Following Schuylkill Valley’s win over Wyomissing on Senior Night, tears rolled down the faces of several Panthers players.
Schuylkill Valley had just completed a fourth-quarter comeback to improve to 18-1 and finish its regular season home schedule a perfect 8-0.
While not their last game of the season, the victory and ensuing celebration of hugs and tears emphasized why this Panthers team is different from those of the past.
“(It’s) not just the wins, but the way they get along so well,” said coach Jason Bagenstose, who is in his sixth year leading Schuylkill Valley. “You can see it. It’s just the way they love each other.”
The Panthers’ love for one another has been the foundation of their historic success. Schuylkill Valley finished the regular season 20-1, its highest regular season win total since it went 20-3 in 2007-08.
“We knew we would have a pretty good team,” Bagenstose said. “I don’t know that anyone envisioned 20-1.”
The Panthers’ chemistry was developed long before the 2021-22 season began. Schuylkill Valley played in several tournaments over the summer and spent time in the weight room, which provided plenty of opportunities to bond.
“Us seniors made sure that (the) underclassmen stayed close,” senior Madison Ziska said. “Staying close this year made us really powerful.”
It was during summer workouts in the weight room that Ziska and fellow seniors Reese Camlin, Sarah Gilbert, Jadyn Heck-Hoppes and Lekaiah Solomon began to display their leadership qualities. Impressed with their work ethic and respect for their teammates, Bagenstose decided to name all five captains.
“They make the freshmen feel like they’ve been here forever,” Bagenstose said. “The freshmen would tell you, these seniors have made them feel part of the team from day one.”
While all five are captains, each senior plays a different role off the court.
“Some are more vocal, (while) some organize more team activities,” Bagenstose said. “But I know who I can turn to for each of those things.”
On the court, Schuylkill Valley’s offense runs through the duo of Ziska and Heck-Hoppes. Ziska leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 13.5 points per game.
“She’s not afraid of the moment,” Bagenstose said about Ziska. “She works hard.”
Heck-Hoppes averages 11.5 points per game and leads Schuylkill Valley in free throws made. She is also the anchor of the Panthers’ defense that allowed 33.4 points per game in the regular season, the second-fewest in the Berks Girls Basketball League.
“She’s just a tenacious player,” Bagenstose said. “She just loves to play defense.”
While defense is her strength, Heck-Hoppes’ improvement on offense has played a major role in Schuylkill Valley’s victories. The senior has nearly doubled her offensive production after averaging just 6.5 points per game last season.
“She’s been one of the sensational storylines around here,” Bagenstose said. “She already had the defense thing going, but the offensive improvement has been awesome, too.”
The Panthers won Berks III with an 11-0 league record. It is Schuylkill Valley’s first division title and first undefeated league mark since the 2007-08 season.
“It’s definitely a huge eye-opener,” Ziska said about her team’s success. “I hope we’re surprising other people, too.”
In addition to the on-court success, Bagenstose said the culture surrounding this team is different than those he has coached in the past.
“There’s a feeling here where we can have fun,” he said. “You can coach them, you can joke with them, (and) they know where the line is. When it’s time to get down to business on the court, they do.”
The Panthers will strive to continue their success as the No. 2 seed in the BCIAA playoffs, where they will try to win their first Berks title since 2005. Schuylkill Valley will host seventh-seeded Reading High in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 2 p.m.
“We’re not there to be there,” Bagenstose said. “We want to win.”
Source: Berkshire mont