SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — Hard work does pay off every once in a while. At least it did for Tayler Pugliese on Thursday.
Pugliese was named the Player of the Match at the Star Beacon-Frank Roskovics Senior Classic.
“Every time I go out and play, I play the hardest I can play,” Pugliese said. “Obviously, hard work pays off.”
“It shows all her hard work and dedication from her eighth-grade year, during the season and out, paid off,” Lisa Newsome, her coach at Lakeside, said. “Winning a share of the (Premier Athletic Conference championship) and the MVP tonight was proof that if you work hard and put in the time and effort, you will reap the rewards.”
The Lakeside senior proved to be a weapon in every aspect of the game for the home team in it’s 25-20, 25-23, 16-25, 25-18 win over the visitors.
“Really, it’s the first time I’ve seen her play a full match,” Pymatuning Valley coach Rob Wludyga, who shared coaching duties for the Home team with Newsome, said. “Right after (the match), everyone knew she was going to win (the award).
“She can do it all. She’s a smart setter, she’s athletic, she can put a good swing on the ball and she can hit the ball hard. She has all the tools you need to be a good volleyball player.”
Learning how to play well as a passer, hitter and setter was important for Pugliese entering the Dragons’ season.
“At the beginning of the season, I knew I had a role to fill,” Pugliese said. “One of the best outside hitters in the area last year (Star Beacon Ashtabula County co-Player of the Year Miranda Newsome) left school, someone had to take her place. Every practice, I worked hard and made sure to improve upon my hitting.”
She scored 12 points with one serving ace, was 16-of-17 spiking with six aces, 14-14 passing and 73-76 setting with 18 aces and had two blocks and four dinks with one ace.
“She does everything,” Newsome said. “She can play the back row, set or hit from the outside, middle or weak side. She hits strong from all the positions we needed her to. Aside from that, she’s a smart player. Whether she’s setting or hitting, she can put the ball where she needs to.”
The level of players surrounding her Thursday at the match helped Pugliese to raise the level of her play.
“Everyone else had a lot to do with (winning Player of the Match honors),” Pugliese said. “The whole team played well for us not having played with each other before. The whole team played well.
“There were some very good athletes on the floor tonight. The environment around great athletes brings everyone else up. They did help me play a lot better.”
And, as Pugliese’s stats were being read just before she was named the top player, nearly all of her teammates were starting to congratulate her. They already knew where the award was going.
“It feels great (to have them recognize me),” Pugliese said. “As I said earlier, hard work does pay off. I will not let up if I continue playing in college. I’ll play as hard as I can and continue to work as hard as I can.
“Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it makes you as close to perfect as possible.”
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Related Photos
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TAYLER PUGLIESE of Lakeside receives a hug from her coach, Lisa Newsome, after Pugliese was named the Star Beacon-Frank Roskovics Senior Classic Player of the Match on Thursday night at Lakeside Gymnasium. WARREN DILLAWAY
Discussion
Pugliese best of best
Lakeside star named Classic’s top player
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Lakers make it four in a row
Amid a sea of pink and a blaze of red all over the court defensively, the Pymatuning Valley Lakers accomplished something many thought they couldn’t at the beginning of the season: Win the Northeastern Athletic Conference championship.
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Scholastic Schedule:
FRIDAY, FEB. 3
Boys Basketball
n Jefferson at Lakeview
n US at Geneva
n Lakeside at Riverside
n PV at Badger
n Mathews at Grand Valley
n Madison at North
n Andrews at Edgewood
n Perry at Chagrin Falls
n Lake Ridge Academy at Grand River Academy -
An appreciation for the past
In 1958, a mere 54 years ago, the Grand Valley High School and Ashtabula County boys basketball career scoring record belonged to Jim Dodd. The ACBF hall of famer scored 1,377 points in his career as a leading post player for the Mustangs.
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ALL-TIME ASHTABULA COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL SCORING LEADERS:
- RK. PLAYER SCHOOL YEARS POINTS
- 1. A.J. HENSON GRAND VALLEY ’09-'12 1,531
- 2. Matt Zappitelli Conneaut ’85-’88 1,454
- 3. Steve Savel Pymatuning Valley ’05-’08 1,440
- 4. Jim Dodd Grand Valley ’55-’58 1,377
- 5. Adam Schumann Edgewood ’99-’02 1,341
- 6. Frank Zeman Deming ’52-’54 1,338
- 7. Sean Freeman Pymatuning Valley ’87-’90 1,301
- 8. Corey Shontz Pymatuning Valley ’05-’08 1,292
- 9. Fred Scruggs Harbor ’86-’89 1,248
- 10. Randy Linsted Pymatuning Valley ’73-’76 1,223
- 11. Emilio Parks Lakeside ’08-’10 1,221
- 12. Jemal Harris Harbor ’90-’93 1,214
- 13. Chuck Naso Jefferson ’54-’56 1,210
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Geneva doesn’t miss a beat
A team that knocks down half of its shots and takes care of the basketball is awfully difficult to beat. For a half, that’s exactly the kind of team Geneva was in downing Premier Athletic Conference rival Lakeside, 50-32, Wednesday night at Lakeside Gymnasium.
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Abbie answers call
When the game is on the line — no pun intended — it’s nice to have the ball in the hands of the area’s leading free-throw shooter.
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Maplewood too much for GV
The Maplewood girls basketball team has been a traditional power in northern Trumbull County while Grand Valley has struggled in recent seasons.
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Scholastic Statistics:
GIRLS BASKETBALL
PREMIER
Geneva 50, Lakeside 32
at Lakeside Gymnasium -
Area High School Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders:
INDIVIDUAL
POINTS PER GAME
1. Harry Story Lakeside 26.1
2. Cody Blizzard Lakeside 22.4
3. A.J. Henson Grand Valley 19.7
4. Tim Cross PV 17.7
5. Stephon Ortiz Madison 17.2
5. Quintin Ratliff PV 17.2
7. Mitchell Lake Grand Valley 16.3 -
Dibble can’t save Falcons
Gia Dibble scored a game-high 17 points, including a 3-pointer, but the Jefferson seventh-grade girls came up just short against visiting LaBrae on Wednesday, 25-21.
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Lakers make it four in a row
