P.O. Female Athlete of the Week

As a sophomore, Bronwyne Mellott scored her 1,000th career point with a free throw. Now 10 months later, she set a McConnellsburg scoring record from the same place on the court.

Last Thursday, Mellott scored a career-high, and record-breaking 46 points in the Spartans' 66-63 win over Northern Bedford. She scored 18 points alone from the foul line; eight in the final quarter to lift McConnellsburg to victory.

She is this week's Public Opinion Female Athlete of the Week.

"It was very important that I made my free throws," Mellott said. "Foul shooting against Northern Bedford was more nerve wracking than my 1000th point because winning comes first, and my record comes second. If you ask anyone, they'll tell you I will do whatever it takes to win."

After earning her 1,000 point last February, Mellott came into the season with a new goal in mind -- to beat Kim Spriggs' scoring record from 1984, but she wanted to do it honestly. Spriggs set the record of 45 points in a 71-33 victory over Fannett-Metal.

"She told me she wanted to break that scoring title this year," McConnellsburg coach Brent Seville said. "But I'm not the kind of coach that would let a player run up the score."

Mellott was not paying attention to her point total through the hard-fought game Thursday, just focusing on the win.

"I had no idea it was even happening," Mellott said. "I remember looking up at my mom in the stands and she said something like I only have four points to go. It makes me feel better that I was able to break that record in a tough game."

Mellott averaged 28 points per game last week, and earned two consecutive double-doubles, grabbing 13 rebounds against Northern Bedford, and putting up 28 points and 11 rebounds against Chestnut Ridge,

"It’s a tremendous asset to our team that she’s so confident," Seville said. "She can really draw the foul, and she figures she can get the two points no matter where she is."

With these two milestones out of the way, Mellott still has a few other goals in mind. Averaging more than 500 points per season, Mellott can make a case for a 2,000-point scorer, and always has the chance to beat her own record.

Bronwyne Mellott, McConnellsburg

Sport: Girls basketball

Position: Guard/forward

Size: 5-foot-11

Parents: Howard and Karla Mellott

Other interests: She also plays tennis, and was the PIAA Glass AA runner-up for the second year in a row. 

Favorite team: The Cleveland Cavaliers

Pro athletes most admired: Serena Williams, LeBron James

Surprising fact: She wants to go to school to become and anesthesiologist.

Statistics: Mellott broke a 31-year-old school record against Northern Bedford, scoring 46 points in a narrow win ... She also earned two consecutive double-doubles this week on the way to averaging 28 points per game ... She is averaging 25.4 points per game.