By TR Robertson
Since the beginning of the Athletic Wall of Fame, hanging in Lancer Arena, twenty-seven athletes from a variety of sports have been inducted and specially designed jerseys hung on the large gym wall. The names displayed cover a range of sports where C.H.S. graduates have gone on to have successful careers in professional or Olympic sports. Their names are on display along with the year of their graduation from C.H.S. and the sport they were involved in after graduation at the professional or highest level for that sport. A few of the names on the wall include Olympic athletes Sue McNeal and Staciana Stitts; Professional Baseball players Troy Glaus, Brady Anderson, and Thomas Eshelman (Glaus was also an Olympic USA Baseball player); Professional Surfer Taylor Knox; and Professional Football players Brandon Chillar, Ted Johnson and Dale Mitchell. Soon the number on the wall will increase by three on Tuesday, February 6th, at a presentation during halftime of the varsity boys’ basketball match between Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School. The athletes recently selected include Zachary Thomas – Class of 2016, Cameron Thomas – Class of 2018 and Alana Uriell – Class of 2014.
Brothers Zachary and Cameron Thomas are both currently in the National Football League. Older brother Zachary was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In November of 2022 he signed with the Los Angeles Rams and in January of this year signed a reserve/future contract with the Rams. Zachary is an offensive tackle who graduated from San Diego State University and was a First-Team All Mountain West lineman in 2021, was named to the Pro Football Focus Mountain West First Team of the Year, on the Outland Trophy Award Watch List for College Most Outstanding Interior Lineman, was a SDSU Team Captain voted by his teammates and named SDSU’s Best Offensive Player by College Football News. He helped lead the Lancers to an Avocado West League Championship in 2015 as well as being selected to the All-C.I.F. San Diego Section First Team Offense and Avocado West League First Team honoree.
Younger brother Cameron was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals as a Linebacker in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Cameron also played for San Diego State University and was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, selected three times on the First-Team All Mountain West Team and was a First Team Athletic All-American as well as a Second Team Walter Camp, Associated Press, Sporting News and USA Today All-American in 2021. Cameron was also on the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List for Most Outstanding Defensive Player for 2021. Coming out of high school at Carlsbad his play had him listed as a 2-star and a 3-star recruit before he selected to play at San Diego State University. At Carlsbad High he played both defensive line and tight end.
The third member of the Carlsbad High Wall of Fame 2024 is a Class of 2014 graduate Alana Uriell. Alana is currently an LPGA golfer with conditional status who last played on the LPGA Tour in 2022 playing in 21 events, making seven cuts. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with one collegiate victory and 14 top-10 finishes. Uriell was named 2018 First Team All-SEC as well as a 2018 Women’s Golf Coaches Association Second Team All-American. She was a member of Team USA at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup. Turning Professional, Alana finished in the top 20 at the Inaugural LPGA Q-Series earning Priority List Category 14 status for 2019. In 2019 she played in 16 events, 2020 nine events and in 2021 15 events. Alana will play on the 2024 Epson Tour as a member of the Carry Golf Group working to return to full LPGA status. At CHS she played on the Girl’s Golf Team.
The presentation of the framed jerseys will occur during halftime of the Varsity Boys Basketball Game with the athletes or representatives present for the ceremony on Tuesday, February 6th.
