When the Dallastown girls’ basketball team stepped on the court at Hershey, they had no idea they’d be making history, and the legacy they’d leave behind.
On Thursday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m., the Dallastown Girls’ Basketball team went up against Red Lion in the District III 6A Finals at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA, winning the game with a final score of 46-33.
This was Dallastown’s first District final win. Jay Rexroth, the girls’ basketball coach for nine years, was very satisfied with the outcome.
“It’s very exciting to be the first girls or boys basketball team to win a District III
title,” Rexroth said.
The team entered states with a record of 27-2 with 22 straight wins, compared to last year’s 26-4 record. They managed to beat Central Dauphin and Southwestern, whom they lost to last year.
“South Western took away our perfect regular season record last year, so it felt good to beat them,” senior forward Harper Poff said.
Losing games this season was an eye-opener for the team according to Rexroth, as they knew they had to focus and continue to advance their skills. Red Lion’s team was one they were especially proud of winning against.
They started off the season losing to Red Lion, but they won three games against them afterward, winning the District III finals.
“We lost to Red Lion over there, and that was sort of a slap in the face for us. It was a good thing actually, in hindsight,” Rexroth said.
Leading the Lady Wildcats to victory was Alonna Dowell with 15 points, Praise Matthews with 13 points, Ava Jamison with seven points, and Poff with six.
The victory would not have been possible without teamwork and trust between the players, as they shared the ball really well.
“We knew we had each other and could win. We wanted it more than any other year, and this year everything came together,” Campbell O’Neil, senior guard said.
The chemistry between the players, on and off the court, was a vital component of the win. Poff recalled that their skills in the sport were formed from the players’ trust in one another.
Rexroth noted, “I don’t think our team realizes the history they are making. They just come to practice, play the games, and it’ll be nice when it’s all over to reflect and understand the legacy they’ve left.”
The Lady Wildcats won the first round of states against Abington and are moving on to the second round of States to play Cardinal O’Hara at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. The Beacon will be publishing a story soon following this upcoming game.
