Spartans bring home first district crown
HERSHEY — There’s nothing like the first time.
The Wyomissing Spartans may have been foreigners at Giant Center, but they played like they were at home, knocking off top-seeded Delone Catholic 35-30 Thursday for their first District 3 Class 4A championship.
The third-seeded Spartans (26-2) got huge efforts from Annie McCaffrey and Amaya Stewart, dominating the boards against the three-time defending champion Squirettes (25-3). It was Wyomissing’s third district championship game.
Stewart, the Berks Player of the Year, had 12 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.
McCaffrey had nine rebounds and six assists and set up some big baskets in the final quarter, including the go-ahead basket by Stewart that made it 31-30 with 2:08 left.
Maddie Campbell hit a free throw with 1:39 left and Audrey Hurleman hit a pair with 1:11 left to make it 34-30.
Delone, which struggled against Wyomissing’s zone all game, did not score over the final two minutes, missing its final four shots.
Hurleman finished with 10 points.
The Spartans got off to a fast start, their stingy defense taking an immediate on the Squirettes. Audrey Hurleman scored in transition, sparking an 8-0 run to the wire that left Wyomissing ahead 8-1 after the first quarter. Hardy and Stewart both hit 3’s in the final minute, Stewart drilling one with 2.5 seconds left.
Delone continued to struggle from the field, missing its first 13 shots and going more than 12 minutes without a basket. Kaitlyn Schwarz, a 5-11 junior, got things started, scoring inside with 3:47 left in the half.
That sparked a big run for the Squirettes, who finished the quarter on a 10-2 run, Schwarz’s basket with six seconds left sending them into the half leadig 13-12. Wyomissing had led by seven at one point.
Stewart finished the first half with five points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots. She also picked up a pair of fouls.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Wyomissing | 8 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 35 |
| Delone Catholic | 1 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 30 |
| Spartans (26-2) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Hardy | 3-6 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Hurleman | 4-6 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| Campbell | 0-3 | 1-6 | 0-0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Stewart | 4-7 | 3-5 | 1-1 | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| McCaffrey | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| Loeb | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Zechman | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 14-31 | 7-17 | 2-6 | 9 | 33-35 | 35 |
| Squirettes(24-3) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Meckley | 1-6 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Hughes | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Jacoby | 2-12 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Baughman | 3-12 | 1-2 | 1-6 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Schwarz | 5-9 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 14 |
| Robinson | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Knoboch | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 11-43 | 5-7 | 3-15 | 8 | 16-23 | 30 |
Turnovers: Wyomissing 22, Delone Catholic 14.
