12/19/2007
Lady Panthers the Pride of Philadelphia
Author: Mary Jane Souder
Close to nine months have come and gone since that rainy night in late March when the Cheltenham Lady Panthers wrote their own storybook ending to a memorable basketball season at PennStateUniversity's BryceJordanCenter when they downed Council Rock North to capture the PIAA Class AAAA title.
Last Wednesday night at the Hyatt Regency in Penns Landing, the coaches and players - represented by MVP Ashley Gale - were recognized with the prestigious Pride of Philadelphia award at the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame's annual induction dinner. Joining the Lady Panthers as a recipient of the Pride of Philadelphia award was the National League's Most Valuable Player - Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
"It's certainly an honor looking at who has received that award in the past and who is going to receive it this year with us," Cheltenham coach Bob Schaefer said. "Jimmy Rollins is big time. When your school name or your team name is written next to Jimmy Rollins, that's a nice compliment. We're certainly in the company of mega stars who are very personable and friendly to everyone."
Schaefer was ecstatic to have the opportunity to meet former New York Knicks' star Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, a member of the class of 2007 inductees.
"He was known for the 'spin dribble,'" Schaefer said. "He was the first real modern-type ball player. Before the Dr. J's - he was the one that started it."
For Gale, the timing couldn't have been better. The former star, who was the 2007 PIAA Class AAAA Player of the Year, last Wednesday's honor came on the heels of a 27-point effort off the bench in her LaSalle University team's 65-54 loss to Quinnipiac - a performance that earned Gale "Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week" honors.
Interestingly, Gale also had 27 points in Cheltenham's 68-54 win over Council Rock North in the title game. She also had 12 rebounds as the Lady Panthers, seeded ninth in their own district tournament, rolled to an unlikely state crown.
"This means a lot to be honored with these people - I may not really know them, but I've heard so much about them," Gale said. "It's an honor to be in their presence."
The night put the finishing touches on a magical basketball season for the Lady Panthers. "You never know the magnitude of winning one game," Schaefer said. "When you think of what we have done, where we have been, the people we have seen and the honors we have received for winning that one game - it's immeasurable compared to losing that one game."
Joining Schaefer on Wednesday night were former assistant coaches Mike "Hawk" Houghton and assistant coach John Rogalski, a Philadelphia native.
"Sports were so much a part of growing up and being a kid in Philadelphia in the 50s and 60s," Rogalski said. "To somehow be associated with all the people I grew up watching and admiring is so rewarding. To be here tonight - there's such a sense of accomplishment of what our basketball program does."
For Houghton, last spring's state championship - the second in eight years for the Lady Panthers - was sweet redemption of sorts. "I played in two state championship games and lost them both," he said. "It took 20 years to appreciate that just going to states is better than what most of the schools will ever experience. To win it is just phenomenal. Words can't explain it. You have to be there and do it to really understand it."
Wednesday night was a night to revel in the past.
"It's the gravy that makes coaching worth it all," Houghton said. "You're with your best kid and your friends-what could be better?"
Athletic director Scott Layer admitted it was an honor for both the school and the program.
"The program has done such a wonderful job over the past 20 years," he said. "Schaefer and his coaching staff have brought this program to another level, given the school a lot of notoriety, given the school a lot of statewide recognition and even national recognition. They had a great run through the state playoffs with a nice group of girls and a quality coaching staff, and that's what high school athletics is all about. To be in the presence of some of the Philadelphia greats is quite an honor."
A former Suburban One League star - Plymouth Whitemarsh grad Beth Anders, who was a member of the U.S. Women's Field Hockey team from 1969-84 and is now the field hockey coach at Old Dominion - was part of the 2007 Philadelphia Hall of Fame induction class.
Also inducted into the Hall of Fame were Walter Bahr (soccer), Bill Barber (Philadelphia Flyers), Mickey Cochrane (Philadelphia Athletics), Theresa Grentz (basketball ), Frank "Bucko" Kilroy (Philadelphia Eagles), Chuck Klein (Philadelphia Phillies), Harry Litwack (basketball), Bill Lyon (Legacy of Excellence, sports columnist), Earl Monroe (New York Knicks), Earle "Greasy" Neale (Philadelphia Eagles), Jack Whitaker (Legacy of Excellence, broadcaster), Reggie White (Philadelphia Eagles) and the 1980 World Champion Phillies.
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