SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Today is National Signing Day as recruits seal their commitment to colleges all over the nation. Jefferson had 24 Cavaliers put the pen to the paper Wednesday.

Griffin Wilde is a three sport Letter winner for Jefferson and Wednesday’s opportunity to sign his letter of intent alongside his peers was unique.

“I think it’s really awesome. I mean, the school was built two years ago and just the process never changed for us. Our motto for football was “chop wood carry water,” and I think we had maybe 10 football guys sign today. And that’s really awesome,” SDSU Commit, Griffin Wilde said.

Taylen Ashley comes with an impressive resume himself as he led the Cavaliers football team to the program’s first ever state title. However, Ashley is sticking to his passion for hooping, as he goes on to play at USF.

“I really didn’t have that many offers by then and when I was visiting USF, they offered me and then the next day I was like, this feels like home. So I decided to commit then,” USF commit Taylen Ashley said.

Wilde is a shooting guard for the Cavs this season alongside Ashley, though he’s committed to the field and he’s picked up a few tricks on the court.

“I think it definitely helps the strength side. In basketball, the first step explosion, like a jab step, or crossover, that first step of just getting to top speed really helps me out,” Wilde said.

The state champion wide receiver will now take his talents to Brookings, to play for SDSU with one goal in mind.

“Make it to the national championship. I mean, you saw them do it this year. And that’s not going to change under Jimmy Rogers. He knows what he wants to do,” Wilde said.

Ashley, like several of his peers is looking forward to the opportunity to play at the Collegiate level.

“It’s a blessing to have an opportunity to just play on the next level and just continue to play a game that I grew up playing, so I’m just going to take the most out of it,” Ashley said.

JEFFERSON SIGNING DAY COMMITS – 2023

Baseball Signees

Cohen Henry
South Dakota State University
Cohen has committed to South Dakota State University to play baseball. Cohen is a two-year
letter winner in football and baseball. Cohen, a two-year starter at Jefferson, has played baseball
growing up for the SF Cyclones and playing in the Little League World Series in 2017. Cohen also
won a state football championship with the Jefferson Cavaliers this fall.

Mason Riley
Dakota Wesleyan University
Mason Riley has committed to Dakota Wesleyan University to play baseball. Mason is a two-year
letter winner and recipient for the Class A All-Region team in 2022. Mason is a 3-sport athlete
who is also a two-year letter winner and Academic All-State for the State Champion Jefferson
Football team and the Cavalier Basketball team.

Hunter Robinson
Dordt University
Hunter has committed to Dordt University to play baseball. Hunter is a 2 time varsity letter winner and a state champion in football and baseball. Hunter plans to study
business at Dordt this upcoming fall.

Keegan Johnson
Mount Marty University
Keegan has committed to Mount Marty University to play baseball. Keegan is a two-year letter
winner in baseball. He plans to study Business Administration (Management) in the fall of 2023.

Kyler Miritello
University of Hawaii
Kyler has committed to the University of Hawaii to play baseball. Kyler will be a three-year letter
winner in baseball. He plans to study Exercise Science next year. Kyler will play for the Spearfish
Sasquatch in the Independence Collegiate League this summer, before heading off to the islands
in the fall.

Basketball Signees

Cierra Watkins
Dakota State University
Cierra has committed to Dakota State University to play basketball. Cierra is a two- year letter
winner in basketball and track at Jefferson High School. Last year Cierra was on the First Team
Meto All-Conference, made the All-Tournament team, and was on the South Dakota AA All-State
team. Cierra is involved in best buddies, FCA, champions on track, and is a student mentor. Cierra wants to continue her education at Dakota State to become an Elementary Education teacher.

Taylen Ashley
USF Basketball
Taylen has committed to the University of Sioux Falls to play basketball. Taylen is a two-year
letter winner in football, basketball and track and Jefferson High School. During his basketball
career Taylen has been an All State and All Metro guard. In football Taylen received All State, All
Metro, and Elite 45 honors in both his years as a Jefferson football player.

Ethan Koltz
Southwest Minnesota State
Ethan has committed to Southwest Minnesota State to play basketball. Ethan is a two-year letter
winner in football and basketball at Jefferson High School. Ethan has started every game his
senior season for the Cavalier basketball team. He started both years on the offensive line and
helped pave the way for a record setting offense in 2022.

Football Signees

Griffin Wilde
South Dakota State University
Griffin has committed to South Dakota State University to play football. Griffin will be a three
sport letterwinner at Jefferson. Two time All-State, Elite 45, All Metro, and the 2022 11 AAA
All-American recipient.

Beau Giblin
South Dakota State University
Beau has committed to South Dakota State University to play football. Beau will be a two-year
letterwinner in football and basketball in his time at Jefferson. Beau received All State, All-Metro,
and Elite 45 honors in his senior season.

London Kolb
University of Sioux Falls
London has committed to the University of Sioux Falls to play football. Beau is a two-year
letterwinner in football at Jefferson. London received All State, All-Metro, and Elite 45 honors in
both of his years at Jefferson High School.

Sawyer Huntimer
University of Sioux Falls
Sawyer has committed to the University of Sioux Falls to play football. Sawyer is a two-year
letterwinner in football at Jefferson. Sawyer received All State, All Metro, and honorable mention
Elite 45 honors as a senior.

Sam Siegfried
Augustana University
Sam has committed to Augustana University to play football. Sam is a two-year letter winner in
football at Jefferson. Sam received All-State and All Metro honors his senior year.

Camdyn Frederes
Northwestern College
Camdyn has committed to Northwestern College to play football. Camdyn will be a two-year
letter winner in football and track at Jefferson. Camdyn received honorable mention all-state
honors as a senior.

Robert Hutchinson
Mount Marty University
Robert has committed to Mount Marty University to play football. Robert is a two-year letter
winner in football at Jefferson. Robert was a key piece in a record setting offense in 2022 at
receiver and voted the most improved offensive player following the 2022 season.

Niyongabo Yohana
Dakota State University
Niyongabo has committed to Dakota State University to play football. Niyongabo will be a two
year letter winner in football and track at Jefferson. He was the 2022 Burlsworth Award Recipient
recognizing his exceptional character and sportsmanship.

Carson Kruggel
Dakota Wesleyan University
Carson has committed to Dakota Wesleyan University to play football. Carson is a two-year letter
winner in football. A two-year starter on the offensive line, helped pave the way for an offense in
2022 that averaged 44 points per game.

Jackson Knuth
Dakota Wesleyan
Jackson has committed to Dakota Wesleyan University to play football. Jackson is a one-year
letter winner in football. Jackson will be playing offensive line at Dakota Wesleyan University.

Nelson Wright
Dordt College
Nelson has committed to Dordt College to play football. Nelson is a one-year letter winner in
football at Jefferson. Nelson received All State, All Metro, and Elite 45 recipient.in both his junior
and senior seasons.

David Grabow
Mount Marty University
David has committed to Mount Marty University to play football. David will be a two-year letter
winner in both football and track and field at Jefferson. David received All State honors as a
senior while helping pave the way for our offense in his two years starting on the offensive line.

Soccer – Girls

Emerson Townsend
Northwestern College in Orange City, IA
A senior from Canton, SD, has committed to Northwestern in Orange City to play Soccer. Emerson is a two-year letter winner in soccer and three-year letter winner in choir. Emerson will attend Northwestern in the fall and plans on majoring in elementary and special education. Emerson also plans on participating in theater and choir during her time there

Track & Field Signees

Sarah Zino
University of Minnesota Mankato
Sarah has committed to Minnesota State Mankato to compete in track and field. Sarah is a
two-year letter winner in track and field. Sarah has a 4.1 cumulative GPA and will be an Academic
All-State Nominee this spring. Sarah is the school record holder in the discus and had the 4th
best throw in South Dakota AA track field last spring. Sarah is also a member of the JHS
basketball team. Sarah is involved in the Black Student Union, Fellowship of Christian Athletes,
Women’s Empowerment Group, part of Best Buddies, and a member of the JHS Ambassadors.

Volleyball Signees

Maddie Paulsen
Concordia University of Nebraska
Maddie Paulsen has committed to Concordia University of Nebraska to play volleyball. Maddie will be a two sport letterwinner at Jefferson. She carries a 4.0 GPA, Academic All-State, All-State, All Metro, and a Player of the Year nomination recipient.

Nancy Peter
Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall
Nancy Peter has committed to Southwest Minnesota State University to play volleyball. Nancy
will be a three sport letterwinner at Jefferson. She carries a 3.4 GPA, 2x Most Improved, 3x State
Placer in Track & Field, and Senior Spotlight Honor.