MCDONALD — Whether it was while in a supporting role or as leader of the pack, Vinny Smith got the job done.

The 2009 Mars Area High School graduate was named the Butler Eagle’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year as a senior and graduated with 1,107 points, at the time the third-highest total in program history.

“He began starting as a freshman and continued to improve,” said Mars coach Rob Carmody. “He really came into his own as a junior.”

His play on the court, along with excelling on the school’s track and field team, earned Smith a spot in the latest class to be inducted into the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mars Area High School graduate Vinny Smith, seen here driving toward the basket during his senior season of 2008-09, after which he was named Butler Eagle Boys Basketball Player of the Year, also starred on the Planets’ track and field team. He has been inducted into the district’s athletic hall of fame. Eagle File Photo

During Smith’s junior season, the 2007-08 campaign, he (6-foot-5) and teammate Steve Cress (6-foot-6) formed a daunting frontcourt duo. The latter was a senior and averaged 21.7 points and 12.7 rebounds per game to win the Eagle honor for the second straight year.

“Steve played with a lot of heart and was a good example of the intensity you need to have if you’re the No. 1 guy,” said Smith, who put up 11.4 points, eight rebounds and three assists per contest that season.

Following Cress’ graduation, Smith knew he had big shoes to fill.

“I felt I was as ready as I could be,” Smith said of his preparation for his senior campaign. “I don’t know if you’re ever going to know exactly what you need to have to be the leader of a team ahead of time, but I worked all summer and fall that year to get ready.

“I knew it was going to be harder to get to different spots on the court with Steve gone, but that made me a better player in the end,” said Smith.

And the proof was in the numbers. Smith averaged 17 points, 10.4 boards and 2.5 blocks to close his high school career on the hardwood.

“Like all good players, Vinny wanted the ball, even when Steve was still here,” said Carmody. “Then he became the focus on offense for us. He wanted that opportunity, but also was able to take advantage of it. For a big guy, he ran the floor well and was a good free-throw shooter.”

Smith said he appreciated the lengths to which Carmody went to help his players improve.

“He was intense and you could tell the passion he had for the game,” he said. “He wouldn’t just tell you what to do, he would back it up by getting in the post during practice and show you, too.”

In the spring, Smith turned his attention to the track, specifically the 110-meter hurdles. He helped Mars claim the WPIAL Class 2A team title his sophomore season, then qualified for states individually his junior and senior seasons in Class 2A and 3A, respectively.

“The year we won at districts, it was incredible to be part of a team with that much talent,” he said.

Smith had hopes of competing in both basketball and track at Juniata College in Huntingdon County.

“I went through some workouts for the basketball team, but decided to focus just on track,” he said.

Smith placed second three times in the 110 hurdles at the Landmark Conference Championships and still owns the program’s 4th-best time in the event at 15.46 seconds. He graduated from Juniata in 2013 with a degree in marketing and entrepreneurship and is currently a tax and incentives consultant for ADP.

Vinny and Shannon Smith recently became parents of a son, Vincenzo.