Aaron Anders-Wyomissing

Wyomissing hadn’t made a 3-pointer all game. Amaya Stewart had only made four shots from beyond the arc all season. The beauty of sports is there isn’t a script. Stewart drilled a top of the key trey with six seconds remaining to give the Spartans a stunning 24-23 victory over rival Berks Catholic in the District 3-4A semifinals. The 6’1 sophomore had a team-high 13 points including seven of Wyomissing’s nine in the final quarter. “She is a complete player and she’s gonna continue to show people that day in and day out. Every game she shows a little bit more. She loves to play. She loves her teammates,” said head coach Aaron Anders. Stewart was recently voted the Berks County Player of the Year. The (25-2) Spartans trailed 8-5 at halftime and 16-15 after the third quarter. The Berks County champions were averaging 52 points. “That’s Coach Birmingham for you right there. He took everything that we do and made it really, really difficult,” remarked Anders. Birmingham is (636-305) over 34 seasons. He guided Holy Name to three District 3 titles. The (19-7) Saints were without 5’10 sophomore Sydney Corado for the second straight game due to an illness. They took a 15-7 lead in the third quarter, but #3 seed Wyomissing answered with an 8-0 run. Gianna Roberts splashed a 3-pointer with five minutes left to put second-seeded Berks Catholic on top 19-17. Caraline Herb made a short baseline jumper two and a-half minutes later for a 21-17 edge. The Chestnut Hill commit knocked down a pair of foul shots with 42 seconds to go. Herb, who finished with 13 points, gave the Saints a 23-19 advantage in front of a sold out crowd at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. After three consecutive turnovers, sophomore Madison Langdon missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 28 seconds left. A jumper by Stewart got the Spartans within 23-21 . Langdon, an all-division guard and 74% free throw shooter, couldn’t connect on another 1-and-1 opportunity with 15 seconds on the clock. That set the stage for Stewart’s heroics. Anders replied, “What an atmosphere…just so proud of these kids right now. Every time you interview me, I have trouble finding words. All I know is that we’re going to Hershey.” Wyomissing is making just its third appearance in the District 3 Final, and its first since 2004. The Spartans take on top-seeded and defending champ Delone Catholic at 11am on Thursday at the Giant Center. Wyomissing is looking for its first District 3 title. “I feel blessed and honored to be a coach in a community that I live in. I’m a blessed man,” stated Anders.