Pioneer Valley seniors Mila Dolores and Logan McJohn signed with their respective schools of choice primarily for a similar reason.

Dolores signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play softball at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and McJohn signed to play football at Ripon College. The two signed at a signing ceremony on the quad area at Pioneer Valley Wednesday.

“I was given the opportunity (to visit the school), I saw the field and it felt like home to me,” said Dolores. “I felt very comfortable to be there.”

“When I visited the school, I felt very welcomed by the (Ripon) football team’s players and staff, and the students,” said McJohn.

Cal State Dominguez Hills is located in Carson. The Toros compete in NCAA Division 2. Ripon is a liberal arts college based in Ripon, Wisconsin. The Red Hawks compete in NCAA Division 3.

Actually, Ripon had another bonus for McJohn besides the welcoming atmosphere. “I talked with some other schools, but (Ripon) had the majors I’m interested in, engineering and psychology.” McJohn said he is leaning toward majoring in engineering.

Dolores said, “I talked with a couple of junior colleges, and with Westcliffe University (in Irvine).” However, Dolores ultimately decided to go with Cal State Dominguez Hills.      

McJohn was Pioneer Valley’s full-time starting quarterback his senior year and a part-time starter his junior season. McJohn completed 101 of his 188 passes for 1,012 yards, with six touchdown passes and nine interceptions, his senior season.

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Dolores has been an All-League player for three years for the Pioneer Valley varsity. This year, she leads the team in batting average (.385) and hits (30). At press time Thursday, the Panthers were one game back of first-place Templeton in the Sunset League standings and were in the running for the league championship.

Dolores’s main position is catcher. She also plays shortstop and second place.

“I’ll play anywhere they put me,” she said. “I’m hoping to earn the opportunity to play,” as a freshman at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

McJohn was able to squeeze in his campus visit without running into a lot of snow.

“I visited there in late February,” of this year, said McJohn. “I caught the end of a snowstorm when I got there. During my stay there, the weather was really nice, in the 30’s and 40.s’ When I left, it was snowing again.”

NCAA Division 3 schools cannot offer athletic scholarships. However, “With academic financial aid, I’ve been able to get a financial package that will cover a lot of the cost,” of attending Ripon.

Dolores said, “We’re working on academic scholarships,” when it comes to attending Cal State Dominguez Hills. “There isn’t a financial package yet.”

Dolores will major in criminal justice.   Â