Maria Smith continues family tradition of astounding athleticism

EDWARDSVILLE – Athleticism is something that comes quite natural for the members of the Smith family.

Maria Smith, a freshman, played volleyball for Edwardsville's Class 4A sectional finalist team in the fall, then had a role for the basketball team that finished second in the state Class 4A tournament and is spending her spring playing third base on the Tiger softball team.

Not only that, Smith's brother Mark became Illinois' Mr. Basketball after a standout senior year for a Tiger team that got to the Class 4A super-sectional in Normal, and her father, Anthony, coaches Metro-East Lutheran's boys basketball team.

Maria Smith had a good day for the Tigers in their Saturday home doubleheader sweep of Rochester, doubling twice and driving in three runs in the bottom of the second of the nightcap against the Rockets after having a RBI double in the first inning of the opener, part of a three-run first for the Tigers.

“We hopped on them in the first game and had the same mentality in the second game,” Smith said. “Just get good cuts and play good D – keep pounding it. We just put our teamwork happen and made plays happen.”

Sport and competition is very much a part of the Smith family. “It's definitely very competitive in my household,” Smith said. “That's all we talk about and watch; sports mean a lot.

“The team bond that we have (with Edwardsville's athletic program); we do everything together as a team. There's no one person that's trying to do it all; everybody has their own job and everyone takes care of their job. That's so cool, and we all have fun doing our job. We go out and compete and try our hardest every game.”

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