Senior starters Anthony Caccese, Zyion Paschall and Teddy Snyder have helped build a foundation of future success
HERSHEY >> Exeter’s Anthony Caccese stood courtside, a silver medal hanging around his neck and the second-place trophy in his arms.
It’s undoubtedly not the hardware that Caccese and his teammates wanted, but the 6-7 senior had quickly come to grips with the Eagles’ 78-40 loss to Imhotep Charter in the PIAA Class 5A boys basketball Friday at Giant Center.
“I’ll take it,” Caccese said. “I mean, they’re a really good team. A lot of people are down but I definitely take it as an accomplishment to be second place to that team.”
The Panthers (30-3) are ranked 11th in the nation by ESPN and feature forward Justin Edwards, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2023 and a Kentucky commit.
This state title was their second straight and ninth overall.
The Eagles (27-7) were playing in their first state final since 1974, and looking for their first title.
That’s what made this run so magical. It captured the attention of the community and energized the school.
It also raised the standard for what can be accomplished.
Caccese and fellow senior starters Zyion Paschall and Teddy Snyder helped build a foundation of future success. They will leave behind quite a legacy.
“Obviously this thing is going to take some time to get over, especially for our seniors,” Exeter coach Matt Aschroft said. “But what they did for Exeter basketball, putting Exeter basketball on the map, how they competed and played for each other, the unselfishness they played with, is a defining feature of this team. They’re just an unbelievable group of kids.”
The Eagles went 3-14 two years ago. This year they won their first division title since 1984, made their first Berks Conference final since 1974 and won the first District 3 championship in program history.
The seniors were instrumental in setting a tone that helped the Eagles reach those heights.
“We really started meshing and it really got in everyone’s head that this is a team game and we all need to work together,” said Caccese, the All-Berks center. “It doesn’t matter who’s scoring the points. All that matters is that we have more points at the end of the game. So I think
that really came together in the last couple years.”
Friday’s game again showed the team’s balance and unselfishness. Caccese, Kevin Saenz and Alex Kelsey each finished with 10 points.
Paschall, an All-Berks guard, said that attitude and the chemistry were built through all the games played together at the park and in the gym.
“We started something,” Paschall said, “and we’re hoping these guys next year can come out and win the whole thing for us. It’s gonna hurt that we’re not a part of it, but we’re a part of it at the same time.”
That’s the thing that seemed to hit Paschall and Snyder the most. Friday’s game was their last at Exeter.
“I’m glad I did it with them,” Paschall said. “And that’s all I really can say.”
“We left behind something for the underclassmen, but I’m really gonna miss it,” Snyder said. “I think it’s been a great season and I’m grateful
to be a part of it.
“I just love the guys on the team. I mean, winning with them was the best.”
Caccese is going on to continue to play sports at a high level. The All-Berks offensive lineman will play football at Delaware in the fall.
But no matter where his athletic future takes him, this basketball season will hold a special place.
“A whole lot of good memories, man,” he said. “And you know, it just goes to show you that if you work hard, you can do anything. I’ll bet you nobody thought we’d make it this far in the beginning season. Without a shadow of a doubt, no one thought we’d make this one. But look at what we did. We put in the work. We played as a team and we beat a lot of good teams, so it just goes to show.”
The medal around his neck and the trophy in his arms were proof of that.