Santa Barbara High celebrated five standout student-athletes who put pen to paper and signed to play their respective sports at the collegiate level on Wednesday at Peabody Stadium.
The Dons’ signing class of 2026 featured two standout football players and a trio of strong baseball players.
Malachi Johnston – Cal Poly SLO Football
Johnston, a standout on both the offensive and defensive lines for Santa Barbara High, will be sticking on the Central Coast and will play Division I football at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He will be playing under brand new head coach Tim Skipper, who did not originally recruit Johnston.
“[Skipper] is dope. I think that’s probably the best word to describe him,” Johnston said. “He came down and talked to me and basically put all my feelings away. He seems like a great coach and brings a lot of competitive energy, and I’m really excited. They’re gonna elevate our play.
“I don’t know if people give enough credit to how hard recruiting is now, especially with the transfer portal… It was really hard. It definitely makes you question yourself a lot, but I think I found the right school, and I think I made the right choice, and I’m really excited to get to the next step.”
During his four-year varsity career as a Don, he has racked up the awards and capped off his career with back-to-back Conejo Coast League Offensive Lineman of the Year awards.
“I’m going to miss [Santa Barbara High] a lot,” Johnston said. “I think that what we have here at Santa Barbara High School is really special. I think that the alumni and all the families that surround the school make it a very special place to play football.
“I got to play with a lot of different people. I got to play with a lot of kids who are like fourth-generation Dons. This is tradition. This is what it means to be a football school. This is what it means to represent your city. It’s special, and this is a place to be.”
Monty Lopez – Cal Lutheran Football
Lopez will begin his collegiate football career in the fall at Cal Lutheran, a Division III program that Lopez has already been training with since January.
“It’s going good so far. I’ve been liking it over there,” Lopez said of his time at Cal Lutheran. “Getting to start early gets me adjusted to the playbook and gets me adjusted to the schemes and everything like that.”
He was an impact player on both sides of the ball during his time at Santa Barbara High, but he will be sticking to the safety position as a Kingsman.
“I’ve been liking it so far and have been having a lot of fun,” Lopez said. “Great bunch of guys and everything like that. I love everything over there… It’s been a true blessing and a true dream come true.”
Derek Jaye – Whitman Baseball
Jaye will be furthering his baseball career in the Pacific Northwest, where he will play Division III baseball for Whitman College in Washington.
“I think this is an opportunity that not a lot of people get, which I’m very fortunate for,” Jaye said. “Playing baseball (in college) is a dream I’ve always had, so hopefully I can cherish this opportunity.”
He has been a key member of the Dons’ baseball program in recent years, serving as a captain behind the plate as the team’s starting catcher.
“I went up [to Whitman] and toured the school, really liked it, and played really well at the school,” Jaye said. “The campus looks really good, and the athletic program is super good, the coaches… It’s everything I could have hoped for.”
Jetner Welch – Claremont McKenna Baseball
Welch will remain in California as he continues his academic and athletic careers at Claremont McKenna, a Division III baseball program led by head coach Bill Walkenbach.
“The thing that stood out to me the most was the head coach there. I had a conversation with him when I went down to visit, and it was really eye-opening,” Welch said.
“I felt like it was a great fit for me academically and an up-and-coming program that I think I can thrive in.”
The outfielder has also been a cornerstone of the Santa Barbara High program from the moment he set foot on campus as a Don.
“It’s been a long road with a lot of ups and downs throughout it all,” Welch said of his recruiting journey. “I would just like to thank my parents and all my friends around me. They’ve been there consistently for me throughout my whole journey, and I just can’t thank them enough for it.”
Max Weddle – Chaminade Baseball
Weddle will be on island time for his collegiate years, as he signed to play baseball at the Division II level at Chaminade University of Honolulu.
“My mom has family up in Maui, so we just go all the time, usually once a year, and then I also have cousins on the island, so that was also a big part of my decision,” Weddle said. “You can’t go wrong with Hawaii, and then family also has a lot to do with it as well.
“I went and visited the coach, and I really like him; he’s a good guy, and I stayed up there for a weekend, and that just helped me with my decision a lot.”
The future Silversword has been one of the most impactful players for the Dons throughout his career, contributing at the plate, with his glove and on the mound.
The trio of Weddle, Jay and Welch have shared the majority of their baseball careers with one another, so it was only fitting that they signed to play in college alongside each other.
“Me, Derek, and Jetner, we’ve been playing together since we were like 6 (years old), All-Stars, Stingrays, Santa Barbara Pony baseball. It’s a great moment to just share this stage with them and move on to the next level,” Weddle said.