There arguably is no bigger stage in Pennsylvania high school sports than playing for a state basketball championship as we march into spring. Seven hundred and fifteen teams begin practice every November with hopes of winning the season’s final game. Only six get to win their last game every season. Yet it’s every team’s dream, whether from the big cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, or any hamlet between to rise above the rest. It certainly was the Shamrocks of Trinity’s goal to play for a 3A ’26 championship on March 21, after they finished last season exciting the state playoffs earlier than they wished with a stellar team that just did not meet the occasion’s moment. Make no mistake it’s a difficult task to win state championships.
Which led them a year later to meet defending state champion West Catholic of Philadelphia who is a perennial contender. They bounced the ‘Rocks in a memorable PIAA state semi a few years ago. The Burrs never enter the 32-team bracket with a glowing season record, but rather a strong resume having battled through Philly’s stout competition of the city’s grueling Catholic league schedule.
“We felt that when we looked at the brackets, we liked our chances and felt that we had a very good chance of making it to the finals this year,” senior leader Marcus Yeager said after the game. This senior seemingly took matters into his own hands in the 3rd quarter as Trinity was trailing by 4. Yeager noticeably asserted his presence as he slashed the paint to score buckets inside the Burrs perimeter defense to help build a 7-point lead that the ‘Rocks nursed the rest of the way.
Trinity jumped out to a 5-0 lead early, then expanded it to 15-6 as the Burrs (only one senior on roster) played tight and did not match Trinity’s early intensity. But a strong second quarter 10-0 run in which West Catholic exposed Trinity’s 3-2 zone’s vulnerable corners to knock down 4 long range 3-pointers, gave the Burrs the lead into half-time. With Trinity’s big Liam Sexton, who was the defense’s linchpin on the top of the zone in mild foul trouble, the Burrs began to penetrate and dish to perfection. Not known as a great shooting team, West Catholic exposed Trinity’s weak side defense brilliantly by nailing bombs.
In the second half, Trinity mixed up the defenses and went to a 2-3 zone and then some man-to-man which befuddled West Catholic’s half-court sets. Yet with 4.9 seconds left trailing 52-49, the Burrs had a chance to tie when an untimely Trinity turnover gave them life. But a Hail Mary 3-pointer caught nothing but air and Trinity began a celebration that erupted with players leaping into the student section to joyously put an exclamation point on a victory that has been a year in the waiting.
“I am just so happy and proud of this bunch of kids,” 40-year head coach Larry Kostelac II said post-game. “These kids dedicated themselves to each other, to the school and community to get this championship… and the last couple of days have been just so electric and tremendous.” This victory marks the third state championship (2002, 2003) for Coach Kostelac who is approaching 900 wins in his storied career.
The first PIAA state basketball championship was played in 1920 at Penn State’s Armory. The finals have been played at venerable arenas all over the state from Philadelphia’s hallowed Palestra, Harrisburg’s Farm Show, to fabled old barn Hersheypark Arena. This year’s big stage was the Giant Center, Hershey.
It’s been 23 years almost to the day when Trinity last won a state basketball championship, and they hadn’t made the finals since 2019. “I have had some really great teams who have not made it here… but this team got it done…. This never gets old.”
(Photos by Rachel Bryson and Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness.)
By Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness
