Maddie Smith of Hughesville puts up a shot against Central Columbia at Shikellamy High School Wednesday evening. Central Columbia won 42-40. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Before it could make history, Hughesville coach Dustin King and his staff believed the Spartans must first achieve something else.
Do that and all the other pieces could fall into place. Quite simply, Hughesville had to play as one. Get a group of talented individuals functioning as a unit and the staff believed anything was possible.
And by achieving that first goal, Hughesville has continued climbing a historic ladder ever since.
A close-knit group, Hughesville has captured the first district championship and won the first state playoff game in program history. Now, as one, Hughesville has reached the state’s Class AAA Sweet 16 and heads to Pottsville’s Martz Hall tonight to play West Catholic.
“My coaching staff and myself talked about this since we first took over,” King said. “We emphasize the team part, and the girls have taken it by the reins. They keep getting better every game. They’ve done an amazing job rallying around each other.”
So much so that this playoff run has been filled with victories against a who’s who of current and previous champions. The Spartans first dethroned defending district champion Mount Carmel in the district quarterfinals before snapping NTL-I champion Troy’s 17-game winning streak in the semifinals. Hughesville (23-4) then earned that first district title by snapping fellow Sweet 16 participant and Heartland Conference champion Loyalsock’s 20-game winning streak before edging defending state champion Dunmore, 39-38 in last Friday’s first round.
Resilient and balanced, Hughesville has won three of those games by single-digit margins and displayed the toughness to match its talent. As individuals, these are outstanding players. As one unit, Hughesville has become one of the state’s top 16 Class AAA teams.
“We’re playing for each other and we’re here to try and give our seniors one more game each time out,” King said. “We’re working hard not just for one individual, but for everyone.”
That has especially shined through on defense. The Spartans have allowed fewer than 40 points in each playoff game, holding Loyalsock to a season-low in the district final before bottling up Dunmore in last Friday’s first round. The defense held Mount Carmel scoreless for more than four minutes late in the fourth quarter of the district quarterfinals and made two huge last-second stands against Dunmore when the game was tied and when Hughesville was up one, respectively.
Again, it has not been about one or two defensive stoppers either. It has been all five players on the court operating as one. The communication and help have been outstanding, as have been the fundamentals, allowing Hughesville to give itself a chance each game.
“We’re believing in each other and they have each other’s backs and that makes difference,” King said. “We’ve been focusing on team defense, not individual defense. That makes a huge difference.”
So does featuring several offensive weapons. All five starters average more than six points per game and reserves like Kylie Temple, Anna Easton and Kendall Hamm have provided big lifts. Each starter has produced at least one double-digit game this postseason and each player has made big shots and/or plays in critical moments in every playoff contest.
Most of these players have competed together throughout their lives. Having that trust and confidence in each other makes a big difference and that has been evident all year, but especially during the playoffs.
“We have a solid group of girls and the biggest thing we keep telling them is if you have an off night, someone is there to pick you up,” King said. “(Last Friday) was another example of that. It continues to be a complete team effort every game.”
Hughesville continues relentlessly competing as well. Alli Anstadt grabbing offensive rebounds in the final seconds against Loyalsock and Dunmore led to her making game-clinching and game-winning free throws, respectively. Breanna Bobak forced a key jump ball late in that Loyalsock game, giving Hughesville possession and helping it seal the win. Maddie Smith and Vivian Draper combined for seven steals in that win and Ava Snyder has been all over the court.
All these players have different strengths but what Hughesville likes most that the biggest strength right now is them all joining forces. It’s a successful and selfless team and that style has endeared Hughesville to its fans who have packed gyms throughout the postseason.
The “Big Bad Balcony” student section has taken it show on the road and fans have turned opposing gyms into a sea of Green and Black. The winning is great, but all those fans also admire the way this team plays.
“Our community is absolutely amazing. I’d say there was a 5-1 advantage in fans (last Friday). That’s a huge advantage for our team,” King said. “It’s amazing when you get a whole community around them. It’s a great atmosphere. It’s a great experience for all the kids.”
And those kids continue giving their community quite an experience as well.
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