LCN Athlete of the Year

Versatile Flint best of the best

NUNDA — Keshequa standout and 2011-2012 Livingston County News Female Athlete of Year Alex Flint is not even thinking about slowing down.

“I am looking to win sectionals in all three sports,” the soccer, basketball and softball star said. “I really want to do the trifecta.”

Being on three sectional winning teams in one season is something no Keshequa athlete has done, and Flint seems to think the opportunity is there.

And after the junior year she just had, who could blame her?

Flint put together a superstar season in all three of her sports and was an easy selection for POY honors.

In soccer, the Indian midfielder scored 13 goals and 15 assists for 41 points. She also displayed her versatility by playing a few minutes in the goal, where she saved four shots in 65 minutes of season play. Her team was virtually unbeatable, winning 21 straight games before losing to Section VIII’s Friends Academy in the state semifinal for their only loss.

Keshequa outscored their opponent 97-6 on the year.

In basketball, she was named LCN Super-18 Co-Player of the Year, averaging a team-high 18.9 points per game. She also put up 8.5 boards, 5 steals and 3.1 assists a game.

Her presence on the basketball court drew plenty of attention from the opposition, which in turn opened up the Keshequa perimeter game.

And in softball, she was a double-threat in the circle and at the plate.

Flint tossed an 18-2 record, with an ERA of 0.99 over 92 innings, struck out 253 and completed five shutouts. She gave up just 43 hits and 18 earned runs.

At the plate, Flint batted a team-leading .600 with 36 hits, 45 RBIs, two doubles, eight triples and seven homers. She also posted an OBP of .684 and a SLG% of 1.25.

She broke the Section V record with 23 strikeouts in Keshequa’s 1-0 loss in 10 innings to Cal-Mum in the ‘C’ state qualifier.

“Being athlete of the year is a big honor,” Flint said. “I am dedicated at my sports and I work really hard for team. I want to inspire younger kids. I know that they look up to me.”

Her athletic success doesn’t just happen. Flint spoke of her rigorous off-season training that helps her maintain her level of competitiveness.

“I work out a lot with my coaches and they are very supportive,” Alex said. “Coach Piraino wants me to get in the gym, Miss Blair is always wanting to catch with me, Mr. Goho is always working out in soccer. I should thank them a lot because without them, I probably wouldn’t be doing too much. My parents, too. They are always saying, ‘Let’s go throw!’ or ‘Let’s shoot some baskets.’”

However, her journey to the top of the Section V girls athletic world was not a cake walk.

Flint’s freshman year, while playing AAU basketball, she tore her ACL, which caused her to miss six months of action, including entire seasons in softball and soccer.

“I tore (the ACL) in basketball and then my first sport back was basketball, so I was really nervous about it,” she said.

In a way, though, Flint says the injury only made her a better athlete.

“(The injury) was really hard. I’ve never been through something like that. And yeah, there are bigger things in life than sports. But, it was a lot of hard work in the weight room. To be honest, I was kind excited about it because I did tear my ACL and I came back even stronger than before. It kind of benefited me.

“For me, sports is really big. It’s my thing. Sitting out and seeing my friends have fun, and all I’d be doing was picking up cones. I’d jog here or there. Not being out there with my friends got to me.”

Her junior year ended on a bit of a disappointment. Facing Cal-Mum in the Section V Class C state qualifier, she gave up the game-ending single in the bottom of the 10th inning that allowed the Red Raiders to advance following the 1-0 victory. The game-winning run was on third base because of the International Tiebreaker Rule.

In a way, it spoiled her record breaking strikeout performance.

“My friends came up to me and said, ‘How can you throw 23 strikeouts and still lose?’” Flint said. “But that is one of the great things about sports, you never know what is going to happen.”

As far as future plans go, Flint is optimistic about her senior season and beyond. Already hoping for the “trifecta,” she is also looking into Division-I programs to play softball.

“I’ve been talking to the Rhode Island (University) coach a lot,” she said. “There are smaller DI programs I can play at. Basketball wise, people have gotten ahold of me, but I don’t know if that is where I want to go. I’m still up in the air.”

All she has to worry about now is having another stellar year in all three of her sports.

Given what she did this season, that shouldn’t be a problem.