The 2024-25 school year was another successful one for Parkland High School athletics.

Several of the seniors in this year’s Trojan sports programs recently announced their intentions to continue their athletic careers at the next level.

A total of 38 PHS athletes were honored during a college commitment ceremony at the high school last month.

Leading the list of future college athletes are two Division 1 signees in Elyse Wenner and Nathan Janukowicz.

Wenner is an accomplished gymnast who will continue her career at Louisiana State University, one of the top schools in the country for gymnastics. Classmate Nathan Janukowicz is headed to Lehigh University to compete in track and field.

Here’s a look at all 38 Trojan seniors who committed to play sports in college.

Jordan Brunnabend – Field Hockey, Mansfield University

Rosella Birns – Field Hockey, Stevens Institute of Technology

Brynn Harrison – Field Hockey, Franklin & Marshall College

Leo Dauberman – Football, Muhlenberg College

Tobias Koch – Football, Eastern University

Preston Mertz – Football, Albright College

Evan Saylor – Football/Lacrosse, Susquehanna University

Osmany Guzman – Football, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

Caleb Daniels – Boys Soccer, Messiah University

Evan Sprunk – Boys Soccer, East Stroudsburg University

Emma Hull – Girls Soccer, Moravian University

Julia Hayward – Girls Soccer, Misericordia University

Kendall Billie – Girls Soccer, Marywood University

LaMiah Clemons – Girls Soccer, Cedar Crest College

Aloya Thompson – Girls Tennis, DeSales University

Sarah Furey – Girls Volleyball, Eastern University

Isabelle Fekula – Girls Volleyball, Juniata College

Lillian Andersen – Girls Volleyball, Misericordia University

Joshua Nation – Boys Volleyball, Juniata College

Delaney Chilcote – Girls Basketball, Susquehanna University

Eric Friday – Swimming & Diving, Drew University

Julianne Zaffiro – Swimming & Diving, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Pedro Morrno – Swimming & Diving, Penn State – Altoona

Elyse Wenner – Gymnastics, Louisiana State University

Nathan Unger – Baseball, King’s College

Julian Santiago – Baseball, Penn State Greater Allegheny

Connor Gerhart – Baseball, Albright College

Lincoln Brayford – Lacrosse, Misericordia University

Maxwell Esteban – Lacrosse, Haverford College

Blake Finnegan – Lacrosse, Kean University

Parker Kusko – Lacrosse, Muhlenberg College

Andrew Matulevicius – Lacrosse Ursinus College

Allison Hunsberger – Softball, York College of Pennsylvania

Maria Moore – Softball, Northampton Community College

Regan Haley – Track, DeSales University

Emily Hoysan – Track, DeSales University

Nathan Janukowicz – Track, Lehigh University

Luke Heimann – Track, DeSales University

As expected, the Minnesota Wild were quiet on the lengthy first night of the NHL Draft on Friday, with their opening round pick traded away last season. But that doesn’t mean the State of Hockey was without a presence as 32 building blocks of the league’s future had their names called in Southern California.

Woodbury defenseman Logan Hensler, after a standout freshman year at Wisconsin, will be headed back to Madison for another season of college hockey, but his on-ice future is in Ottawa after the Senators drafted him 23rd overall on Friday.

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Interviewed on stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Hensler admitted that he was nervous waiting for his name to be called, but was happy to be picked in the top 25.

With several members of his family in attendance, Hensler did interviews and talked to officials from the Senators remotely, as the NHL tried its first “decentralized” draft, with officials from all 32 teams based in their home cities, rather than in one arena as has been done traditionally. The new format had some glitches, with the first round lasting more than four hours, and technical difficulties preventing some picks from speaking live to officials from the teams that drafted them.

“I think we all missed the old style,” said Wild general manager Bill Guerin, after his hockey operations team spent an evening he called “long and slow” in the team’s war room set up in the locker room at TRIA Rink. “I think the most important thing is what it’s like for the players. It’s not about us, it’s about these kids getting drafted and their experience.”

After playing prep hockey at Hill-Murray as a sophomore, Hensler spent two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Michigan, then posted a dozen points as a college hockey rookie with the Badgers last season. With celebrity hockey fans announcing each team’s pick, Ottawa native and once-popular comedian Tom Green called Hensler’s name.

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With the 29th pick, Chicago traded up to select two-sport Edina High School star Mason West, who is committed to the Michigan State hockey program, but will also be the Hornets’ starting quarterback as a prep senior this fall, before playing hockey for Fargo in the USHL.

On a night where trades were rare, nothing materialized that enticed the Wild to try to get back into the Friday night fray. They will pick 52nd overall in the second round on Saturday, with the picks beginning at 11 a.m. CDT. Guerin admitted that they weren’t close on any potential moves into the first round on Friday.

“I’m not too surprised. Everybody needs players and it just seems like a difficult year to make deals,” he said.

After weeks of speculation about their assorted offers to move down, the New York Islanders took their draft lottery winnings and invested them in defense, grabbing Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. The 17-year-old who spent limited time last season on the blue line for the Erie (Pa.) Otters of the Ontario Hockey League due to illness and injury, becomes the fifth player selected first overall by the Islanders, and the first since John Tavares in 2009.

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Schaefer, who lost his mother to breast cancer two years ago, donned an Islanders jersey on stage, kissing the purple cancer ribbon on the jersey and pointing to the sky in honor of his mother.

Earlier in the day, the Islanders traded veteran defenseman Noah Dobson, their 2018 first round pick, to Montreal in exchange for a pair of picks later in Friday’s first round and forward prospect Emil Heineman.

San Jose used the second pick on major junior forward Michael Misa, while Chicago grabbed Swedish center Anton Frondell. Boston College standout forward James Hagens, predicted by many to be a top-three pick, fell to seventh and will stay in Boston after the Bruins grabbed him.

With the 20th pick, which originally belonged to the Wild prior to their trade for defenseman David Jiricek in November 2024, the Columbus Blue Jackets took the first goalie off the board, grabbing 18-year-old Russian Pyotr Andreyanov.

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The 5-foot-11, 177-pounder posted 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games as a freshman for BC in 2024-25.

“We’re really excited, the skillset that James brings, the competitiveness, his ability to excel on the big stage against his peer group has really been excellent,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said from inside Heritage Hall at TD Garden. “He’s a driven kid. He wants to play in those situations. He’s proven that he can play in those situations. We’re really excited, very pleased to select James Hagens as a Boston Bruin tonight.”

Hagens is now one of several Bruins draft picks with the Eagles, joining Andre Gasseau (2021 seventh rounder), Oskar Jellvik (2021 fifth rounder), and Dean Letourneau (2024 first rounder), as well as Kristian Kostadinksi (2023 seventh rounder), who is set to be a freshman in the Fall.

“We’re fortunate we already had a couple other prospects playing at BC and you get to know James…as far as his personality, how he interacts with teammates,” said Sweeney. “We saw him play quite a bit, but we saw him play in the World Juniors where he excelled there. It’s really been a two-year process of watching him play and lead his peer group.

“And then making the jump to college hockey which is not an easy thing to do. Hockey East is a tough, tough conference. He’s playing on the top line every night and you watch him continue to get better and then go off to World Juniors and really thrive and lead a team [USA] there to a gold medal.

“It added a little layer to have a couple teammates and have us be able to watch him. Now we’ll be able to watch him closely as a member of the Boston Bruins.”

WILKES-BARRE — Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania announced that two Wyoming Valley West High School students have earned prestigious internships at Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies — direct results of their participation in the JA Company Insight Program — a signature initiative that connects students with the region’s top employers, bridging the gap between education and real-world experience.

Max McMillan and Luis Vaquero stood out for their professionalism, curiosity and initiative — qualities that earned them a place alongside industry professionals this summer.

Their achievement is the latest example of Junior Achievement’s mission in action. The JA Company Insight Program gives high school juniors and seniors a rare opportunity to explore careers firsthand — blending classroom learning with immersive experiences at leading regional employers.

This spring, 15 Wyoming Valley West seniors completed JA’s “It’s My Job” curriculum, which focuses on essential workplace skills such as communication, interview readiness and digital etiquette. The program culminated in a site visit to GUARD’s Wilkes-Barre headquarters.

“Junior Achievement learning experiences empower students by showing them what’s possible for their lives,” said Susan Magnotta, president of JA of NEPA. “We are very grateful for our partnership with GUARD and for the meaningful opportunities they are providing to young people in our region. Max and Luis are proof of what happens when education, opportunity and meaningful workplace and career exposure come together.”

At GUARD, students explored departments ranging from sales and underwriting to actuarial science and IT through their new interactive learning experience called “Insurance Town,” developed by a cross-disciplinary team at GUARD. Students also engaged directly with staff, asking questions and learning how different roles contribute to the company’s success.

“Watching my students walk into a professional setting and realize they belong there is incredible,” said Katie Finnegan, Wyoming Valley West teacher. “The JA Company Insight Program doesn’t just introduce careers — it transforms how students see themselves and their futures.”

Tesha Rushton, career development program manager at GUARD, led the classroom sessions.

“These internships were the next natural step,” Rushton said. “When students are given the tools, support and confidence to see themselves in the workforce, amazing things can happen. Max and Luis are already off to a strong start, discovering what they’re truly capable of.”

The experience concluded with a celebratory lunch at Rodano’s, remarks from GUARD Insurance COO & EVP, Carl Witkowski, and a reflection session where students shared which departments were their favorite and potential future paths. Each student received a certificate of completion in recognition of their participation and growth throughout the program.

Following the event, GUARD team members came to the classroom to continue the conversation — answering questions, sharing advice and exploring students’ interest in internships and career opportunities.

This marks the second year of collaboration between JA and GUARD — an on-going partnership will continue to prepare Northeastern Pennsylvania’s next generation of talent for success.

To learn more about the Company Insight Program or how your organization can get involved, contact Susan Magnotta @[email protected].