In a season filled with big, savory wins for the Whitehall girls basketball team, Friday’s win over Parkland may have been the sweetest.

This year has featured wins over defending district champs Nazareth and Steel Division powerhouse, Liberty. They also halted Bethlehem Catholic’s march toward a consecutive win streak over league opponents, a record that spanned 58 regular season games, and even more recently knocked off a very good Northampton team.

But Friday’s 38-35 win over the Trojans may have been the best chapter to date in a season that still has a lot of chapters yet to unfold as they head into the postseason. Not only was it a win against rival Parkland, but they also handed the Trojans their first league loss of the season.

The wins now put them at 13-8 overall and 9-6 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. They still have a chance to reach the EPC playoffs and that most likely will be determined in their final game against Emmaus on Wednesday, which was past Press deadlines.

The win also stops a three-game losing streak and set them up for a huge rematch with Northampton on Monday which they won 47-44 on a three-pointer by Kylee Cunningham with three seconds left in the game. The win enhances their chances for one of the wild card spots remaining in the EPC playoffs.

Senior Jill Rex said the foundation for the win against Parkland was laid before the game.

“We practiced really hard this week to prepare for it,” said Rex. “We just wanted to win so bad because it’s Parkland and they’re our rivals.”

Rex said those big victories have been offset by losses that’s made it a bit of an up and down year, but she sees this win as a momentum builder.

“I think we’re getting it now,” Rex said.

Head coach Dwight Repsher has piloted this season of big wins, and Friday’s win ranks among the best so far.

“We’re like the giant killer,” said Repsher. “It’s a great win.”

Repsher said that everyone played well, as they got contributions from their entire squad. He also knew that defeating Parkland would enhance their chances of achieving their goal of reaching the EPC playoffs.

“We really needed this win,” he said.

Once Arianna Hines hit a jumper to put them up 12-11 early in the second quarter, they never relinquished the lead. From that bucket they went on a 7-0 run that helped them take a 20-14 lead into halftime.

From that point they held off a couple of Parkland runs and then converted their chances at the free throw line to preserve the victory.

The game featured three defining movements, with two of them involving senior Taylor George. The first came during their second quarter run when Ivanna Jones wasn’t going to be denied under the glass, going up strong for two of her own putbacks before sinking the basket on her third attempt. That play encapsulated a tough second quarter on the glass for Jones, and it also saw some Taylor Rummel drives to the hoop, along with Hines’ deft touch around the basket.

The second came midway through the third quarter after the Trojans closed the gap to 24-23. On the Zephs next trip down the court, George grabbed three rebounds, two off her own misses, and then finally scored among the trees inside.

The last one was the biggest play of the contest and the ultimate game changer. The Trojans trimmed the lead to 34-33 with a trey and were looking to finally retake the lead that had eluded them for two-plus quarters. They looked in good position to gain possession off a missed shot on the Zephs ensuing trip down the floor, but Jill Kreglow wrestled the ball from the hands of a Parkland player and then fell to the floor, but not before finding George who sank the three-pointer to put them back up by four with 3:14 remaining.

It was a crushing blow to the Trojans and left them resorting to fouling at the end of the game.

“That was huge,” said Repsher.”

“It’s probably four years experience and being a senior,” said Repsher. “I think it’s also where we are. We won some big games and we had some confidence. They trust each other. I think we’re getting to the point where everybody’s bought in and they trust each other and they like each other and we’re really starting to be a team.”

George doesn’t shy away from those big moments. In fact, she embraces them.

“I think that I was just really focused,” said George. “I was really into the game. I knew that I had to step up, being a senior, and I wanted us to get the win.”

George felt the seeds of this victory were planted against another division opponent.

“I think the Central game was a big reality check for us,” said George. “That was our first loss on our home court and it was in overtime, and we lost to them on their court in a close game.

“We were just on a little bit of a losing streak and we knew we had to step it up. We just really had to keep pushing.”

Repsher said they also do a good job of sharing the ball as witnessed by their willingness to find the open man.

They also did a good defensive job on Nadine Ewald who only had five points on the night.

“That’s what we focused on this game,” said Rex who ended up guarding her at times. “Last game we didn’t stop her very well, but this game we did a good job of stopping her.”

Rex also believes the win can boost their confidence since they took down an undefeated team. Still, it’s going to be a challenge to close out the season with consecutive victories.

“It’ll be one at a time and we’ll see what we can do,” said Repsher.