Quest for Repeat Cut Short: Girls’ Basketball

by: Abigail Sutphen

Last season, the girls were able to win the gold in the state championship, despite getting second in districts. This storybook ending seemed very possible again this season, but unfortunately, the team would not have the opportunity to find out. 

“I think we’ve started off the season great so far,” said Brooke Lawyer, Delone Catholic senior and basketball captain. The girls’ team lost four seniors from last year who were key players and great assets on the court. 

A key loss was height advantage. Last year senior and current York College of Pennsylvania girls basketball starter, Bradi Zumbrum, was a main priority in the girl’s offense. 

“Last year our offense revolved around the post players, so we worked the ball in and out a lot,” says Lawyer, “This year, we lost most of our height. So we have an advantage in speed but a disadvantage in rebounding. We play more of a 5 out offense because our team consists of a lot of shooters.” 

The team consisted of mainly sophomores with one junior and two seniors. The team is very young which can often cause problems off the court if the underclassmen don’t do their time. Even with such a young roster, it didn’t show on the court; the chemistry was noticeable. 

“We're just a very young team,” Lawyer commented, “it’s hard for underclassmen to know their place because they don't know what it's like to be on a team with several upperclassmen.” 

Coach Gerry Eckenrode always finds great ways to work with what the team has, playing to the strengths of the players on the court. He continuously found ways for the team to get the lead from the beginning and work on their skills as they built momentum. To some people, it can look like Coach Eckenrode is trying to run up the score, but really, he used many games to get the team to improve on their weaknesses. He doesn’t tell them not to score, however, but it gives the girls a chance to get comfortable and try new plays.

“Every team's goal is to get to the state championship. We now know what it takes to get there, so I believe we can do it again if we play as a team and not individuals,” Lawyer elaborated.

However, the girls’ team would never get the opportunity to prove that a young group could repeat as champions. Because of the global pandemic, all winter sports championships were delayed and eventually cancelled, just one week before the state championship game was to be played. 

The Squirettes will have to rely on their chemistry and young players to make another play-off run next season. Until then...