Natane White-Schuylkill Valley

Hamburg entered Monday’s Division 3 matchup in Leesport with a (6-15) record and five straight losses. Schuylkill Valley had won six of its last eight contests and needed a victory to qualify for the Berks League playoffs. The Panthers beat the Hawks by 22 points one month ago. It may have looked like a mismatch on paper, but nobody told the girls from Hawk Hill. They came out on fire and led 16-0 after the first quarter. Hamburg only averages 32 points per game. Sophomore Mia Gassert, an all-county tennis player, scored eight points in eight minutes. Hailie Edwards and Anabel Kennedy connected from long distance in the opening period. Schuylkill Valley trailed 17-0 until sophomore center Meghan Wickersham got them on the board two minutes into the second quarter. The Hawks were in front 27-14 at halftime thanks largely to Gassert’s 16 points. She came into the week averaging six points. The Panthers started the third quarter on a 7-2 run. Junior guards Natane White and Juliana Stichter combined for all twelve of their points in that period. They pulled within 33-26 of Hamburg with eight minutes to go. Stichter’s drive down the middle of the lane with five and a-half minutes remaining gave Schuylkill Valley its first lead at 34-33. White hit a floater from the right baseline to make it 37-33 with 1:24 left. Stichter added a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play for a six point edge. The (10-10, 7-4) Panthers shutout the (6-16, 4-7) Hawks in the fourth quarter for a 40-33 win. “We work hard. We don’t stop. We wanted it more than them and that’s what put us on top,” said White. She ended up with a team-high 18 points including 13 in the second half. Stichter provided 14 points and CC Reali pulled down seven rebounds. Gassert led everyone with 20 points. She tied her career high which she just established on Friday versus Fleetwood. Schuylkill Valley clinched its fifth consecutive berth in the Berks League playoffs as the runner-up in Division 3. White is the only returning starter from last year’s team which went (20-4, 11-0). “She loves basketball. She’s taken it upon herself to become the leader of the team,” emphasized head coach Jason Bagenstose. I asked White about the chemistry with her new teammates. She replied, “I’ve grown closer to them than I ever thought I could. It’s like another family.” White admitted to feeling pressure early in the game, but she credited the student section for its enthusiasm. “They’re great. They’re always supportive. Even when we weren’t scoring, they were still cheering and I think it really helps us rally,” stated White. The all-division field hockey player is averaging 13 points a night. She’s splashed a team-high 38 treys this season. White talked about the performance at the Grammys that she enjoyed the most, and her favorite musical artists. She also revealed her No. 1 TV show. Plus, I asked White about the funniest and smartest players on her team. It was a memorable Senior Night in Leesport.