The Whitehall girls basketball team had a robust run this season that helped them make it to the quarterfinals of the district tournament.

Any season that ends in a district appearance is successful, and even though this year’s tournament was an open format, the Zephyrs made a statement that they belonged no matter the circumstances. They were sizzling hot down the stretch, winners of eight of their final eleven games.

Head coach Will Robertson understood the magnitude of the accomplishment. Given the constraints at the start of his tenure as the girls basketball coach due to the pandemic, their preseason preparation was curtailed and valuable time was lost implementing a new system. Still, reaching the district playoffs was a goal they had talked about at the outset.

“That was a goal we would like to achieve,” he said, recalling that conversation among his team.

And when they pinned down a winning record and headed into the postseason, it was a big victory for all involved.

“Just getting there was huge for us,” said Robertson. “We had checked off a box, and that was a good thing.”

Once they were seeded, they met William Allen in the opening round of the District XI 6A Girls Basketball Championship. They defeated the Canaries 35-31 in the opener, propelling them into the quarterfinals against Pocono Mountain West. That’s where the season ended, losing 48-36 in the quarters to the Panthers.

Robertson said that the win over Allen reflected much of what they were about all season, namely their never-die spirit. He said that they trailed by nine points, but eventually fought their way back and won it with some clutch baskets at the end. That gritty mentality earned them the win.

“We just kept our nose to the grindstone,” he said.

He said that they never gave up, never stopped playing, and that gave them the opportunity for victory. Robertson said that it was also important to draw upon prior experiences in dealing with adversity. Being down in games was something they’ve experienced this season, and he simply reinforced that history, knowing that his players understood what it would take to right the ship. Once they nodded, he knew they would battle to the final buzzer.

“The kids experienced being down like that, and they knew could come back from that,” said Robertson.

He also said that they were without senior Joey Shaul, their leading scorer on the season. Her presence inside is a big part of their success, and her absence would be felt. But in stepped freshman Tiana Carey to give them a big shot in the arm offensively, hitting two big clutch shots down the stretch to help them win the game. She was also a big factor rebounding the ball.

“She did everything she needed to do to keep us in the game,” said Robertson.

Robertson said that her postseason appearance was pretty impressive given it was her first varsity start.

“She did great,” he said.

In the quarterfinals, they were once again trailing, this time to a feisty Panthers squad who were the tournament’s No. 3 seed. The Panthers were 11-3 on the season, tops in the Monroe Division. Robertson said that they maintained that same fight, whittling the lead to six points in the final quarter, but couldn’t get over that hump.

He said that they were extremely competitive throughout the contest. That mindset is something that’s been his goal since he took over the reins last summer. He wanted them to know that they can play with anyone, and feel confident in their ability to match up against some talented teams in the league.

Robertson said that the success they had this season, and the strides they made that culminated in a win in the playoffs, is something to build on for next year. He said that it will give them incentive and help fuel their fire.

The Zephyrs ended the season at 10-9, and will now look toward next season. They return a strong nucleus, and this year’s success should serve as a valuable foundation on which to build.