Several athletes at Franklin High School in Elk Grove demonstrated excellent hard work throughout their different seasons – and three signed commitments in late February to continue their academic and athletic careers in college.

Seniors Aderian Adelabu, Jayden Lizama and Addison Meddings committed to different colleges to carry on with their sports careers.

Aderian Adelabu, nicknamed AD and a senior who finished his high school football career in the fall, set the unofficial pancake block record at Franklin and became the first Franklin student athlete to sign to an Ivy League school. 

Out of several offers from schools such as Stanford, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania, among others, Adelabu decided to continue his football career at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

After the signing, he said how surreal the entire moment felt.

Franklin High produced stellar student athletes this academic year. (Pia Manez)

“I didn’t know I was the first one to make this accomplishment (of commiting to an Ivy League school), and to know that makes the signing even more special,” Adelabu said.

Adelabu said he is hopeful that his accomplishments at Franklin can help inspire others.

“I aim to treat it as one of the many records I will see in my life and the somewhat fame I want to bring to Franklin,” Adelabu said.

In addition, he said how immensely helpful it is toward his career.

“This record has helped me get closer to my goals by placing me at the next level both athletically and academically and is the next step to making it to the (National Football League),” he said.

(Jayden Lizama signing to Gonzaga University)

Jayden Lizama, a senior golfer, committed to continue his career at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Lizama is the first Franklin student athlete to sign for golf and said he feels extremely proud of himself.

“I’m proud to say that I’m the first athlete at Franklin High School to go on and play Division 1 golf,” he said. “It feels incredible to be the first to achieve this milestone, knowing that all my hard work has paid off.“

He hopes to set a legacy for him and underclassmen.

“I hope my accomplishment will inspire others at our school to believe that they, too, can reach such heights,” Lizama said.

He is hopeful that this accomplishment will help achieve his future goals.

“This achievement motivates me even more to keep pushing toward my next goal – playing on the PGA Tour,” he said.

Senior Addison Meddings, who plays both soccer and softball, is the first Franklin athlete to commit to play two different sports, and she will be playing at the collegiate level at Stanislaus State University in Turlock.

At first, she was surprised to find out that she was the first at Franklin to sign for two different sports.

”I was shocked and it made me realize how much I had achieved and how all my hard work paid off,” Meddings said.

She said she hopes to inspire other students at Franklin. 

“I hope more kids start to play two sports during high school just to branch out and try new things,” she said. “I think Franklin has such inclusive and amazing sports programs, and they have seriously changed my life and taught me so much to benefit me in the real world.”

Not only wanting to inspire others, Meddings said it helps her be a good teammate.

”I always strive to be a good teammate which I think is really important to pick your teammates up and keep the energy high and to know that we are all in this together and we win and lose as a team,” she said. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. There is always room for improvement, and you get out what you put in. The work is never finished.“

Michael Cody, who is in his 17th year as athletic director at Franklin, said he is especially proud to see how the student athletes in the class of 2025 have grown over their careers.

Cody said the entire athletic program at Franklin has excelled this year.

“We won five league titles and a section championship, and we still have our spring sports that are still competing in the playoffs,” he said. “We have an opportunity to continue to win additional section championships.”

Cody said he is hopeful that underclassmen can be influenced from this year’s athletic success.

“Our students that are following up in the classes of 2026, 2027, 2028 and in our incoming class of 2029, they definitely have had an opportunity to see what can be accomplished with lots of hard work, both in the classroom and on the playing field,” he said. “The bar has definitely been raised.”