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EHS athletes garner NIAA honor

By MARTIN HARRIS - Sports Editor
Friday, May 9, 2008 9:28 AM PDT

Elko High athletes Zach Penrod, left, and Brooke Casagranda were named 2008 NIAA Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year. (Martin Harris/Elko Daily Free Press)

ELKO - Each year since 1996, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association honors the top 10 student athletes from northern Nevada and five previous Elko High students have earned the honor.

But the Indians have never had two honorees in one year until the Class of 2008. The Tribe's Brooke Casagranda and Zach Penrod were each named recipients of the 2008 NIAA's Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year. The list was released last week.

“It was really exciting,” Casagranda said of her reaction.

The senior is a three-sport athlete. She was among the state's elite in cross country and track and is a reserve player on the basketball team. She played soccer for three years prior to joining the cross country team as a senior.

Casagranda signed a letter of intent to run for the University of Utah.

Penrod was a standout on the soccer team and was a starter for the basketball team.

“It kind of makes all the stress of getting home late from trips and getting up early for school worth it,” Penrod said.

Penrod has earned all-state academic honors in both soccer and basketball but said this award is probably the one he is most proud of. He said his key to success has been balance.

“You have a set schedule for practice so you get into a routine of practice and studying,” he said. “You also do a decent amount of homework on bus trips.”

Casagranda has also earned all-state academic awards in all her sports since she was a freshman.

Each school in Northern Nevada submits two student athletes - one boy and one girl - for consideration. The application process includes spots for athletics, academics and community service.

Penrod is a community soccer and basketball coach for 10-year-olds.

Casagranda was involved with the Johnny Appleseed Park project, the Giving Tree, the Senior Games, PAL track and Clean-up Elko days.

Casagranda, however, said the toughest part of the application was writing a 150-word essay concerning what high school sports have meant to the athlete.

“It was by far the most difficult part,” she said. “Sports have been great. You get to be involved and develop attributes.”

While Penrod's prep playing days ended with basketball season, Casagranda still has at least one more weekend of wearing an Elko uniform. She competes in the Northern 4A finals in the 3,200 meters and on the 4x800 relay. If she places in the top three in either event, she will qualify for the state competition.

“I'll definitely miss the sports the most,” Penrod said of leaving high school. “You spend four years with mostly the same guys and once it's done it's like separating from your family. It's definitely worth all the sweat and blood.”

Casagranda said, “I'm going to miss the people because they won't be here any more. I'll miss my mom and dad the most because they've helped me out so much.”

The two Elko athletes, along with Sage Ridge's Nathan Chellman, Reed's Adrienne Hill, Galena's Colleen Mullins, Sparks' Aaron Quilici, Whittell's Jordan Reeder, South Tahoe's Karli Vath, Douglas' Luke Wartgow and Reno's Trent Winkel, will be honored at a banquet May 22 at Atlantis Resort in Reno.

The previous Elko winners include Amanda Izatt (2006), Cassandra Puccinelli (2004), Matt Alleman (2002), Eloy Avila (1999) and James Ballew (1998).

Only five northern Nevada schools have seven or more recipients in its history. Reno leads the way with 11 all-time honorees, Galena has nine, and Elko, Lowry and Wooster each have seven.

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