MUNCY–Earlier this season, St. John Neumann gamers and coaches took their official group {photograph}.

Future Neumann groups ought to research that picture effectively. This is the group which modified all the things there.

The 2023 Knights took this program the place it by no means went earlier than. Yes, Lourdes ended Neumann’s season, defeating the Knights, 50-35 Saturday within the state quarterfinals, however learn that sentence once more. Neumann taking part in within the state quarterfinals? Try discovering somebody who would have believed that a couple of years in the past.

That was when Neumann went 1-21. Counting the earlier season, Neumann had gained 4 video games in two seasons. And but there Neumann was Saturday, competing for a spot within the state’s Final 4, having taken a blow torch to program historical past alongside the way in which.

This group set a brand new customary and have become the one future Neumann squads will attempt emulating.

“Most people never really recognized Neumann for the girls’ basketball. Now we’ve put the program on the map and other teams will be looking for us,” Neumann coach Helena Floyd stated. “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but this shows the progression over the years, to go from one win to being in the Final 8. How many teams can say that happened?”

Not many.

Sheiana Tutler and Lily Reid began on that 1-21 group as freshmen which regularly performed in entrance of sparse crowds. Junior Gigi Parlante arrived a 12 months later and fellow starters Lizzie Weller and Niyah Tutler final season. Together, they scaled new heights, going to states final 12 months after which breaking via partitions all through this memorable postseason run which produced a program report 4 wins.

Neumann didn’t play a foul recreation, Saturday, both. The Knights merely had an unlucky taking pictures efficiency regardless of many high quality makes an attempt. It occurs, however the truth that one might envision Neumann having, not solely gained that recreation, but in addition going all the way in which to Hershey for the state championship, reveals the sunshine years distance this program has are available in a short while.

“Neumann had always the reputation of being one of the worst teams when we started and now we’re leaving as one of the top teams in the state,” Tutler stated after producing her fourth playoff double-double, going for 17 factors and 10 rebounds. “That’s something to be feel really happy about.”

Maybe the gamers don’t imagine it but since everybody hates dropping, particularly at this stage. But because the tears dry, they are going to be changed by smiles when these gamers replicate on how far they got here. They finish the season with no regrets both, figuring out they did all the things potential Saturday–and all season–to win each recreation through which they competed.

That’s key, too. It’s not simply that Neumann gained quite a lot of video games and took this system locations it had by no means been. It was how this group did it which ought to encourage future groups. It additionally helps that Parlante, Weller and Niyah Tutler return subsequent 12 months in addition to useful reserves like Ella Ballard and Sophia Reid, amongst others.

“There are lots of tears, but they worked hard to be here,” Floyd stated. “They’re enjoying this moment, and you learn from it and you keep moving.”

That is strictly what Neumann has achieved the final three years. Floyd and assistant coach LouShar Robinson took over this system three years in the past–1,000-point scoring Neumann graduate Shayna McNamee joined the workers this season–and began increase this system. At that time, the largest problem was not essentially expertise or technique. It merely was increase the group’s collective psyche and convincing the gamers they might win.

Strides had been made in a shortened 2021 season as Neumann gained 4 video games and reached districts for the primary time in three years. The Knights took an enormous leap ahead final season, successful 13 video games, and reaching states for simply the second time in program historical past.

Doing that final season cleared a giant psychological impediment and this 2023 group went full steam forward, believing it might win the state’s greatest prize. The Knights got here fairly shut, too. Along the way in which, they stored leaving their mark and rewriting historical past.

Neumann reached its first district last and earned state event bids in consecutive years for the primary time. Think about that. Before final season, solely the 2014 Neumann group had reached states and this group doubled this system’s whole in two years. Then the Knights took the subsequent step and rallied previous District 1 champion Christian Academy to succeed in the state’s Elite 8 for the primary time. They additionally tied the 2014 and 2008 groups for probably the most wins in program historical past whereas navigating a demanding schedule.

As dad and mom, members of the family and/or followers consoled Neumann gamers following Saturday’s recreation, the phrases of the fictional Fortune within the underdog film “Rudy” reverberated all through my head:

“In this lifetime, you don’t have to prove nothin’ to nobody except yourself.”

Fortune’s grammar shouldn’t be nice, however his message is. Sure, it might have been nice to go all the way in which however this group needn’t show something extra. Its work speaks for itself.

There was a time when Neumann may need been ignored. There may need been a time Neumann ladies’ basketball groups didn’t assume they might go that far.

Those days are gone. This group dared to dream, supplied the blueprint for future desires and turned a number of desires into actuality. The greatest targets now appear attainable and above, all of the historical past, that could be this group’s lasting legacy.

So, what regarded like an finish Saturday, may truly simply be the beginning.

“They really just changed the dynamics of Neumann girls’ basketball and that will help the program into the future years,” Floyd stated. “Nobody thought they could get here, and they made it happen.”

–Masse could also be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse