THE PALM BEACH POST’S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

Ryan Rizk

The starting quarterback for the Stallions’ football team last season, the senior also won the school’s Academic Athlete of the Year award, is a member of the National Honor Society, and carried a 4.34 gradepoint average. He will play football at the University of Miami.

Lejla Najarro

The freshman swimmer earned a top-8 finish at regionals in the 100-yard butterfly and also is a student in the school’s International Baccalaureate program. She carries a 3.8 grade-point average.

Alessandra Baldari

A three-time AllAmerican swimmer who set nine school records, she also is a member of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society, made the Headmaster’s List for four years, and carried a 4.0 GPA, She will swim at Yale University.

Sophia Cruzan

She ran four years of varsity crosscountry and three years of varsity track for the Bobcats, and also carried a 5.7 honors-point average. She will attend the University of Florida.

Anna Severtson

A four-year soccer standout who also ran cross-country, she is a National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society member, was a founding member and president of the Honor Council, and carried a 4.6 honors-point average. She will attend St. Olaf College.

Justin Hier

A soccer and flag football player who earned MVP and Coaches’ Awards this season, he also is a 2018 National Merit Scholar and AP Scholar with Distinction, served as Student Government President, and carried a 5.27 honors-point average. He will attend the University of Miami.

Zachary Stoloff

A four-year varsity soccer player and three-year varsity golfer, he was a Wendy’s High School Heisman state finalist as well as a four-year class president. He carried a 4.91 honorspoint average, and will attend the University of Michigan.

Kenneth Geremia

A lacrosse standout for the Panthers, he was a first-team AllDistrict selection as a senior and a second-team selection as a junior. He also was enrolled in the school’s Academy of Finance, and carried a 3.65 GPA. He will attend the University of Florida.

Valerie Aalo

A four-year varsity soccer player and state qualifier in track and field, she also was ranked nationally for Science Olympiad, served as a research assistant for FAU’s College of Medicine, and carried a 5.32 honors-point average. She will attend Florida Atlantic University.

Darius McClendon

The quarterback for the Falcons’ varsity football team who earned All-State and All-Area honors as a junior this school year, he also is enrolled in the school’s engineering program, and carries a 3.57 honors-point average.

Wiskierra Lemene

■ A four-sport athlete who helped lead the Raiders to their first-ever berth in the flag football state tournament, she also was the school’s Pathfinder Award nominee for sports and carried a 3.7 GPA. She will attend Florida State University.

GLADES DAY

Jaylin Smith

■ A softball, volleyball and soccer standout for the Gators, she also was a Pathfinder Award nominee for communications and carried a 3.95 GPA. She will study biomedical sciences at the University of Central Florida.

Jaclyn Schner

■ A two-sport athlete for the Pride who earned first-team all-county honors in volleyball this season, the junior also is a member of the National Honor Society and Student Government, and carries a 3.8 GPA.

Juliette Richardson

■ A four-year weightlifter and track athlete who won conference championships in both sports, she also was part of a Lancers team that won three consecutive FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Academic Team championships. She carried a 3.86 GPA and will attend Florida Memorial University.

Brielle Pearce

■ A five-sport athlete for the Warriors who earned all-county honors in flag football, cross-country and soccer, she also is an eight-time team Wall of Fame recipient, a Pathfinder Award nominee for sports, a member of four national honor societies, and an AP Scholar. She carried a 5.4 honorspoint average, and will attend the United States Coast Guard Academy.

Toler Reiff

■ A lacrosse and basketball standout for the Eagles who was a starter on the school’s SSAC state championship basketball team, the junior also was named an Under Armour Scholar Athlete, and carries a 4.27 honors-point average.

Cindy Hugel

■ A volleyball standout who was named the Lions’ defensive MVP last season, she also won the school’s Scholar-Athlete Award, was a member of the Math, Social Studies and National Honor Societies, and was the senior class salutatorian with a 4.53 honors-point average. She will attend Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Presley Giresi

■ A three-sport athlete for the Defenders, she also won the

UNF Presidential Platinum Award, served on the school’s Leadership Council, was president of the Spanish National Honor Society, and was the valedictorian of her senior class. She plans to study biology at the University of North Florida.

James Fryer

■ A three-year varsity letterman in soccer, he also was treasurer and president of Future Business Leaders of America, served two finance internships, and is the senior class valedictorian with a 5.20 honors-point average. He will attend the University of Michigan.

Kelly Coughlan

■ A four-year varsity lacrosse player who is a member of England’s U19 women’s lacrosse team, she also was a Pathfinder Award nominee for sports and a Jefferson Book Award winner, and carried a 4.55 honorspoint average. She will play lacrosse at the University of Louisville.

Ja’tarie Washington

■ A first-team AllArea running back for the Blue Devils’ football team who also runs track, the junior holds numerous scholarship offers from top college football programs. He carries a 3.37 GPA.

Julia Cartales

■ A four-year varsity volleyball standout who helped lead the Gators to the state championship game last year, she also was named the school’s PreMed Student of the Year and ScholarAthlete of the Year, is a member of the National Honor and National Technical Honor Societies, and carried a 5.1 honors-point average. She will attend the University of Florida.

Ty Hands

■ A four-year varsity basketball player and track standout for the Rams, he also was a Wendy’s Heisman Scholarship State Finalist, a Sunshine State Scholar, and the senior class valedictorian with a 3.96 GPA. He will play basketball at Florida State.

Jason Pieri

■ A three-sport athlete who excelled in football, weightlifting and track, he also was a Pathfinder Award nominee for athletics, earned a Johns Hopkins Book Award, carried a 5.18 honors-point average, and ranked third in a class of 780. He will attend the University of Florida.

Miranda Hill

■ A three-sport athlete for the Wildcats who was a state qualifier in weightlifting, she also took dual enrollment courses, was ranked among the top 20 in her class, and carried a 3.6 grade-point average.

Ben Milstein

■ A three-year varsity starter in basketball for the Scots, he also is an AP Scholar with Distinction, a National Merit Commended Scholar, and a member of the Cum Laude Society. He carried a 4.41 honors-point average, and will play basketball at Columbia University.

Sophie Sunderland

■ A cross-country and track standout who was a regional qualifier in track this season, she also is a member of the National and Science National Honor Societies, and is ranked No. 2 in her junior class.

Dustin Drake

■ An All-Conference selection in football and boys volleyball, he also was a Pathfinder Award nominee, was ranked among the top 5 percent in his class, and carried a 4.85 honors-point average. He will attend the University of South Florida.

Sam Rosenthal

■ A three-time state qualifier in track and two-time state qualifier in crosscountry, he also is an AP Scholar with Distinction, was a member of the school’s Academic Team, served as president of the National Athletic Honor Society, and carried a 5.31 honors-point average. He will attend Duke University.

Rachel Cherelstein

■ A swimming and water polo standout for the Chargers, she also is a National AP Scholar and a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and is a two-time Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winner. She was the senior class valedictorian with a 5.49 honors-point average, and will attend Georgetown University.

Antwana Spells

■ A multi-sport athlete who also is a cheerleader for the Tigers, the junior carries a 3.67 gradepoint average and is an Honor Roll student. She was named the school’s Most Improved Player for varsity volleyball this season.

Jett Hollister

■ A swimmer and diver for the Wolverines who also ran track and cross-country, he is a National Merit Scholar, an AP Scholar with Honors and a Pathfinder Award nominee for math, was a member of the English and Math National Honor Societies, and carried a 5.26 honorspoint average. He will attend Duke University.

Grace Loonam

■ A soccer and flag football standout for the Bulls who was named to the All-Conference and All-Area teams this year, she also was a Pathfinder Award nominee for Foreign Language, served as president of the Spanish National Honor Society, and carried a 5.2 honors-point average. She will attend George Mason University.

HOW THE ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM WAS SELECTED

Students on the All-Academic Team were chosen by their respective schools. Each high school was asked to nominate just one student-athlete. The student-athletes needed to have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average and competed in at least one varsity sport during the 2017-18 school year. Schools were asked to submit a photo and bio of each nominee. Schools that do not have athletes listed did not have students that met the criteria or did not submit nominations.