The new standard

The ink was barely dry in the TMB record book when Spencer Smith rewrote it.

By Per Peterson

If history tells us anything, it’s that sports records are made to stand the test of time.
Not this one.
When Spencer Smith drained a three-pointer in the early stages of Thursday’s game against the Lakeview Lakers, it erased a school record that was all of one year old.
Smith’s teammate of a year ago, Josh Kirk, set the new mark last year, but Smith was right on his tail. And on Thursday, the 6’5” senior post/guard/wing passed him and now sits atop the list of boys basketball scorers at Tracy Area High School.
“It feels good,” Smith said of breaking the record. “Josh and the rest of the team, they were great teammates (last year) and we had a great time. He knew, I’m pretty sure, that records are meant to be broken. He knew I was right behind him. He was glad for me and I was happy for him when he broke it.”
Smith breaking the record was a foregone conclusion this year, in part because he came in as the Panthers’ No. 1 scoring option. Starting alongside juniors and sophomores, Smith has stood out this year, and his offensive arsenal has been unmatched and unstoppable. And now with his younger teammates starting to mesh and becoming more accustomed to the speed of varsity play, the Panthers, after an 0-6 start, are winning more than they’re losing.