FOUR AREA BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYERS EARN ALL-ST

Four county boys basketball standouts were recognized for their accomplishments on the hardwood this season. New Castle High’s Geno Stone and Marcus Hooker, along with Laurel’s Mason Mraz and Wilmington’s Spencer DeMedal captured all-state honors. Stone and Hooker earned third-team status on the PIAA Class 4A squad. Mraz and DeMedal were second-team selections on the PIAA Class 2A team. No area girls basketball players received all-state mention. Stone and Hooker helped lead the Red Hurricane to the WPIAL Class 4A championship and a 25-3 overall mark. Stone, a 6-foot senior guard/forward, led New Castle in scoring at 16.3 points a game. He also contributed 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game, while leading the county in 3-pointers made with 91, just 10 short of Anthony Richards’ school record in 2014. Stone also earned all-state honors in football as well. “Geno had a storied athletic career,” said seventh-year ‘Canes coach Ralph Blundo. “He’s in very elite company. He was all-state in football, all-state in basketball. That puts him up there with the greatest all-time. You can’t argue it. “He just shot it so great. He’s always been a great shooter. He played with such great confidence all year; he had a prolific season.” Stone, an Iowa football recruit, finished with 1,026 career points. “He’ll be missed,” Blundo said. “All the things he’s done, but on top of that, he’s always been a gentleman and well-spoken. “He’s kind and you never hear a bad word spoken about him. He’s been a blessing for our school, our team and our community.” Hooker, a 5-11 junior forward, chipped in 14.5 points a game for the ‘Canes. He added 8.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists as well. “Marcus had a great season for us,” Blundo said. “He played so hard. His motor is tremendous, he’s physical and strong. He dominated games in different ways. “He’s tenacious defensively and on the boards. He can guard all five different positions; he’s just an elite athlete.” Hooker has 1,098 career points. “You can’t put a price tag on his experience,” Blundo said. “That will bode well for us next year.” New Castle’s run through the state playoffs ended in the quarterfinals in a 68-43 loss to Erie Strong Vincent. Mraz, a 6-3 senior guard, led the county in scoring at 27.4 points a game. The Spartans finished 14-8 but failed to reach the WPIAL playoffs. “He was the catalyst for our team,” Spartans coach Ken Locke said. “Mason ran the show for four years; everything revolves around him. “I thought Mason had a great year and a great career. He was probably the best player Laurel has had here; he will be missed.” Mraz finished his career with 1,666 career points, which is 10th on the county’s all-time list and tops on Laurel’s all-time list. He will continue his basketball career at Clarion. “It wasn’t so much what he did this year, but what he did throughout his career,” Locke said. “You can see the work ethic and the time that he put in. It didn’t just happen overnight; he earned it. Losing him is going to hurt. We know we have a little rebuilding process. He was everything for us. He did it all.” DeMedal, a 6-1 senior guard, paced the Greyhounds in scoring at 20.7 tallies a tilt. “Spencer had a really productive season for us,” Wilmington coach Mike Jeckavitch said. “That puts it all in perspective just how good of an athlete he is. “To become second-team all-state shows the caliber of athlete he is.” DeMedal will play football collegiately at Duquesne. “He was so important to our success over the past several years,” Jeckavitch said. “Whatever we asked him to do, he did it. He played more of a power forward position this year and he’s a team-first guy. “Spencer never wanted the credit. When we lose him, we’ll lose a lot. He was all about the team. He led us to that first District 10 championship. Without him, I don’t think we get that far.” DeMedal delivered 1,599 career tallies, which is 13th on the county’s all-time list. Wilmington (19-8), which won the school’s first District 10 championship, advanced to the second round of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs before being eliminated by Bishop Canevin, 61-52.