By Steve Svetovich

Dunmore senior Nate Fangio has excelled at three sports for four years and right now is busy honing his skills on the hardwood.

Son of Cory and Rebekah Fangio, Dunmore, the senior small forward is averaging 12.0 points per game for a Bucks team off to a 9-6 start at press time.

He scored 14 points, including two 3-pointers, in Dunmore’s recent 57-33 win over Old Forge to start the second half of season play. Dunmore senior Richie Grippi led the Bucks with 15 points. Daniel Walsh added 13 points.

Fangio, Grippi and Walsh are serving as a potent 1-2-3 punch for Dunmore this season.

As good as Nate is in basketball, his best sport is football.

A four-year member of the Dunmore Bucks football team as a wide receiver-cornerback, he was named to the All-League teams both offensively and defensively.

He will become a four-year member of Dunmore’s track and field team where he earned all-star status in his junior year for the triple jump. He is the school record holder for the 4 by 400 relay. He also performs the long jump.

Well versed and obviously talented in many areas, Nate has a 96 academic average and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is a member of the Spanish Club, French Club, Earth Club, Health Careers Club and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). His favorite academic subject is history.

The senior stalwart said he will major in business at Penn Stats University next year.

“We have a pretty good basketball team that is coming along well so far,” he said. “We have a few younger guys playing key roles as well as a group of seniors who are leading the way and showing how to play together as a team.”

Nate, a four-year member of the Dunmore basketball team, said he has learned a lot from coach Tony Lacertoso. “Coach Lacertoso teaches us how to be a good guy not only on the basketball court, but off the court. He teaches us how to win and how to lose. You can be a good winner, but you should also be a good loser. He teaches us how to carry yourself on and off the court.”

The scholar-athlete said his parents are excellent role models. “They teach me to always work hard and be respectful. They teach me to always keep my goals in mind and work hard to achieve them.”

Nate talked about what it takes to be a good small forward in high school basketball. “You need to demonstrate very good athleticism and do a nice job guarding opposing forwards. And you have to be able to make a shot and score from anywhere on the court.”

Nate said he likes listening to hip hop music in his spare time. His favorite musical artist is Post Malone.

And while Nate excels at both basketball and track and field, he knows there is football in his blood. His uncle is Vic Fangio, the highest paid defensive coordinator in the NFL as part of the Chicago Bears coaching staff.

Nate said he wants to be a part of a championship basketball team this season. He was a key member of a 15-1 Dunmore Bucks football team that went to the state championship earlier this school year.

And then he wants to win districts and become an all-star in track and field.

Those are his immediate goals before he ventures off to Penn State.

“Dunmore High School has been great to me,” Nate said. “It’s been a great experience, the best four years of my life. I’ve made a lot of great friends. I’ve met a lot of great people at school.

“Dunmore is a very tight community and there is great support here.”