GIRLS BASKETBALL: Palmyra's Smoluk named All-State

The Palmyra girls basketball team was such a strong unit this past season and accomplished so much together that its respective individual talents and skills sometimes were overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

But at least in the case of Kristen Smoluk and all-state honors, not completely overlooked.

Smoluk capped off a superb senior season on Thursday with a high-profile individual reward when she was named to the Pennsylvania Sportswriters Class AAAA All-State Third Team.

Smoluk, a 5-10 forward who will play collegiate ball at Messiah College, was a key part of a revered Palmyra senior class that posted a 104-16 record in their four seasons together, highlighted by runs to the District Three AAAA title game and the PIAA AAAA state semifinals this past season.

She averaged 11.8 points per game in her final high school, while also leading Palmyra in free throw percentage (71.1 percent) and finishing second on the team in steals with 58.

Smoluk also reached the career 1,000-point mark during Palmyra's district quarterfinal win over Hempfield and did not miss any of the Cougars' 32 games.

"This is a fantastic honor for Kristen that represents her performance and entire high school basketball career," Palmyra coach Ron Berman said. "I am very happy for her and her family and also for our basketball program.

"Kristen is a very good basketball player and even a better role model for the younger girls of Palmyra. I am very honored to have coached her the past four years at Palmyra and she has been a huge part of our continued success as a basketball program."