Spartan Six Commit to Playing in College

Steven Perez, Brandon Johnson, Ayden Winters, Brandon Cosentino, Kaitlin Hickman, and Luella Fetter all seniors at Ocean Township High School, signed their National Letter of Intent to continue their chosen sport in college.
 The Link News and Walter J. O’Neill, Jr. photo

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Ocean Township – Thursday, May 28, six senior student athletes from the high school all committed to playing their chosen sport in college. Most high school athletes know how hard it is to make their varsity squad, and only a fraction of those are able to make the next step into colligate programs.

05-28-26, Ayden Winters, senior at Ocean Township HS, signs his National Letter of Intent to attend University of Connecticut. Ayden is on the Spartan track team and throws the shot put.

Ayden Winters has been a member of the Spartan track team for all four years of his high school career. His specialty is throwing the shot put, a 12-pound metal ball. “My pre meet ritual is to take the day off before my competition,” said Winters.  He also likes to joke around with his teammates. “When it is time to warm up, I have my energy drink and eat a rice crispy treat and then I’m ready to go.”

Looking back on his career at Ocean Township, his fondest memory was his first year when they would go on thrower outings. “My least favorite memory was being part of the team when I almost quit the sport after having a really bad junior year,” added Winters.

Good thing he stuck it out, as he holds the OTHS individual record in the shot put. He also is part of the record setting shot put relay indoor and outdoor squad, discus relay record, Monmouth County Champion, Shore Conference Champion, Group II Sectional Champion, and third place at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. And his season is not over yet, as he is still competing.

“I will be attending the University of Connecticut. I picked that school because of its great atmosphere, the people, the track program, and I really like how it is a big name school but has a small campus,” Winters said. He will be studying nutritional sciences his first year and hopes to transfer into the exercise science and kinesiology program. In five years, Winters sees himself working as a personal trainer and hoping one day have his own gym and offering his services.

Winters fun facts: Favorite color is green, he loves chicken wings, and Duck Dynasty is his TV show. AS for music, its heavy metal.

Kaitlin Heckman, senior at Ocean Township HS, signed her Letter of National Intent to attend and play field hockey at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Kaitlin Heckman has been on the Spartan field hockey team for her entire career at Ocean Township High School. However, she had to sit out last season with an injury. Heckman also plays for Surf & Sand elite U19 travel team, so field hockey is the game she loves.

For the Spartans she wore number 13 and on her travel squad it was number 40. There was no specific reason or relationship with the numbers. However, she does have a routine for games. “I must have a specific hair style for school games; half bun. When I play travel games it’s a bubble braid,” said Heckman. She also has to listen to music, has to have electrolytes and doing her own stretching.

“My favorite memory was this season when my physical therapists and trainers came to one of my games and got to watch me play after a very long recovery process,” said Heckman. Her least favorite memory was sitting out last season and not being able to play or help her team.

She will be attending Fairleigh Dickinson University in the fall. “I picked FDU because of the amazing program, coaching staff, and the overall dynamic of the team,” Heckman said. She will be studying social sciences, history and government. “I will be on the pre-law track.” In 2031, she hopes to be a graduate with honors from FDU and enrolled in a law school.

“Despite the hardship that my ankle surgery recovery brought, I believe it shaped me into a stronger person, physically and mentally,” Heckman said. She added that as she prepared to return to field hockey, she learned how to train her body safely and developed positive and healthy training methods.

Heckman fun facts; Orange and pink are her favorite colors. Chicken Caesar salad because of its versatility is the food she prefers. Greys Anatomy is the show she loves, as she has watched the entire series six times and counting. The music artist she listens to before a game is Drake.

Steven Perez-Ojeda, a senior at Ocean Township HS, signed his National Letter of Intent to attend and wrestle for Elizabethtown College.

Steven Perez-Ojeda has been a member of the varsity wrestling squad since the 2023-2024 season. He started off at 126 pounds and this his final season at Ocean was competing at 132 pounds.

“I am not superstitious, I think you decide your own outcome,” said Perez-Ojeda. But he does have a ritual before matches. “I like to listen to old rock music and house music.” That is a genre of electronic dance characterized by repetitive beat and tempo.

When he reflected on his years at Ocean his fondest wrestling memories were not on the mat. “I liked being with the team on the bus rides back from away matches,” Perez-Ojeda said. And his least favorite was when the Spartans lost in the NJSIAA team sectional finals.

“One of my personal accomplishments was becoming a state qualifier, one of my biggest dreams,” added Perez-Ojeda. His record this season was 28-12 and finished third in the districts and regions. Outside of OTHS, Perez-Ojeda wrestles for Triumph wrestling. “I will be attending Elizabethtown College and studying exercise science.” In five years he hopes to be coaching wrestling and working as a physical trainer.

Perez-Ojeda fun facts; Blue is his favorite color. He is a meat lover as steak is his choice. Favorite TV show is Smallville and move is Ford vs Ferrari. As for music, Scar Tissue by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Brandon Johnson has signed his letter of intent to play soccer at Brookdale Community College.

Brandon Johnson has been a member of the Spartan varsity soccer team for two years. He is a defender on the pitch protecting the left side. Like many high school athletes who are looking to play in college, Johnson plays on a travel team. “For travel soccer I wear number 20, because I was born on August 20th and on the high school team that number was already taken, so I chose number 2,” said Johnson.

His only pre-game ritual is drinking electrolytes. When he looked back on his time as a Spartan, his favorite memory was making new friends. “My least favorite memory, losing when I wanted to win,” Johnson said. And one of his biggest accomplishments was being award the Spartan Scholar Award.

Next season he will be attending and playing soccer at Brookdale Community College. “I was never big on wanting to go to college, Brookdale is local and I will be pursuing business studies,” added Johnson. In five years, he hopes to be running a trade business.

Johnson fun facts; Favorite color is blue. Chicken and rice is the food that tops his list. Stranger Things is the TV show he likes the most and Scream is the movie. AS for music, Rap is what he listens to.

Luella Fetter, senior at Ocean Township HS, signed her National Letter of Intent to attend and swim for Montclair State University.

Luella Fetter is a two-sport athlete at Ocean Township High School. She was on the varsity tennis team for two years, but gets her kicks in the pool as a four-year member of the Spartan swim team. “I am a little superstitious. I wear two caps when I swim,” said Fetter.

And before she dons that two swim caps, she listens to upbeat hip hop music. “My favorite memory from high school was senior night,” added Fetter. One of her unique traits is her positive attitude. And that is why she has no least favorite memories as a Spartan swimmer.

As for accomplishments, Fetter has won the Stand Up Spartan Award, the Coaches Award, Spartan Award and Rookie of the Year Award. As an elite athlete, Fetter also swims for the Central Jersey Aquatic Center (CJAC).

“I will be attending Montclair State University. I picked this school because my overnight there was amazing and the team was perfect,” said Fetter. Her choice of study is chemistry. “In five years I see myself working towards a degree in chiropractic medicine.”

Fetter fun facts; Blue is her favorite color and pork roll (not Taylor ham) egg and cheese is the top food choice. Modern Family is the TV show and National Treasure are the shows she likes. As for music, its Kesha. “You never lose, you either win or learn,” is the quote she likes.

Brandon Cosentino, senior at Ocean Township HS, signed his National Letter of Intent to attend and play soccer at Rowan University.

Brandon Cosentino only played varsity soccer for the Spartans this past year. But he has been playing competitive soccer for a very long time and has been playing AAU travel soccer on the Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth MLS. “I am not really superstitious, I like to just go out and play,” said Cosentino.

But he does have a pre-game ritual. “I always eat a meal 2-3 hours before a game. I always listen to Drake before games,” Costentino said. And he had a favorite memory from this season. “It was our win over Ranney on senior night. We had a lot of fans come to the game and I also had a very good individual performance.” That game was a 3-2 overtime win for the Spartans and Cosentino scored all three goals.

This year, his only on varsity, Cosentino was selected to the First Team All Shore and Third Team All State. He finished the season with 21 goals and eight assists. And his least favorite memory, was on November 4, 2025 when Ocean lost 5-4 to Wall Township in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 2 tournament.

Next season he will be a member of the Rowan University soccer team.  “I picked Rowan as they have a prestigious soccer team,” Cosentino said. This past season, the university finished 17-4-4.

Cosentino fun facts; Blue is his favorite color. As for food, its pepperoni pizza. Dexter is his favorite TV show and Good Will Hunting is the movie.

Visit www.facebook.com/TheLinkSports for additional photos of the athletes and their family and coaches from this event.