GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spring-Ford’s Stipa a star generations in the making

Spring-Ford's Sammy Stipa celebrates Tuesday's PIAA-AAAA semifinal win over Cardinal O'Hara. Stipa, Brittany Moore (10) and the Rams take on Cumberland Valley for the state championship Friday at 6 at Hershey's Giant Center.

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD – Bob Stipa made quite a name for himself as a three-sport standout at the former Spring City High School. Mark Stipa was a pretty darn good two-sport athlete at Spring-Ford. And the late Jerry Hefelfinger was indeed revered as an outstanding three-sport athlete at the former Collegeville-Trappe High School.
But the older fellas yield to the youngest, and only female among them … Sammy Stipa.
Sammy Stipa, of course, is the 5-foot-5 dynamo who has filled many roles and filled them superbly in the rambunctious Rams’ drive to Friday night’s PIAA-Class AAAA final against Cumberland Valley at the Giant Center in Hershey.

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ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Daniel Boone’s Ryan Owens and Spring-Ford’s Sammy Stipa

Sammy Stipa

Ryan Owens

By Mercury Staff
sports@pottsmerc.com

BOYS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ryan Owens
Daniel Boone
Swimming

What he has done
Sophomore, who came in seeded 10th in the event, captured the District 3-AAA gold medal in the 200-yard freestyle with a blistering 1:42.07 opening day, then added the bronze medal in the in the 500 free, where he come in the 12th seed, with a 4:40.08. Both times move Owens to the top of The Mercury area swimming leaders in those events. Since Daniel Boone does not have a full swim team, Owens trains at the Boyertown YMCA under the guidance of Boyertown veteran head coach Linda Jones.

What he says
“I thought I had a chance, but there were a lot of fast swimmers. Then getting the gold, it was kind of a relief because I knew how hard I had worked all years just for districts. I can’t even put into words what that gold meant, it was just amazing. You don’t really see the 10th seed winning districts a lot. It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders and really got me excited going into the following day for the 500 free. And that 500 bronze was kind of the bonus.”

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