Female Athletes of the Week: Morgan Lantz & Maddie Stout (Week Ending January 28, 2024)

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Morgan Lantz

Morgan Lantz is a three-sport star for Palmyra. In the winter months, she excels in the pool, where she has had a fantastic season thus far. In a January 23rd meet against Lower Dauphin, the senior won the 200-yard and the 500-yard freestyle, along with being a member of two winning relays. Two days later, against Hershey, she won the 100-yard freestyle and picked up a 2nd-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle. Her efforts caught the attention of the LebCoSports.com voters, who selected her as a LebCo Female Athlete of the Week.

Again this past week, Lantz loomed large in a win over Milton Hershey, winning two events and serving on a winning relay team. Our records indicated that Lantz has picked up 1st place in an individual or relay in every meet this season, with an individual win in all but one meet.

The senior brings ten years of swimming experience with her to the natatorium. As a captain, she not only brings her talent, but brings leadership, She often leads by example, being willing to fill in any event that she is needed.

Lantz walked onto the pool deck following another successful season as a member of Palmyra Field Hockey, serving as one of the team’s top goal scorers during their run that ended with the District 3 Championship and another appearance in the PIAA State Championship game. After the season, she was honored with an Academic Award from the PAFHSCA for her work as a student-athlete.

Swimming postseason is just around the corner, with the Mid Penn Championships set to begin February 9th. Once her season is complete, she will be back to playing Lacrosse. It is in the Spring sports season that Lantz has made her largest impact, excelling in Lacrosse and earning the opportunity to play at UMass-Lowell once she leaves the 17078.

We wish Morgan the best of luck the rest of this swim season and beyond!

For more on Morgan, check out what SCIJ wrote about her:

Maddie Stout

On January 23rd, ELCO picked up a convincing win over Donegal. Maddie Stout scored 8 points in the 1st half as the Raiders broke away. She finished the game with a team-high 16 points. In three games during the week, including tough match-ups against Northern Lebanon and Columbia, the sophomore totaled 28 points and hit seven three-pointers. Her successful week of scoring earned her the votes to be named a LebCo Female Athlete of the Week.

Stout again led the Raiders in the scoring department this past week as they defeated Conrad Weiser. In that contest, she scored 14, which included connecting on three three-pointers.

Stout has fit into a balanced offense that ELCO has put on the court this season. Last season, she averaged 7.5 points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal per game. She totaled twenty-two three-pointers. Her efforts earned her a place on the LebCo All-County Team as an Honorable Mention.

This season, Stout got off to a slow start, where she became frustrated with what she was able to bring to the court. Keeping a positive attitude, she was able to get back in the groove and help her team win some games.

Going through those struggles as part of a young team will serve as a needed experience going forward. This rings true for Stout, who is a vital member of a team that only rostered two seniors, as she sees herself as a leader in keeping everyone keyed in.

ELCO Head Coach Karl Keath said of Stout, “Maddie is a hardworking sophomore that rebounds very well and can beat you multiple ways offensively. She is a true student of the game.”

Basketball is not the only sport where Stout uses her athletic ability, as she is a member of the ELCO Soccer team. She prefers Basketball, hoping to have the opportunity to play at the collegiate level. Though she has time to decide on a major, Stout has already decided that she would like to focus on Biology. She is aggressive on the athletic field, and when it comes to her studies, she uses painting and reading as her avenues to unwind.

With two regular season games remaining this season, she will to wait before she can fully decompress. Currently sitting on the bubble for a District 3 Playoff berth, there is still a chance that their season may be extended.

We wish Maddie and her teammates all the best in the season’s final games and hope the math works in their favor.

Read about this week’s Male Athlete of the Week: Sam Wolford

For a full list of this week’s nominees, check out: Athlete of the Week Voting: January 22 – January 28

Previous Winner Updates

Kenzie Eckhart (Week of 12/4) – Averaged 8 points in two games last week. 

Laci Lesher (Week of 12/4) – Scored 21 in two games last week, including hitting three three-pointers as Crest attempted a comeback after going down early to Lebanon.

Morgan Kline (Week of 12/11) – Rolled a 719 series as the Raiders edged out Manheim Central in a 4-3 win.

Mya Doster (Week of 12/11) – Averaged 5 points in two games last week, providing key defense in rebounding as Palmyra came from behind to defeat Milton Hershey.

Kailah Correa (Holiday Weeks) – Scored 42 and 27 in two games last week, both ending in victories for the Cedars.

Kylee Trostle (Holiday Weeks) – Earned a silver medal at 112-pounds in the first official LL Girls Wrestling Championship.

Olive Brandt (Week of 1/8) – Scored 17 points over the course of two games, providing another scoring option in two Cedar victories. 

Kasey Weimer (Week of 1/8) – Averaged 13 points in two Northern Lebanon victories.

Qynne Demler (Week of 1/15) – Set a New Covenant scoring record when she registered 42 on Friday night. She also had games of 35 and 22 as the Flames went 2-1.