Central’s boys basketball team won its first District 6 championship in 30 years this season, and for the first time in just as long — the Scarlet Dragons now have an Altoona Mirror Player of the Year.

Eli Muthler, who made the first team as a junior, received 73 more votes than the next-highest vote getter, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy junior Taurean Consiglio.

“It means a lot,” Muthler said. “It shows all the work that has been put in since I started. It’s an award that you don’t win in one day. It shows how much work I have put in, and I’m grateful for it. I know I couldn’t be here without my parents and my brothers pushing me along the way as well as teammates. Coaches have pushed me to be my absolute best, and I’m thankful to have gotten to the place where I am at now.”

Muthler is Central’s first Mirror Player of the Year since Ben Bithell, the all-time leading scorer among Blair County boys, won in 1995 — the same year the Dragons last took home district gold.

Joining Muthler in earning top honors is his coach, Paul Frederick, who was tabbed Altoona Mirror Coach of the Year by 12 votes over runner-up Ryan Lestochi of Bishop Guilfoyle.

“Surprising to say the least,” Frederick said. “It’s a cool honor when you are selected by your peers, no doubt about it. But I have always said players make coaches at this level — I really believe that. That means we had some really good players this year that bought into what we were trying to do.”

Frederick is the first Central boys coach to earn the honor since Reggie Nevins won it for the second time in 1993.

“I’m proud of the work our program has done the last couple years,” Frederick said. “We have come up short in that district title game. It was nice to finally get one of those. These kids have put in a lot of work over the last few decades — well before I was here — and it’s great to see that keep going.”

Muthler and Consiglio were joined on the first team by Hollidaysburg’s Kasen Metzger, Bishop Carroll Catholic’s Jace Casses and Central Cambria’s Grady Snyder.

Casses missed the first team last year by just two votes, and Snyder was on the third team as a junior.

Muthler had the third most votes a year ago.

“It’s such an awesome honor,” Frederick said. “There’s a lot of great players in the area this year, as there are every year. But, I know how much work he’s put into it. I know what he’s meant to our basketball team this year and our basketball community in the Cove. It’s such a great honor and a tribute to the work he’s put in.”

Muthler has improved each season he’s played for the Dragons.

“He’s a lot stronger now,” Frederick said. “His body type is a lot different now. He was as skinny as a rail when he was a freshman, but he could always shoot it. He could shoot the basketball from the time he played his first game as a freshman until now where he can put the ball in the basket a lot of different ways. He’s developed more range the last few years, and he can take the ball to the basket stronger — that’s much improved.”

Frederick said Central wouldn’t have the same success without all the support he’s received.

“The program is full of great coaches from the varsity level down to junior high, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to work with,” Frederick said.

Frederick was third in the voting last season, and Muthler was happy to hear his coach earned some recognition as well.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” Muthler said. “I love to hear that. It shows how much the Central basketball program has been developed. From the people who started above us to the people from years ago that competed in the district championship and didn’t win — I’m thankful that our team got to be able to win that, and hopefully it’s the start of more.”