St. Joe’s girls basketball team makes history with trip to the Pete
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During a pep rally Friday at St. Joseph High School, students called on a higher power to give the girls basketball team an edge in its history- making trip to the WPIAL championship game.
On cue, one of the school’s mascots — Moses — entered the gym to Drake’s “God’s Plan” blaring over the loudspeaker.
The crowd went wild.
“We have to pack The Pete tomorrow,” senior player Anna Kreinbrook told the students, who whooped in the bleachers.
Win or lose, the team is making history.
It‘s the first time the girls basketball team has made a run to the championship game. They’ve come close the past two seasons, earning bids to the semifinals before bowing out.
The Spartans will meet top-seeded Union at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center.
“We’re super excited,” said Julie Spinelli, one of seven seniors on the roster. “It’s a big opportunity not only for our team but for our whole school.”
Spinelli, who surpassed 1,000 career points as a junior, said the team realized going into last week’s semifinal game against Aquinas Academy that they had the chance to make their mark. Spinelli tallied 32 points in the semifinal win and called Saturday’s game “a dream come true.”
Athletic Director Sally Ackerman said it’s a moment she’ll remember forever. With just more than a minute left in the game against Aquinas, Ackerman glanced at the girls on the court, many of whom realized the clock was ticking toward history.
“They could hardly contain their smiles,” Ackerman said. “No matter what happens in the big game, these girls have done something special.”
Ackerman said support for the team has swelled beyond the school campus. Former players and school alumni have started showing up in the stands.
“We had 100 tickets for the game at the Pete and we sold out in 40 minutes,” she said. “Everyone’s aware of what this means.”
The win over Aquinas was particularly sweet, since the Crusaders had beaten the Spartans the previous 10 times the teams met.
Coach Geoff Dutelle, in his first year at St. Joe’s, said the impact of the game goes beyond what happens on the court.
“I knew this group had stagnated in the semifinals, but I got the sense we could get over that hump. We’ve been focusing on the moment,” said Dutelle, who previously coached at Fox Chapel and Montour.
A teacher at Dorseyville Middle School in the Fox Chapel Area School District, Dutelle said the feel-good story has easily drawn fans from across the region.
“The support makes it feel like a much bigger school,” he said of the 9-12 grade school that boasts just 130 students. “We appreciate it all, and we’re just trying to enjoy the ride.”
Junior Alexandra Meier of Shaler said it’s been an exciting run.
“They were amazing the last two years, but it’s gotten to the next level,” she said. “It’s really boosting the morale of the student body and bringing our community together.”
At Friday’s pep rally, the cheerleaders welcomed the team into the gym with a chant about “rocking the Pete” and senior Charlie Ross, dressed as a Spartan, hyped the crowd with a motivational speech.
“Getting to this point is incredible,” Ross said. “We need to be loud so the girls can feel it. This game means a lot to everyone.”