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N.Eastern PA Report
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Past Columns |
ed note: We are
pleased to have the some info from the North Eastern part of the state. We
are pleased to have a long time LLHoops fan , Jon K. to contribute. Thanks
Jon. Hope you enjoy. PLEASE HIT YOUR BROWSER “REFRESH”
BUTTON TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE VIEWING THE MOST RECENT UPDATE OF THE N.EAST PA
BEAT. SPECIAL UPDATE
1/6/2010 ALL THE KNIGHT MOVES FOR HOME
TEAMS Overtime thrillers in District 2 boys league openers Nothing
against the plethora of exhibition and tournament action that filled the
first three weeks of the District 2 hoops season, but the start of league
play is always something special. For
high-regarded division contenders Holy
Redeemer and undefeated Abington
Heights, opening night brought the added challenge of tipping off on the
home floor of talented division rivals.
Definitely the kind of game that can establish an early tone for the
entire division race. Despite trailing
by double digits in the final period, both Wilkes-Barre Coughlin and Scranton
staged impressive comebacks, forcing overtime, and eventually gaining huge
wins. In Wilkes-Barre, Brett Warren led the Crusaders with
23 points, matching his teams’ tally in the final period to stun the Royals
53-48. Holy Redeemer entered the final
eight minutes with a 30-20 scoreboard advantage, but could not match
Coughlin’s drive or intensity down the stretch of this early WVC Division 2
showdown. In Scranton, Bilal Floyd (20 points) drove the
lane for the typing basket in regulation to send the Knights into OT (62-62)
before outscoring the Comets 7-2 for a 69-64 Lackawanna League Division 1
win. Abington does not feature a deep
lineup and although that may have become a factor late, some key shooting by
Scranton brought them back into the game. Not to be outdone, another LL D-1 rivalry
went down to the wire, also in overtime, as Adam Schroth nailed a trey to
seal a 47-46 win for Scranton Prep over city-rival West Scranton. The Cavaliers outscored the Invaders 9-8 in
the extra period. If
Tuesday night was any indication of how league action is going to play out,
District 2 hoops fans will be in for quite the rollercoaster ride. For now, forget about March and just enjoy
the next six weeks. See
you in the bleachers. UPDATED 1/5/2010 Although
the main focus of the District 2 hoops season is now centered on the upcoming
league races (which began this week), there were some outstanding
performances and wonderful memories created during the numerous holiday
tournaments. In all there were 14 boys
tourneys and 13 girls events held across the area. Additionally, several other interesting
exhibition games took place last Saturday that matched local squads against
some of the better competition across eastern PA. Some of those highlights have been added to
the 1/3/2010 update below, along with the new Player of the Week
selections. As always, boys recaps are
listed first, scroll further down for girls summaries. UPDATED 1/3/2010 HAPPY
NEW YEAR !!! As the
calendar turns to a new year, attention is also drawn toward the start of
league play in the Wyoming Valley Conference and Lackawanna League. Play begins for the girls on Monday and
boys Tuesday. The Lackawanna teams
waste no time getting rolling as they begin play with a 3-game schedule this
week. All the top games are listed
below. Some of the top games include
Crestwood visiting Reading Monday in a non-league game, Holy Redeemer
traveling to play defending champ Coughlin Tuesday, Lackawanna Trail hosting
Montrose Thursday, Hazleton venturing northward to play at Tunkhannock
Friday, and Holy Cross entertaining Riverside on Saturday. On the girls side there are some premier
games highlighted by Wyoming Valley West hosting Hazleton in an early
division showdown Monday. On Wednesday,
Scranton Prep heads out to take on Honesdale, Crestwood hosts Valley West
Thursday, Old Forge visits Mid Valley Friday, and Holy Redeemer continues
their challenging exhibition slate by entertaining Allentown Central Catholic
on Saturday. As always the NEP Beat
will be on hand at many of these games.
Of note in
the girls WVC Division 4, at the December 16 district meeting District 2
Chairman Majikes reviewed a letter received from Anthony Guariglia),
Principal of the West Side Career and Also, not
to be forgotten, the first edition of the District 2 Top 10 is being released
today. It is difficult to recall a
year with more parity among the top teams in the district. No doubt that there will continue to be
much shuffling around in the coming weeks.
But, for now, a solid Abington Heights squad just barely nudges past
Hazleton for the top spot on the boys side and the Hazleton girls edged just
slightly above a trio of evenly matched girls teams. THIS WEEK’S DISTRICT 2 BOYS TOP 10 (games through 1/2) 1. Abington Heights (8-0) 3A 2. Hazleton (6-2) 4A 3. Crestwood (8-0) 3A 4. Holy Redeemer (7-1) 3A 5. Holy Cross (4-3) 2A 6. Scranton (5-3) 4A 7. Dunmore (5-3) 2A 8. Scranton Prep (5-2) 3A 9. Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (8-1) 3A 10. (tie) Carbondale (7-1) 2A 10. (tie) West Scranton (5-2) 3A OTHERS TO WATCH Dallas (4-3), Hanover (5-4), Honesdale (5-3), Lackawanna Trail (4-3), Montrose (7-1), North Pocono (4-2), Old Forge (5-3), Pittston (5-3), Tunkhannock (5-4), Wilkes-Barre GAR (5-4) UPCOMING DISTRICT 2 TOP BOYS GAMES TUESDAY, 1/5 Pittston at Crestwood (WVC Div. 1) Wyoming Valley West at Hazleton (WVC Div. 1) Dallas at Tunkhannock (WVC Div. 1/2 crossover) Holy Redeemer at W-B Coughlin (WVC Div. 2) Hanover at Lake-Lehman (WVC Div. 3) W-B GAR at W-B Meyers (WVC Div. 3) Wyoming Seminary at Northwest (WVC Div. 4) Abington Heights at Scranton (LL Div. 1) West Scranton at Scranton Prep (LL Div. 1) Delaware Valley at Honesdale (LL Div. 1) Carbondale at Mid Valley (LL Div. 2) Riverside at Dunmore (LL Div. 2) Mountain View at Montrose (LL Div. 3) THURSDAY,
1/7 Honesdale at Scranton Prep (LL Div. 1) North Pocono at Scranton (LL Div. 1) Delaware Valley at Abington Heights (LL Div. 1) Old Forge at Dunmore (LL Div. 2) Holy Cross at Mid Valley (LL Div. 2) Valley View at Carbondale (LL Div. 2) Montrose at Lackawanna Trail (LL Div. 3) FRIDAY, 1/8 Crestwood at Wyoming Valley West (WVC Div. 1) Hazleton at Tunkhannock (WVC Div. 1) W-B Coughlin at Dallas (WVC Div. 2) Hanover at W-B Meyers (WVC Div. 3) Nanticoke at W-B GAR (WVC Div. 3) SATURDAY,
1/9 Abington Heights at Honesdale (LL Div. 1) West Scranton at Delaware Valley (LL Div. 1) Scranton Prep at North Pocono (LL Div. 1) Dunmore at Valley View (LL Div. 2) Riverside at Holy Cross (LL Div. 2) Blue Ridge at Montrose (LL Div. 3) Williamsport vs. Loyalsock (at Lycoming) Wyoming Seminary at Athens (non-league) MONDAY, 1/11 Southern Columbia at Northwest (non-league) TUESDAY, 1/12 Hazleton at Pittston (WVC Div. 1) Tunkhannock at Crestwood (WVC Div. 1) Dallas at Holy Redeemer (WVC Div. 2) Hanover at Nanticoke (WVC Div. 3) MMI Prep at Wyoming Seminary (WVC Div. 4) Scranton Prep at Abington Heights (LL Div. 1) Scranton at Honesdale (LL Div. 1) West Scranton at North Pocono (LL Div. 1) Dunmore at Holy Cross (LL Div. 2) Carbondale at Old Forge (LL Div. 2) Blue Ridge at Lackawanna Trail (LL Div. 3) Western Wayne at Montrose (LL Div. 3) Hollidaysburg at Williamsport DISTRICT 2 BOYS NON-LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS Hazleton
participated in the Walt Ostrowski Classic played at the Hat Box (in
Hatboro-Horsham) and came away with a 48-47 win over Cheltenham (3-4), a game
that was much closer at the end than Mike Joseph would have liked. The Cougars built a 40-26 lead after three
periods, but only converted 11 of 23 free throws. Adam
Davis hit 11 points for the Cougars and Dwaine Gilley scored 10 and grabbed 14 rebounds. Robert
Mansell netted 20 for the Panthers.
At the Pottsville Showcase played at Martz Hall on Saturday, Wyoming
Valley West and Williamsport faced very strong, undefeated teams. WVW dropped a 73-37 loss to Hughesville (7-0)
and the Millionaires came up short to Wilson West Lawn (also 7-0),
68-29. Over the holiday, Wyoming
Valley West rallied from a 13 point deficit (56-43) after three periods to
defeat Wilkes-Barre GAR 72-67 as Jim
Smicherko netted 34 and Eugene
Lewis had 18 (Darian Twyman scored
22 and Darrell Crawford had 19 for
the Grenadiers). Lackawanna Trail held
a lead after the first periods but dropped an 87-49 loss to North Pocono as Greg Sporko scored 20 for the
Trojans. The Trojans lost to
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin 61-47 as Joe Caffrey scored 19 for the Crusaders. Scranton
rolled over Riverside 73-52 behind Ian
Redetsky scoring 14 and grabbing 13 rebounds. The Knights built their advantage (42-21)
in the middle periods. Corey Talerico scored 17 for the Vikings. Old Forge edged Western Wayne 47-41 in
overtime as Tony Goodall scored 17
and Dom Avisato pulled down 17
boards. Honesdale got 26 from Wade West to get by East Stroudsburg
South, 55-51. Tunkhannock got 21
points from Mike Papi in a 55-37
win over Northwest. Wallenpaupack
defeated Lakeland 51-47 as Pat Kilduff
netted 21 for the Buckhorns and freshman Kyle
Kiehart scored 20 for the Chiefs.
Delone Catholic edged Hanover Area 39-37. Wilkes-Barre Meyers rallied for a 48-41 win
over Marian Catholic as Ryan
Krawczemiak scored 18 (4 treys).
Montrose got 16 from Colby
Major and 22 from Rob Volk to
defeat Towanda 65-47. Steve Rezykowski netted 18 for Elk
Lake, but the Warriors came up a bit short to Wyalusing, 48-45. West Side Tech split a pair of games,
losing 80-60 to Weatherly as Justin
Marinos scored 26 and defeated Columbia Montour VT 66-60 as Isiah Gilrau scored 19 and Cody Eschelman had 18. Mountain View got 17 points and 12 caroms
from Luke Jenkins but dropped a
56-50 loss to Notre Dame. And Nanticoke
got 12 points from Mike Murtha to
notch their first win of the season, a 39-38 overtime victory over
Berwick. LLHOOPS.COM BOYS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Mike Abramcheck (6-2 senior) is
helping guide Crestwood to another
stellar season. He netted 16 points in
the opening round of the Munley Tournament, a 68-32 win over Hope
Charter. Mike then scored 17 points in
a big win over an even bigger opponent, National Christian Academy, 62-52. Kyle Kiehart (freshman) is a key
piece of the rebuilding process currently underway within the Lakeland hoops program. And his achievements prove that not all
victories show up in the win column.
Kyle scored 22 points in the opening round of the Pete Turonis
Tourney, a 53-47 win over Mid Valley.
He followed that by netting 21 in a loss to Carbondale in the
championship game. The freshman added
20 more points in a very competitive loss to 4A Wallenpaupack, 51-47. DISTRICT 2 BOYS HOLIDAY TOURNEY RECAPS First
off, in what may be the true granddaddy of all local tourneys, the Lynett Memorial took place at
the Lackawanna College Student Union Building. Many still affectionately refer to this
venue as the Scranton CYC. Fans were
pleased to see the completion of the next phase in the historical building’s
renovation. The second floor gymnasium
(a throwback to terrific facilities like Rockne Hall in Allentown and St.
Joseph’s gym in Hazleton) features updated lighting, new bleacher seating and
freshly painted surroundings. It
really was a wonderful place to watch a game.
Dunmore advanced to the
title game by employing a tenacious defense to defeat Scranton Prep 43-40. Their
opponent, Holy Cross, defeated Scranton in the other semi-final (70-61)
as Eric O’Hora netted 18. In the
championship game, the Bucks played with great intensity and fought hard to
hold off a Holy Cross 19-10 rally to regain control after three periods. Jake
Rowland and Pat Ross each
scored 18 points in the 71-67 win. The
Crusaders were paced by Brett Podhyski
(19 points) and Eric O’Hora (17
points). In the consolation game, Bilal Floyd scorched the nets by
hitting 8 treys (32 points) and leading Scranton to a 67-57 win over Scranton
Prep. Prep was led by Leo Walsh with 18 points, but the
Cavaliers got outscored in the first and third stanzas by a margin of 42-22. At
the Pete Turonis Tourney
held at Mid Valley, Carbondale rallied
from a 7-point second period deficit to defeat Lakeland in the championship matchup 61-53 as Dylan Cerra scored 19 and Michael Jordan added 18 for the
Chargers. Cerra also had 17 for
Carbondale in their 57-43 first round win over Valley View. Lakeland, one
of the more youthful teams this season, continues to battle and impress. Kyle
Kiehart had 21 points for the Chiefs (he also had 22 points in a 53-47
semi-final win over Mid Valley). In the consy, Mid Valley edged Valley View
55-51. In
the Robert McGrane Tourney
held at the Wilkes-Barre CYC, Holy
Redeemer advanced despite some big foul troubles for big man Peter Alexis (11 points). Austin
Carr picked up the slack by scoring 17 points in their 62-42 win over Pittston (Dwight Houseman had 17 for the Patriots). Hanover
also advanced with a 45-34 win over Lake-Lehman
as Nate Jendrzeiewski scored 19.
In the title game, Peter Alexis notched his first triple-double with
23 points, 13 rebounds and 11 blocks to roll over Hanover 64-40. Pittston rebounded to defeat Lake-Lehman in
the consolation 55-42 as Houseman netted 12 and Kendrik Wiggins had 13.
At
the Honesdale Jaycees Tourney,
District 11 member school Nazareth got
off to quick starts in their semi-final win over Wallenpaupack (61-48) and in their championship win over Western Wayne (73-30). Western Wayne got 23 points from Nick Baldo (23 points) in their 56-55
semi-final win over Honesdale (Nick Joyal had 21 for the
Hornets). Honesdale dropped another
close game, 51-47, to Paupack in the consolation. The Buckhorns rallied from a 5-point
halftime deficit in that game as Isiah
Slutter scored 17 and Pat Kilduff
had 16. At
the Taylor Lions event, Jerry Kincel nailed 39 points to lead
host Riverside to a 58-31
semi-final win over MMI Prep. In the other semi, Tom Horan scored 15 and West
Scranton pulled away in the second half for a 59-37 win over Tunkhannock. In the championship game, it was the tale
of two halves as West Scranton nearly erased a huge 42-14 deficit early in
the third period. The Invaders went on
a 30-4 tear to trim the lead to a mere two points (46-44) with three minutes
remaining, but the Vikes held on for the 52-51 victory. In the consolation game, Tunkhannock got 19
from Mike Papi and 14 from Ryan McCarthy to defeat MMI Prep
57-37. At
the Munley Tourney at
Crestwood, the Comets got 16 points from Mike
Abramcheck to get by Hope Charter
68-32. In the title game, Crestwood faced National Christian Academy who brought a front line of 6-5, 6-6,
and 7-3 players. However, the home
team used terrific defense, great ball movement, and torrid shooting to
defeat NCA 62-52. Abramcheck had
another great game scoring 17 and Eric
Jeskiewicz had 7 treys (21 points).
In the consolation game, Wilkes-Barre
GAR got 16 from Darian Twyman and
defeated Hope charter, 68-48.
In
other tourneys, the Hazleton Cougar
Classic again went to the home team, as Hazleton stormed out to a
27-6 lead after the first period to defeat Pleasant Valley in the semi-finals
78-39. The Cougars then burst out from
a 1-point deficit after three periods in the title game to outscore Council
Rock South 29-9 in the final period and post a 66-47 win (Paris Cleveland netted 26). One local team that competed in two holiday
tourneys, Western Wayne, also participated in the Forest City Rotary Tourney and came away with their first
title in seven years with a 48-38 win over Forest City (Joe Caruso netted 21 for the Foresters in the loss). At the Holiday
Tournament held at Abington Heights, the host Comets bolted out to a
33-5 lead after one quarter and defeated Nanticoke, 74-29. They then took a 16-point halftime lead
over undefeated Wilkes-Barre Coughlin and logged a 63-37 win over the
Crusaders (Ross Danzig scored 22
in the victory). At the Delaware Valley Tourney, Brandon Sheldon scored 18 to lead the
Warriors to a 49-37 win over Port Jervis (NY). In the championship game, Del Val got 20
points from Brandon Angradi but
East Stroudsburg North converted a last second shot for a 52-50 win. At the Ang
Schifano Tourney held at Wyoming Area, Dallas got by Old Forge
in the semi-finals 62-51 despite the Blue Devils getting 29 from Tony Goodall. The Mountaineers kept their momentum by
defeating Northwest in the title game 42-41 as Hunter Englehart scored 18.
At the River Tourney
played at Shikellamy, Berwick got a 2-game total of 25 points from Eric Scheich, but the Bulldogs
dropped games to Selinsgrove (61-52) and Shikellamy (38-36). CD East rolled over Selinsgrove in the
title game, 67-31. At the Susquehanna County Tourney played
at Blue Ridge, Montrose got 17
from Bill Stanburg and pulled away
in the second half for a 55-37 win over Blue Ridge. In the consy, Mark Bush netted 19 and Steve
Rezykowski 18 for Elk Lake in their 44-31 win over Susquehanna. Finally, at the Williamsport Holiday Tourney, the young Millionaires
dropped a semi-final game to a taller West Tech squad, 54-41. In the consolation, Bethlehem Liberty
forced 11 first period turnovers and grabbed a 19-4 lead on their way to a
61-40 win over Port. DISTRICT
2 BOYS EXHIBITION RECORDS WYOMING VALLEY
CONFERENCE DIVISION 1 Crestwood (8-0) Hazleton Area (6-2) Pittston (5-3) Tunkhannock (5-4) Wyoming Valley West (2-6) DIVISION 2 Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (8-1) Holy Redeemer (7-1) Dallas (4-3) Berwick (2-6) Wyoming Area (0-8) DIVISION 3 Hanover (5-4) Wilkes-Barre GAR (5-4) Wilkes-Barre Meyers (4-5) Lake-Lehman (2-6) Nanticoke (1-8) DIVISION 4 Northwest (3-4) Wyoming Seminary (1-4) West Side Tech (1-4) MMI Prep (1-6) St. Michaels (0-1) LACKAWANNA LEAGUE DIVISION 1 Abington Heights (8-0) Scranton Prep (5-2) West Scranton (5-2) North Pocono (4-2) Scranton (5-3) Honesdale (5-3) Delaware Valley (3-3) Wallenpaupack (3-5) DIVISION 2 Carbondale (7-1) Dunmore (5-3) Old Forge (5-3) Holy Cross (4-3) Mid Valley (4-4) Riverside (3-6) Lakeland (1-6) Valley View (0-7) DIVISION 3 Montrose (7-1) Lackawanna Trail (4-3) Blue Ridge (3-4) Susquehanna (2-4) Elk Lake (2-5) Forest City (2-5) Western Wayne (1-4) Mountain View (1-5) DISTRICT 2
BOYS PREVIEWS WYOMING
VALLEY CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1
After
several seasons featuring nail-biting division races between Hazleton Area
and Crestwood, it appears that the Cougars are heading into league play as
the team to beat this year. But, that
is not to say that one of the best rivalries in the WVC has lost any of its
luster, because when those two teams get together anything can happen. Heading into this season Mike Joseph knew
that he had some holes to fill in the Hazleton
lineup, losing key contributors Dan Maguschak and Joe Madochick. But, an experienced core returns enabling
him to reload, and likely reach even loftier heights this season. Christian
Laputka is their floor general and he runs their offense to perfection
with excellent passes. One of the most
athletic players in the entire district is 6-2 forward Paris Cleveland. He has a
nice long-range shot and has developed into a top rebounder. Adam
Davis is a definite threat from 3-point land and can get into a shooting
zone from time to time. Another
versatile player that seems to be all over the court is 6-1 junior Dwaine Gilley, someone that plays
much taller under the basket. Inside,
6-5 center Eric Radishofski has
been solid and may provide a more powerful inside game as the schedule
progresses. Finally, DJ Meyers is another guard that can
roam all over the perimeter and has been shooting very well. Seven of the top players on Hazleton are
seniors, so there is some urgency for this group to establish another
championship chapter in the Cougar book.
A team that is facing a more challenging rebuild is Crestwood. The Comets had one of the most balanced,
deepest lineups in the league last season, losing their all-everything
playmaker Adam Fazzini to graduation (along with Popowcyz, Bogumil, and
Harowicz). But, the cupboard is far
from bare. A characteristic of any
Mark Atherton coached team is excellent ball-handling skills, great ball
movement, and smothering defense. And
this year is no different as seniors Chris
Vega, Mike Abramcheck, and John Lasko all saw lots of playing
time last year. Also getting into
their lineup will be senior Eric
Jesikiewicz. The Comets do not
have much height, but are an aggressive team that makes up for it with
outright hustle. The rest of the
division may not be expected to contend for the title, but will definitely be
very competitive, especially on their home floor. Look for Tunkhannock to bounce back from a rather disappointing finish to
last season. The Tigers are one of
those teams that have the skill players in place, but they need to gain
confidence and head into games expecting to win. So far they still have some work to
do. They have an experienced backcourt
in Mike Papi (6-3 junior) and Kyle Cavany (5-8 senior) and some
height inside with Mike Callum
(6-4 senior) and Ryan McCarthy
(6-3 senior). Wyoming Valley West got hit hard by graduation losing key scorers
Jack Crossin and Ali Muhammed.
However, their sensational sophomore Eugene Lewis returns and becomes the leader on a youthful Spartan
squad. Lewis can really light up the
scoreboard. Perhaps the surprise team
in Division 1 this year might be Pittston. The Patriots were expected by many
observers to have a breakout season in 2008-09, but a variety of problems
sent them to a disappointing .500 record.
New head coach Alan Keisinger does have a nice blend of inside height
and perimeter scoring to build upon.
Senior 6-3 forwards Dwight
Houseman and Kendric Wiggins
have been hitting in double digits, along with outside shooter Pat Callahan (5-9 senior). DIVISION 2Holy Redeemer is battle-tested after a
challenging exhibition schedule that matched them against some of the better
teams in the district. The Royals
admittedly have a dominant inside game featuring Penn State verbal commitment
Peter Alexis (6-11 junior). But, 6-5 senior Mike Zurek and 6-2 junior John
McCarthy also play very well around the basket. While they do have a deep lineup in the
backcourt, they lack proven scoring and experience. That will take some time. Zack
Ell (6-0 senior) and Austin Carr
(6-0 junior) will be called upon. HR
has gotten a boost off the bench from Steve
Ruch. Expectations are high and
the pieces are there to develop into one of those classic Mark Belenski championship
teams. Trailing behind (but much
closer than most might think) is another exciting edition of Wilkes-Barre Coughlin. The Crusaders achieved a division title
last season, despite the same pessimistic claims that they were not tall
enough to play even with Holy Redeemer.
Good thing they do not listen to the so-called experts. Their sensational senior floor leader is Joe Caffrey, one of the top players
in the entire conference. He is joined by 5-11 senior Brett Warren and some key role
players that possess the ability of playing taller than they really are. Coughlin gets up and down the floor very
well, always a trademark of a Joe Caffrey coached team. They will definitely be a factor in the
Division 2 race. Dallas is a team that lost some key players from last year
(including versatile playmaker Henry Messinger). However, the Mountaineers likely have the
talent to reach into the middle of the division. Early on this year, 6-3 senior Hunter Englehart has been playing
very well. Berwick and Wyoming Area
will be looking to take the season one game at a time and work toward
developing some leadership and team chemistry. It might sound cliche, but expect their
coaching staffs to work hard on developing a positive work ethic and aim
toward being competitive. Good things
will come and look for both of these teams to achieve an upset or two during
the season. The Warriors return 5-10
junior guard Ryan Carey. DIVISION 3The theme
in Division 3 is for teams to work their lineups and try to get some
consistency going. There is no
run-away team at the start of this race.
Wilkes-Barre Meyers, a
squad that certainly had their share of injuries last season, will look to a
trio of players to make things happen.
NaQuan Spicer (6-1 senior),
Najhee Brown (5-10 junior), and Keyton Winder (6-4 junior) lead the
way for head coach Pat Toole. The main
challengers to the Mohawks will be GAR and Hanover. GAR has an entirely new lineup on the
court, but the Grenadiers do have an interesting mix of athleticism and
inside force. Around the perimeter Darrell Crawford (5-8 sophomore), Shaliek Powell (6-1 sophomore) and
Nanticoke transfer Darian Twyman
(6-1 senior) will see most of the playing time, along with big men Joe Oldziejewski (6-3 senior) and Chris Skrepenak (6-8 freshman). Coach Paul Brown will have to be patient
with this group of Grenadiers as developing consistency will take some
time. But, GAR can definitely
challenge for the top spot. Early
sloppiness will equal losses. Hanover is expecting to have a much
improved team this year and should have a very competent interior game with Nate Jendrzejewski (6-6 senior) and Pat O’Donnell (6-5 senior). Mike
Balas (5-9 senior) returns to run the offense. The Hawks may need some time to get their
offense in gear, but it would not be a surprise to see them challenge for the
division. Nanticoke always seems to find great team cohesion, but losing
their outstanding point guard Sean Bieski will make it especially difficult
for Ken Bartuska early on. But if the
Trojans can develop a perimeter game, it will definitely take some of the
pressure off their talented big man, 6-7 Cael
Evans. Over at Lake-Lehman, there is cautious
optimism that their program will continue to move in a positive
direction. The Black Knights do have
some height, but also have some holes to fill in the backcourt. DIVISION 4 Northwest is expected to battle Wyoming Seminary for the Division 4
title. The Rangers have some terrific
athletes and appear to have their edge in the middle. Steve
Merth (6-3 senior), Tom Noss
(6-4 senior), and Anthony Swain
(6-4 senior) will be tough, with Merth being one of the best all-around
athletes in the league. Junior Bret Rutkoski will provide some
outside scoring. If the Rangers
stumble, Wyoming Seminary will be
close behind. The Blue Knights have a
nice lineup with some experience, but is a bit weak in the paint. MMI
Prep, fresh off one of their most successful seasons in recent memory,
looks to keep their momentum going.
But, replacing top scorers Tyler Breznitsky and Justin Yakubowski will
not be easy. The Preppers do have a
good backcourt in Connor McNeils
(6-0 senior) and Ryan Forte (6-0
junior) and a key forward in Fran
Swankoski (6-1 junior), but do not have much height. They will look for improvement in the
second half of the season. West Side Tech must replace a
majority of scoring from last year, but they do bring a competent perimeter
game in the season (Justin Marinos
5-10 senior returns). Like MMI, they
will also have trouble rebounding against some of the taller teams. St.
Michaels, a private boys school located in Tunkhannock, typically
features a lineup that changes often and lacks the ability to develop any
sort of consistency. LACKAWANNA
LEAGUE DIVISION 1Wow, this
is going to be a fun year in Division 1.
Well, fun to cover games from the seats that is, maybe not from the
coaches perspective on the bench.
There are no clear cut favorites and no gimmee games. To add to the drama, the closest race seen
in years involves the city schools (Scranton, Scranton Prep, and West
Scranton) plus Abington Heights. The
proximity of these schools to each other virtually guarantees huge, spirited
crowds. That is definitely an
intangible that adds excitement for the players and fans. Based on their early season dominance
against some of the best competition in the entire area, Abington Heights gets the nod in this race. The Comets return only two starters, but
they are solid ones. Talented
playmaker Ross Danzig returns
along with guard Ryan Vassil. Danzig has shown significant maturity to
his game this season. He sees the
entire floor and has developed a very accurate shot. Senior guard Luke Peterson has shown excellent ball handling skills, a
critical factor in order to put games away in the closing moments. Inside, forward Mike Burke is steady and 6-8 center Nate Basalyga returns to the lineup following an injury last
season. The Comets are led by one of
the best coaches in the entire district in Ken Bianchi. He is adept at developing teams that runs
their sets to perfection and plays lights out defense. West
Scranton returns a majority of their scoring punch from last year in
guards Tyler Hughes and Ethan Dunn, along with forward Tom Horan. The Invaders surprised many fans last year
with their tremendous cohesion, but were a bit inconsistent, going hot to
cold from game to game. No question
that West will be right in the title chase and will be a formidable foe
inside their pint size gym on Luzerne Street.
Get there early for games this year.
Scranton High features some
terrific scorers and also has some inside toughness. Super sophomore guard Terry Turner is possibly the most athletic player in the entire
league and is complemented by guard Bilal
Floyd, a really streaky shooter.
Inside, Ian Redetsky is a
strong rebounder giving the Knights a very balanced lineup. A few blocks away, Scranton Prep brings a deep lineup of talented guards onto the
floor, led by seniors Adam Schroth
and Leo Walsh. Elsewhere, possibly just a few wins below
the top division contenders is the other group of evenly matched teams
(Honesdale, Delaware Valley, Wallenpaupack, and North Pocono). Honesdale,
a few years removed from their memorable 23-win campaign, definitely has the
lineup capable of pulling off a few upsets, especially at their home, the Red
Palace. First year head coach Tim Wood
takes over for longtime coach Ron Rowe.
Junior guard Wade West is a
quick, athletic player. The Hornets
also feature 6-5 senior Nick Joyal,
a terrific low post player. Other key
players include Ben Krempasky and
Landon Roberts. Delaware
Valley returns senior guard Justin
Fowler and forward Brendon Sheldon. North
Pocono breaks in their new digs and welcomes back Celeb Hicks and Frank
DePietro. And Wallenpaupack also returns two starters in junior guard Isaiah Slutter and forward Pat Kiduff. The Buckhorns always bring a strong
effort onto the court. DIVISION 2Division 2
will likewise feature a strong lineup of teams battling for the
championship. At the top of the
preseason picks is Holy Cross. Although the Crusaders did lose their top inside
player, they anticipate that senior forward Pat Purcell will be able to pick up the slack. Plus, they have a quartet of fine guards
that have tons of on court experience, including Louis Cipriano, Brett
Podhyski, JJ Gaughan, and Eric O’Hora. The Crusaders play excellent defense, but
must get balanced scoring in order to stay at the top. Dunmore,
who did defeat Holy Cross in a league game last year, returns 3 talented
guards in Mike Ehnot, Pat Ross, and Jake Rowland. Brian Copeland also returns in the
middle. The Bucks definitely have the
pieces in place to make a serious run at the division title. One of the most improved teams early on is Carbondale. The Chargers also return four starters and
are paced by their top senior guards, Michael
Jordan and Dylan Cerra. There is definitely renewed excitement in
that tradition filled basketball community.
Riverside is expected to be
in the race and will likely pull off an upset or two during the season. The Vikings returns several starters including
Jerry Reilly (6-3 senior), Corey Talerico (5-11 junior guard), Tommy Armillay (6-2 junior guard),
and Jerry Kincel (6-2 soph
forward). Although Riverside has been
off to a bit of a slow start to the season, never count out an experienced
Mike Morgan squad. Defense is their
forte. Old Forge returns senior guard Mike Avisato. The Blue
Devils always have good players on their roster. Mid
Valley should be improved over last with several players back. Lakeland
will be looking to gain some confidence and try to secure a few wins. DIVISION 3 Montrose looks to be the solid pick in
Division 3. The Meteors typically play
a tenacious defensive scheme, something they pride themselves on, even though
it often does not fit in with the reputation of high-flying offenses often
seen in Division 3 games. They bring
back three starters in Alan Charles,
Rob Volk and Jeff Liddick. Lackawanna Trail will look to light
up the scoreboard with returning leading scorer Bobby Pacholec along with Sean
Fricke, Tanner Holmes and Jake Bedford. They should be right in the race,
especially if sophomore big man Steve
Miller develops quickly. Mountain View is also expecting to be
in the thick of the race with their top guards all back (Jon McBride, Luke Walker, and Peter Hartman). Elk
Lake, coming off their terrific season a year ago, should find a spot in
the middle of the division. The
Warriors have guards Steven Rezykowski
and Joe Woolcock back, along with
forward Mark Bush. Western
Wayne should be close to having a breakout season. Sean
Sheridan is a real team leader. Dustin Brooks gets the job done all
over the court. And Kevin Botjer is their experienced
point guard. It should be an exciting
season at the Varden Garden. Blue Ridge returns center Jared Conklin and guard Marvin Green. The Raiders should be competitive in the
division. Susquehanna returns forward Brandon
Stone and Forest City has been
getting impressive scoring from Joe
Caruso (6-0 junior), but both teams have some big holes to fill in their
roster. GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL
GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS
BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL THIS WEEK’S DISTRICT 2 GIRLS TOP 10 (games through 1/2) 1. Hazleton (6-2) 4A 2. Holy Redeemer (4-2) 3A 3. Abington Heights (6-2) 3A 4. Wyoming Valley West (7-1) 4A 5. Old Forge (7-0) 1A 6. Crestwood (6-0) 3A 7. Scranton (4-4) 4A 8. Honesdale (6-2) 3A 9. Mid Valley (5-2) 2A 10. Holy Cross (6-1) 2A OTHERS TO WATCH Berwick (6-2), Dallas (3-3), Delaware Valley (4-2), Dunmore (4-4), Forest City (3-4), Lake-Lehman (6-2), Montrose (4-3), Pittston (5-2), Riverside (5-3), Tunkhannock (6-1), West Scranton (5-2), Williamsport (4-5), Wyoming Area (6-3) UPCOMING DISTRICT 2 TOP GIRLS GAMES WEDNESDAY,
1/6 Scranton Prep at Honesdale (LL Div. 1) Abington Heights at Delaware Valley (LL Div. 1) Mid Valley at Holy Cross (LL Div. 2) Carbondale at Valley View (LL Div. 2) Dunmore at Old Forge (LL Div. 2) Western Wayne at Forest City (LL Div. 3) Blue Ridge at Mountain View (LL Div. 3) THURSDAY,
1/7 Tunkhannock at Hazleton (WVC Div. 1) Wyoming Valley West at Crestwood (WVC Div. 1) Berwick at Pittston (WVC Div. 1/2 crossover) Holy Redeemer at Wyoming Area (WVC Div. 2) FRIDAY, 1/8 Honesdale at Abington Heights (LL Div. 1) Valley View at Dunmore (LL Div. 2) Holy Cross at Riverside (LL Div. 2) Old Forge at Mid Valley (LL Div. 2) Forest City at Lackawanna Trail (LL Div. 3) Montrose at Blue Ridge (LL Div. 3) SATURDAY,
1/9 Hazleton at Tamaqua (non-league) Allentown Central Catholic at Holy Redeemer (non-league) Bellefonte at Williamsport MONDAY,
1/11 Pittston at Hazleton (WVC Div. 1) Crestwood at Tunkhannock (WVC Div. 1) Wyoming Area at Wyoming Valley West (WVC Div. 1/2 crossover) Dallas at Holy Redeemer (WVC Div. 2) Nanticoke at Hanover (WVC Div. 3) Abington Heights at Scranton Prep (LL Div. 1) Honesdale at Scranton (LL Div. 1) Mid Valley at Riverside (LL Div. 2) Holy Cross at Dunmore (LL Div. 2) Old Forge at Carbondale (LL Div. 2) Montrose at Western Wayne (LL Div. 3) Lackawanna Trail at Blue Ridge (LL Div. 3) Milton at Williamsport DISTRICT 2 GIRLS NON-LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS Abington
Heights visited Wyoming Valley West in a matchup of top District 2 girls
teams. The Lady Comets were up by as
many as 16 points before leading 42-30 after three periods. The Lady Spartans rallied behind Sami Himlin (20 points) and Any Aguilar (15) to take the lead
late in the game. Mariah Deibert (15 points) tied the game for Abington in the
final 10 seconds forcing overtime. AH
prevailed for a 67-61 win as Maggie
Fruehan netted 17 and Sam Paolucci
added 14. Both teams shot extremely
well from the free throw line converting 30 of 36 attempts. Hazleton hosted Williamsport in a matchup
of 4A contenders. The Lady
Millionaires rallied in the final period, trimming a 55-40 deficit to 4
points (61-57) with a half-minute remaining.
However, as they have done already this season, the Lady Cougars
regrouped and held on for a big win (65-61).
Brianna Dudeck scored 24
for Hazleton. Derek Slaughter, the
coach for Williamsport, has got to be thrilled at the inside-outside
production of Rachel Fatherly (who
netted 23) and Alicia Ross (21
with 4 treys). Scranton
held the Riverside post players in check and got a 39-25 win over the Lady
Vikes. Kayla Bailey scored 12 for the Lady Knights who were without the
scoring of Emily Baldacci (illness).
Holy Redeemer bumped into a powerful Trinity team that dominated the
middle periods (34-18) on their way to a 50-35 win over the Lady Royals. Ashley
Beltz-White netted 21 for the Shamrocks (6-1) and Monica Wignot scored 11 for Holy Redeemer. Berwick got 16 points from Olivia Rupp to defeat Nanticoke 48-40
(Jen Harnischfeger netted 23 for the
Trojanettes). East Stroudsburg South
got 20 points from Carly Gallagher
to defeat Honesdale 48-35. The Lady
Hornets led in that game, 20-19 at halftime as Marisa Gillik scored 17 points.
Dallas split a pair of games, defeating Wilkes-Barre GAR 56-26, but
losing to Marian Catholic 40-27. LLHOOPS.COM GIRLS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Charlcie Brink (5-5 senior) helped
guide Western Wayne to the
championship of the Honesdale Jaycees Tournament. Charlcie scored 28 points in a 61-57 win
over Forest City and then added 19 more in the championship 48-41 overtime
win over Honesdale. Sami Himlin (6-1 senior) helped Wyoming Valley West win the North
Pocono Christmas Tournament. She
scored 17 points in an opening round 45-39 win over North Pocono. Sami then contributed 20 points in a big
win over Pocono Mountain East, 54-34.
The senior center then added 20 more points, but her Lady Spartans
rally came up a bit short in an overtime
67-61 loss to Abington Heights on Saturday afternoon. DISTRICT 2 GIRLS HOLIDAY TOURNEY RECAPS At
the Lynett Memorial Tourney,
several of the top Lackawanna League teams got together for a terrific round
of games at the Lackawanna Collage Student Union Building. Vince
Bucciarelli, long-time head coach at Abington
Heights got win number 500 in a semi-final win over Scranton Prep, 39-25. In
the other semi, Scranton rallied
from an 8-point deficit after three periods to defeat Dunmore 63-61 as Sara
Corbett scored 16 and Emily
Baldacci netted 21. In the
championship game, Scranton again stormed back from a third quarter deficit
(down 46-34) to trim the gap to a single bucket late, but Abington Heights
converted some big free throws to preserve a 68-64 win. The Lady Comets got great efforts inside
from Maggie Fruehan (14 points) and
Jamie Montella (16 points) while Sam Paolucci added 19 points and
grabbed 9 rebounds. The Lady Knights
got another phenomenal game from Baldacci (24) and Corbett (20). In the consolation game, Scranton Prep got
their second win of the season, both coming against Dunmore, 38-36. Ashley
Murray scored 16 for the Lady Bucks.
At
the Lou Camoni Tournament
played at Valley View, Valley View
outscored Carbondale 28-14 in the
middle periods and notched a 53-49 semi-final win over the Chargerettes (Rachel Kobesky netted 18 for the
Cougars). Mid Valley got 19 from Allison
Walsh to defeat Lakeland 53-29
in the other semi. Ruth Butts had 16 for the Lady
Chiefs. In the championship Valley
View secured the game by rallying from a 13-8 halftime deficit to log a 35-30
win over the Spartanettes (Mid Valley only converted 6 of 15 free
throws). Carbondale took a 20-7 lead
after the first period and gained a 36-27 consolation victory over Lakeland. At
the North Pocono Christmas
Tournament, Sami Himlin
netted 17 to lead Wyoming Valley West
to a 45-39 win over North Pocono. In the other semi, Holy Cross could not contain Agatha
Drodz who scored 26 for Pocono
Mountain East in their 50-40 win over the Lady Crusaders. In the title game, WVW jumped out to a 27-8
halftime lead and got 20 from Himlin in a 54-34 win over PM-East. Holy Cross rebounded to edge North Pocono
53-51 in the consy as Mary Grace Sempa
scored 22 and Julie Kosin added
19. At
the Taylor Lions Tourney, West Scranton outscored Nanticoke 9-0 in the second period
and posted a 31-27 semi-final win. Riverside defeated Montrose 50-36 in the other
matchup. In the title game, the Lady
Invaders played terrific defense on Angela
Dente and Morgann Haduck to
defeat the Lady Vikes, 38-24. Sabrina Coleman scored 11 and pulled
down 14 boards while Nora Joyce
netted 11. In the consy, Jen Harnischfeger scored 29 to lead
the Trojanettes over Lady Meteors 54-45 (Dallas
Ely had 17 for Montrose). The
Honesdale Jaycees Tourney
had a solid group of teams participating this year. Western
Wayne got 28 points from Charlcie
Brink to edge Forest City
61-57 in the first game (Katie Yale
had 20 for the Lady Foresters). In the
other semi, Anne Albers had 8
treys (28 points) to lead Honesdale
to a 50-46 overtime win over Wallenpaupack. In the championship matchup, Western Wayne
needed overtime to get by the Lady Hornets, 48-41 as Brink scored 19 and Courtney Kromko added 16. Forest City again got 20 from Katie Yale to defeat Wallenpaupack in
the consy 53-45 (Jerica Rade had
29 for the Lady Buckhorns). Crestwood continues to play well
and gained honors in the Munley
Tourney. The Lady Comets got
23 from Chelsea Cornelius (6
treys) to defeat Hanover in the
semis (42-36). They played Lake-Lehman who got 22 points from Selena Adamshick in a 44-33 win over Coughlin. In the championship game, Crestwood took a
15-4 advantage in the third period and got 20 points from Carissa Gegaris for a 49-43 win over
Lake-Lehman (Adamshick netted 16). Kacee Rava had 15 in a consy win over
Hanover Out
in the western part of the state, Hazleton
got won the Punxsutawney Tournament. First, the Lady Cougars found themselves
trailing 25-16 at halftime to William
Tennant but rallied for a 52-43 win as Nicole Lisnock scored 18 and grabbed 13 caroms to offset 21 from Ashley Alden from WT. In the championship game Lisnock scored 17
and Brianna Dudeck added 19 to
lead Hazleton to a 55-39 win over District 6 AA Westmont Hilltop (3-4). In
other tourney action, Delaware
Valley captured their event as Meagan
Boccio netted 18 in a title 46-31 win over Kittatinny (NJ). In the Pittston
Tourney, Old Forge got 14 from Aleca
Semenza to advance to the title game with a 31-22 win over Meyers. The Blue Devils got another 11 from Semenza
and 13 from Chris Belko to edge
Pittston in the championship game, 44-30.
Kim Kaville did not play
for Old Forge due to a knee injury suffered.
Lauren Smicherko scored 19
for the Lady Patriots (she also netted 22 in their semi win over Wyoming
Area). Berwick captured the title of
the Judy Knorr Holiday
event with wins over Central Columbia (50-29) and East Pennsboro (47-42) as
the Lady Bulldogs rallied from a 22-15 halftime deficit. Megan
Nastelli scored a 2-game total of 30 points. At the Susquehanna
County Tournament, Mountain View got 20 points and 17 rebounds from Kayla Kazmierski in a 58-35 title win
over Elk Lake. Karley Caines scored 20 points for Elk Lake in their semi win
over Blue Ridge. Northwest captured
the Benton Tourney with
wins over Sullivan County (55-28, as Sam
Matchat scored 24) and over Benton (43-33, as Alivia Womelsdorf netted 18).
At the Montoursville Tourney,
Williamsport used their significant height advantage to defeat Loyalsock in
the semis 54-35 as Rachel Fatherly
netted 28 and brought down 17 rebounds.
The Lady Millionaires did not fare as well in the title game, dropping
a 51-24 loss to Nazareth. DISTRICT 2 GIRLS EXHIBITION RECORDS WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1 Wyoming Valley West (7-1) Crestwood (6-0) Tunkhannock (6-1) Hazleton Area (6-2) Pittston (5-2) DIVISION 2 Berwick (6-2) Holy Redeemer (4-2) Wyoming Area (6-3) Dallas (3-3) Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (3-6) DIVISION 3 Lake-Lehman (6-2) Nanticoke (4-5) Hanover (2-6) Wilkes-Barre Meyers (2-6) Wilkes-Barre GAR (1-7) DIVISION 4 Northwest (3-6) Wyoming Seminary (1-5) MMI Prep (0-7)
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 Honesdale (6-2) Abington Heights (6-2) West Scranton (5-2) Delaware Valley (4-2) Scranton (4-4) Wallenpaupack (3-4) Scranton Prep (2-5) North Pocono (1-5) DIVISION 2 Old Forge (7-0) Holy Cross (6-1) Mid Valley (5-2) Riverside (5-3) Carbondale (4-3) Dunmore (4-4) Valley View (3-5) Lakeland (1-7) DIVISION 3 Montrose (4-3) Blue Ridge (3-4) Forest City (3-4) Mountain View (3-5) Western Wayne (3-5) Lackawanna Trail (2-4) Elk Lake (2-4) Susquehanna (0-5) DISTRICT 2 GIRLS PREVIEWS WYOMING VALLEY
CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1Division 1
of the WVC looks to be one of the most balanced, competitive races seen in
many years. For Wyoming Valley West, that means having a genuine opportunity to
finally gain division honors over longtime rival Hazleton Area. But, as they have seen in previous seasons,
being competitive with the 7-time defending champs is definitely not the same
as getting over that elusive hurdle.
The Lady Spartans have a solid inside-outside combo that will give
other teams fits on defense. Sami Himlin (6-2 senior center) is a
versatile playmaker and a true leader on the court. Helping out on the perimeter are
sharp-shooting guards Amy Aguilar
and Nina Liguori. Early on, Curt Lloyd has to be pleased with
the play of sophomore forward Tara Zdancewicz. But, once again, the early nod goes to Hazleton Area, mostly because of
their athleticism shown to this point.
The Lady Cougars were hit hard by graduation, but Joe Gavio seems to
be able to reload his team each year, a real asset to the depth on this Lady
Cougar program. The nucleus begins
with their gutsy senior guard Brianna
Dudeck, who is amazing all over the court. Kayla
Mantush is a good shooter who gives them excellent rebounding. Other contributions will come from Nicole Lisnock and Michelle Vowler. One big loss for the season is the ACL
injury to Melanie Palko, one of
the best pure shooters in the entire league. Take her out of the
equation and the race with WVW becomes all that tighter. Hazleton may have problems matching up with
the height on WVW. Crestwood comes into their season
with a ton of floor experience and will definitely be a factor in the
division. The Lady Comets have a duo
of excellent players in Chelsea
Cornelius and Carissa
Gegaris. Pittston Area comes into
the division with their terrific shooting guard, 5-5 senior Lauren Smicherko (a 1,000 point
scorer) and gets solid inside help from 6-3 senior Katelyn Kovaleski. The Lady
Patriots could definitely pull off an upset or two, especially on their home
court. Despite a pretty tall
rebuilding task, Tunkhannock comes
into the season with a lot of optimism.
The Lady Tigers have some players that are showing promise and just
need some court time to bring it all together. They have already come within a win of
their entire season win total from last year. DIVISION 2 Holy Redeemer is the overwhelming selection to
bring home Division 2 honors this season.
The Royals feature 6-2 senior playmaker Monica Wignot, a sensational all-state selection that can play
every position, up and down the court.
Their senior guards (Laura
Casey and Christina Flaherty)
are superb shooters. Rich Nemetz
utilizes his team speed to create numerous turnovers through swarming full
court pressure. Dallas appears to have the pieces in
place to distance themselves from the rest of the division. Junior Sarah Kneal runs the point along with
Jamie Ratkowski. Inside, Katie Darling (6-1 junior center) is developing nicely. Berwick
lost their all-everything guard Katlin Michaels to graduation, but the
Lady Bulldogs do return Megan Nastelli,
a top scorer. Wyoming Area has a pair of talented juniors who are helping Mike
Judge build toward the future. Katie Scalzo is back to full strength
and Rebecca Zielin gives them
strength inside. Casey Bohan is a multi sport athlete who also adds significantly
to their inside game. Expect the Lady
Warriors to at least match their 8-win total from last year. Wilkes-Barre Coughlin is in a major
rebuilding mode despite returning Kacee
Rava in the paint.
DIVISION 3 Lake-Lehman will be the consensus favorite to
capture the Division 3 title. The
Black Knights have one of the more exiting combinations in 5-10 junior Selena Adamshick and 5-3 sharpshooter
Gaby Alshemski. Adamshick can run the floor extremely well
and returns from a season-ending ACL injury last season. Nanticoke lost some key
starters, but does bring back their talented guards Jen Harnischfeger and Sammi
Gow. If there is a team in the
division that could surprise given some experience, it would be Hanover. The Lady Hawks feature underclassmen
juniors Chelsea Cormier, Raisha Piper,
and Michelle Bugonwicz along with
sophomore Danielle Tuzinski. Meyers
will have an athletic lineup and should get into a groove as the season
progresses. Wilkes-Barre GAR faces an uphill climb, but features a dynamic
playmaker in senior Kenyotta
Richarsdon. DIVISION 4 Wyoming Seminary looks to be the pick in Division 4
with Annie Sjoholm and Lauren Skudalski. Northwest
should be competitive with senior guard Sam Matschat. MMI Prep is young, but having senior
guard Lainie Titus will help. LACKAWANNA
LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 Division 1
of the Lackawanna League features several experienced, solid teams. In fact, on any given night, there is not
much separating the top 5 squads in the race.
The slight edge goes to Abington
Heights who returns two starters (Mariah
Deibert and Jamie Montella)
along with key reserves such as Sam
Paolucci, Maggie Freuhan, Michelle Egan, and Megan Fraley. One of the
most athletic teams in the division is West
Scranton with junior Nora Joyce,
Sabrina Coleman and transfers Shayna Miller and Lashelle Miller. No doubt that the Lady Invaders have
tremendous team speed, but their challenge will be to play under control and
finish off plays. A team that may
surprise some people could be Scranton. The Lady Knights have a nice lineup with Sarah Corbett, Emily Baldacci, Kayla
Gatto, and Kayla Bailey. They also get some terrific contributions
from Foster and McGowan.
Scranton has dropped a bunch of close games the last two years in
which they were in the underdog role.
Perhaps the only thing keeping them from making a legitimate drive for
first place is their own mindset and the ability to make key adjustments
during the game. Scranton Prep returns a solid frontcourt in Megan McDonald and Maeve
Gilhooley and is coached by one of the local greats, Ross Macciocco. The Classics will be right in the
championship hunt. Honesdale appears ready to take a big
leap forward and will definitely have their say in the chase. The Lady Hornets have a terrific perimeter
shooter in Marisa Gillik and a
feisty guard in Annie Albers. Kim
Martin is a good power forward and freshman Mary Martin should see plenty of playing time. Wallenpaupack
returns Annie Vega and North Pocono brings back Christie Bonacci and Jill Perih. Both programs feature proud girls hoops
programs, but will find it difficult to challenge for the division.
DIVISION 2 Division 2
is going to also be a fantastic race to the championship this season. Dunmore
is not about ready to relinquish control of the division without a
fight. The Lady Bucks have talented
guards in Ashley Murray and Alexa Gerchman and Nicole Korgeski anchors the
middle. However, Mid Valley returns their entire lineup and their success starts
with sensational sophomore Danielle
Terranella. Inside, the
Spartanettes features Allison Walsh
and Kaitlin Merenich. The key is whether Terranella can fully
return from a knee injury. Old Forge has a group of seniors who
have a winning attitude. Center Kim
Kaville, Chris Belko, Jess Armillary, and Aleca Semenza lead the way for the
Lady Blue Devils. Riverside will also be in the mix with Angela Dente and Morgan
Haduck. Holy Cross may make a strong move up in the division and has been
getting key contributions from seniors Julie
Kosin and Mary Sempa (freshman
Molly Burke has been impressive). Valley
View has been struggling with top scorer Rebecca Keegan sidelined, but the Lady Cougars have
potential. Again, their success
depends greatly on the playing status of their premier player. Carbondale
is another team that might make a jump in the standings. The Chargerettes have a terrific trio of
seniors in Cassie Cantanzaro, Brittany Mang, and Colleen Walsh. Lakeland
will look for leadership from returning starter Ruth Butts. DIVISION 3 Forest City looks to be the team to beat in
Division 3. The Lady Foresters feature
a trio of juniors (Cassie Erdmann,
Katie Yale, Kiersten Collins) plus senior Amanda Collins.
Challenging Forest City will be Montrose
who returns Dallas Ely, Kaitlyn Spellman, and Alex Lewis, but does not have Julia
Koloski who is focusing her future efforts on track. The Lady Meteors will be a balanced
team. Beyond those two teams, the rest
of the division looks to fairly evenly matched. Blue
Ridge returns four starters highlighted by senior Meghan Ragnard. Western Wayne also has four starters
back featuring Courtney Kromko in
the post and Charlcie (Chuck) Brink as
a top scoring threat. Elk Lake has senior Karley Caines back and Lackawanna Trail has Katie Ross and Courtney Bishop. Susquehanna lost a few key scorers
and might find the going difficult this season. That’s it for this edition of the NEP Beat. See you next time! Question or Comments, email us at LLHoops.NEP-Beat@comcast.net Jon K. |
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