Best of the Best

Sussex County's top high-school scholar-athlete will be named at the annual United Way Scholar Athlete Banquet at Perona Farms in Andover. The winner will be chosen from among these 11 extraordinary young men and women representing the best of the best at every high school in the county. But if there is one winner, there are no losers in this group. Each of the finalists, who were named last month, will receive scholarships ranging from $500 to the top award, $2,500. The banquet is sponsored by Condit Ford and funds raised through it are administered by the United Way to combat youth violence. This is Sussex County's twentieth scholar-athlete banquet. Lauren Boyle is a senior at High Point Regional High School where she ranks #4 in a class of 265 and obtained a grade point average of 4.31. She has served as a Student Council Representative during her sophomore, junior, and senior years, is a member of the National Honor Society and Foreign Language National Honor Society, and has been awarded the SCIL Academic Athlete Achievement Award for the past three years. In addition, she has received a Presidential Merit Scholarship from Muhlenberg College where she will attend next fall. Lauren is a member of the varsity soccer and basketball team and has been a varsity starter all four years of her high school career. Her achievements include being named All-League, All-Area, and All-State for the past three years, and she has also served as team captain for both the soccer and basketball team. Lauren was named the MVP of her basketball team for the past two years, and has scored over 1,000 points in her career. She is also a member of the varsity track team where she has set records in both the long jump and 200M race. Lucy Chen is a senior at Hopatcong High School where she ranks #1 in a class of 200. Her grade point average is 4.74 with four AP classes on this year's schedule. She is the Student Body president, a member of the National Honor Society, the Math League, Science League, and Academic team. Lucy went to the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference as a sophomore, received a National Merit Commendation as a junior, participated in the NJ Governor's School for Engineering and Technology at Rutgers University, and is an Edward Bloustein Scholar this year. Additionally, she has been the co-editor in chief of the school newspaper since sophomore year. She also was a part of the county band and is currently the first clarinet in her own band. Lucy's athletic achievements in tennis include being named All-League and academic All-League for two years. She was a part of the Star-Ledger's third team in the All-West category. In Hopatcong High School, she has been MVP and a co-captain of her team for the previous two years. Her varsity experience totals three years, playing first singles for the latter two. Lucy was a member of a team that made it to states for the first time ever, and a team that won the sportsmanship award. Michele Barile is a senior attending Jefferson Township High School where she ranks #1 in a class of 247. Her un-weighted grade point average is 3.68 and weighted is a 5.1335. She is enrolled in three AP courses this year, served as president of her class her sophomore year, is in both Math and Science Leagues, and is president of the National Honor Society. She has received the Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar Award. Michele's athletic achievements include being named Honorable Mention for the past two years for cross country in the SCIL. Michele has been a member of the varsity cross country team for the past three years, and currently serves as team captain. As a member of cross country, she has been named most valuable player for her junior and senior years. In both varsity indoor and spring track, she was given the Coach's Award her junior year. Matt Junior, a senior at Kittatinny Regional High School, ranks tenth in his class of 223 with a 4.10 GPA. Consistent high achievement in Honors and AP courses easily earned him membership into the National Honor Society. In recognition of his leadership potential, Matt received a teacher nomination in 2003 to attend a National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Shortly after being named Student of the Month in October 2004, he became Kittatinny's nominee for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award, a national program which exemplifies outstanding "citizen-scholar-athlete" achievement. Matt holds nine Kittatinny varsity letters in wrestling, soccer, and baseball. In wrestling, he earned selection to 1st Team, All-Area and All-league. He received an SCIL Academic Athlete Achievement Award and finished last season with first place in the District 3 Tournament and fourth place in the Region 1 Tournament. He was named to the Group II State Championship team three times. Captain of his varsity soccer team, Matt was selected for the All-League team and received Honorable Mention in the North II Section of the All-State team. He was also named a Sussex Bank Athlete. In baseball, he played shortstop for two years and received the Baseball Coaches' Award. Ted Koellhoffer is a senior at Lenape Valley Regional High School where he ranks Number 2 in a class of 213. He has maintained High Honor Roll status every marking period and achieved a GPA of 100.99, taking the most rigorous schedule of AP and Honors courses Lenape offers. He is a University of Rochester Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award winner and an Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar. Ted was a Sussex County nominee for the Governor's School of the Sciences. He is a member of the German Honor Society, President of the National Honor Society, and Vice President of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Ted has distinguished himself in two Varsity sports. In cross country, Ted holds the Lenape Valley record for the SCIL course. On track, Ted is part of the Lenape school record-holding distance medley of 2003. Caitlin Ehehalt is a senior at Newton High School. She has a grade point average of 4.11 and is ranked 11th out of 175 students. Caitlin is enrolled in advance placement and honors classes. In addition, she is taking college courses at Newton High School as part of a cooperative program with Sussex County Community College. Caitlin is a member of the Student Council, Peer Leadership Club, Interact Club, Math League, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. She has held the following offices: Class Secretary, President of the Interact Club and Treasurer of the Spanish Club. She was selected to attend the Youth in County Government Program in May, 2004 and was chosen to represent Newton as a Girls' State Delegate. Caitlin earned varsity letters for field hockey and track the past four years and three varsity letters for basketball. Her accomplishments include All-Area, All-League, and All-Group recognitions as well as team recognition with S.C.I.L. county titles and sectional titles. She was captain of the field hockey team and voted Most Valuable Player by her teammates. She was also chosen as captain of the Lady Braves Basketball team. Laura Maurer is a senior at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta. A student in the top five percent of her class, Laura is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Stand Tall. She carries a GPA of 4.2 and is taking three AP and three Honors courses in her senior year. Laura, who began playing volleyball in California, was involved in the formation of a volleyball team at Pope John this past year, marking the school's inaugural year for this sport. She was team captain and led the Lions to a winning record and appearance in the state tournament. Laura received a number of honors following the Lions first year success, including First Team All-State, Morris/Sussex Player of the Year, First Team All-Morris/Sussex, First Team All-Area, First Team All-Group 2, Most Valuable Player for the varsity team, Sussex Bank Scholar Athlete of the Month and Pope John Athlete of the Month. She was also chosen by the Star Ledger to play with the New Jersey All-Star Volleyball Team. From December through June, Laura plays on an elite club team based in Westfield. She has traveled throughout the United States, Europe and China to play volleyball. William Dalton, a senior at Sparta High School, ranks 5th in a class of 235 with a 4.28 GPA and an SAT score of 1430. He is an Edward J. Bloustein Scholar, as well as a recipient of the distinguished Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award. Billy is a member of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society, and is President of the Latin Honor Society . Billy has been a member of the Varsity Soccer Team for the past four years and has been a starting midfielder during three straight SCIL Championship runs. A captain this season, Billy was named MVP of Sparta's undefeated county championship squad. He was selected First Team All-SCIL, First Team All-Group 3, and Second Team All-State. He was chosen Star Ledger Athlete of the Week, Daily Record Player of the Week, Sussex Bank Athlete of the Month, Sports Beat Player of the Week, and Channel 12 News Scholar-Athlete of the Week during his senior season. Billy plays year-round soccer for his club team, the New Jersey Rangers, who recently placed 3rd in the Director's Cup National Championship in Indianapolis and the Tampa Bay Sunbowl. Jon Trotta is Sussex County Technical School's nominee for the 2004-2005 Scholar Athlete award. Trotta is at this time a senior in the Medical Arts Program. In a class of 122, Jon is ranked Number 5 with a GPA of 3.24. In freshman and sophomore year, Jon was enrolled in the Sussex County Technical School's Academy for Math and Science. Participating in Sussex County Technical School's concurrent college program with Sussex County Community College, Jon will be graduating with 16 college credits. Jon has a combined SAT score of 1190. Jon was chosen as the school's representative for New Jersey Boys' State, but could not attend due to being accepted into Daniel Fox's Youth Scholar Institute held at Lebanon Valley College. Jon's athletic career at Sussex County Technical School involves three year son the varsity soccer team and three years on the golf team. He was named captain of the soccer team for his junior and senior year. Also, he was named captain of the golf team his junior year. His reliability and capabilities as a leader showed on the soccer field or golf course. Jon currently holds the school record for the "Lowest Individual Score" with a 39 at Black Bear Golf Course and holds a prominent name with other S.C.I.L. golf teams. He hopes to do even better in the upcoming season. Sabrina Moran is currently a senior at Vernon Township High School, where she ranks first in a class of four hundred and twenty-six students. Her grade point average is 5.218, and she receives straight A's. Sabrina is enrolled in all Honors and Advanced Placement core classes, as well as three elective courses. She is a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and Tri-M Music Honor Society. Sabrina is an Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar and has received the Presidential Education Award. She was Vernon's Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership representative, and she attended the NJ Governor's School of Engineering and Technology last July. For the past six years, Sabrina has had perfect attendance. Sabrina is a member of Vernon's varsity Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor track teams. In Cross Country, she has received All-League, All-Area, and third team All-State recognition, and she currently holds the V.T.H.S. record at the Garret Mountain course. In 2004, Sabrina placed third at the SCIL Cross Country Festival, tenth at Sectionals, nineteenth at Groups, and forty-fourth at the NJ Meet of Champions. In November, she was Vernon's Athlete of the Month. Kyle Backman is currently ranked first in a class of 174 students with a grade point average of -4.44 at the conclusion of midterm exams. Every year, he has taken the most demanding courses available to him in each subject and has been nominated "Student of the Year" several times. He is a member of Wallkill's chapter of National Honor Society as well as a Bloustein Scholar and a National Merit Commended Scholar. In addition to his studies, Kyle participates in three sports: soccer, ski racing and golf. In his foremost sport, ski racing, he is the current individual State Champion. Also, he has been the SCIL champion for the past two years and a member of the All-SCIL, ALL-State, and Academic Athlete teams since freshman year. In addition, he is also currently State Champion in the United States Ski Racing Association. Last year, at the Eastern JI-JII Finals, he placed in the top 25 out of over 100 of the best athletes on the east coast. This year, he has obtained an international racing license and hopes to race in international events in the United States and Canada.