Lindsay Tretter had a big job.
Tretter was the only returning senior on the Archbishop Wood High School basketball team, and while there were many talented returning players from last year’s squad, she was the returning senior.
She wasn’t the only senior. Izzy Larsen joined the team after transferring to the school after moving from Georgia, but she was the only four-year member of the Vikings program.
And she was needed.
This year the team had 10 freshmen in the program, including her younger sister Lauren. So when the younger players needed advice or a boost, they looked to Tretter.
It was a role she loved.
“I was happy to do it because I kind of knew everything that was going on because I’ve been here for so long,” said Tretter, who started at shooting guard. “Especially the offense. We ran (the Princeton offense) all four years and I started running it when I was in seventh grade. It’s a hard offense to learn, but once you get it down, it’s pretty easy. And it works great.”
It must work great, the Vikings have been one of the best teams in the Catholic League in recent season under the tutelage of Cardinal Dougherty grad Mike McDonald.
Wood has made the Catholic League championship in each of the last three seasons. The Vikings have also made deep runs in the state tournament.
When Tretter was a freshman, they won it. In 2018, they made the championship before losing to Mars. In Tretter’s junior year, they made the quarterfinals. That’s the same spot they made it to this year, and the hope was to bring home another championship, but the state postponed and later canceled the tournament because of the coronavirus. It ended Tretter’s career as a Viking, and also her time at the school. Pennsylvania will use remote learning for the remainder of the school year.
It was an abrupt ending for Tretter and her teammates. They had hoped to have three more games together, but instead they’ll just continue to group text and stay positive.
“It was hard, but we understand because of everything,” said Tretter, who lives in Somerton. “It’s hard because it just ended in the middle of (the state tournament) and we thought we could go far. It’s for safety.
“I’ve stayed in touch, I talk to the team every day. Usually on group text. I’m the only senior, but we have a lot of underclassmen who have been with the team for a long time, so I’ve known them for a while. It will be hard not playing with them.”
While not being a Viking anymore is a tough pill to swallow, she at least has the comfort of knowing she’ll be back on the floor next winter. And if you’re a fan of hers, you won’t have to travel very far to see her. In fact, she lives closer to her college than she does her high school.
Next year, she’s bound for Holy Family.
“I visited last year and then I visited again after they hired a new coach and I loved it even more,” said Tretter, who will play for second-year head coach Bernadette Laukaitis. “I love the team. I love the school. It just felt right, I liked everything about it.
“I love the team. I know a lot of girls going there, but not playing basketball. A few soccer players. I don’t know any freshmen going there, but I know a lot of the girls on the team.”
Among her friends are Monee Moore, a 2019 graduate of Archbishop Ryan who was one of the top players on the team this year when the Tiger reached the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference championship game.
“They did great this year, there are a few girls from the Catholic League that I played against,” Tretter said. “I’ve known Monee for a while. We played together before. I really like the coach, she’s so good.
“The schools I were looking at, the others were two or three hours away and I really wanted to stay closer to home. Now my parents can come see me play and I’ll be around to watch my sister’s games.”
She’s not only excited about getting down to basketball.
Tretter, who is a member of the National Honor Society, was prone to accidents when she was younger. Prior to high school, she suffered a broken wrist, a broken ankle and growth plate, and knee woes. That is long behind her, she’s been healthy as of late, but because of those injuries, she had to deal with physical therapy.
Now she wants to help others with their ailments.
“I was always getting hurt when I was younger, luckily it hasn’t happened in a long time,” Tretter said. “I would always be in physical therapy. I remember it helping me and I want to help people. I think it’s something I would enjoy. It’s a good job.”
