For the first time in 16 years, the Eisenhower Knights girls' basketball team is competing in the PIAA State Playoffs. With only eight players and no seniors, the young squad has defied expectations all season, proving that determination and teamwork can overcome any obstacle.  
 
Their journey began three years ago when juniors Clara Steinberg, Lainey Font, and Laney Belcher helped turn the program around as freshmen. That year, they led the team to its first winning record in 13 years. Last season, they made the playoffs again but fell to Maplewood on a buzzer-beater. This year, they came back stronger, defeating Maplewood—this year’s Region 2 champs—on their way to the state tournament.  
 
“We knew we had to work hard competing against the bigger teams,” said Font. 

"Coach really pushed us, but it feels good that all of our hard work has paid off, " added Belcher. "We are finally getting recognized."  
 
One of the most inspiring moments of the season came from junior Morgan Zaffino, who lost her arm and leg following an accident when she was just two years old.  At the District 10 Playoff game against Kennedy, she made a three-point shot, helping push the Knights toward their playoff run. While it wasn’t a game-winner, the moment went viral, inspiring messages from across the country.  
 
“Morgan's story has inspired thousands," stated DJ Steinberg, Eisenhower Lady Knights Head Coach. "A woman messaged me after the game with Kennedy and said she was there and saw the three-pointer. She said that she was a recent amputee and that after seeing Morgan achieve that shot, it inspired her to not feel sorry for herself." 
 
"Morgan amazes us every day with the things that she can do," added Melody Zaffino, Morgan's mother. "Some days are harder than others, but she never gives up. When we think maybe she can't do something, she just goes off and does it."
 
But Morgan's moment is just one part of this team's incredible journey. Clara Steinberg, who ranks second in scoring across District 10, and Lainey Font were recently ranked among the top three-point shooters in Pennsylvania.  However, the entire squad has played a crucial role in Eisenhower’s resurgence as a basketball program.  
 
“Taking a school that has not been a school known for girls' basketball and bringing a group of six girls over the last seven years to try to change that has been one of the most challenging aspects in my life - yet the most rewarding,” said Head Coach DJ Steinberg. “Come states, win or lose, our girls have already won for our school and our program. They’ve put Eisenhower girls' basketball back on the map.”  
 
No matter the outcome of the game Friday March 7th against the Bishop McCort Crushers, the Knights have already made history.
 
Their success has not only earned them a spot in the state playoffs but also cemented their place as a team to watch for years to come.