“I started basketball when I was little; my mom signed me up without me knowing.”

  From a surprise trip to basketball practice to now, senior Shannon Druck has come a long way.

  Druck accepted a full scholarship in November to play division one college basketball at Holy Cross University.

  Athletic director Chuck Abbott attributes some of that success to Susquehannock.

  “Playing high school basketball helped; she also played AAU[year-round basketball],” he said. “She’s just always had that goal.”

  Druck was even more adamant in her gratefulness for Susquehannock when asked what had caused her success.

  “It’s definitely the people around me,” she said.  “You can’t do it on your own.”

  Despite having accepted the scholarship already, she is still focused on her senior year instead of succombing to “senioritus.”

  “I can’t just slack right now, especially because of basketball,” she said.  “We are doing really well right now.”

  Indeed they are.  A member of last year’s state-qualifying team, Druck is now a key part of this year’s 14-3 squad.  She is also on pace to reach 1,000 points in her high school career.

  Also a senior and one of Druck’s teammates, Katie Wagner believes the team has helped her reach Holy Cross.

  “We kept her loving basketball,” Wagner said. “Because we are all together, there is a lot more enjoyment.”

  In fact, it is the team at Holy Cross, along with coach Bill Gibbons, that brought Druck to play for the Crusaders.  Despite having offers from Lehigh and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Shannon chose Holy Cross.

  “I really liked the coaches and the girls because they seemed pretty close,” she said.

  The question arises, however, whether or not Druck will be ready for the pressure of division one basketball.  The commitment it requires, according to Abbott, is large.

  “It’s a different world in college, especially division one,” he said.  “But if that’s what she wants, I think she’ll be okay.”

  Nevertheless, Wagner believes her friend will be equipped to take on this “other world.”

  “She’s a good player.” Wagner said.  “So if she puts in the effort that she always does, she will be able to handle it.”

  Very grateful of her support system, Druck said that due to her “great coaches” and friends and family surrounding her, she could handle division one.

  With luck and her well documented effort, a few years may find Druck featured on SportsCenter; only time will tell.