Wyomissing
“She’s a player,” Wyomissing coach Aaron Anders said. “She’s confident.”
McCaffrey and the undefeated Spartans (26-0), the reigning two-time Berks champions, opened their district playoff run with a confident performance on Thursday night. The defending District 3 Class 4A champion, Wyomissing advances and will host No. 3 seed Northern Lebanon (19-4) in a semifinal on Monday at 7 p.m.
“We settled down, calmed down and took care of what we needed to,” Anders said. “Very, very impressed with how we played.”
The game got off to a fast start, with both teams trading quick possessions. The Spartans led 17-13 after the first quarter and remained in front the rest of the way.
“Our rotations got a lot better throughout the game,” Stewart said. “The energy from the crowd really helped us out.”
Wyomissing dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Blue Raiders 16-6. The Spartans ended the half on an 8-0 run to take a 33-19 lead into the locker room.
“I thought they did a really nice job,” Anders said. “They calmed down, especially in the second quarter.”
Wyomissing carried that momentum into the second half, outscoring Middletown 28-20 over the final two quarters to put the game away. The Blue Raiders (15-9) and their offense, which was led by Emma Cleland and her 15 points, was unable to find much rhythm.
“They just kept their step,” Anders said about his team’s second-half performance. “Kept their foot on the gas for the third and fourth period.”
The Spartans were led by Stewart, a junior and the reigning two-time Berks Player of the Year. The center finished with 25 points, her fourth straight game this postseason with 20 points or more.
“I had trust in my teammates,” Stewart said. “I waited until it came to me, and it did.”
The 61 points are the second-most Wyomissing has scored in a game this season. The Spartans beat Oley Valley 67-39 in a regular season game on Jan. 27.
“They’re all taking their time and they’re making the shots count,” Anders said his team’s offense. “They’re not rushing.”
On the flip side, Wyomissing has held its opponents below 40 points in three of its first four playoff games. The Spartans have allowed just 27.3 points per game this season.
“We’re all moving as one offensively, defensively,” Anders said. “When we put it together and do that the whole entire game offensively, we’re going to be a tough out.”