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National Wrestling Hall of Fame announces State, Regional winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award

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by National Wrestling Hall of Fame

STILLWATER, Okla. - The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday announced the state and regional winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA).


The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. Regional winners are selected from state winners, and the national winner will be chosen from the regional winners.


The Hall of Fame will announce the state and regional winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA) next week. The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.


The national winner of the DSHSEA will be announced on Tuesday, May 8. The national winner will be presented with his award during the 42nd Annual Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 1-2 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.


The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.


"Every year we are excited to announce the winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award because it allows us to showcase outstanding wrestlers who are also good students and citizens," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "It is also very rewarding for us to follow the careers of the DSHSEA winners to see the success that they have in college and beyond."


Midwest Region winner David Carr is the son of Nate Carr, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003, and the brother of Nate Carr, Jr., who was the DSHSEA winner for Georgia in 2006. North Carolina winner Quincy Monday is the son of Kenny Monday, a Distinguished Member inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. Virginia winner Patrick McCormick is the son of Dr. Michael McCormick, who was honored by the Hall of Fame as a Meritorious Official in 2011, and the grandson of Dr. Pat McCormick, who was honored as a Meritorious Official in 1994.


The state winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community.


The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners.


National winners of the DSHSEA award have combined to win 18 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners Steven Mocco (2001), David Taylor (2009) and Teyon Ware (2002). The 2016 winner of the DSHSEA Mark Hall won an NCAA title as a freshman in 2017 while 2015 winner Zahid Valencia defeated Hall in the finals to win an NCAA title in 2018.


The 2018 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award Regional Winners are:

West Region: Travis Wittlake, Jr., of Broadbent, Oregon, is a four-time Oregon High School state champion for Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Oregon. The son of Travis Wittlake, Sr., he was the United World Wrestling cadet freestyle champion in 2016 and 2017, the Junior Nationals cadet freestyle champion in 2016 and the Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion in 2015 and 2016. Wittlake won a bronze at the Junior World Championships in 2016, but did not compete in 2017 because of an injury. He is a four-time Sierra Nevada Classic champion and was named 4A Wrestler of the Year three times. Wittlake was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd" in 2018 and was listed as a 'Future Game Changer' by the publication in 2012. He has been a motivational speaker at local schools while also serving as a volunteer coach and official. Wittlake has a 3.4 GPA and has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Oklahoma State University.

Central Region: Malik Heinselman of Castle Rock, Colorado, is a three-time Colorado High School state champion for Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado. The son of Brian and Caroline Heinselman, he had a high school record of 174-9 with 92 pins. Heinselman was a two-time Junior Nationals champion and competed on three world freestyle teams, twice as a cadet and once as a junior. He has a 3.77 GPA and has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Ohio State University.

Midwest Region: David Carr of Massillon, Ohio, is a four-time Ohio High School state champion for Perry Local High School and he also won a Kentucky High School state title as an eighth grader. The son of Nate and Linda Carr, he was the Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament as a junior and as a senior and finished with a career record of 188-6. Carr was a Junior Nationals champion and was named Outstanding Wrestler in 2017, and he won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2016. He volunteers at a homeless shelter in Dayton, Ohio, and helped produce an anti-bullying video in response to the number of suicides at his high school. He has a 3.2 GPA and has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Iowa State University.

Northeast Region: Shane Griffith of Westwood, New Jersey, is a four-time finalist and three-time New Jersey High School state champion, finishing with a career record of 128-13 for Bergen Catholic High School. The son of Jeffrey and Alison Griffith, he is a Super 32 champion and Fargo runner-up and was the first underclassman to be named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament as a freshman in 2015. He is a member of Teen Impact at Bergen Catholic High School and also volunteers at a local food pantry and at the children's hospital at Hackensack Medical Center. He has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Stanford University.

Southeast Region: Joey Silva of Altamonte Springs, Florida, is a five-time Florida High School state champion, finishing with a career record of 267-9 for Lakeland Highland Prep. The son of Gabriel Acevedo and Joanna Pineiro, he is a four-time National High School Coaches Association champion and a three-time Super 32 champion. Silva volunteers at Shepard's Hope while also volunteering his time to work with youth in wrestling and other sports and delivering meals to the homeless. He has a 3.28 GPA and has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Michigan.

The regions and the states that they are comprised of are:

West (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming

Midwest (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin

Central (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas

Southeast (10) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia

Northeast (11) - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont

2018 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners

State - Name, High School, City, College Attending

Alabama - Barrett Blakely, Oak Mountain High School, Birmingham, Appalachian State University

Alaska - Thomas Dyment, Bethel High School, Bethel

Arizona - Roman Bravo-Young, Sunnyside High School, Tucson, Penn State University

Arkansas - James Noel, Pulaski Academy, Little Rock, North Dakota State University

California - Seth Nevills, Clovis High School, Clovis, Penn State University

Colorado - Malik Heinselman, Castle View High School, Castle Rock, Ohio State University

Connecticut - Jarod Kosman, Fitch High School, Groton

Delaware - Robbie Rosser, Milford Senior High School, Milford

Florida - Joey Silva, Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, University of Michigan

Georgia - Justin Ruffin, Union Grove High School, McDonough, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

Hawaii - Corey Cabanban, St. Louis School, Honolulu

Idaho - Joseph Rice, New Plymouth High School, New Plymouth

Illinois - Anthony Cassioppi, Hononegah High School, Rockton, University of Iowa

Indiana - Brayton Lee, Brownsburg High School, Brownsburg, University of Minnesota

Iowa - Alex Thomsen, Underwood High School, Underwood

Kansas - Jace Koelzer, Olathe South High School, Olathe, University Northern Colorado

Kentucky - Saul Ervin, Union County High School, Morganfield, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

Louisiana - Blake Mateu, Archbishop Rummel High School, Metairie

Maine - Ryan Fredette, Winslow High School, Winslow

Maryland - Aaron Brooks, North Hagerstown High School, Hagerstown

Massachusetts - Lucas Cordio, Nashoba Regional High School, Bolton, University of Maryland

Michigan - Brandon Whitman, Dundee High School, Dundee, University of North Carolina

Minnesota - Gable Steveson, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, University of Minnesota

Missouri - Zachery Elam, Staley High School, Kansas City, University of Missouri

Montana - Charlie Klepps. Billings Senior High School, Billings

Nebraska - Derek Robb, Sidney High School, Sidney

Nevada - Ty Smith, Virgin Valley High School, Mesquite, Drexel University

New Hampshire - Brian Lindsay, Kingswood Regional High School, Wolfeboro

New Jersey - Shane Griffith, Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell

New Mexico - Wes Rayburn, Piedra Vista High School, Farmington

New York - Jacori Teemer, Long Beach High School, Lido Beach

North Carolina - Quincy Monday, Carrboro High School, Carrboro, Princeton University

North Dakota - Jared Franek, West Fargo High School, West Fargo

Ohio - David Carr, Perry High School, Massillon, Iowa State University

Oklahoma - Jaryn Curry, Choctaw High School, Choctaw

Oregon - Travis Wittlake, Jr., Marshfield High School, Coos Bay, Oklahoma State University

Pennsylvania - Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan High School, Jefferson

Rhode Island - Sam Lynch, Ponaganset High School, North Scituate

South Carolina - Jacob Brasseur, Lexington High School, Lexington

South Dakota - William Turman, T.F. Riggs High School, Pierre

Tennessee - Bryce Wittman, Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville

Texas - Braeden Redlin, Allen High School, Allen, Ohio State University

Utah - Brock Hardy, Box Elder High School, Brigham City

Vermont - Tyler Burgess, Mount Anthony Union High School, Bennington

Virginia - Patrick McCormick, Poquoson High School, Poquoson, University of Virginia

Washington - Mason Phillips, Stanwood High School, Stanwood, University of North Carolina

West Virginia - Josh Humphreys, Parkersburg South High School, Parkersburg

Wisconsin - Jeremy Schoenherr, Stratford High School, Stratford, University of Wisconsin

Wyoming - Brett Brenton, Natrona County High School, Casper, University of Wyoming

All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award

2017 - Daton Fix, Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (Junior World Champion)

2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion, 2X Junior World Champion)

2015 - Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California (NCAA Champion, Junior World Silver Medalist)

2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania

2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (3X NCAA Champion)

2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan

2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California

2010 - Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (4X NCAA Champion)

2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (2X NCAA Champion)

2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah

2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota

2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida

2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion)

2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist)

2003 - C.P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio

2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion)

2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian)

2000 - Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina

1999 - Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion)

1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (World medalist)

1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio

1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa

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