Impact
Records
Luca Urlando
C.K. McClatchy High School
Impact Statement
Urlando excelled in the pool at McClathy to Georgia to the Olympics.
Biography
While Urlando’s senior season was cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic, he’ll be heading to the University of Georgia on a scholarship in the fall with dreams of one day being an Olympian. Urlando is considered one of the top college recruits in the nation in the Class of 2020 with a long list of accomplishments.
Urlando is a member of the 2019-20 USA Swimming National Team and a two-time Scholastic All-American, as well as a 2019 NISCA All-American. He’s best known for breaking Michael Phelps’ 17-18 National Age Group record in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:53.84. He also broke the Public High School record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 45.88 at the California CIF Sectional Championships.
At last summer’s FINA World Junior Championships, Urlando won gold medals in all five of his events — 200 freestyle, 200 butterfly, 4×100 freestyle relay, 4×200 freestyle relay and the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay.
Urlando continued his swimming career at the University of Georgia where he holds records in the 100-yard backstroke, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly. While his collegiate career was plagued with shoulder injuries, Urlando rehabbed and got back into the pool. In 2022, he took 5th at the World Championships in the 200m Butterfly.
In the summer of 2024, Urlando represented Team USA at the Olympics in Paris.
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Records
Personal Honors
Harpeth Hall School
Walsh capped off her stellar scholastic career with a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Walsh capped off her stellar scholastic career with a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Alex Walsh
Harpeth Hall School
Impact Statement
Walsh capped off her stellar scholastic career with a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Biography
Walsh closed-out her scholastic career with a national high school record at the TISCA Tennessee Girls State Swimming and Diving Championships earlier this year.
The University of Virginia-recruit established a national 100-meter backstroke record with a time of 51-point-35 seconds.
Walsh, who along with her sister led Harpeth Hall to Swimming World’s 2018 and 2019 national
championships, is a member of Team USA. At the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships she won two golds medals — the 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter freestyle relay.
After her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, she was named the Tennessean’s girls’ swimmer of the year.
As a Cavalier, Walsh accumulated 27 NCAA All American honors and won 19 NCAA Titles. She also won 26 ACC titles, which is a conference record.
Walsh claimed the silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in the Individual Medley. She was also an Olympic team member at the 2024 Games.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Paul VI Catholic High School
Roach has had success on many courts throughout his career from Paul VI to internationally to Duke University.
Roach has had success on many courts throughout his career from Paul VI to internationally to Duke University.
Jeremy Roach
Paul VI Catholic High School
Impact Statement
Roach has had success on many courts throughout his career from Paul VI to internationally to Duke University.
Biography
After missing his entire junior season with a knee injury, Roach closed-out his scholastic career by leading Paul VI Catholic to a Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship with a 27-8 record.
Roach averaged 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.9 steals this past season, which earned him a spot on the McDonald’s All-American Game roster. ESPN0020 ranked Roche as the nation’s No. 18 recruit in the Class of 2020. He also was named first team All-Met.
Roach won a gold medal while playing for the United States’ National Under-16 team at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship. He averaged 10.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
Roche was also successful in the classroom where he maintained a 3.06 GPA. Roach will continue his academic and basketball career at Duke University.
Roach is the first Virginia student-athlete to win the NHSCA Senior Boys’ Basketball Athlete of the Year Award.
In his first season as a Blue Devil, Roach made an immediate impact. He is the seventh all- time Duke freshman to have a game with seven or more assists and no turnovers.
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Videos
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Air Academy High School
Dewing led Air Academy to success on the field. He hopes to continue the same at the Air Force Academy.
Dewing led Air Academy to success on the field. He hopes to continue the same at the Air Force Academy.
Thad Dewing
Air Academy High School
Impact Statement
Dewing led Air Academy to success on the field. He hopes to continue the same at the Air Force Academy.
Biography
Dewing led Air Academy to its second straight Class 4A Colorado state championship this past season. He also led his team to another state title and an undefeated season, 20-0 in 2017. Dewing netted 29 goals with 16 assists, giving him 80 career goals with 30 assists. He earned CHSAA First-Team All-State honors three years.
At the end of the season he was named the state’s 4A Player of the Year for the second straight season. He was also named Colorado’s Gatorade State Player of the Year. In December, he played in the High School All-American Game.
In the classroom, Dewing carried a weighted 4.21 grade point average. Dewing will continue his soccer career at the Air Force Academy.
Dewing is the second Air Academy High School soccer player to win the NHSCA Senior Boys’ Soccer Athlete of the Year Award. Dan Walsh won our very first award for the 1999-2000 sports year.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Newbury Park High School
Young set a national 3-mile record this past fall with a time of 13-minutes-39.70-seconds.
Young set a national 3-mile record this past fall with a time of 13-minutes-39.70-seconds.
Nico Young
Newbury Park High School
Impact Statement
Young set a national 3-mile record this past fall with a time of 13-minutes-39.70-seconds.
Biography
Young’s final scholastic season was outstanding as he defended the three California titles that he won as a senior.
This past fall he won his second straight Marmonte League, CIF-Southern Section Division 2 and CIF State Division II championships. Young then went to the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon where he set a course record and won the individual national championship with a time of 14-minutes-52-seconds. Newbury Park also won the Nike team championship.
Young, who will attend Northern Arizona University on a scholarship, also set a national 3-mile record this past fall with a time of 13-minutes-39.70-seconds at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic. At the state championships in November, he was just four seconds off the state meet record.
Last spring during the track & field season, Young, who was the Ventura County Star Runner-of-the-Year, captured gold at the state championships.
Young is the third California runner to win the NHSCA Senior Boys’ Cross Country Runner of the Year Award. Chad Hall from Big Bear High School won the award during the 2006-07 school year. A.J. Acosta of El Camino High School was our honoree for the 2005-06 sports season.
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Records
Personal Honors
Severna Park High School
“I always saw them winning and I would go to games and be so nervous. To feel it for myself was a different feeling.” -Lila Slattery on joining her State Championship sisters
“I always saw them winning and I would go to games and be so nervous. To feel it for myself was a different feeling.” -Lila Slattery on joining her State Championship sisters
Lila Slattery
Severna Park High School
Impact Statement
“I always saw them winning and I would go to games and be so nervous. To feel it for myself was a different feeling.” -Lila Slattery on joining her State Championship sisters
Biography
Slattery ended her scholastic career with an outstanding season that led Severna Park to its first state championship since 2015.
Slattery, who will attend Northwestern University on a field hockey scholarship, scored 22 goals and dished-out 18 assistants giving her school its 24th overall Maryland field hockey state championship.
Slattery became the fourth member of her family to win a field hockey state championship at Severna Park, joining sisters Samantha, Emma and Julia.
For her career Slattery, scored 51 goals and 35 assists. She was honored for her senior season by being named the All-Metro Player by the Year by the Baltimore Sun. She was also named Player of the Year by the Capital Gazette and Varsity Sports Network.
A three-year starter for Severna Park, Slattery, who owns a weighted 4.41 GPA, was named 1st team all-state for the second straight year by the Field Hockey Coaches Association of Maryland. She was named 1st team All-Met by the Washington Post and MAX Field Hockey placed her to its 2019 Preseason Player to Watch List.
Slattery is the editor-in-chief of the school’s yearbook and she’s the secretary for the National Honor Society.
Slattery is the third Maryland high school field hockey player to win the award. Carey Fetting-Smith of Bryn Mawr School for Girls won the award for the 2000-2001 school year. A year before Fetting-Smith’s win, Jacque LaFleur of Bel Air High School was our national honoree.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Southern Columbia High School
“His consistent blocking play-after play and his desire to get out in front of a back who’s breaking a long run stands out.” -Jim Roth, Southern Columbia Head Coach
“His consistent blocking play-after play and his desire to get out in front of a back who’s breaking a long run stands out.” -Jim Roth, Southern Columbia Head Coach
Julian Fleming
Southern Columbia High School
Impact Statement
“His consistent blocking play-after play and his desire to get out in front of a back who’s breaking a long run stands out.” -Jim Roth, Southern Columbia Head Coach
Biography
Fleming, who also named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year as a junior and senior, finished 2019 with 72 catches for 1,572 yards with 23 touchdowns. The No. 4 overall college football recruit in the Class of 2020, heads to Ohio State University as Pennsylvania’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
Fleming also was a high-level performer in basketball and an excellent track athlete for Southern Columbia. He maintained a B-plus average in the classroom, plus he volunteered his time at a local soup kitchen and teaching youth sports programs.
“Julian is an excellent example what this award stands for,” said Eric Hess, Executive Director of the NHSCA. “He has excelled as much in the classroom as he has on the football field. We congratulate him on an outstanding high school career and wish him success at Ohio State.”
“Julian is one of those once in a lifetime players, who made an impact on both sides of the ball,” said Jeff Fisher, founder of High School Football America and head of the NHSCA Athlete of the Year nominating committee. “While his receiving numbers speak for themselves, his skills at cornerback are equally impressive. He had four interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns.”
“No doubt, he’s got a lot of ability, but Julian is very much a team player,” said Fleming’s head coach Jim Roth. “What has impressed me, and college coaches is his effort in blocking. His consistent blocking play-after play and his desire to get out in front of a back who’s breaking a long run stands out.”
Fleming is the third Pennsylvania high school football player to win the award, which has been won by future Heisman Trophy winners Kyler Murray (Allen HS, Texas in 2015), Derrick Henry (Yulee HS, Florida in 2013) and Johnny Manziel (Kerrville Tivy HS, Texas in 2011). The other Pennsylvania winners are Terrelle Pryor of Jeannette High School for the 2007 high school football season and Austin Scott of Parkland High School for the 2002-03 sports season.
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