Conroy, Dumbroski named Athletes of the Week
Each week, the Mon Valley Independent brings its readers the top male and female athletes of the week.
Each week, the Mon Valley Independent brings its readers the top male and female athletes of the week.
This week’s choices weren’t very difficult as Ringgold wrestler Jake Conroy and Serra Catholic basketball player Bella Dumbroski are the picks after stellar performances last week.
Few athletes are dominating the opposition in their sport more these days than Conroy and Dumbroski and neither has let up in recent action.
Jake Conroy
The Ringgold senior won WPIAL gold and finished fourth in the PIAA Championships as a junior.
All he has done this season at 215 pounds is go 26-0 on the mat to up his career record to 15-16 with an impressive 105 pins.
Last weekend, he finished first in the Mercer Tournament, pinning all foes until the championship and then coming away with a 21-5 technical fall victory.
And in his most recent match, Conroy may have had his best moment against a fellow defending WPIAL champion in Belle Vernon Area’s Elijah Brown. Brown had an 8-0 lead after the first period before Conroy came back with a flurry to win a 14-10 decision.
“That match against Elijah says all you need to know about Jake,” said Ringgold coach Luke Smith. “Most kids, regardless of ability, would pack it in trailing 8-0 after one period. But not Luke. His work ethic and dedication to be great wouldn’t let him quit. And Elijah is one heck of a wrestler. Those two will probably go at it a few times this season.”
Smith, who is in his second tour coaching at Ringgold, admitted Conroy’s role in his return.
“I came back to coach here because of him,” Smith said. “I’ve had him since eighth grade, but I knew about him when he was in kindergarten. I just knew he was going to be special.”
Conroy is not only a star on the mat, but also in the classroom.
He committed to Cornell back on Sept. 20, 2023.
Bella Dumbroski
Dumbroski has been opening eyes since she began this season as a freshman for the Eagles.
The 5-9 point guard leads the Eagles (7-2, 9-6) in scoring at 21 ppg and also averages seven rebounds and five assists.
In her last seven games, Dumbroski has scored at least 25 points six times.
Unless your name is Iyanna Wade, the nation’s leading scorer of Clairton, you can’t get much hotter than that for sure.
“She’s just a phenomenal player,” Serra coach Mike Voit said. “She can really do it all. Her basketball IQ is so high for a girl her age. Nothing she does surprises me.”
Voit can’t help gushing about his young floor leader.
“There is just no one way to guard her,” Voit said. “She can shoot the three very well. She can pass and move without the ball. And with her size, she can really get downhill.
“And defensively, she’s very lanky and gets a lot of tips on rebounds that help get us off and going.”
Voit said Dumbroski is “very mature for her age” and is already a leader on the floor for the Eagles, even though she is just a freshman.
Voit, who said he was following Dumbroski from a young age in basketball, is not even thinking about where she will be in her abilities by the time she is a senior.
He’s salivating over the here and now about Dumbroski.
“She’s the best freshman I’ve ever seen,” said Voit. “In fact, I think she’s the best freshman in the WPIAL. She’s that talented.”