LIBERTY – It was a proud day for Liberty High School. On Monday, June 8, five Liberty Central School District students signed letters of intent to play collegiate sports—an honor achieved by roughly only seven percent of high school athletes.

Liberty Athletic Director Thomas Zehner addressed students, family, and friends in the auditorium at the start of the ceremony to share words of encouragement.

“The practices in the freezing rain, the grueling conditioning, and the long nights spent studying on the school bus—you didn’t get here by accident. You outlasted [the competition] and you earned your way here,” said Zehner.

The students sitting on stage were filled with excitement for the next step in their journeys: leaving high school to begin their next chapter.

As girls wrestling continues to gain popularity, there has been an increase in Sullivan County schools participating in the program. The Redhawks are one of the few teams in the area with a girls wrestling team. Isabella Wagner is currently ranked second in all-time wins for the girls team at Liberty High School. Wagner will attend Eastern University and wrestle in their collegiate program.

Wagner’s mother, Katherine Arroyo, and stepfather, Jaime Arroyo, spoke with the Democrat about the pride they felt in the moment.

Jaime Arroyo said, “I’m very proud of her, her record speaks for itself. I told her to keep going as far as she can. I thought we would be here for softball or volleyball, but we’re super excited for her to be here for wrestling!”

Shawn Bickham will attend Utica University to compete in their wrestling and track and field programs. He plans to study nursing.

“Excited is an understatement,” he shared. “You’re with people from other schools who you have never met before, and you get to restart that whole connection of making new friends and new teammates. You also learn from other people, and I’m excited for that!”

Brooke Bull was previously featured in our Player Spotlight. Girls track and field head coach Rich Feeney spoke on Bull’s behalf about her hard work and dedication to improving in the sport over the last few seasons. “Brooke has been team captain for the last three years and has set new school records in both indoor and outdoor track.” Her presence in the 4x1 relay team helped Liberty secure third place on the podium, at the Section IX Championships, while she continues to set records in the pole vault.

Bull also played soccer during the fall. She plans to study criminology at the University of Lynchburg and compete on their track and field team.

Angie Wheeler was an integral part of the Liberty girls softball team this season, helping the Redhawks return to sectionals for the first time since 2018.

Head Coach David Phillips said of Wheeler, “Angie is the definition of a fierce competitor and a tireless worker. What truly sets her apart as an athlete is her consistent drive to elevate her game. She doesn’t just welcome constructive advice, but she actively seeks it out and pushes herself to be better every day.”

Wheeler, who first stepped onto the mound in the middle of eighth grade, will play softball at SUNY Delhi and plans to study criminal justice.

Justin Simon will attend Western Connecticut State University in the fall, where he plans to major in elementary education and play baseball.

“It’s pretty exciting. I’ve worked really hard and I’ve had a few grueling off-seasons. It’s been a grind to get here, but I’m really happy because it’s been a big dream of mine for a while now, so I’m happy that it’s becoming a reality,” Simon said.