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Mifflin County junior Marissa Gingrich was selected to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Girls Basketball Team in Class 6A.

LEWISTOWN — Mifflin County junior Marissa Gingrich was named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Girls Basketball Team in Class 6A, which was released Thursday.

A third-team selection, she is the first player wearing a Huskies uniform to be so honored. The last all-state player from the county was Lewistown’s Hannah Geedey in 2009.

Gingrich is one of four players from the Mid-Penn Conference to make the team — two each from the Keystone Division, in which Mifflin County plays, and the Commonwealth Division. She is one of seven District 6 players to be honored across all six classifications, in which a total of 108 girls were selected out of more than 8,000 statewide.

She also is the second girl in her family — and the third overall in the Gingrich clan — to achieve all-state status, joining her aunt Krista, who won two state titles with Lewistown, and her father and varsity coach Aaron Gingrich.

“We are familiar with most players on the 6A all-state list, as we have either seen them play, or Marissa has played against them over the years. Although I may be biased, I know who I would take as my starting point guard from that list,” Aaron Gingrich said, noting that her attendance at a rural school makes it harder to be seen.

“There are a lot of very good players on the 6A list, and all of them are from urban and suburban metropolitan areas with multiple media outlets. Media members vote for the all-state teams, so obviously Marissa’s abilities and play this season were recognized by others outside of our area,” he said.

Marissa Gingrich stressed that her prize is winning games, not winning awards.

“I try to stay focused on getting better and doing what I can to help the team win,” she said. “Also, my coaches and teammates have been focused on improving and winning, that helps to take individual pressure off of me. But I understand if there is attention on me from the other team, I must have done something to earn their respect.”

Throughout her career — and especially since taking over as Mifflin County’s coach — Aaron Gingrich has strived to separate his role as coach and parent. He said he’s happy when any of the players he works with receive accolades, and appreciates both the team’s success as well as Marissa’s individual reward.

“I obviously know how hard Marissa has worked over the past 10 years, and to see her effort acknowledged through statewide recognition is a great honor and a tribute to her work ethic,” he said. “Individual accolades are directly tied to team success, and having great teammates. Marissa, Bri Bodtorf, Mya Aumiller, Emma Weaver, Kate Knable, Tessa Pavlova, Aija Binder and Amelia Leister have played over 300 games together. The familiarity these girls have with each other, along with unselfish play led to team success, and put Marissa in a position to have a great season.”

Marissa Gingrich agrees with that.

“My teammates mean everything to me and no individual recognition is achieved without a great team,” she said. “We have played so many games together, and knew our roles. That allowed each of us to play to our best abilities and help the team win.”

Aaron Gingrich admits his daughter was, perhaps, born to play basketball — it’s a family tradition that goes back a third generation, to his father Dick. But despite higher expectations, he insists she’s writing her own basketball story.

“Marissa grew up with a basketball in her hands. Both she and (younger sister) Maelyn spent many hours in the gym during my time as a varsity boys coach,” he said. She also grew up knowing about her aunt’s level of success.

“I was born into a basketball family and I remember watching my dad’s varsity boys’ teams when I was very little. I always found that to be fun and exciting but never thought about it as expectations for later,” Marissa Gingrich said. “My aunt Krista had a great career in basketball and I even got the chance to watch some of her game tapes. But I have always looked at her as a role model and not someone who I have to equal.

“She has always told me to be the best Marissa I could be and not worry about any expectations.”

‘”Marissa is a different basketball player than Krista in many ways, however, both of them have a similar drive to improvement and will to win,” Aaron Gingrich said. “Marissa is well aware of Krista’s basketball successes, but I think she has always looked at them as motivation rather than pressure.”

“Marissa has never put any pressure on herself regarding individual achievements or accolades. The only pressure on Marissa for next season is for her to improve individually, and help the team reach its full potential,” he added. “If she does so, individual achievements naturally follow.”

BY THE NUMBERS

Marissa Gingrich’s 2021-2022 stats:

• 20 points per game

• 7.2 rebounds per game

• 5.5 assists per game

• 3.4 steals per game

• 73 season 3-point goals

All but her rebound average led the Mid-Penn Conference Keystone Division.