Girls’ basketball advances to Elite 8

Andie Kephart, Adrielle McNeal, Trey Williamson, Mattie Baker, and Madison Aboud • March 12, 2026 • 60 Views

Victory. The girls’ basketball team celebrates their win against Norwin. The team and fans head to Cumberland Valley Friday to try to move into the top 4.

On March 10, the girls’ basketball team defeated Pennsbury 37-34. With this win, the team has secured their spot in the Elite 8.

“It [advancing] feels good, because it brings us more together as a team, and we’re able to play and work together more,” junior Raylin Eyer said.

“It’s a good feeling, and I’m happy that we made it past the second round,” sophomore Brionna Hudson said.

Coach Christopher Fleegle also is excited about the advancement.

“It meant a lot to the coaching staff to see the girls find all this success,” Coach Fleegle said. “As always we hope we play to our potential. We also want to execute the game plan at a high level and continue to enjoy this and have some fun.”

Team practices have changed since heading into playoffs.

“We’re more focused on preparing for how we’re going to play each team and defend them rather than on our individual skills,” Hudson said.

“Each team has different things they do well,” Coach Fleegle said. “The job of the coaches is to put together game plans to hopefully limit or take away things the other team does well. Practicing this time of year is maintaining skill and game prep.”

This year is freshman Raya Potts first year on the team.

“It feels really good just to be a part of it and just being able to cheer on my team and see what I’ll be experiencing in the years to come,” Potts said.

Senior Kendall Cogan is in her final year on the team.

“It feels good because we made it the farthest this year, and it’s my last season,” Cogan said. “Hopefully we can keep winning and make it farther.”

It is also Senior Zaelinh Nguyen-Moore’s final season.

“I’m excited but nervous,” Nguyen-Moore said. “I think that our team is going to come out on top, because we’ve done a lot of preparation for this game, but our competition is very good, so we have a lot of respect for them.”

For the first round of the Elite 8, the team will be going against Cardinal O’Hara.

“Our hope is to win,” Eyer said. “It’s going to be a tough game, so we have to play our best and play together. It feels really good because we’re in the Elite Eight now, and it hasn’t been done in 20 years. ”

“It has been 20 years,” Coach Fleegle said. “I am grateful to be a part of the journey. As the kids play as a team on the court I am blessed to have a great staff that work just as hard as myself and the kids to make this as successful as possible.”

Team members are looking forward to the upcoming game.

“[We plan to] just play our hardest and really compete with every team,” Hudson said. “It’s exciting because I know it’s important for the seniors.”

“I’m really excited, and I hope we do get further,” Potts said. “I hope we just play our best and work as a team to win States.”

About the Contributors

Andie Kephart, Reporter

My name is Andie Kephart, and this is my second year on the Mountain Echo staff. In addition to writing for the Mountain Echo, I am on the swim team and involved in FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America). Outside of school, I am a part of a weightlifting team, and have traveled all over the U.S to compete in different competitions. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my friends and listening to music, especially the Jonas Brothers. After high school, I plan to major in exercise science.

Adrielle McNeal, Reporter

My name is Adrielle McNeal, and this is my second year as a Mountain Echo staff member. I took Intro to Pub my freshman year, and fell in love with the class. Along with Mountain Echo, I am an editor for the Horseshoe yearbook. Balancing both classes can be a lot, but it’s worth it. I also participate in the drama club and Black Student Union.

Trey Williamson, Reporter

My name is Trey, and I am a sophomore. This is my first year as a reporter, and I hope to continue until graduation. Aside from school, I mostly volunteer at my church. I will be starting to volunteer at the Altoona hospital as well. When I am in school, I enjoy swimming with my classmates. I am a part of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and this will be my second year. When I graduate, I plan to start working on my future job. This is also my first year on Horseshoe yearbook staff. I also enjoy spending time with my brother and his fiancé when I am out of school.

Mattie Baker, Associate Editor

I am an associate editor and this is my second year on staff! I’ve always loved reading and writing. My dream job, at the moment, is to work at Barnes & Nobles and drink Starbucks on the daily. I’m obsessed with action movies like “Bullet Train,” “John Wick” and “James Bond.” I also have a passion for art. I’ve been taking extra art classes for over 10 years! Later in my life, I hope to be a storyboard artist and author.

Madison Aboud, Editor – in – Chief

My name is Madison Aboud, and this is my fourth year on the Mountain Echo staff. I am honored to serve as Editor in Chief for the 2025 – 2026 school year. In 2023, I did an Editorial Leadership training through CSPA (Columbia Scholastic Press Association). In July 2024, I served as a National Youth Correspondent for the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) at George Mason University. When I’m not focused on the Mountain Echo, you can find me reading, spending time with friends and family or hanging out with my dogs. After I graduate, I plan to major in English and minor in Communications. My goal this year is to represent our student body accurately and fairly.