In the world of sports, there’s no doubt it was Oxford High School’s Class of 2011 that restored the Wildcats? fearsome roar and put some teeth back into their bite.
This was the class whose wrestling team once again secured district and regional championships, then topped it off by winning the long-sought Division I state championship.
This was the class that earned five division titles ? wrestling, competitive cheerleading, ice hockey, boys golf and boys track ? their very first year in the Oakland Activities Association (OAA).
For all their hard work, dedication and commitment to sportsmanship, the Oxford Wildcats Athletic Boosters honored 109 senior athletes at the group’s annual awards ceremony held May 31 in the OHS Performing Arts Center.
This group of student-athletes, which consisted of 74 males and 35 females, amassed a combined total of 389 varsity letters during their high school careers. For a complete list, please see Page 8.
Of this group, two students rose to the top by earning the highest athletic honors.
Matthew Frisch won the coveted George Prince Award, which each year is given to the Best Male Athlete in the senior class.
During his high school career, Frisch earned a total of seven varsity letters in wrestling, soccer and lacrosse.
In March of this year, he captured an individual state wrestling championship (Division I) in the 145-pound weight class.
Frisch earned all-state wrestling honors for four years ? first team, second team and two honorable mentions. Other wrestling honors including being named all-conference (four years), all-district (three years), all-region (three years) and all-county (one year) in wrestling. He was also once named all-conference in soccer.
Frisch was named Most Valuable Player for wrestling (2010) and soccer (2011).
Megan Seeley earned the prestigious Helen Smith Award, which each year is given to the Best Female Athlete in the senior class.
In four years, Seeley amassed eight varsity letters in cross country and track.
This year she won both the regional and OAA divisional championships in the 3,200-meter relay, an event for which she holds the school record.
Seeley earned all-conference honors in cross country for two years, was named MVP in track and field, and has earned a spot in the MHSAA track finals three times.
In order to win the George Prince and Helen Smith awards a variety of factors are taken into consideration.
Fifty percent of the scoring for these awards is based on citizenship, grade point average and accumulated athletic accomplishments such as varsity letters along with all-conference and all-state accolades.
The other half is based on votes of the senior student-athletes (25 percent) and all the head coaches (25 percent).
Frisch and Seeley weren’t the only athletes to be singled out.
Elizabeth Downs and Andrew Krzisnik won the Wildcat Scholar-Athlete Award.
‘These student athletes have the highest cumulative grade point averages among all senior letter winners,? said Oxford Athletic Director Mike Watson.
Downs earned six varsity letters in volleyball and soccer, while Krzisnik lettered in cross country last season.
Winning the $1,000 Bud Rowley Scholarship was Harley Muscarella, who earned four varsity letters, two in football and two in lacrosse. ‘This award came down to a real tight vote,? said Football Coach Bud Rowley. ‘The person that won it is a very hard worker, great man (and a) solid student.?