MALVERN, PA – On Saturday afternoon, emotions filled Germantown Academy’s girls’ locker room after the team valiantly accepted their second place PAISAA trophy. The team battled against Shipley School until the final buzzer, falling short by 5 points with a final score of 52-47.
For GA, this past season was one filled with hardship and triumph, ultimately ending with an overall boost in confidence for years to come.
2017 PAISAA Championship
“I’ve never been a part of a program where the drive for excellence is in the veins of every player on this team. If you ever see them practice, they are all fighting to make their teammates better and they all fight and take pride in wearing that GA uniform,” said Patriots head coach, Sherri Retif. “They just have a ‘will to win and hate to lose mentality.’ Every member of this team has that moxie and that desire. Tonight was one loss, but that loss will make us so much better in the future. I’m so confident in that and they’ll bounce back.”
Getting to the PAISAA finals was not an easy feat. During the Patriots’ regular season, the team lost starting senior Lilly Bolen and junior Cat Polisano due to season-ending ACL tears.
Despite the major losses on the team roster, the Patriots continued to rise. Junior, Alexa Naessens and senior Abby Starzecky brought a much needed spark to the team – a spark that would lead GA to finish out their Inter-Ac season as dual-champions, alongside Episcopal Academy.
GA and EA split their two season meetings, each finishing on top of Inter-Ac standings with 10-1 league records. It was only fitting that the two powerhouses would meet again in the PAISAA semifinals, in a game that went into two overtimes. Luca Mamula led the Churchwomen on the floor totaling 16 points, while senior Elodie Furey followed with 12pts.
PAISAA Semifinal: GA vs. EA: videographer/producer Chip Frenette
PAISAA Final Highlight Video and Awards Presentation: GA vs. Shipley
But again, GA’s underclassmen managed to steal the show. Freshman guard, Jaye Haynes, scored a buzzer-beater sending both teams into the first OT and scored again making the score 47-47 to send both teams into a second OT. From there, sophomore Rachel Balzer hit a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to win it for the Patriots 52-49.
In their final match-up with Shipley, the Patriots found themselves in a 16-8 first quarter deficit after the Gators started the game with a 9-0 run. Naessens scored to begin the second quarter, which was followed by a crucial 3-pointer from freshman point guard, Maddie Vizza to tighten the gap 17-13.
The Patriots held their own throughout the third quarter, with Vizza hitting another long-range three to put GA within one-point, 33-32, heading into the 4th. In the end, Balzer managed to hit one last 3-point basket in a desperate attempt to get the Patriots the gold. However with only 2.2 seconds remaining, the heroic effort was not enough and the game ended in Shipley’s favor.
Although the season did not end the way the Patriots envisioned, their courage and refusal to back down from numerous set-backs made it one to remember.
GA Jr. Alexa Naessens talks about what it meant to make it to the PAISAA final
“The most exciting thing about this season was the inspirational leadership of Lilly Bolen, Abby Starzecky and Jess Sheridan. They set the tone for these underclassmen and they have been role models and passed the torch by inspiring these kids,” said Retif. “We looked adversity in the face after two ACL tears and no one thought we would come back and win the league, much less be in the [PAISAA] championship game. They pushed right through that adversity. I’m so proud to be their coach, I’m privileged to be their coach. We’re young and we’ll be back and be better because of the legacy of our senior class.”
GA senior Lilly Bolen was overly gratified to see her underclassmen teammates excel and mature as much as they did this season.
“I’m honestly just so proud of them. I don’t think we ever relied on freshmen as much and you really don’t realize how much of a jump that is to play high school basketball until you live it,” said Bolen. “I remember coming in freshman year and it’s a struggle. But they took it as a learning experience and every game was a constant step forward and I think, just looking back, you can see how much we’ve progressed and how much they’ve grown and it’s remarkable. I’m so proud that they were able to accomplish as much as they have. To make it this far has been a blessing. It’s a reward for all of the hard work that they’ve done.”
Bolen, along with her fellow seniors Abby Starzecky and Jess Sheridan, cherished every moment in their GA uniforms, and hope her remaining teammates do the same.
“Take every practice and play as hard as you can. The season is long but you only have four years and it goes by way quicker then you think it will. And have fun. I think a lot of times you get too in touch with the intensity of it all and lose sight of what really is important and that is playing with your friends, your team, your family and having fun with the game,” added Bolen.