Berks Bests: Paige Glovenski Climbed to the Top at Antietam
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Editor's Note: This story is part of Berks Bests, a summer series spotlighting the all-time leading scorers from Berks County girls basketball programs. Throughout the summer, we'll revisit some of the greatest careers in local basketball history and catch up with the players who left their mark on their schools and communities.
Paige Glovenski learned to cherish the small moments during her time at Antietam, a school district with a female enrollment of roughly 150.
Those small moments included time with her teammates and over 1,000 more.
Glovenski scored 1,373 points with the Mounts, climbing to the top of the program's scoring leaderboard once her career concluded in 2019, but it almost didn't happen.
"I never imagined reaching that milestone when I first started playing varsity basketball," Glovenski recently said to BGB. "Honestly, soccer was my sport growing up. When Antietam did not have enough girls for a team, my friend (and teammate) Maggie, encouraged me to go to an open gym for basketball when we were in middle school.
"From there, I started going to open gyms, which turned into practices, then games. I fell in love with the sport and am grateful for all the love the game gave back to me."
Antietam qualified for the Berks County playoffs for the first time since 2004 during Glovenski's sophomore season. The four-year varsity player helped the Mounts qualify for districts twice, during that sophomore season and during her senior year, when she was selected as an All-Berks selection.
Glovenski's point total is the 40th-highest total in Berks County history, tied with Boyertown's Wanda Moyer (1984) and sandwiched between Exeter's Cortney Crockett's 1,389 and Central Catholic's Diane Trout's (Rymshaw) 1,372.
She reached the 1,000-point milestone during her junior season on Jan. 13, 2018, when she scored 27 points in a victory over Schuylkill Haven. The achievement made her the first Antietam player to reach the milestone since Ali Stump in 2009 and one of just nine girls from Antietam or Mount Penn to join the club.
The others to play for Antietam/Mount Penn in the 1K club: Rhealynn Davis (1,515), who also played for Reading High; Kelly Fink (1,209); Erika Ely (1,183), Roberta Schreiber (1,179), Allison Clark-Barnett (1,078), who also played for Reading High; Megan Bundens (1,065); Jodie Michewicz (1,021)
"Looking back, I have so many great memories from my high school playing days," Glovenski said. "I loved the long bus rides for away games as I felt that this was the time my teammates and I bonded the most. Whether it was making jokes, listening to pump up songs or even trying to create our own, we all shared laughs and joy."
Those experiences were amplified by Antietam's small-school atmosphere, the small district smushed between Reading, Muhlenberg, Oley Valley, Exeter, and Gov. Mifflin.
"Playing basketball at Antietam taught me to cherish the small moments," Glovenski said. "I remember that there was always talk about us being a small school, and I found beauty in this. We were able to create strong relationships among one another and the community and built memories that last a lifetime."
One game in particular remains etched in her memory. Reminiscent of recent years when gymnasiums were packed in Wyomissing, Antietam hosted the Spartans in a high-stakes game during Glovenski's senior season and, despite a loss, the atmosphere left a lasting impression.
"We may have lost, but the bleachers were packed, and the student section and families were cheering and provided support until the buzzer signaled the end of the game," Glovenski said. "Antietam is a small school, and most fans would watch the boys' basketball games, however, this game brought the energy and encouraged us to keep pushing."
Glovenski had originally planned to continue her basketball career after high school and committed to King's College in Wilkes-Barre. The passing of her grandmother, however, led her to reevaluate her path.
"I will always be grateful for all the times I was able to step out with my teammates, the long bus rides, the half-time talks," Glovenski said. "All these moments that may have felt small or fast are the ones I remember most, and remind me to always take the time to slow down, be present, and cherish the moment."
Instead, she worked full-time while attending Reading Area Community College, where she discovered a new passion in social work. That passion ultimately led her to Millersville University, where she earned her Master of Social Work degree in May.
Today, Glovenski lives in Maine with her partner and works as a social worker. She also shares her home with two goldendoodles who have taken up her time — and heart.
Although her playing days are behind her, basketball remains an important part of her life.
Before moving away, Glovenski coached Antietam's junior high girls basketball team. She continues to follow Berks girls basketball and Antietam athletics from afar and hopes to return to the sidelines one day.
"My goal is to move back to PA within the next few years and hopefully be able to take on a coaching position once again to support in the development of youth's academic and athletic careers," she said.
Holding the scoring record at her alma mater remains a source of pride, but it also serves as a reminder of how far she came after unexpectedly falling in love with the sport.
"Still holding a scoring record at Antietam makes me feel connected to the school and is also an achievement that I hold close," Glovenski said. "More than that, it encourages me to reflect on the memories I shared above and reminds me that you can reach dreams and goals that you've never thought were possible."
A chance trip to an open gym became a legendary four-year varsity career, a place in the Antietam record book and a lasting legacy in Berks County basketball history.
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