Four Long Island wrestlers - Stephen Bonanno (Wantagh), Ryan Conway (Chaminade), Shane Strumwasser (Massapequa) and Paul Liguori (Wantagh) - were named to the National High School Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team.
Click below to read about the team and the four individuals...
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICANS LANGEL, SOLBERG, JOHNSON LEAD NHSCA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM FOR 2008
EASTON, Pa. – The National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) has announced its All-Academic Team selections for 2008.
It is the 15th year the NHSCA has honored these achievers in the classroom. The 106 selections for 2008 include 53 seniors, 35 juniors, 11 sophomores and seven freshmen, and come from 30 states. They sport an average grade-point average (GPA) of 3.75 on a scale of 4.0, with 23 members of the team earning a GPA of 4.0 or better. Eleven members of the squad – five seniors, five juniors and one sophomore – rank No. 1 in their class academically. That total includes, for the second straight year, a pair of twin brothers, Cameron and Colton Wagner, who share their class’s No. 1 ranking – the junior class at Belle Plaine (Iowa) High. A second brother combination, Brandon and Colin Zeerip of Hesperia (Mich.) High, are ranked No. 1 in the junior and sophomore classes, respectively, at their school.
"The members of this year’s All-Academic Team define what it means to be a student-athlete today," NHSCA associate executive director Bob Ferraro Jr. said. "They are leaders both on the field and in the classroom, and we are proud to be honoring them."
The team includes three wrestlers who earned All-America status in this year’s NHSCA National High School Seniors Wrestling Championships March 28-31, led by the 112-pound champion, Joey Langel of Farmingdale (N.J.) Howell High. The others both come from North Dakota: the 152-pound runnerup, Tyler Johnson of Bismarck High, and third-place finisher Justin Solberg (119) of Wahpeton High, who finished third. Solberg also is one of five senior Academic All-Americans to earn All-America honors in the National High School Juniors Wrestling Championships a year ago. Joining Solberg were Daniel Clarke of Ramsey (N.J.) High, Aaron Pickrel of Watertown (S.D.) High, Shane Strumwasser of Massapequa (N.Y.) High and Harry Turner, Langel’s teammate at Howell High.
Four members of the Class of 2009 – Tyler Biscaha of Jackson (N.J.) Memorial High, Gabe Brotzman of Cary (N.C.) High, Paul Liguori of Wantagh (N.Y.) High and Clay Reeb of Cheektowaga (N.Y.) High – were National High School Sophomores Wrestling Championships All-Americans a year ago, and Biscaha was the 103-pound champion. Michael Shaughnessy gave Howell a third All-American selection after finishing eighth in the National High School Freshman Wrestling Championships this year.
Georgia and Tennessee each had 10 selections to lead this year’s squad. They were followed by Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio, with six each. Hawaii, Michigan and New Jersey had five selections and Iowa and Vermont earned four. To be considered for selection, an athlete must carry a GPA of 3.4 or better (on a scale of 4.0), be a state tournament placewinner or have received All-State honors.
Stephen Bonanno (New York): Division 1 state champion with 44-2 record at 119 pounds for coach James Murphy at Wantagh High School; two-time state placewinner; career record 140-32. Earned 4.0 GPA, scored 28 on the ACT and 1280 on the SAT, and ranks in the top 5 per cent of his class; will attend Brown University.
Ryan Conway (New York): Catholic state runnerup with 35-6 record at 135 pounds for coach George Dlugolonski at Chaminade High School; four-time state placewinner; career record 108-38. Earned 4.0 GPA, scored 1500 on the SAT, and ranks in the top 3 per cent of his class; will attend Amherst College.
Shane Strumwasser (New York): Finished 45-2 and third in Division 1 state tournament at 125 pounds for coach Steve Strumwasser at Massapequa High School; two-time state placewinner; career record 165-32. National High School Juniors Wrestling Championships All-American. Earned 99 (of 100), scored 1280 on the SAT, and ranks in the top 2 per cent of his class; will attend Columbia University.
Paul Liguori (New York): Finished 44-1 and third in Division 1 state tournament at 125 pounds for coach James Murphy at Wantagh High School; two-time state champion; career record 178-13. National High School Sophomores Wrestling Championships All-American. Earned 3.9 GPA, scored 1320 on the SAT, and ranks in the top 10 per cent of his class.