Amaya Stewart-Wyomissing

The best player on the floor made the biggest play of the game. Wyomissing senior Amaya Stewart blocked Nevaeh Kennedy with two seconds left to preserve a 26-24 victory over Lancaster Catholic at the Giant Center. “It was something so inspirational, something that moved me a lot. I got emotional. It meant a lot to me. I knew I had to be there for my teammates,” said Stewart with tears in her eyes. The third-seeded Spartans claimed their third straight District 3-4A championship on Friday. Points were at a premium in this defensive battle. In fact, it was the lowest scoring District 3 girls basketball final in history. Wyomissing and the top-seeded Crusaders were 6-for-37 combined from the field in the first half. The (23-4) Spartans led 6-3 after the opening quarter. They blanked Lancaster Catholic in the second quarter and took a 10-3 edge into halftime. Audrey Hurleman scored the only four points in the second period. The North Carolina lacrosse commit played in her eleventh game since returning from a torn ACL. Meanwhile, the (22-5) Crusaders were missing Emma Stefanow, Sophie Hall, and Stella Higgins due to serious knee injuries. Alexis Hardy, a Delaware track and field commit, started the third quarter with a 3-pointer from the right wing. That was the only shot that connected from beyond the arc for both teams. Wyomissing built a 17-5 cushion, but Lancaster Catholic fought back. The Crusaders have won a record 21 District 3 titles, including the past two at the Class 3A level. They ended the third period on a 13-to-0 run. A three-point play by Kennedy gave Lancaster Catholic a 18-17 advantage with three seconds left. The 5’7 sophomore had a game-high 14 points after dropping 27 in a semifinal rout of Delone Catholic. The Spartans trailed 20-17 before Stewart hit a baseline jumper and a pair of free throws. The three-time Berks County Player of the Year put Wyomissing in front 21-20 with five minutes remaining. A layup by Hardy made it 23-20 with 4:34 to go. One minute later, they were tied 24-24 after a baseline jumper by sophomore Natalie Cellucci. The Crusaders got the ball back, however, they turned it over with one minute to play. It was the most significant of their 18 turnovers. Hurleman then drove to the left and threw a pass to Stewart on the right block. The ball was nearly deflected by the outstretched hands of sophomore Charlotte Albertini. Stewart corralled the pass and finished the go-ahead layup with 48 seconds on the clock. Kennedy missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, but the Spartans turned it over. Lancaster Catholic had one final opportunity. Kennedy drove from the Giant Center logo all the way down the center of the lane with two seconds left. Stewart was the last line of defense. The 6’1 Albany commit blocked Kennedy’s layup to clinch the three-peat for Wyomissing. “It means so much not only for us girls, but to the school. To leave my mark somewhere is so impactful. I’m so proud not only of myself, but every single person on this team,” said Stewart. She ended up with a team-high eight points. Hardy and Hurleman chipped in with six points apiece. Lili Marshall, one of four seniors on the roster, provided four points. The Spartans were 3-of-5 from the foul line, while the Crusaders went 8-of-11. “They really did an amazing job, but it’s all about how we rise to adversity and how much we stick together,” replied Stewart. Wyomissing reached the state semifinals a season ago. The PIAA-4A tournament begins on Saturday, March 8th. “We’re not done yet. We gotta get right back to this spot,” emphasized Stewart.