There’s no stopping Amaya Stewart or unbeaten Wyomissing right now
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
In the fourth meeting over the past two seasons between Wyomissing and Middletown, the Blue Raiders needed to try something different after losing the last two.
The plan was to focus on the Spartans’ top player, Amaya Stewart. It worked to a small degree at the outset as the All-State center only one field goal in the first quarter.
Stewart found wide-open teammates for easy shots at the rim to start the game, Annie McCaffrey was a menace on the boards from the tip, and eventually the All-Berks duo blew the game open for a 61-39 victory over the Blue Raiders in a District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal at Wyomissing.
“We have that trust in each other,” said McCaffrey, who finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds. “Off the court and on the court. We’re so close so we kind of feed off each other’s energies well.
“By now, we know people are going to focus on (Amaya) and put it into our game plan. But she’s amazing. She can take on the whole team if she wanted to.”
Second-seeded Wyomissing (26-0) will host No. 3 Northern Lebanon, a 38-35 victor over Trinity, in the semifinals Monday at 7.
“I know I’m going to get every team’s best shot,” said Stewart, who had 25 points and 12 rebounds. “Whether it’s two people or one person. It doesn’t have to be me to get every bucket.
“I’m going to look for my teammates. I have to find other ways to benefit the game and sometimes assisting my teammates is the best way.”
Wyomissing had balanced scoring in the first quarter with Audrey Hurleman’s six points, Alexis Hardy’s five, Stewart’s four, and McCaffrey’s two for a 17-13 lead after one.
It was the Stewart and McCaffrey show in the second and third quarters as they combined for 28 of 34 points.
Stewart finished the half with 12 points and eight rebounds and McCaffrey had eight points and 10 rebounds. The Spartans led 33-19 at the break.
“Just coming off that big county (championship) win, I think we wanted to use some of that momentum and really come out strong,” McCaffrey said. “Rebounds were a big focus for us, especially in the beginning.”
Wyomissing was tenacious on the glass and defensively. It outrebounded the Blue Raiders (15-9) by 13 and forced 18 turnovers while committing 11.
Jayla Koser, Middletown’s sensational sophomore with Division I offers from Niagara and Wagner, was held to six points in the first half and 14 overall. That’s nearly three below her average of 16.9.
Stewart scored nine points and McCaffrey had five in the third quarter as the lead ballooned to 20, prompting Wyomissing coach Aaron Anders to get minutes for his bench players.
The Spartans now turn their attention to Northern Lebanon. A victory puts the Spartans back in the district final with an opportunity to defend their crown in a rematch against Delone Catholic or a new challenger in Bishop McDevitt.
Delone and McDevitt meet in a Monday semifinal.
“We’re really excited,” McCaffrey said. “We talked about building one game at a time but not getting too far ahead. Just continuing to breathe through it and being there for one another.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Middletown | 13 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 39 |
| Wyomissing | 17 | 16 | 18 | 10 | 61 |
| Blue Raiders (15-9) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Koser | 6-15 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 1 | 9 | 14 |
| Cleland | 4-13 | 3-4 | 4-9 | 0 | 4 | 15 |
| Gassert | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Jo. Stover | 2-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Ja. Stover | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Attivo | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rossum | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Gaurich | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 15-46 | 5-6 | 4-16 | 3 | 22/26 | 39 |
| Spartans (26-0) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Stewart | 11-23 | 3-3 | 0-2 | 3 | 12 | 25 |
| McCaffrey | 6-14 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 3 | 11 | 15 |
| Hardy | 2-4 | 3-4 | 1-2 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Hurleman | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Maggs | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Hyde | 1-4 | 2-4 | 0-3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Anders | 1-1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Noey | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Loeb | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeLucas | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buckley | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Madrak | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 24-55 | 11-15 | 2-9 | 13 | 33/39 | 61 |
Turnovers: Middletown 18, Wyomissing 11. Team rebounds: Middletown 4, Wyomissing 6.
