It was an awesome ride – a ride some people thought was unexpected.
“Can’t and shouldn’t are words a lot of people have used to describe us this season,” Hempfield girls’ basketball coach Lenny Groft told me Saturday night.
But there was Groft and his team in the PIAA Quad-A Elite Eight in Reading High’s Geigle Complex.
The Black Knights came up on the short end of a 57-36 final to perennial power Cheltenham, but what a ride.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of and a lot to be proud of,” Groft told me after the game. “It was nice to be the last (L-L League) team playing. It was a great ride.”
A great run for a team that finished third in Section 1, didn’t make the league playoffs and fell in the second round of Districts.
But the Knights won an all-important playback game against Central York to qualify for States, and then made a magical run to the Elite Eight, with victories over Altoona and University City.
Altoona was ranked fourth in the state and a four-time state champ.
“Nobody thought we would beat Altoona,” Groft said. “And then we had a good win over University City. We sort of ran out of gas (against Cheltenham).”
Don’t look now, but there should be a very big bullseye on the Knights next season. After all, the Knights will lose just one starter (senior forward Chelsea Bowman) and one key reserve (senior Kristen Brooks).
But four starters are back: point guard Steph Graver, sweet-shooting guards Hannah Miller and Ellie Steward and forward Analicia Evans – plus key reserves Chelsea Cypress, Samantha Holker and Andrea Bowman.
So look out.
“With the people coming back and the kids coming up from JV, the talent is here to get back here and be in the mix,” Groft said. “I asked the kids after the (Cheltenham) game is they wanted to get back here and I saw a lot of heads shake yes.”
By the way, Hempfield’s JV team went 21-0 this season, so look out – again.
“We should have a bright future,” Groft said. “I’m not sure if this is too ambitious … we know that we’ve made a name for ourselves in District 3. When you think of Hempfield, I think most people think of us as a pretty good basketball program. It’s my goal to make the state playoffs every four out of five years. We’ve been here two of the last three and three of the last eight, so we’re heading in that direction.”
Nice run, ladies.
JEFFREY REINHART
