“It is a great pleasure to have this fine young man selected to represent his school and community as a U.S. Army All-American,” said Colonel Thomas Nickerson, Director of Strategic Outreach for the U.S. Army Accessions Command. “He has proven himself to be a superior athlete and I know he will add an exciting dimension to January’s game.
Our slogan, ‘An Army of One,’ recognizes the value of individual talents toward achieving team goals, and his talents make him a strong addition to this All-American team, Nickerson added. This game will highlight his skills for a national audience, and the Army is pleased to provide this opportunity to him and all the U.S. Army All-Americans.”
Stross is a standout wide receiver at Avon Lake High School and was one of 400 players nominated nationally and one of 78 selected to participate by Tom Lemming, a well-respected evaluator of prep football talent and contributor to ESPN Sports and USA Today.
“This young man has All-American written all over him. He is a solidly built receiver with long arms, strong hands, he accelerates quickly and can out leap everyone he plays against. He does everything you can ask for in a WR. He seems to get open on every pass play, he's a go-to receiver with home run ability,” Lemming said.
As a U.S. Army All-American Stross also has the potential to be named a finalist for the Ball Park National High School Player of the Year Award honoring the nation’s best prep football player at the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Awards Dinner on January 14, 2005 in San Antonio. The Ken “The Sugarland Express” Hall Trophy, is the equivalent of the high school Heisman Trophy and is named after record setting running back Ken Hall of Sugarland, Texas.