Young Quaker Valley girls in playoff hunt

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 15, 2018 | 11:00 PM

Despite some recent setbacks, a green Quaker Valley girls basketball team is growing into a playoff contender.

Quaker Valley coach Jill Brumbaugh said her squad (6-7 overall and 2-3 in Section 2-4A) is getting better.

Freshman guard Corinne Washington — in double digits — and senior forward Franzi Nace lead the Quakers in scoring.

Freshman guard Bailey Garbee has been on fire lately, pouring in 10 points a game.

“(Garbee is) really picking it up,” Brumbaugh said, adding the point guard's passing has improved.

Freshman forward Claire Kuzma and sophomore guard Amy Wilson also have started, although Brumbaugh said Wilson is out with an injury.

Freshmen Gina Atwood, Juliana Helkowski and Lily Johns come off the bench.

Brumbaugh said the Quakers have bonded.

“We are definitely a tight-knit group,” Nace said. “That team spirit and sense of togetherness definitely helps us to bring a sustained intensity to our games.

“I have to give a lot of credit to our freshmen.”

Brumbaugh said, because of their youth, it will be challenging for the Quakers to reach the postseason.

Nace said the Quakers have sometimes struggled in the second half.

“Our goals are just to keep pushing ourselves to contend with the high-level teams in our section and to focus on sustaining our concentration and intensity throughout (entire) games,” she said.

The Quakers lost to Central Valley and Beaver last week. Both were PIAA championship qualifiers last season.

The Quakers were out to stop the skid Monday against Ambridge.

They last made the WPIAL playoffs in the 2012-13 season.

Quaker Valley entered the week trailing Blackhawk (4-1), Central Valley (4-1), Beaver (4-1) and Ambridge (3-2) in Section 2.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: Quaker Valley