Morgan embraces the grind, Archbishop Wood ready for states

Senior Erin Morgan’s impact for Archbishop Wood isn’t often measured in stats.

Sure, the forward knocks down 3-pointers and is usually one of the Vikings’ best rebounders but it’s the things that aren’t measured, like taking contact, setting screens and communicating on defense that really add up. Morgan, a co-captain, is only in her first year starting but she’ll play a key role as Wood opens up the PIAA Class 5A tournament on Saturday against Springfield-Delco in a 3:30 pm game at Archbishop Ryan.

Morgan is the latest in a line of Wood players to earn her spot by embracing the little things.

“Coach Mike (McDonald) told me in my end of season interview last year I needed to step up and be the tough player,” Morgan said. “We had a lot of big roles to fill with three major starters leaving. He said if I wanted to play more, I had to work hard and do the gritty things, even if it’s not as rewarding.”

Morgan continued by adding that McDonald notices all the things that a fan may not and she wanted to try and emulate the role filled by Meg Neher on last season’s state title team. Neher, who graduated last year, fully embraced the tough jobs on the floor and as a result, found her name in the starting lineup every night.

With Wood seeking its third straight state title (2016 in 3A and 2017 in 5A) Morgan has also bought in. She is an offensive threat, a very solid outside shooter when the ball finds her but she’s taken to being a presence on the glass. Her 10 rebounds in an overtime road win at Cardinal O’Hara in the regular season helped Wood gut out the victory and got her dubbed the “rebound queen” by teammate Mia Andrews’ mom.

“This year, she’s doing the same things she’s always done for us but just from a starter’s position,” McDonald said. “She’s a tough kid, she doesn’t mind contact or being physical and that’s what it takes when you’re battling kids bigger than you, which they are in most cases. She’s also a smart player.”

Wood’s system makes it easier to plug in new starters every year and keep up the level of play, but McDonald also attributed it to another factor. With a deep roster of good basketball players, it harbors a productive practice environment that turns bench players into role players and in many cases, into eventual starters.

This year’s team is especially deep and McDonald feels like he put together several groups of five reserves that will test the starting five in practice. Morgan has experienced that progression and knows it’s due to a lot more than just the games Wood plays every season.

“Our season doesn’t start when the basketball season officially starts,” Morgan said. “We have optional summer workouts and spring workouts. You know if you work hard during all those lifts and all those workouts, it will be worth it in the end when you’re playing a lot and contributing to wins.”

The Vikings also had a lot of new faces in the gym this season, so Morgan took her role as captain very seriously. She felt it was important to set an example of how hard work pays off in the program and that it’s OK to give up some shots or scoring to help the team win.

The senior forward has also been one of the more vocal captains of the past few seasons. McDonald doesn’t mind it, as Morgan can sometimes be the voice the players need to hear before one of the coaches has to step in.

“If we have a couple possessions where kids go 1-on-5 or maybe don’t put up the best shot, she reminds them to run the offense, get set up and get it together again,” McDonald said. “She’s been very vocal, she’s not afraid to use her voice in practices and that’s been huge for us.”

McDonald said the other players listen when Morgan talks because she backs it up with her play on the floor. They see her win rebounds from bigger or stronger players, or make a skip-pass to an open player of offense and it puts some weight to her words.

With states finally here and coming off a good performance in the District 12 5A title game, Morgan and her teammates are energized and ready to go. The senior is hoping it ends in Hershey holding a trophy and if it does, it’ll be because she and her teammates embraced the little things.

“Every little thing me or my teammates do impacts the team,” Morgan said. “They all see everything they do contributes to a win.”

NEW NAMES, SAME RESULTS

Last season, Andrews went from a situational reserve to one of Wood’s top players off the bench in the state tournament. Now, the junior is one of the first subs in off the bench every night but the Vikings may have found her replacement as late-season sparkplug.

Coming off an 11-point game in the District 12 final, sophomore Lindsay Tretter has continued her strong form in the second half of the season.

“It’s been really good for us, especially when our starters get tired and we need people to come in,” Tretter said. “Everyone knows what they’re doing and what we can do to pick up what the starters were doing, we just stay within our roles.”

McDonald feels like this year’s bench is especially deep and only getting stronger the last few weeks.

“I’m spoiled as a coach and you want to play the kids who have gotten you here but at the same time, some kids run out of energy because it’s a long season,” McDonald said. “You’re looking for who’s giving you the positive energy at practice, who looks like they’re playing with confidence. If it’s not going well, we have kids who are ready to go.”

For Tretter, things clicked when the Vikings faced Garnet Valley in a showcase at USciences in January. McDonald said the guard fits right in with Wood’s other shooters and she brings that scrappy defense and energy on the glass that the staff wants from every player coming in off the bench.

In general, McDonald was pleased with the team’s response in the District 12 title game after losing to O’Hara in the PCL semifinals. The Vikings’ gym has had that playoff energy the last couple weeks and the players are ready to chase another trip to Hershey.

“We’re really excited, we’ve been working hard in practice, getting our cuts right and just being confident in everything we’re doing,” Tretter said. “We needed to be more positive after the loss, because were all down after that. We also had to get back to being more energetic and I think we have.”