The road to 2K
Swogger reaches 2,000, becomes all-time scorer at B-A
Karson Swogger went over 2,000 points and became B-A’s all-time leading scorer in a week’s time.
January 13, 2017
Last week senior Karson Swogger became the fifth person in Blair County History to score 2,000 points, and the second from Bellwood-Antis. Swogger joins 2016 B-A graduate Nathan Davis, who reached 2,000 points last year for the Blue Devils.
Just days later she became the Bellwood-Antis scoring leader regardless of gender when she hit the 2,051 mark, surpassing Davis by a basket.
The duo of Swogger and Davis are in an elite group with Central’s Ben Bithell, Williamsburg’s Don Appleman, and the county’s all-time leading scorer Lacey Claar from Claysburg-Kimmel, who finished her career with 2,187 points.
It is a nice accomplishment, no doubt. But I don’t think it will really sink in until the season is over.
— Karson Swogger
While Karson understands what an accomplishment this is, she also realizes that ten games into the season is not a time to be reflective.
“It is a nice accomplishment, no doubt. But I don’t think it will really sink in until the season is over. We still have our team goals to accomplish. I think after the season when I have time to reflect on my high school career, it will mean a great deal to me,” said Swogger.
Head coach Jim Swaney is undeniably impressed with the skill that his star senior has, but he is more impressed with how she has developed into a leader over the years.
“Karson has always been a very gifted basketball player. She is so strong with the ball and is a great shooter. She has worked very hard to become the player that she is today,” said Swaney. “However what I am most impressed with is how Karson has changed from a pretty quiet kid when she was young to being the leader she is today.”
Swogger burst on the scene in 2013-14, averaging 15.5 points per game as a freshman on a District 6-AA championship team. As a sophomore she increased her scoring contribution to 19.4 points per game, and for the last two seasons she’s been scoring more than 28 points every night out. She holds girls records for points in a season, career and single game.
Always humble, Swogger knows that she wouldn’t be where she is today without the help of her teammates.
“I have been truly blessed to play with some of the best teammates and friends anyone could ask for,” she said. “I can honestly say that everyone I have ever played with has had a part in any individual accomplishments that I have achieved. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Individual accomplish aside, the team is sitting at 10-2 and has won nine games in a row. B-A appears to be hitting full stride with ten regular season games remaining, and Coach Swaney is gearing up for yet another long and successful postseason.
“I am very excited to see how far this team can go. We know that there are people who doubt us, but as long as we as a team, believe in each other and not allow outside noise to change our course, we will reach our goals,” exclaimed Swaney.
