Local athletes sign on with colleges

It’s the holiday gift that keeps on giving for, in some cases, up to five years. The total benefit of the gift could be more than $200,000. What better time than a few days before Thanksgiving to sign a national letter of intent to play collegiate athletics? There were more than a dozen signings locally this week, and no school celebrated more than Bishop Guertin High School. Meghan Green, of Bedford, who led the Cardinals to the Division I basketball title last winter and an unbeaten season, signed with Boston University. In the same ceremony at the school, lacrosse player Blake Boudreau inked his deal to Marist. Also in attendance: Bedford’s Callie Santos, who will play lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst; Westford, Mass.’ Nicolle Pettiglio, who will play lacrosse at Davidson; and Bedford’s Colin Swanson, who has agreed to play lacrosse at Saint Anselm. Senior Sarah Burke, of Tyngsborough, Mass., joined the festivities. The Ivy League doesn’t use the national letter of intent  system, but she’s agreed to run track and cross country at Columbia. Four area softball players signed college deals.