LebCo Athlete of the Week: Elisha Slabach (Week Ending January 19, 2024)

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Elisha Slabach

Hosting Northern Lebanon on Monday, January 13th, Annville-Cleona’s senior scoring machine, Elisha Slabach, took the opportunity in the 1st quarter to score his 1,000th career point. Unfortunately, an ankle injury in the 2nd quarter forced him from the game, dampening the celebratory mood of the evening. That said, after missing a series of games, Slabach is back, leading the Dutchmen to victory. Our voters have taken note of his playing ability and named Slabach as a LebCo Athlete of the Week, honoring his huge accomplishment.

While Annville-Cleona has a team of solid athletes, Slabach is the difference-maker when it comes to scoring. With him missing from the line-up, the Dutchmen suffered three losses. Since his return, they have picked up wins over Pequea Valley and Williams Valley. Against Pequea, his first game back, Slabach was outstanding with a line of 17 pts, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.

When asked to talk about scoring his 1,000th point, Slabach said, “It was really cool and made all the hard work pay off in an achievement like that.”

However, the first part of his statement focused more on the team aspect of the game and how gut-wrenching his injury was. He said: “It was really tough to just watch, thinking that I could have made an impact.”

For as painful as it was to be sidelined, Slabach credits Annville-Cleona’s athletic trainers for helping him get back on the court.

Slabach, who sometimes gets called “King Eli” in the halls of Annville-Cleona Secondary School, is a bonafide impact player. This season, he has averaged 22.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.

To put it in perspective, in the last game prior to his injury, Slabach had 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists in what was a loss to powerhouse Lancaster Mennonite.

No matter how impressive his stats are, Coach Jason Coletti points to Slabach’s true value when he says, “Elisha’s stats are excellent. However, his leadership on the court is even better. We ask Elisha to do a lot of things for us, and all the teams we play know that, and he still manages to come through. He has made some big shots and huge plays for us throughout the season, but his ability to make other players better is next-level stuff.”

Coletti also lauded his star for his rebounding ability, saying, “For as good as a scorer Elisha is, he is also a very underrated rebounder.”

All in all, Slabach is doing what he can to help his team win. At this point of the season, the Dutchmen hold a record of 10-7. With five games remaining, they have a chance to qualify for the District 3 AAAA Playoffs if they finish the season strong. For Slabach and his teammates, this is the goal.

A true baller, Slabach sees his role in helping the team win as “Scoring and being a calming presence that everyone can turn to when things feel hectic.” This overall approach seems to work, as the Dutchmen are 10-3 with him on the court.

Beyond team goals, Slabach is the 9th member of Annville-Cleona Boys Basketball’s 1,000 point club. He would like to cement his legacy by besting Bill Davidson’s (‘ 95) mark of 1,161 points to become the 3rd highest scorer in program history.

Once he graduates from Annville-Cleona in June, Slabach will be headed to Lycoming College where he will continue his basketball career while studying Finance. Long-term, he would like to find a stable job with a corporation within the financial sector, specializing in investing.

One would guess that Slabach will continue to find time for basketball as he continues to work through the phases of life. Beyond that, he will also be finding time for another favorite sport of his, disc golf.

For now, Slabach will undoubtedly be focusing all of his effort on basketball as he finishes his senior season. We wish Slabach and his team all the best as they battle their way towards the postseason.

Photos provided courtesy of Annville-Cleona Athletics

Be on the lookout for a features about fellow LebCo Athletes of the Week: Susie Hoffman & Danny Speaks

For a full list of this week’s nominees, check out: Athlete of the Week Voting: January 13 – 19

Previous Winners

Jason Foutz (Week of December 2nd)

Robert Santiago (Week of December 9th)

Kane Kline (Holidays)

Aaron Seidel (Week of January 6th)