Girls basketball advanced to the District 3 Class 5A semifinals after a strong season. 

Despite finishing with a 20-8 record, the team wrapped up their season in the first round of states against Peters Township.

Senior Elena Snyder, alongside juniors Rocio Gimenez-Martin, and Jadelynn Zorbaugh, fought hard, and the team lost when going into overtime with a score of 46-41. 

After months of hard work and a pressured postseason, Snyder cites the team’s success as a result of commitment, preparation and  confidence they built throughout districts. 

“My personal goal was to help my team the best I could to be successful,” Snyder said. “As a senior, I wanted our team to play our best basketball and make a far run into playoffs.”

Snyder added that staying motivated during tough games required perspective and resilience, especially during the postseason.

“Always remembering that one bad practice or game doesn’t define you as a player,” Snyder said. “Everyone has their ups and downs. It’s important to keep pushing yourself and working hard through challenges you face.”

While Snyder encouraged the team as a senior, junior Jadelynn Zorbaugh said her personal growth and preparation played a major role in her district performance.

“My biggest strength when going into districts was my work ethic and my want to improve for the rest and next season,” Zorbaugh said. “I trusted my coaches that the work I put in would begin to show and help me during my play time.”

As the games became more intense, Zorbaugh grew more confident and worked to become a stronger player on both ends of the court. 

 “I became more aggressive on defense and communicated more with my teammates,” Zorbaugh said. “I am also working extra hard to gain confidence and to be able to stay calm when under pressure.”

Another important part of the team’s postseason run came from junior Rocio Gimenez-Martin, who found motivation through her teammates and the support she felt after joining the program this year. 

“I stay motivated by thinking about my team and how much we all want to win together,” Gimenez-Martin said. “The JV girls helped prepare me and practices really helped me handle pressure before district games.”

As districts went on, Gimenez-Martin said the team grew even closer, and the connection helped them stay steady in pressured moments.

“Our team really showed how much we improved during districts,” Gimenez-Martin said. “We stayed calm, trusted each other, and kept playing our game even when things got tough.”