Girls Unsung Heroes: A look at the players whose contributions go beyond the box score

It's easy to recognize the best players in the area. Many lead their respective teams in scoring or rebounding, while others stand out on the defensive end.

Yet, all programs have those Unsung Heroes, who sacrifice for the team. They may not find themselves in the box score or accumulate stats, but their contributions are invaluable.

Here's our look at those players for our girls programs around the area.

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PD Moore, Karlee Rose & Kylan Brock

Tri-Valley seniors

"Our senior class this year comes to mind. All three players have battled through major injuries in their high school careers — PD ankle surgery, Karlee two ACL surgeries, and Kylan broke her ankle last season. They are great teammates, hard-nosed, gritty players that help build a winning culture in a program. Their toughness and commitment to the team concept have helped this year's team improve with each game this season." — Coach Kurt Kaufman

Laney Johnson & Debra Allen

West Muskingum senior and sophomore guards

"Laney is our inspirational leader. Following a season-ending knee injury last year, she came back this season faster and stronger. She's willing to do whatever it takes to win. She's extremely selfless and is willing to do the things that don't get much recognition. She is the ultimate team player. She constantly leads by example with her practice habits and toughness. She is one of the most coachable athletes I have ever coached and sets a great example for the younger players in our program." — Coach Josh Middleton

"Debra is the coach on the court. She has a very high basketball IQ and gets everyone on the floor where they need to be. She has the ability to put up points but chooses to be the facilitator and focus on defense. Her constant energy and competitiveness spread through our team on a nightly basis. Debra brings an old-school toughness and will to win every day. Whether it's a game or practice, she makes everyone around her better." — Middleton

Kylie Osborne

Zanesville senior

"Kylie is the textbook definition of committed. Not just to her basketball team, but also to her studies, family and job. She attends Zane State full time and continues to work 15-20 hours a week during basketball season. She's great at time management as she has never missed a practice. She plans on continuing her studies in Psychology at The Ohio State University. Kylie averages 4 rebounds and 3.5 points a game but is often defending opponents' leading scorers." — Coach Shaun Spencer

Emily Lawson

Maysville senior point guard

"Emily is a natural shooting guard that has had to take over point guard responsibilities her junior and senior year. She has done a tremendous job of learning and growing throughout the process. Emily is asked to guard the other team's best player each game, run point guard and lead a very young team. She shows up to practice and outworks everyone on a daily basis." — Coach Bill Crane

Sonni Nelson & Meg Mumford

Crooksville senior guard and sophomore guard/forward

"Sonni worked extremely hard in the offseason. She has played in every varsity game since she was a freshman. She has been a tremendous leader for our team this year." — Coach Matt Jones

"Meg put the work in this past offseason. I continue to see her confidence and game grow on the court. Excited for what her future holds." — Coach Matt Jones

Molly Eltringham

Buckeye Trail junior power forward

"Molly has battled some health issues over the years and has continued to be 100% her. She's a vibrant, positive, vocal and energetic Warrior to her core. She pushes and encourages everyone around her. The energy and joy that she brings to our team is indescribable and something very special." — Coach Miranda Redden

Malorie Crooks

Rosecrans sophomore shooting guard

"Malorie transferred to Bishop Rosecrans this year, therefore, she was only able to participate in the first half of the basketball season. Although she has been unable to participate in games, she continues to support her team in many other ways. She continues to work hard and improve in practice, encourages and cheers on her teammates from the bench, gets items from the locker room her teammates need, and assists her coaches when they need her. Malorie continues to be a valuable part of our team through her continued support and assistance." — Coach Abbe Mumford

Emma Rettos & Tarryn Morris

Ridgewood seniors

"Emma has an awesome attitude, brings joy everyday to practice. She gets so excited for others' success and is an unbelievable role model for all girls, while Tarryn has been incredible in buying into our team concept. She is one of the hardest working athletes I have ever coached. She has been a great teammate and huge part of our success." — Coach John Slusser

Emma Dolan, Aleea Musselman & Madeline Winland

John Glenn seniors

"John Glenn girls basketball wouldn't have the record or success we have without three vital senior players; Emma Dolan, Aleea Musselman, and Madeline Winland. The stat line may not reflect this, but if you've ever watched these players on the court – you know. These three are consistently relied upon as we enter each and every game. They are the ones willing to do the dirty work to make things happen. They understand and accept their roles and serve as great leaders in those roles. As a class, they have won more games than any other in school history. These unsung heroes have been an integral part of our program for many years. They will be leaving big shoes to fill after this season." — Coach Gary Sigman

"Emma is a defensive stopper that has shown time and time again that she is key when it comes to guarding some of the best opponents. She never shies away from this challenge and is committed to not letting her team down. Emma allows us to remain in the tough games because of her determination and grit." — Sigman

"Aleea is as tough as they come. She has a high basketball IQ to match her ability to hit open shots, set screens, and help spread the floor. Aleea's rebounding this season is to be commended. Aleea doesn't take plays off." — Sigman

"Madeline is one of the smartest basketball players I've ever coached. She knows where every teammate is supposed to be on the floor and is trusted to essentially coach while on the court. Madeline's mental and physical toughness is easily recognized when watching her play. She boxes out and rebounds with confidence and consistency." — Sigman

Destiny Garcia

Cambridge senior forward

"Destiny is a senior forward who brings positivity and passion to our team. Destiny is a prime example of a player who shows up and just does her job. You never hear her complain about anything. She makes a huge impact on our team beyond the scorebook stats." — Coach Logan McCort

Aleigha Busse

Philo junior

"Aleigha is a quintessential example of a team-first player. You can always count on her to give everything that she has for the team inside the gym and out. We have asked her to guard the best player on the opposing team and she is always willing to accept the challenge. Aleigha is a role model for our underclassmen, junior high players, and youth league players. She is also a leader in the classroom. She has that special ability to make everyone around her better. Whether it is on the court, in the classroom, or being involved in her other extracurricular activities, she is driven to help everyone succeed." — Coach Dan Hilty

A.J. Nelson

Sheridan manager

"She is our first-year manager. She comes to practice daily and all of our home games." — Coach J.D. Walters. He also noted she was able to make "the first bucket of the game" against Philo in one of the team's final regular season games.

bhannahs@gannett.com; X: @brandonhannahs

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Girls basketball Unsung Heroes: Players who contribute more than stats