Alex Chili, Basketball

Not many people can say that they have broken multiple school records, received county recognition and become a sports guru before they’ve even graduated from high school. Senior guard Alex Chili can.

In breaking 2005 graduate Alex Porter’s career record of 1603 points for WJ girls and boys and setting school records for three pointers in a game (10), season (77) and career, with over 270, Chili has made a name for herself as a basketball standout.

“She is the best pure shooter in the area,” said girls varsity basketball coach Lynn Poznanski.

However, Chili, a self-proclaimed “sports junkie,” was not always set on playing basketball; she has experience with various sports, including soccer and swimming.

“I stayed with basketball because it was my favorite,” said Chili. “I thought it was the most fun. It’s high competition, a fast-paced game, and I was the best at that sport.”

Chili has brought her love for basketball to WJ for the past four years. A captain, she has high hopes for the team despite its abundance of new and younger players and a lackluster 3-11 record.

“Right now we’ve been having a tough time according to our record,” said Chili. “I think we’re capable of turning it around and I think we’re going to have a hot-streak at the end of our season, and hopefully we’ll go pretty far in the playoffs.”

As for the future, Chili plans to play basketball at Muhlenberg College next year.

Paul Okeyo, Wrestling

With a 24-0 record so far and three tournament championships under his belt junior Paul Okeyo has been the most consistent and dominant force on the wrestling team this season.

Coach Tom Wheeler believes that Okeyo’s performance is largely a result of his dedication.

“He has an extreme work ethic in practice,” said Wheeler.

Okeyo, who is also a star defensive player on the football team, believes his success relies on instruction from his coaches.

“To do my best, I listen to what the coaches are telling me­­, the moves they teach me and what do to in different situations in a match,” said Okeyo.

Perhaps what is most remarkable in Okeyo’s performance is his experience in wrestling, or the lack thereof. He did not wrestle in youth leagues at all, and has only been wrestling since his freshman year.

“Paul went from a JV wrestler to a winning wrestler on varsity and now a champion in three years, without a youth wrestling background,” said Wheeler. “It usually takes four years.”

Okeyo does not simply focus on himself — his performances were instrumental in the team’s third place finish at the “Bulldog” Dual Meet at Churchill, and his victories at the Smithsburg Leopard Invitational and “Big Train” Dual Meet at Blake propelled the team to fifth-place finishes in each of the two tournaments.