Granite wrestling wins team academic title

When it comes to academic success, the Granite Hills athletic program is already beginning to establish as one of the Valley’s top programs.

For the 2011-2012 winter sports season awards that were announced Thursday by the California Interscholastic Federation’s Central Section, Granite’s wrestling team won the Fresno Lexus Team Academic Championship. It’s the second team academic title that Granite as won as the wrestling team joins Granite’s volleyball team that won the team academic title this past fall.

Team academic titles are awarded to varsity teams who have the highest cumulative grade point average in their sport among participating schools throughout the Central Section. Granite’s wrestling team had the highest G.P.A. of 3.42 in the Valley.

Also impressive was Granite’s girls basketball team which had the fourth highest G.P.A. in the Valley at 3.56. Many of Granite’s and Strathmore High’s athletic teams placed high for this winter’s sports teams.

“It just shows what type of quality kids Granite Hills has,” Granite Hills wrestling coach Marty Kouyoumtjian said. “It was great to see these kids receive and earn such an honor. I’m amazed what they can do and the many obstacles they overcome to perform in the classroom and perform on the mat.”

Among the top student athletes on Granite’s wrestling team are Martin Ayala, Jairo Madrigal and Mario Madrigal, who all have G.P.A.s in the 4.0 range. Ayala is a strong contender to make the state tournament as well while both Madrigals are candidates to be Valedictorians. And Kouyoumtjian added, “Obviously everybody on the team does well academically.”

Kouyoumtjian said as far as what he does to have his athletes focus on academics, “I don’t have to do much other than be flexible,” when it comes to his athletes if they need more time to focus on their studies. “Other than that, my job is pretty easy in that regard.”

In girls basketball, Memorial won the academic title with a 3.79 G.P.A. Granite’s boys basketball team also rated high academically with a 3.10 G.P.A. For Strathmore, its boys soccer team had a 3.35 G.P.A. to finish sixth in the Valley, its wrestling team had a 3.10 G.P.A. to finish seventh in the Valley, it’s girls basketball team had a 3.20 G.P.A. and its boys basketball team had a 3.08 G.P.A.

When it comes to academic success, the Granite Hills athletic program is already beginning to establish as one of the Valley’s top programs.

For the 2011-2012 winter sports season awards that were announced Thursday by the California Interscholastic Federation’s Central Section, Granite’s wrestling team won the Fresno Lexus Team Academic Championship. It’s the second team academic title that Granite as won as the wrestling team joins Granite’s volleyball team that won the team academic title this past fall.

Team academic titles are awarded to varsity teams who have the highest cumulative grade point average in their sport among participating schools throughout the Central Section. Granite’s wrestling team had the highest G.P.A. of 3.42 in the Valley.

Also impressive was Granite’s girls basketball team which had the fourth highest G.P.A. in the Valley at 3.56. Many of Granite’s and Strathmore High’s athletic teams placed high for this winter’s sports teams.

“It just shows what type of quality kids Granite Hills has,” Granite Hills wrestling coach Marty Kouyoumtjian said. “It was great to see these kids receive and earn such an honor. I’m amazed what they can do and the many obstacles they overcome to perform in the classroom and perform on the mat.”

Among the top student athletes on Granite’s wrestling team are Martin Ayala, Jairo Madrigal and Mario Madrigal, who all have G.P.A.s in the 4.0 range. Ayala is a strong contender to make the state tournament as well while both Madrigals are candidates to be Valedictorians. And Kouyoumtjian added, “Obviously everybody on the team does well academically.”

Kouyoumtjian said as far as what he does to have his athletes focus on academics, “I don’t have to do much other than be flexible,” when it comes to his athletes if they need more time to focus on their studies. “Other than that, my job is pretty easy in that regard.”

In girls basketball, Memorial won the academic title with a 3.79 G.P.A. Granite’s boys basketball team also rated high academically with a 3.10 G.P.A. For Strathmore, its boys soccer team had a 3.35 G.P.A. to finish sixth in the Valley, its wrestling team had a 3.10 G.P.A. to finish seventh in the Valley, it’s girls basketball team had a 3.20 G.P.A. and its boys basketball team had a 3.08 G.P.A.