coaching staff for about a month before making his final decision in late January, but he'd had his mind set for a while because of the attractive culture and surrounding community he witnessed while on a visit in December.

"They have a great coaching staff and everything that they showed me while I was there (for a visit) fit into what I wanted to be," said Atonio, who hasn't yet decided what he plans to major in.

He said having the opportunity to represent his state, family and heritage at the collegiate level is an honor. He's slated to be the only Alaskan on the team's roster.

"It feels great to represent and show what Alaskans can do," Atonio said.

Jedlicka came up short of leading the Grizzlies to a successful 3A state title defense in basketball, but he was the team's main catalyst for success and was named both 3A and Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year.

He's heading to Lewiston, Idaho, where he'll suit up for the Lewis-Clark State College men's basketball team.

A fellow former Grace Christian Grizzly great, Tobin Karlberg, is currently on the Warriors' staff and was instrumental in recruiting him to join the program.

"It was exciting talking with him and seeing him when I came (to Grace) as a sixth grader, and now to be able to be coached by him is super exciting," Jedlicka said. "It was mostly him that got me there."

In college, he plans to major in sports management with the intention of becoming a coach or player development specialist who works with basketball players.

"I want to have fun with that and develop the younger guys," Jedlicka said.

The Anchorage Daily News asked coaches, parents and student-athletes to report individual college commitments. The following list is a compilation of those responses along with reporting from ADN sports reporter Josh Reed. If you know of a local student-athlete who could be included in a future article on college commitments, email jreed@adn.com or sports@adn.com.

Service

Arnold Baffour will be competing in football at Montana State University-Northern in Havre, Montana.

Kyan Caldarera will be competing in football at Montana State University-Northern in Havre, Montana.

Hunter Christian will be competing in baseball at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida.

Rebecca Eichler will be competing in women's soccer at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon.

Conrad Fawcett will be swimming at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Owen Hickman will be competing in basketball at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois.

Preston Kwon will be swimming at Pomona College in Claremont, California.

Jayden Lopez will be competing in football at Montana State University-Northern in Havre, Montana.

Paige Miller will be competing in volleyball at Centralia College in Centralia, Washington.

Coen Niclai will be competing in baseball at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

Alyssa Porcelli will be competing in bowling at McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas.

Jake Rafferty will be competing in baseball at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Washington.

Sumiko Ramos will be competing in women's soccer at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Elias Soule will be competing in skiing at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Luke Stacy will be competing in men's soccer at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.

Jonathon Tautua will be competing in football at Montana State University-Northern in Havre, Montana.

Calvin Texter-Jackson will be competing in football at Montana State University-Northern in Havre, Montana.

South

Falealili Lefano will be competing in football at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota.

Rowan Robinson will be competing in cross country and track and field at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

West

Aaron Hampton will be competing in football at the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California.

Uilisone Falealo will be competing in football at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.

Azariah Atonio will be competing in football at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Murphy Kimball will be competing in skiing at the University of Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage, Alaska.

Dimond

Zoie Campbell will be competing in women's hockey at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois.

Sasha Kleckner will be competing in women's hockey at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota.

Jersey Graham will be competing in women's hockey at Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. She plans to major in political science with a goal of attending law school after earning her undergraduate degree. Graham played her senior year at Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York.

Mai Mateaki will be competing in women's soccer at the Air Force Academy in El Paso County, Colorado.

Caroline Waters will be competing in swimming at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Maile Wilcox will be competing in women's basketball at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, and plans to major in sports psychology with a minor in business.

Bartlett

Haylie Anzelini will be competing in women's hockey at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania.

Eagle River

Lauren Bodeen will be competing in flag football at Milligan University in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Bettye Davis East

Austin Johnson will be competing in football at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota.

Colony

Jack Nash will be competing in football at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.

Nolan Thaler will be competing in football at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota.

Ben Holladay will be competing in football at Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa.

Jack Goss will be competing in football at Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa.

Reese Rodriguez will be competing in football at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota.

Soldotna

Hakoa Montoya will be competing in football at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota.

Collin Peck will be competing in football at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota.

Kenai Central

Emma Beck will be competing in women's volleyball at the University of Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage, Alaska.

Tri Valley

Brielle VanDeventer will be competing in women's basketball and track and field at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, and plans to study engineering.

Petersburg

Kieran Cabral will be competing in baseball at Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, Washington, and plans to study business and marketing.

Ketchikan

Bree Johnson will be competing in women's basketball at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, and plans to major in psychology with a focus in mental health challenges.

Monroe Catholic

Miranda Wilkerson will be competing in track and field and cross country at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina.

Grace Christian

Kellen Jedlicka will be competing in men's basketball at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho and plans to major in sports management, with hopes of becoming a player development coach.