365 wildcats honored during 2025 Scholar-Athlete Breakfast & Ceremony

On Tuesday morning, Warwick Valley Central School District honored 365 Wildcats who earned the title of 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). To earn the distinction, a student must maintain a GPA of 90% or higher throughout their varsity season. Additionally, 30 Wildcat teams qualified for 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete Team status. 

"As a sports fan, I love the athletics department; I enjoy watching our teams win games and compete for titles," said Dr. David Leach, Superintendent of Schools. "But as a superintendent, what matters to me far beyond scores and trophies are the incredible academic achievements that these athletes made this year."

Dr. Leach lauded the student-athletes for the determination and resiliency it has taken to achieve their successes in the classroom and on the field. He also shared his admiration and appreciation for how Warwick Valley athletes have embraced and put into practice the universal lessons they have learned through sports.

"Being a Wildcat means representing Warwick Valley schools and community not only with Wildcat spirit and pride, but also with a sense of sportsmanship," Dr. Leach said. "And that is a quality that extends beyond the field and into all aspects of life. Every one of you has my gratitude for the sacrifices you have made in becoming exactly that kind of ambassador."

Two Wildcats were also celebrated as Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) 2025 Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Warwick Valley High School Principal Georgianna Diopoulos was at the podium to share the achievements and plans of Olivia Martino and Brady Judd.

"I have had the distinct honor of knowing both of these students since they were nine," Principal Diopoulos said. "So this is a really exciting moment for me, to acknowledge both of these young people for achieving such outstanding averages of over 102!"

Olivia is a four-year varsity starter, and captain, of the Wildcats softball team, and also participates in cheer and tennis. She's a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, the SADD Club, and the Interact Club. She's clocked over 100 hours of community service, and is headed off to the University of Florida to major in biology in the fall.

Brady is co-captain of the Wildcats wrestling team, a Section IX wrestling champion, three-time NISCA qualifier, and has 23 career varsity wins. He is part of National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, and recipient of the RIT Science & Math Award, awarded to high school students who demonstrate strong academic achievement and interest in science, mathematics, and a commitment to school and community. He is also the first trumpet chair in the wind ensemble. Brady is attending the University of Delaware next year to study finance.

WVCSD Board of Education Member and former Warwick Valley Coach John Garcia was honored to be asked to address the scholar-athletes, who he referred to as "the best of the best."

"It's because you sacrifice," Coach Garcia began. "You get up early in the morning to study or hit the weight room. Then you go through a whole school day and then onto the fields. If you have game, you don't get done until 8:00 at night. Then, it's home, eat, study. And the reward you get for that -- you get to do it again tomorrow." 

Coach Garcia also recognized and thanked the students for assuming a tremendous responsibility they have -- something that isn't always evident to the casual fan of high school sports.

"I worked in middle school for 35 years, and those kids look up to you scholar-athletes like you can't believe," Coach Garcia said. "They know your names. They see you as great athletes on the field, and they know that they've got to do the work in the classroom too, because they want to be like you."

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler was also on hand for the event, and encouraged the scholar-athletes to continue down the road of leadership that sports has put them on. 

"Be a leader or not a manager," D.A. Hoovler said. "Managers make sure everything runs okay, and the world needs managers. But leaders believe in other people. Leaders take chances and leaders give second chances. Leaders have the vision to take other people to places they didn't know they wanted to go."

D.A. Hoovler also encouraged the students to show compassion to others.

"It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice," he said. "When you go to your class reunion in 25 or 30 years, someone might remember that touchdown you had, but they're sure going to remember how you treated them. So treat people with respect, treat them nice. Finally, remember that it's never about beating the other guy, it's simply about being the best that you can be."

Class of 2009 Wildcat Shernai Bentley Lopez was the event's keynote speaker. Shernai played for Coach Jim O'Brien as a four-year varsity basketball player. She went on to the University of Scranton,  where she was a four-year starter and named captain of her collegiate team. Ms. Bentley Lopez spoke about growing up in Warwick, being part of the Warwick Valley athletics program, and the sacrifices she made to excel in high school, college, and beyond. 

"A truth that we all know, is that being a student athlete is extremely challenging," Ms. Bentley Lopez said, eliciting audible knowing chuckles in response from the athletes, parents and coaches in audience. "You wake up before the sun to get to practice. You push your body to its limits on the court, the field, the track. Then you do the same thing in the classroom later that day. While your fellow classmates rest, you are studying. While some might skip, you show up. And you do that every single day."

Ms. Bentley Lopez went on to praise the scholar-athletes for having such grit and confidence.

"This takes an unshakable belief in your goals," she said. "And what makes scholar-athletes like you truly remarkable is not just the balance you've learned to have between academics and athletics, but the discipline you've forged, the resilience you've built, and the character you've developed. These are qualities that will carry you far beyond sports, these are the foundations that future leaders are built on." 

Two Wildcats also addressed the audience to share their gratitude -- and the scholar-athletes' collective gratitude -- for the supporters who helped them get to where they ware. Wildcats quarterback Brody Frederick thanked all of the coaches, teachers, family members, and teammates for their support and love. Wildcats unified basketball player Joey Gonzalez echoed Brody sentiments on family and friends, adding a specific shout-out to Coach Sirico.

Congratulations to all 365 of our NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athletes, and to the students also named US Army All-Americans, this year. And please see the 30 Scholar-Athlete Teams listed below. 

And to our seniors... Oh the places you'll Go, Wildcats!  

• Abbate Giacomo
• Matthew Abel
• Samira Ahad
• Adrianna Aiosa
• Jenna Alicea
• Michael Aloia
• Victoria Alvarado
• Roman Anderson
• Joel Andoh
• Harrison Annucci
• Laci Annunziato
• Anthey Naveen             
• Alyssa Ast
• Dillon Astbury
• Liam Astbury
• Gabriela Barquero
• Amelia Barravecchia
• Owen Barrett 
• Charlie Bastone
• Samara Beauregard
• Kyle Becker     
• Sydney Becker              
• Domenico Berlingieri
• Reese Berman
• Dylan Bess
• Penelope Bieling         
• Mariah Boatswain
• Kyle Bolich
• Genevieve Boyle
• Johannah Bradley
• Ronan Bradley
• Madison Breen
• Lorenza Brennie
• Zachary Brescia
• Anika Brezina
• Alexa Brown
• Greydan Bruckner
• Matthew Budnar
• Madison Burke
• Colin Burke
• Catherine Burrows
• Lily Burrows
• Valerie Cardoza-Zapata
• Robert Carroll               
• John Carter
• Danny Castillo
• Casey Catalanotto
• Ava Cauda
• Joseph Cerulli
• Amiya Chatman
• Janiya Chatman
• Andy Chen
• Zoe Chocallo
• Nina Cirillo
• Juliette Cloutier
• Cora Colin-Green
• Kyra Collins
• Ashley Comer
• Aidan Corbalis
• Grace Cornelius
• Jane Cornelius
• Kristina Correa
• Jake Cosco
• Mira Costa
• Olivia Cupo
• Ciara Currid
• Liam Cutler
• Jillian Daubert
• Maria De Geronimo
• Kayli Decker
• McKenzie Decker
• Maria DeGeronimo
• Sophia DeGroat
• Sophia Del Valley
• Alex DeSimone
• Matthew Desrats
• Gabriella DiMarco
• Zoe Dimartino
• Liliana Donoso
• Ryan Dorfman
• Alyssa Dovico
• Rosario Dovico            
• Isabella Dudhnath-Tacardon
• Molly Duffy
• Juely Duran
• Owen Durgin
• Natalie Eger
• Raymond Eger
• Matthew Estrada
• Xavier Fernandez
• Audrey Finn
• Joseph Finn
• Matthew Finnerty
• Lea Finucane
• Ashley Fitzgerald
• Maya Fong
• Abagail Foust
• Madison Fox
• Brody Frederick
• Matthew Freedman
• Carly Freet
• Collin Freet
• Holly Frischknecht
• Asa Garner
• Etta Garofalo
• Eva Garofalo
• Abigail Gawronski
• Jude Gawronski
• Mia Georges
• Annika Geysen
• Charlotte Gillen
• Keira Ginley
• Kevin Ginley
• Reese Girardi
• Dylan Gjertsen
• Kyle Gluckstein
• Jack Gobinski
• Joseph Gonzalez
• Harrison Gratzel
• Celia Greco
• Lucas Greh
• Carter Griffin
• Aubrey Grigalunas
• Anthony Grigalunas
• Evan Grundfast
• Gisela Gujar
• Charlotte Gunther
• Sofia Hafeez
• Alexa Hansen
• Aidan Harvey
• Cole Haskew
• Grant Havell
• Paul Helmrich
• Lily Hennessey-Coyle
• Owen Hogan 
• Connor Holland
• Cayden Honerkamp
• Adam Hooper
• Vivian House 
• Sydney Introini
• Brielle Isernia
• Madison Jakubek
• Lillian Jocelyn
• Milo Johnson
• Victoria Johnson
• Brady Judd
• Garrett Judd
• Abigail Kadus
• Abigail Kane
• Angelina Kanz
• Jack Keenan
• Brooke Kelley
• Erin Kelly
• Ciara Kelly
• Alexa Keys
• Riley Kimiecik
• Daria Kitar
• Jaden Klausner
• Cameron Knox
• Alexander Kobrick
• Ryan Kobrick
• Peyton Komorsky
• Valentino Kron
• Shaun Kunisch
• Lillybeth Kurosz
• Kurtis Langone
• Lucas Langone
• Kaitlyn Larney
• Kelsy Larney
• Amanda Larsen           
• Kasandra Lashuay
• Keri Leahey
• Jaylena Lehrer
• Shilah Lewis
• Steven Lewis
• Isaac Liang
• Nathan Link
• Hudson Lopez
• Jasmine Lorentzen
• Josephine Lorentzen
• Alexander Lucas
• Christian Lucas
• Sean Luhavalja
• Matthew Lupkovich
• Owen Machingo
• Christopher Mangels
• Paige Manno
• Victoria Martinez
• Brianna Martino
• Olivia Martino
• Carrington Mask
• Landry Mask
• Emil Maybeck
• Sophia Maybeck
• Sofia Mazza
• Anthony Mazza
• Denis McAteer
• Peter McCormick
• Carly McLaughlin
• Thomas McNamara 
• Madelyn McSweeney
• Derek Mead
• Francesca Mikos
• Alexa Milazzo
• Lucas Miller
• Michael Miller
• Aamina Millette
• Jaxsen Mita
• Drew Moeller
• Michael Molinelli
• Camryn Moore
• Rylee Moore
• Asher Morgenstern
• Rosalie Mountford
• Beren Munkatchy
• Erin Murphy
• Madison Murtagh
• Joseph Murtagh
• Mohammad Reza Najafipour
• Liam Natale
• Adriana Natoli
• Juliet Novak
• Abigail O'Brien
• Olivia O'Brien
• Addison O'Donnell
• Madison Olszewski
• Conor O'Mahony
• Thomas O'Mahony
• Joliana O'Neill                               
• Hailee Oppmann
• Kalia Ortiz
• Arianna Ovanesian
• Devin Packer
• Alex Paraschiv
• Jillian Parsons
• Catherine Paulsen
• Mackery Paulsen
• Eva Pellino
• Sean Perez
• Charlene Petreshock
• Benjamin Pickering
• Stephanie Pickering
• Harrison Piskadlo
• Alexa Pitiger
• Matthew Poje
• Zachary Polsky
• Talia Potempa
• Michael Praino
• Emma Predmore
• Natalie Proulx
• Holly Purta
• Leah Purta
• Landon Putnam
• Angelika Quadrino
• Jaelyn Quadrino
• Evan Qualiano
• Jack Rado
• Nicholas Ramos
• Daniel Ranaudo
• Emma Ranaudo
• Thomas Ranaudo
• Noah Randall
• Matthew Rashford
• Olivia Retcho
• Kendal Riat
• Logan Rivelli
• Eric Rodriguez
• Jaedyn Rodriguez
• Jayleen Rodriguez
• Anthony-Erik Roe
• Kasen Roecker
• Jonah Roepe
• Kayan Roepe
• Rowan Roepe
• Symon Roldan
• Sophia Roma
• Emily Romig
• Kathryn Ronan
• Thomas Ronan
• Ava Roome
• William Roome
• Jalyn Rosario
• Olivia Rose
• Michael Ross
• Violet Ross
• Lillian Rother 
• Caroline Rourke
• Emma Rudnick
• Carmela Rufrano
• Derick Ruiz
• Claire Russell
• Nicholas Ryan
• Emerson Ryle
• Joseph Sanzone
• Alyssa Sarlo
• Madelyn Sarnicki
• Tristan Sasse
• Leah Scalo
• Thomas Scarpaci
• Kayla Scheuermann
• Elaina Schlesinger
• Julia Schlesinger
• Taylor Secord
• Arielle Seid
• Riley Seijas
• Jason Senior
• Colton Senius
• Julie Serpe
• Ava Servedio
• Gianna Sganga
• Milo Judah Shaw-Smith Gendelman
• Leo Shostal
• Luca Siebert
• Emma Silva
• Amanda Sit
• Casey Smith
• Reagan Smith
• Shea Smith
• Garrison Sobo
• Abigail Sorrell
• Salvatore Spinelli
• Piper Stewen
• Helena Stone
• Aidan Stubbs
• Dylan Sullivan
• Ryan Sullivan
• Maeve Sutliff
• Zoe Swornik
• Jake Tannar    
• Meghan Tennant
• Camryn Terry
• Macklin Tomlinson
• Amanda Torres
• Ezequiel Torres
• Leonard Tosh
• Matthew Tully
• Madison Tyzbir
• Anastasios Tzezailidis
• Zachary Vega
• Marios Veloudos
• Rachel Venter
• Nicholas Vicciardo
• Vallejo Villarrubia
• Darren Vogt
• Wyatt Vreeland
• Talia Walker
• Breann Walsh
• Brenna Walters
• Liam Watkins
• Nicole Weaver
• Arianna Weinberg
• Steven Weinberg
• Beatrix Wendell
• Henry Wendell
• Charlotte Wendt         
• Lucas  Wensley
• Ashleigh White
• Jaylen White  
• Selvin White III
• Mark Wishnia
• Aubrey Wright
• Henry Wright
• Miranda  Wright
• Rory Wright
• Alexander Xin
• Matthew  Yioupis
• Courtney Ziegler          

2025 Scholar-Athlete Teams (Sport - Team GPA)

• Softball - 101.16
• Girls Tennis - 100.90
• Girls Cross Country - 100.28
• Boys Tennis - 99.74
• Volleyball - 99.48
• Girls Golf - 99.37
• Girls Ski - 99.29
• Girls Soccer - 99.06
• Girls Lacrosse - 98.56
• Boys Cross Country - 98.38
• Girls Basketball - 97.82
• Girls Crew - 97.43
• Girls Indoor Track & Field - 97.28
• Boys Soccer - 97.08
• Girls Track & Field - 97.01
• Boys Indoor Track & Field - 96.75
• Girls Swim and Dive - 95.85
• Baseball - 95.56
• Cheerleading - 95.33
• Wrestling - 95.00
• Competitive Cheer - 94.86
• Boys Track and Field - 94.79
• Boys Lacrosse - 94.50
• Boys Ski - 94.47
• Boys Basketball - 94.37
• Flag Football - 94.35
• Boys Crew - 94.21
• Boys Swimming & Diving - 93.52
• Football - 92.91
• Boys Golf - 92.54