FROSTBURG — Mountain Ridge senior Sydney Snyder capped one of the most decorated athletic careers in her school’s history by winning area girls basketball Player of the Year for the second straight year.
Snyder was selected for the award by a panel of area head coaches. Ten participated in voting with six giving the nod to Snyder.
Avery Miller of Allegany received three votes and Hampshire’s Izzy Blomquist nabbed one.
“It’s amazing,” Snyder said of winning Player of the Year. “I’ve been wanting this for so long. I was overjoyed getting Player of the Year last year. I’ve worked so hard for this. What people don’t see, I am in the gym nonstop. On off days, Sundays.
“I just think it’s a big accomplishment for me. I’m lucky to be voted for it.”
Snyder is the seventh two-time winner and the first since Frankfort’s Abby Beeman won back-to-back years in 2018-19.
Westmar standouts Dawn Sloan (1990-92) and Jill McGowan (1995-97) are the lone three-time POYs, and Bishop Walsh’s Lauren Zapf (1998-99), Northern’s Kaitlynn Fratz (2010-11) and Southern’s Lauren Francillon (2015-16) won the award twice.
The point guard helped lead Mountain Ridge (21-4) to a share of the West Maryland Athletic Conference title alongside Southern with a 7-1 record.
Her 5.1 assists per game led the area. The lefty’s 78.6% at the foul line (81 for 103) was second-best locally, 17.8 points a night were fifth and 3.2 steals per contest were the sixth.
“She had a good season for us,” her coach and father Todd Snyder said. “She led us throughout the season. Her leadership. Her work ethic in practice. On the court, she was a leader and one that a lot of kids looked up to.”
Snyder owns Mountain Ridge career records in points with 1,265 and 3-pointers made with 168. Her 76.7% ratio at the foul line is second in school history, and she’s fourth in made free throws hitting 293 of 382 tries.
She’s third in career assists (222), fifth in steals (160), sixth in rebounds (339) and tied for ninth in games played (70).
“She means a lot to the program,” coach Snyder said. “The energy that she brought. The attention that she brought. So many teams focused on what she was going to do, and that let things open up for her teammates and took pressure off of other people.”
Snyder’s 72 3-pointers this year led the area and were second-most including boys players (Jordan Teets, East Hardy, 79), and her 40.7 3-point percentage were tops locally (second overall to Isaiah Keller, Southern, 40.8%).
She shattered her own single-season Mountain Ridge 3s record set last year of 58.
“I had more of a far range of shot beyond the 3-point line this year,” the guard said of where she improved the most this year. “I could get back there further. I also worked on my 3-point step-back.
“And my vision, with being a point guard, improved. … Our two freshmen Lana (Pua’auli) and Taylor (Lamberson) really stepped up for us. They got open for me to the ball too, and they passed it to me when I weaved open off screens.”
The sharpshooter also holds several single-game school records:
• 3-pointers made: 7 (Frankfort, Feb. 5). Held previous record of six, which she did twice (Shalom, Jan. 2; Northern, Jan. 8), which broke own record of five that she did four times.
• Assists: 10 (Northern, Jan. 8)
Steals: 10 (Fort Hill, Jan. 4)Free-throws made: 14, twice (Forest Park, March 2, 2023; Preston, Feb. 12, 2022)
Snyder also won area girls soccer Player of the Year in the fall and was Offensive Player of the Year two years in a row before that. She finished as the most prolific goal scorer ever at Mountain Ridge with 70 and also had the most assists (57).
More important, however, was the team success Snyder and the rest of the Mountain Ridge senior class brought the school.
The 2022-23 Miners were the most successful basketball team in school history, becoming the first to win a region championship, advance to the state tournament, make a Final Four and appear in the championship game.
That squad fell just short to Pikesville, 38-33, in College Park to end with a 20-7 record — establishing a new single-season mark for wins that the 2023-24 team surpassed with a 21-4 record.
Mountain Ridge had its sights on a return to states but was upended by Southern, 55-54, in the region championship. The Rams went on to fall to Pikesville, 48-39, to finish as state runner-ups.
“It was a great run these girls were able to go on,” coach Snyder said. “They’ll always remember and should be proud of what they accomplished. It didn’t end the way we wanted this year, but they should be proud.”
In soccer, Mountain Ridge won three straight WestMAC titles and advanced to the state semifinals in two of Snyder’s three seasons.
Snyder will continue her basketball career at Frostburg State University for coach Jenna Eckleberry. The Bobcats are coming off an 18-11 season (14-6 Mountain East Conference).
“I’m really excited. I’ve always wanted to play something in college,” she said. “It’s a dream to be able to be in my hometown and help bring the community out to games.”