By DAN HOEHNE
daniel.hoehne@newssun.com
LAKE PLACID - It is a mark of ability as well as longevity, as Lake Placid senior Alex Coyne verified Monday night soon after scoring her 1,000th career point in a blowout win of Frostproof.
"You pretty much have to be playing varsity since you're a freshman," she said.
Which points to the remarkable ability Coyne possesses, as she started her high school career with a powerful Chartiers Valley squad in suburban Pittsburgh's Bridgeville.
That 2009-10 team went 23-6, 12-0 in conference play, and would graduate two seniors who each had 1,000 career points.
On a sophomore dominated team the next season, Coyne played a big part in guiding the Lady Colts to a 17-6 record, 8-2 in conference.
From there, the Coyne's made their way to Lake Placid where mother Jackie took over the head coaching duties and Alex continued to shine - and add on to her career point totals.
But Coyne isn't all about the scoring, it is just one aspect of the game she happens to excel at.
Monday night showed that, along with her other abilities, not to mention her sense of team play.
Heading into the contest, Coyne stood at 978 career points, needing 22 to reach the coveted mark.
Going against an overmatched Lady Bulldog squad, it was up in the air as to whether she'd get enough playing time.
Not to mention, her shooting hand may have gone cold with the goal getting ever closer.
Her shooting touch, however, would not be an issue this night.
After Quiahja Williams got things started with back-to-back inside scores, Coyne scored 10 straight on her own.
Consecutive three-pointers, both swishes, were followed by steals near halfcourt and drives for scores with both the left and right hand.
The Lake Placid bench got some time on the court, with the score now at 16-0, but Coyne would add another three-pointer later, bringing her to 13 for the game and nine away from 1,000.
Frostproof would finish out the first-quarter scoring with a jumper that made it a 22-2 game.
Coyne began the second quarter with another steal, but dished off an assist to Breauna Corley on the break before snaring another steal and taking it in herself for number 15, leaving her seven away.
Two more lay-ups off of turnovers got her to 19, just three away, before she slipped another pass inside for an assist to Corley.
Soon after, after a pass inside was kicked back out, Coyne quickly surveyed the set, looking for an open teammate.
But with the Frostproof defense sagging, she measured out the three-pointer and drained it to hit the 1,000-point mark.
She was soon awarded the ball with which she attained the great achievement and had the rest of the night off as the Dragons would finish off the 44-15 win.
"It's exciting and a relief," Coyne said.
From suburban Pittsburgh to rural central Florida, Alex Coyne's basketball journey has been well-traveled.
And through it all, her concept of team play and exceptional ability to elevate those around her has shone through.
But as Monday night's achievement also showed - the girl can fill it up.
Lake Placid is back in action Thursday at Okeechobee and get back into district play with a key match-up Friday at Avon Park.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013 - www.newssun.com/WED-1-16-13-Coyne