Teens From The Oranges Named Among ‘Best And Brightest’ Athletes In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Multiple students from the Oranges were named among 35 of Essex County's “best and brightest athletes and athlete-scholars” as part of the 59th Essex Awards held on May 17 at the Cedar Hill Golf and Country Club in Livingston.

This year’s awards honored Cory Poole of East Orange Campus High School STEM Academy, who became only the third male in Meet of Champions history to win both the 400-meter hurdles (52.50), and the 110 hurdles in an Essex County record 13.71, which is No. 9 in state history.

According to a news release, Rasheed Boyd of Orange High School was named as a notable “scholar-athlete."

In addition, the following students garnered recognition as "Athletes of the Year":

• Jack Zyska (Seton Hall Prep) - Baseball
• Mya Bembry (West Orange High School) - Basketball (Girls)
• Paul Theobald (Seton Hall Prep) - Football-Defense
• Mason Toye (Seton Hall Prep) - Soccer (Boys)
• Willesley Lindo (East Orange High School) - Track (Boys)
• Aidan Monteverdi (Seton Hall Prep) - Wrestling

The annual awards aim to “bestow distinction upon the leading scholar-athletes, and athletes, representing Essex County high schools, public, private and parochial.”

The 2017 keynote speaker was Hillside native Mark Wilf, president and CEO of the Minnesota Vikings.

The 2017 Essex Awards were presented by the Men of Essex and co-sponsored by Comcast and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center RWJ | Barnabas Health.

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