Young Harriton girls basketball squad continues to improve

Rosemont >> Harriton seniors Christina Brown and Reilly Short, along with junior Ava Paternoster, have certainly experienced both ends of the spectrum during the career on the Ram girls’ basketball team.
On Jan. 19, Harriton hosted Conestoga in a key Central League match-up and when the final horn sounded the Rams were able to fend off a feisty Pioneers squad to earn the hard-fought 40-26 win to raise their record to 9-7.
“I am really pleased with the progress this team has made,” said Harriton’s first-year head coach Christina Wielgus. “I love going to practice every day because these girls are eager to learn. There is nothing more rewarding for a coach to have kids who want to learn.”
Brown said, “Seeing the younger kids who are new to the program step up in big situations has been great. They have really helped us get some tough wins.”
The Rams’ win marked the first time in nearly two decades that Harriton defeated Conestoga. For the first three quarters, neither team took more than a four-point lead. Brown drilled a three-pointer late in the third quarter to give the Rams a 25-21 lead, but right before the buzzer sounded Conestoga’s Emily Lortz answered back with a trey, slicing the Harriton lead to 25-24. In the final period, Harriton pulled away, going 8-for-9 from the free throw line.
The Rams are a young team comprised mainly of freshmen and sophomores, and led by Brown, Short and Paternoster.
“Christina, Reilly and Ava have been really helpful and we wouldn’t be anywhere without them,” said Wielgus.
Harriton freshman Maretta Smith added, “Christina, Reilly and Ava have been really helpful. They have been really supportive and are always cheering us on.”
Entering the Conestoga game, Harriton was on the heels of two consecutive losses but the confidence never left the team.
“Everyone has been contributing and cheering each other on,” said Brown. “It has been really encouraging. Although we won, games like this help us learn what we need to do better as we continue to grow”
“Good teams find ways to win ugly games,” said Wielgus. “I give credit to Conestoga. I love their motion offense and I believe we were following a little too much. We made some changes which helped us pull away.”
Smith added, “To have our coaching staff behind us has been really helpful. They are behind us but it’s great to see them push us to play better.”