By Paul Evers, sports editor
At halftime of the MSL Championship Game, the All-Conference Team was named. Seniors Frankie Mack, Matt Szuba, Michael Ritchie and junior David Swedura were all selected for the team.
Head coach John Camardella said that this year was historic in terms of the All-Conference Team selection. He said that in the 10 years he has coached, not one team has had four All-Conference players.
“All four of those guys deserve it, and I think it comes down to the fact that it’s not always about scoring,” Camardella said. “Obviously [Mack] is one of the best scorers in the entire area, but a lot of the other guys have a lot of intangibles and really make us successful based on other things they do. I think that’s a testament to why we’re able to get four guys named All-Conference.”
Along with being an All-Conference selection, Szuba was named the MSL East Player of the Year. Camardella said his selection was unprecedented, as he can’t remember a time where a player who did not average more than double digits in points won player of the year.
“What Matt has been able to do for us the last two years, and this year in particular on the defensive end… [he’s been] the bedrock of our defense,” Camardella said. “His ability to alter shots, his ability to block shots, his ability to rebound the ball… [he’s] been one of the leaders if not the top leader in assists in the conference, maybe in the area. He’s without a doubt the best passing big man I’ve ever coached. I think it’s a lot of the extra stuff [he does] that really makes our team go and every coach in that room sort of recognized that.”
In the last award of the night, Camardella was named the MSL East Coach of the Year. Camardella was quick to credit his players for being the reason why he won the award.
“I’m only as good as the players that are in our program,” Camardella said. “Any time I get [Coach of the Year], I immediately look back at them, and they know that the only reason I’m where I’m at is because of who they are.”