Add another name to the banner that hangs above the Lehighton basketball court.

On Jan. 18, senior Joe Roth scored on a short jump shot to lift him over the 1,000-point total for his career.

He scored 29 points in the win over Tamaqua to become the ninth player in school history to achieve the heralded accomplishment.

Joe joins his second cousin, Denny Roth, who scored 1,152 points in only two varsity seasons at Lehighton.

“I set the goal to score 1,000 when I was a freshman,” said Joe, “and I used my cousin’s achievement as another motivation.”

Tribe coach Trevor Miller recalled the day in which he sent Joe Roth onto the court for the first time in a varsity game.

“He was a freshman. It was the first game of the year against Palmerton and we had a few injuries, so I was kind of forced to put him in the game,” said Miller. “He did so well that he’s been a starter ever since.”

Miller says that Roth has gotten bigger and stronger every year.

“He’s worked very hard for all that he has accomplished. Joe is a 60 percent shooter from the floor, and he makes 70 percent of his free throws,” the coach said. “He’s also a great rebounder on both ends of the court. He averages five offensive rebounds a game.”

Roth admitted that many of his points come from putbacks off his offensive rebounds.

“In the Tamaqua game, I scored on two dunks,” he said with enthusiasm.

Roth, who has played AAU basketball for the past 10 years, has also accomplished a feat that no other Lehighton student has ever done. He is the only athlete with 1,000 points on the hardwood, and 1,000 receiving yards on the football field.

He’s also a state and national qualifier in the javelin on the Indians’ track and field team.

Basketball is his favorite sport, and Miller is happy to have him admit that.

“Joe is not a ball handler, but he’s really good creating scoring chances from inside the paint, and he’s a determined finisher whenever he gets the ball from his teammates,” said the coach.

Miller said that Roth is not a rah-rah guy.

“He’s pretty much a quiet and mild-mannered kid,” Miller said. “He’s very even-keeled, and he leads our team by the example he sets by playing hard in every single game.”

At 6-2, he plays bigger than his height. Besides his rebounding and dunking abilities, Miller said that Roth blocks many shots from opponents driving to the basket, or trying to take short jumpers from down low.

On offense, he’s a favorite weapon.

“He’s certainly our go-to-guy when we need a basket,” said Miller, “and playing in the paint, he draws a lot of fouls, too.”

Lehighton is enjoying one of its best seasons in the past few years, and Roth is front and center with his contribution to the team’s success.

“We practice really hard,” he said, “and we have great team chemistry and we play with a lot of heart.”

Roth’s future endeavors have yet to be determined, but for now he’s keeping his focus on contributing his performances to his team’s success.

“I just want to help us win as many games as we can,” said Roth.

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TWICE AS NICE … Over a span of three days – and two back-to-back swim meets against Tamaqua – Lydia Strucko wrote a page in the Marian swim team record books. On Saturday, the sophomore sensation swam to a new pool record – a time of 1:01.06 – in the 100 butterfly. And then on Tuesday evening, Strucko was able to break that same mark in the 100 butterfly by better than a second-and-a-half. She won the event on Tuesday with a time of 59.85 for another career milestone in only her second varsity season.

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ADDY FOR THREE … Addy Fritz had the hot hand for Marian’s girls basketball team on Tuesday, as she poured in a game-high 25 points in a 62-29 Schuylkill League win over Mahanoy Area. In addition to what was also a season-high in total points, Fritz nailed a total of seven three-pointers – a season best as well – in the contest. A game earlier, she connected for five in a game against Nativity, and a few weeks prior she hit six in a win over Lourdes.

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DOUBLE TROUBLE … Northern Lehigh’s dynamic duo of Katelynn Barthold and Tegan Simms created havoc for Jim Thorpe on Tuesday. Barthold connected for a game-high 27 points, while Simms followed with 26 as the Bulldogs’ duo combined for 53 of NL’s total points in a 68-35 win over the Olympians. It was the fifth time this season (in a span of 17 games) that Barthold and Simms both finished with 20 or more points in the same game.

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AT THE CHARITY STRIPE … Over a span of 11 games, the Weatherly girls’ basketball team has only taken a total of 61 free throw attempts this season. Only five of eight Wreckers have stepped to the charity stripe this year. But Kelly Reiner is 30-for-43 (69.8 percent) at the foul line for Weatherly.

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MILESTONE VICTORY … In Wednesday’s match against Panther Valley, Tamaqua’s Aiden Schlier recorded the 100th victory of his career, reaching the milestone by pinning Landon Hunsicker in 1:26 at 127 pounds. The defending and two-time Schuylkill League champion, Schlier is 25-4 this season – his fourth straight year recording 25 victories. A number of other area wrestlers are also closing in on their 100th career win, including Palmerton’s Derek King, who currently has 98. Northwestern’s Luke Fugazzotto his 100 career wins as a junior earlier this season at the Great Valley Duals.

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ON THE HORIZON … The District 11 team wrestling championships are set for next Saturday, Feb. 1, at Freedom High School. The top eight teams in 2A and 3A will qualify for the event. Currently, Palmerton is third in the 2A power rankings, with Northwestern fourth and Lehighton seventh. The Class 2A quarterfinals are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., with the semis set for 1 p.m. The 2A and 3A championship will take place at 7 p.m.

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COLT CONNECTION … Jah Bushati, who attends Marian and wrestles for Mahanoy Area through a co-op, reached the finals at this past Saturday’s Schuylkill League Wrestling Tournament, falling to Blue Mountain’s Owen Woll, who also secured his 100th-career win in the process. Bushati, seeded second at 154 pounds, advanced to the finals with a tech fall against Pine Grove’s Austin Frantz in his first match, before prevailing in a 19-18 decision against Schuylkill Haven’s Jack Krammes in the semis. The junior has a team-leading 20 wins for the Golden Bears. Junior Kyler Quick, who also reached the finals at leagues, is 18-8 for Mahanoy, while senior Kyle Pollack is 15-8 and sophomore Rory Dixon – another Marian athlete – stands at 11-4. Marian junior Matthew Spino has also been a staple in the lineup for the Golden Bears and is 7-7.