Linville Hill's 'backbone' helps Warriors earn another trip to District 3 Class 1A girls basketball final

Trey Smucker waited near the entrance to Linville Hill Christian’s locker room holding two Hershey’s Kisses. He handed one to his big sister and kept one for himself.

Getting to Giant Center has become a tradition for the girls basketball team. Even a fifth-grader knows the routine by now.

Desiree Smucker is one of the driving forces behind the Warriors’ years of success. The senior helped them earn their latest trip to Hershey.

Smucker scored 19 points, guided the offense with help from Abrielle Fisher, and pushed top-seeded Linville past No. 5 Greenwood 46-33 in the District Three Class 1A semifinals at Pequea Valley Monday night.

Linville Hill (23-2) will defend its title against No. 3 New Covenant Christian Thursday at 2:45 p.m. It’s the Warriors’ third consecutive appearance in the final.

“We’re taking advantage of our last call,” Smucker said. “I wouldn’t want to do it with any other team. Nothing is guaranteed. The fact that we get to go back is awesome.”

Girls' basketball

Linville Hill Christian senior standout is first girls player in program history to reach 1,000 career points [video]

JEFF REINHART | Sports Writer

It’s hard to overstate what Smucker means to Linville. In a word: everything. From the contributions that are measured in statistics to the ones that aren’t.

The 5-7 guard leads her team in points and steals, is second in assists and fourth in rebounds. The ball is usually in her hands when it matters the most.

“She’s a privilege to coach,” Tim Stefanosky said. “She’s kind of been our backbone since her freshman year. We rely on her. I feel like she does a great job of controlling the pace.”

Stefanosky and Smucker arrived at Linville at the same time. A young coach and an aspirational guard. It’s not a coincidence that the annual trips to Giant Center started a year later.

Smucker began playing hoops in fifth grade at the urging of her dad. She was a shy kid who resisted at first. Soon, the game became her means of expression. It brought her out of her shell.

Basketball turned into Smucker’s passion by ninth grade. She poured her intensity and competitive spirit into every trip down the floor.

“I love her energy; I love her motivation,” Fisher said. “She’s my family. I really don’t know what I would do without her.”

Linville and Greenwood, located two hours away in Millerstown, have become accidental rivals because they occupy the same Class 1A orbit. The Wildcats ousted the Warriors in the PIAA quarterfinals last season.

That was a painful loss for the District Three champions. They were anxious for the rematch.

“They ended our season last year,” Smucker said. “We got here early. We had music playing in the locker room. We were locking in. Everybody was ready for it.”

Linville raced to an 18-2 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Warriors, always relentless on defense, appeared to rattle Greenwood.

Two numbers stood out at halftime: 7 and 17. The first was how many points Greenwood scored. The second was how often the Wildcats turned it over.

Greenwood (18-6) found its footing in the third quarter. It was too late at that point. The Wildcats never cut the deficit below 11 after their slow start.

This is the final run for Smucker and Fisher. They’re best friends and forever teammates. It’s not often two players get to spend their entire high school careers on varsity.

“It’s very emotional in a good way,” Fisher said. “Doing it together the last four years is truly incredible.”

The Hershey’s Kiss was long gone by the time Smucker exited the locker room. The senior, who became Linville’s first 1,000-point scorer last month, will soon have a chance to wear a second district gold medal.

Stefanosky has encouraged his seniors to embrace these memorable moments. To take a second or two and savor the chocolate.