Ridgefield goes all out for Signing Day 2024
RIDGEFIELD - Ridgefield broke out the swag for Signing Day Friday.
The morning ceremony included multiple balloon arrangements, flowers, cupcakes, plus trophies and plaques for the three seniors who committed to compete at the next level.
NorthJersey.com was an invited guest -- and choreographed some of the pictures -- as Joshua Espinal (baseball) signed his letter to go to Eastern University in Pennsylvania, Lasana Darboe (track) signed with Wagner and Kylie Castillo (track) signed with Columbia.
Go East, Young Man
Espinal, a right-handed pitcher, got introduced to all sports by his father Gerardo, who may have leaned more towards basketball personally, but his son liked baseball best.
Now he parlayed his skill and work into a scholarship at Eastern University, a school in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, less than two hours from Ridgefield.
“They’re pretty good,” said Espinal of the Eagles. “I met some of the guys on the team and they say it’s a fun time. It’s like a family over there, so I am really excited to join them.”
Espinal plans on studying Exercise Science with the goal of becoming a physical therapist or athletic trainer.
“Eastern had what I wanted to study and they’re giving me an opportunity to play and I really liked the atmosphere over there,” Espinal said. “I feel real comfortable there. I knew that was where I wanted to go.”
Darboe Daring to Fly
Lasana Darboe may not have been there Friday if not for Cliffside Park/Ridgefield football coach Tom Mandile.
“I just started track two years ago because my football coach wanted me to do it to get faster for football,” said Darboe. “I just fell in love with it from there.”
Darboe is one of North Jersey’s top high jumpers. He did run some, but the workouts were too hard he said laughing. He is looking forward to getting to Wagner where he plans to student Information Systems.
“I am excited to compete at the next level and have a chance to get better,” said Darboe. “Wagner is a good school for me. The coach believes in me and sees a lot of potential in me.”
Big City Dreams
A multiple time Group 1 track champion, Kylie Castillo is one of the most decorated athletes to ever come out of Ridgefield. Track wasn’t her first sport either.
“The whole reason I did it was because I play soccer and I wanted to get in shape for soccer,” said a smiling Castillo. “I ended up really like track and I kept doing it.”
Castillo looked at a bunch of different programs, including UConn, Penn State, Duke and Sacred Heart, but she always liked Columbia. She liked the challenging education, the closeness to home, and the chance to compete at a high level.
She plays on studying biology on the pre-med track. How is she going to balance all that? She said she can do it.
“Right now I feel like I have gotten good at balancing track, which is demanding, and school, which is demanding,” said Castillo. “I am in some other clubs so I’ve gotten good at balancing all those things.”
Castillo is a sprinter who likes the 200 best, but also competes in the 100 and 400. She thinks her best days are yet to come.
“We’re a Group 1 school and we don’t see all the insane competition that some of the bigger schools do, until we get to states,” said Castillo. “I feel like when I get to Columbia I will see people just as good and better than me and it will help me improved.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ridgefield goes all out for Signing Day 2024 Kylie Castillo Josh Espinal
