Sports
Local Athletes Honored for Academic Achievements
Long Branch's Miles Shuler and Shore Regional's Michael Noji were recently awarded scholarships by the NJSIAA at the annual Scholar-Athletes Luncheon.
Long Branch senior Miles Shuler and Shore Regional senior Michael Noji were recently honored by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association at its 18th annual Scholar-Athletes Luncheon for their performance in the classroom.
The two athletes were part of the 335 seniors from around the state who were honored for their academic achievements and also made eligible for a random scholarship drawing on May 15 at the Pines Manor in Edison. The NJSIAA awarded a total of $120,000 in scholarships in front of a crowd of 1,300 parents, coaches, athletes and school officials.
Officials at each school were allowed to nominate one senior for a scholarship. The scholarships are donated by the NJSIAA's corporate sponsors and others supportive of high school sports, and were awarded by a random drawing. Each senior could only receive one scholarship.
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Shuler, a football and track star headed to Rutgers, was awarded $500 by the Newark Star-Ledger, while Noji, a second singles player on the tennis team, was honored for his academic accomplishments. Shuler and Noji were two of 28 athletes from Monmouth County schools who were honored.
“The scholar-athletes we recognize at this luncheon are among the highest-achieving, most athletically-talented high school students in New Jersey,” NJSIAA executive director Steve Timko said in a statement. “They are a credit to their schools, their families and their communities, and the NJSIAA is proud to honor them.”
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In outdoor track, Shuler is the defending NJSIAA Meet of Champions winner in the 100-meter dash and recently won Central Jersey Group II titles in the 100, 200, and 400-meter races. He will compete for Group II championships in the sprints this weekend at the Group Championships in Egg Harbor Township.
He also played quarterback and defensive back for the football team and will play wide receiver at Rutgers.
Noji, who is an Oceanport resident, played second singles on the boys tennis team behind first singles player Michael Lippens, the No. 1 player in the state and defending NJSIAA champion.
