Below the headlines there are many efforts that contribute to team success. NEPA Sports Nation takes a weekly look at some of those contributions. Here are the Key Contributors from the week of Dec. 27-Jan. 2:
MORGAN ANTONIACCI, Riverside girls basketball
Antoniacci scored just two points in Riverside’s 57-40 victory over Abington Heights in the Taylor Lions Tournament championship game but had a major impact on how the game played out from the 3-point line. Most of her 8 second-half and 10 total assists came while finding open teammates for 3-pointers. And, when Abington Heights took its only lead of the second half on three straight, third-quarter 3s by Caroline Murray, it was Antoniacci who took on the defensive assignment that kept Murray from even attempting another the rest of the game.
HENRY BARONOWSKI, Wallenpaupack wrestling
The sophomore scored the maximum available points to help the Buckhorns finish third out of 22 in the team standings at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Classic. Baronowski pinned five straight opponents, three of them in the first period, on the way to the 189-pound title. One of those quick pins came in 1:04 against Upper Dauphin’s Dillon Johns in the final.
AMANDA FATH, Pittston Area girls basketball
Backcourt play has gotten much of the attention in Pittston Area’s unbeaten start, but the Lady Patriots are also playing tougher inside and rebounding better. Fath had 8 points and a team-high 11 rebounds in a 53-29 victory over Wyoming Seminary in the Anthony “Badger” Marseco Tournament first round at Old Forge. Then, coming off the bench in the final, she scored in the first quarter when Pittston Area took a 12-3 lead on the way to a 52-25 romp over rival Wyoming Area.
CAMERON RICCARDO, Mid Valley boys basketball
Riccardo was the leading rebounder in both games while making other contributions to Mid Valley’s title in the Peter Turonis Memorial/NBT Bank Classic. He had 11 points, 8 rebounds (7 defensive) and 5 steals in a 53-27 romp over Lakeland in the first round. Riccardo then had 7 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists in the championship game, a 47-44 victory over host Valley View.
PREVIOUS KEY CONTRIBUTORS
First week of winter season: https://nepasportsnation.com/key-contributors-15/.
Second week of winter season: https://nepasportsnation.com/key-contributors-16/.
Third week of winter season: https://nepasportsnation.com/key-contributors-17/.
