BASKETBALL

York-area basketball officials select Gretchen Wolf Swartz Sportsmanship winners

STAFF REPORT
Dallastown's Kiara McNealy and Delone Catholic's Kaitlyn Schwarz chase a loose ball during a York-Adams girls' basketball semifinal at York County School of Technology Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. Delone went on to win 39-28. Bill Kalina photo

This year’s Gretchen Wolf Swartz Sportsmanship Team Awards are going to a first-time winner and to a program that is no stranger to this kind of recognition.

The Delone Catholic High School girls’ basketball team added yet another highlight to its extraordinary season by earning the sportsmanship team honor. The Squirettes are currently 24-1 and seeded No. 1 in the District 3 Class 4-A playoffs. It’s the first time the Delone girls have won the award.

Delone joins the Susquehannock High School boys’ team, which is being honored for the fourth time and the first time since winning three awards in a row from 2002-2004. The Warriors are 15-8 and still alive in the District 3 Class 5-A tournament.

In May, members of the Gretchen Wolf Swartz Scholarship Foundation Board will recognize some senior members from each team with scholarships. Last year, the board awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to members of the Hanover High School girls’ team and the Red Lion High School boys’ teams. The board has awarded more than $750,000 in scholarships since awarding its first scholarships in 2001.

Susquehannock's Jalen Franklin, right, looks to get the ball past Lancaster Mennonite's David Shell during boys' basketball action at Susquehannock High School, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. Susquehannock would win the game 69-64. Dawn J. Sagert photo

The winning programs are determined by a poll of members of the York Chapter of PIAA Basketball Officials. At the conclusion of each regular season, the officials vote to recognize a boys’ and girls’ program after observing the season-long conduct of York-Adams players, fans, faculty, students, managers, coaches and cheerleaders from the junior high through varsity programs. Both winning programs receive a traveling trophy in recognition of their accomplishments.

According to Phil Miller, president of the York Chapter of PIAA Basketball Officials, every York-Adams member school received at least one vote for either their boys’ or girls’ team.

Gretchen Wolf Swartz was a York County basketball official from 1981 to 1995. Following her death from leukemia in 1997, her fellow officials created the memorial team awards and a scholarship fund to promote and honor the sportsmanship she championed.