Northeast beat- latest update
Written by: Dell Jackson on November 23, 2017
| 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.
test 4 PLEASE HIT YOUR BROWSER “REFRESH” BUTTON TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE VIEWING THE MOST RECENT UPDATE OF THE N.EAST PA BEAT. Twitter @LLHoopsNEPbeat
UPDATED 3/30/17
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE SENIOR ALL-STAR GAMES
The Wyoming Valley Conference 48th Annual Dr. George P. Moses Senior All-Star games will be played as a doubleheader tomorrow night at Holy Redeemer High School (beginning at 6:30 pm). Rosters for both games are listed below. The game is sponsored by the Citizens Voice newspaper and the Wyoming Valley Athletic Association. Since its beginning in 1969, over $1,000,000 has been raised to help local children with serious illnesses. Finals of the 3-point shooting contest will take place at halftime of each game. For the boys’ it will be Aaron Austin from Wyoming Valley West facing Kyle Richards from Crestwood. And for the girls’ it will be Talia Kosierowski from Holy Redeemer matching up against Kate Snipas from Crestwood.
BOYS
WVC SENIOR ALL-STARS
Team Toole/Atherton vs. Team Kersey/Kiesinger March 31 @ Holy Redeemer High School, 8 pm
ROSTERS
Team Toole/Atherton Team Kersey/Kiesinger
Coach: Pat Toole (Meyers) Coach: C.J. Kersey (Wyoming Seminary) Coach: Mark Atherton (Crestwood) Coach: Alan Kiesinger (Pittston Area)
Lance Blass (Crestwood) Matt Champ (Berwick) Kyle Gegaris (Crestwood) Jude Goddard (Berwick) Noah Jackson (Crestwood) Charles Cobbs (Coughlin) Kyle Richards (Crestwood) Michael Cusatis (Hazleton Area) Ben Donahue (Dallas) Nolan Genasevich (Hazleton Area) Andrew Campbell (GAR) James Kosik (Holy Redeemer) Keyshawn Palmer (GAR) Jason Stachokus (Holy Redeemer) Tyler Diggs (Hanover Area) Cole Spencer (Lake-Lehman) Luis Rivera (Hanover Area) Kyle Williams (MMI Prep) Matt Dessoye (Meyers) Chris Klein (Pittston Area) Ryan Gilgallon (Meyers) Pat Mitchell (Pittston Area) Levaugn Soules (Meyers) Anthony Nardell (Wyoming Area) Luke Butczynski (Nanticoke Area) Tony Saitta (Wyoming Area) Cody Piestrak (Nanticoke Area ) Johnny Kehl (Wyoming Seminary) Mitchell Mazonkey (Northwest) Aaron Austin (Wyoming Valley West) Avery Newhart (Tunkhannock) Sean Judge (Wyoming Valley West)
GIRLS
WVC SENIOR ALL-STARS
Team Healey vs. Team Ferenchick/Lojewski March 31 @ Holy Redeemer High School, 6:30 pm
ROSTERS
Team Healey Team Ferenchick/Lojewski
Coach: Kathy Healey (Pittston Area) Coach: Gary Ferenchick (Wyoming Valley West) Coach: Chad Lojewski (Wyoming Area)
Emily Cicon (Coughlin) Mikayla Davis (Berwick) Claire Curtis (Coughlin Tori Talanca (Berwick) Kate Snipas (Crestwood) Maria Bednar (Dallas) Cierra Taylor (GAR) Maddie Kelley (Dallas) Kendra Pfeil (Hazleton Area) Sara Lojewski (Dallas) Megan Trivelpiece (Hazleton Area) Janelle Cawley (Lake-Lehman) Maya Kornfeld (Holy Redeemer) Kayla Aufiero (Nanticoke Area) Talia Kosierowski (Holy Redeemer) Riley Klepadlo (Nanticoke Area) Randie Kuhar (Holy Redeemer) Alexis Pyzia (Nanticoke Area) Devon Keiper (Meyers) Lydia Edwards (Wyoming Area) Gia Skaff (Meyers) Katie Wolfgang (Wyoming Area) Taryn Ashby (Pittston Area) Colleen Cwalina (Wyoming Valley West) Elli Bartoli (Pittston Area) Erin Gibbons (Wyoming Valley West) Kristen Durling (Pittston Area) Natalie Gruver (Wyoming Valley West) Sydney Faux (Tunkhannock) Gabby Smickerko (Wyoming Valley West) Josie Frisco (Tunkhannock))
UPDATED 3/29/17
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE SENIOR ALL-STAR GAMES
GIRLS
LACKAWANNA SENIOR ALL-STARS
Team MAROON vs. Team ORANGE March 27 @ Forest City Regional High School, 6 pm FINAL: Orange 98, Maroon 95 (OT) MVPs: Abby Anderson (Orange), Erika Bistran (Maroon) Contests: Free Throw (Maddie Martin), 3-Point (Abby Anderson)
ROSTERS
Team Maroon Team Orange
Coach: P. J. Hughes (Scranton) Coach: Errol Mannick (Susquehanna)
Isabella Cosmello (Blue Ridge) Alessia Brunori (Abington Heights) Anna Totsky (Carbondale) Nicole Getz (Abington Heights) Mikenna Walsh (Carbondale) Hannah Gallagher (Delaware Valley) Erika Bistran (Dunmore) Abby Anderson (Holy Cross) Maddie Martin (Dunmore) Brooke Estadt (Lakeland) Justine Johns (Elk Lake) Madison Harding (Lakeland) Keri Jones (Elk Lake) Katie Retzbach (Lakeland) Kendra Bendyk (Forest City) Erica Haefele (Mid Valley) Emily Theobald (Honesdale) Anielly Holt (Mid Valley) Caroline Tuman (Honesdale) Jess Millan (Riverside ) Chloe Pehanick (North Pocono) Lizzy Spindler (Riverside) Kierstyn Breig (Old Forge) Julia Sirotnak (Scranton Prep) Tahliah Dillon (Scranton) Lauren Soden (Susquehanna Community) Ciaira Loyd (Scranton) Taylor Williams (Susquehanna Community) Destiny Jefferson (West Scranton)
BOYS
LACKAWANNA SENIOR ALL-STARS
Team BLUE (Div. 1 and 4) vs. Team RED (Div. 2 and 3) March 28 @ Valley View High School, 7 pm FINAL: Blue 106, Red 102 MVPs: Jeff Morris (Blue), Shane Acoveno (Red) Contests: 3-Point Shooting (Cole Stetzar)
ROSTERS
Team Blue Team Red
Coach: Andrew Kettel (Scranton Prep) Coach: Michael Abda (Mid Valley)
Seth Maxwell (Abington Heights) Giovanni Mustica (Carbondale) Tom Rothenberger (Abington Heights) Shane Acoveno (Delaware Valley) Jeff Morris (Blue Ridge) Trevor Smith (Delaware Valley) Ben Woolcock (Elk Lake) Michael Dougherty (Dunmore) Brendan Buck (Montrose) John Mandaranoi (Dunmore) Matt Lavin (Mountain View) Conor Walsh (Dunmore) James Ildefonso (North Pocono) Matt Nelson (Holy Cross) Nasir Cunningham (Scranton) Malachi Phillips (Holy Cross) Matt Hart (Scranton) Jack Rickard (Honesdale) Paddy Casey (Scranton Prep) RJ Gouldsbury (Mid Valley) Tyler Williams (Susquehanna) Brad Kalinowski (Mid Valley) Shaun Fanning (West Scranton) Noah Tanner (Mid Valley) Cole Stetzar (West Scranton) Ben Grochowski (Old Forge) Matt Williams (West Scranton) Bill Nash (Riverside) Mitch Guerrieri (Wallenpaupack) Luke Pike (Western Wayne) Logan Bailey (Scranton Prep – out) Nick Dende (Scranton Prep – out) Brett Para (Scranton Prep – out)
PIAA SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
BOYS AAAAA
(12-1) Archbishop Wood 68, (2-1) Abington Heights 57 (ends at 25-4) March 21 @ Freedom HS, Bethlehem 7:30 pm
BOYS AAAA
(12-1) Imhotep Charter 60, (2-3) Nanticoke Area 23 (ends at 21-8) March 21 @ Freedom HS, Bethlehem 6 pm
UPDATED 3/21/17
GOOD LUCK TONIGHT TO THE COMETS AND TROJANS !!!
PIAA SEMI-FINALS
BOYS AAAAA
(2-1) Abington Heights (25-3) vs. (12-1) Archbishop Wood (26-3) March 21 @ Freedom HS, Bethlehem 7:30 pm
BOYS AAAA
(2-3) Nanticoke Area (21-7) vs. (12-1) Imhotep Charter (29-2) March 21 @ Freedom HS, Bethlehem 6 pm
UPDATED 3/19/17
PIAA QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
SATURDAY, MARCH 18 GAME
GIRLS AAAAA (12-1) Arch. Wood 61, (2-2) Wyoming Valley West 35 (ends at 22-6)
SUNDAY, MARCH 19 GAMES
BOYS AAAAA (2-1) Abington Heights 65, (1-5) Chester 61 (2OT)
BOYS AAAA (2-3) Greater Nanticoke Area 78, West Philadelphia 62
GIRLS AAA (12-1) Neumann-Goretti 71, (2-1) Holy Redeemer 49 (ends at 23-6)
PIAA SECOND ROUND RESULTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 17 GAMES
BOYS AAAAA (2-1) Abington Heights 65, (12-2) Martin Luther King 60 (2OT)
BOYS AAAA (12-1) Imhotep Charter 81, (2-1) Scranton Prep 52 (ends at 23-4) (2-3) Greater Nanticoke Area 62, (12-2) Conwell-Egan 54
BOYS AAA (12-1) Neumann-Goretti 72, (2-1) Holy Redeemer 27 (ends at 18-9) (1-1) Valley Forge 65, (2-2) Mid Valley 47 (ends at 24-4)
BOYS AA (12-2) Constitution 63, (2-1) Holy Cross 53 (ends at 19-9)
GIRLS AAAA (1-2) Gwynedd Mercy 56, (2-1) Nanticoke Area 33 (ends at 26-2)
GIRLS AAA (2-1) Holy Redeemer 62, (4-1) Mount Carmel 50 (1-1) St. Basil Acasemy 53, (2-2) Dunmore 42 (ends at 24-2)
GIRLS AA (11-2) Mahanoy Area 57, (2-1) Old Forge 24 (ends at 10-17)
GIRLS A (4-1) Lourdes Regional 50, (2-1) Susquehanna 26 (ends at 15-14)
THURSDAY, MARCH 16 GAMES
BOYS AAAAAA (3-2) Hempfield 49, (4-1) Williamsport 45 (ends at 21-5)
GIRLS AAAAA (2-2) Wyoming Valley West 51, (1-1) Springfield Delco 33
GIRLS AAAA (1-1) Lower Moreland 33, (2-2) Berwick 20 (ends at 17-10)
CONGRATULATIONS !!! 1,000th CAREER SCORING POINT
Kayla Aufiero (Greater Nanticoke Area Trojanettes)
PIAA FIRST ROUND RESULTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 10 GAMES
BOYS AAAAA (2-1) Abington Heights 67, (3-8) Lampeter-Strasburg 48 (ends at 17-12) (3-4) Spring Grove 49, (2-2) West Scranton 48 (ends at 14-12)
BOYS AAA (2-1) Holy Redeemer 63, (12-4) World Comm. Charter 42 (ends at 14-13) (2-2) Mid Valley 62, (4-2) So. Columbia 41 (ends at 15-11), played 3/11
GIRLS AAAAAA (1-8) Garnet Valley 58, (2-1) Scranton 43 (ends at 18-6)
GIRLS AAAA (2-1) Nanticoke Area 52, (3-4) West Perry 46 (ends at 18-9) (2-2) Berwick 37, (4-3) Jersey Shore 36 (ends at 19-7) (11-1) Bethlehem Catholic 60, (2-3) Scranton Prep 37 (ends at 15-11)
GIRLS AA (2-1) Old Forge 31, (4-2) East Juniata 24 (ends at 15-10) (4-1) Sayre 36, (2-2) Elk Lake 31 (ends at 14-12)
SATURDAY, MARCH 11 GAMES
BOYS AAAAAA (4-1) Williamsport 59, (1-7) Penn Wood 41 (ends at 19-10)
BOYS AAAA (2-1) Scranton Prep 99, (11-3) Salisbury 46 (ends at 20-8), (2-3) Nanticoke Area 58, (11-1) Beth. Catholic 56 (ends at 21-8)
BOYS AA (2-1) Holy Cross 52, (11-2) Shenandoah Valley 35 (ends at 20-5)
GIRLS AAAAA (3-6) New Oxford 58, (2-1) Abington Heights 44 (ends at 14-12) (2-2) Wyoming Valley West 41, (3-4) Twin Valley 27 (ends at 20-8)
GIRLS AAA (2-1) Holy Redeemer 65, (12-4) Bodine 33 (ends at 7-11) (2-2) Dunmore 55, (4-2) Hughesville 40 (ends at 16-10) (11-2) New Hope-Solebury 33, (2-3) Riverside 18 (ends at 15-11)
GIRLS A (2-1) Susquehanna 44, (4-3) Benton Area 28 (ends at 20-6)
UPDATED 3/9/17
PREVIEWS for Friday’s Boys and Girls PIAA First Round games are now posted below.
PREVIEWS for Saturday’s Boys and Girls PIAA First Round games are now posted below
PIAA FIRST ROUND PREVIEWS
FRIDAY, MARCH 10 GAMES
BOYS AAAAA (2-1) Abington Hts. (22-3) vs. (3-8) Lampeter-Strasburg (17-11), LC 7:30 (2-2) West Scranton (14-11) vs. (3-4) Spring Grove (20-8), Scranton 7:30
Abington Heights will take on Lampeter-Strasburg from the Lancaster Lebanon League. The Pioneers, led by first year head coach Ed Berryman, finished tied with Manheim Central (at 11-3) in Section 2 play. They then dropped a 68-63 division playoff loss to the Barons before then losing in the league quarter-finals to Lancaster Catholic, 66-59 in overtime. In the District 3 playoffs, after getting by Ephrata (38-37), L-S dropped their next three tilts to Mechanicsburg (58-47), Palmyra (70-56), and Manheim Central (60-56) to take the #8 seed into the state playoffs. The Pioneers are led by Ben Sandberg, an athletic 6-4 senior forward who nets 14.2 ppg. Their 6-6 junior forward, Ryan Smith, hits 15 ppg and can comfortably nail a triple (he has 50 on the year). In fact, the entire L-S roster loves the 3-ball as seen from their total of over 200 for the season. They also feature senior forwards Jack Banner (6-0, 7.4 ppg) and Jared Brown (6-2, 3.3 ppg). In the backcourt, junior guards Jordan Swegar and Peyton Denlinger are joined by senior Jared Houck. They average a combined 16 ppg. The Pioneers score 58 ppg while giving up 52.6 ppg. The winner advances to play either the District 12 Runner-up Martin Luther King (20-9) or District 1, #4 team Bishop Shanahan (19-9).
One of the special aspects of the PIAA playoffs, even in the early rounds, is that fans from different parts of the state get to enjoy watching some elite talent take the floor. That will certainly be the case Friday night as West Scranton takes on Spring Grove. And while the Rockets have plenty of senior experience in players such as 6-2 guard Austin Panter, 6-1 senior forward Jake Messersmith, or forward Jonny Sager, their heart and soul is 6-1 senior guard Eli Brooks. Brooks, who is approaching #2 on the all-time York-Adams scoring list, has 2,361 points and is headed to play at Michigan. Spring Grove began the District 3 playoffs with wins over New Oxford (73-46) and Manheim Central (65-63) before dropping a semi-final loss to Northeastern (78-58) and then the consolation matchup to Milton Hershey (87-76). Brooks netted 35 in the loss to Northeastern and 44 in the loss to Milton Hershey. And, even though he is only 6-1, he plays much taller and makes amazing things happen all over the floor. The winner will next take on either the District 11 Champion East Stroudsburg North (17-10) or Manheim Central (3-7, 21-6).
BOYS AAA (2-1) Holy Redeemer (17-8) vs. (12-4) World Comm. (14-12), Wilkes 8 (2-2) Mid Valley (23-3) vs. (4-2) So. Columbia (15-10), Shamokin 7:30
Holy Redeemer will take on World Communications Charter from the Philly Pub League (National Division). WCC, located in center city at Broad and South Streets, was one of Philly’s original four charter schools back in 1997. With enrollment of about 425 from 39 surrounding zip codes, it was recently announced that it will be closing its doors come June. The Stallion are led by Adrain Adside, a 5-10 senior G/F who has been scoring 11.5 ppg and was selected to the All-Philly Pub Third Team. Other contributors include 5-11 senior guard Kareem O’Neal (9.8 ppg), 5-7 junior point guard Savaar Fogle (8.8 ppg), and 6-1 freshman Zakee Fleming (9.5 ppg). They often go 10 players deep. They lost the district 3rd place game to West Catholic (from the Philly Catholic League), 73-70. The winner advances to play either District 12 Champion Neumann-Goretti (19-7) or York Catholic (3-3, 22-3).
District 2 Runner-up Mid Valley will take on Southern Columbia, the runner-up from District 4. The Tigers defeated Central Columbia (70-54) and top-seeded Wellsboro (52-45) before dropping the title game to Hughesville, 45-36. They are led by 3-year starter Cam Young (5-8 senior point guard) who is headed to play football at Bloomsburg. Young netted 16 in both the Wellsboro and Hughesville games. And, while Southern Columbia does not feature much height, 6-3 freshman G/F Julian Fleming has been spectacular averaging 19 ppg. He hit 18 and grabbed 15 rebounds in the win over Wellsboro. The winner moves on to play either District 1 Champion Valley Forge (20-4) or Parkway Center City (12-5).
GIRLS AAAAAA (2-1) Scranton (18-5) vs. (1-8) Garnet Valley (21-5), Lack. College 6
District 2 Champion Scranton will take on the #8 team from District 1, Garnet Valley. The Jaguars recently captured their fourth consecutive Central League crown, 41-36 over Conestoga. In the talent-filled District 1 tournament, GV defeated Methacton (51-42) before dropping their next three games to powerhouse Central Bucks West (61-31), top-seed North Penn (53-25), and Council Rock North (53-45). They are led by junior point guard Nicole Barnes along with a pair of three-point threats in sophomore forwards Emily McAteer (6-0) and Brianne Borcky (5-11, 10.4 ppg). More height comes from Sydney Fail (5-10 senior) and Maddy Sorokanych (5-10 junior). Caryn Faith is a reserve junior guard. The Jaguars are often content to sit back in their 2-3 zone and force teams to beat them by making their shots. The winner will next take on either the District 3 Runner-up Cumberland Valley (20-6) or Boyertown (1-6, 23-5).
GIRLS AAAA (2-1) Nanticoke Area (25-1) vs. (3-4) West Perry (18-8), Wilkes U. 6:30 (2-2) Berwick (16-9) vs. (4-3) Jersey Shore (19-6), Wilkes University 5 (2-3) Scranton Prep (15-10) vs. (11-1) Beth. Cath. (25-2), Easton MS 6
District 2 Chamnpion Greater Nanticoke Area will take on West Perry. The Mustangs finished 8-4 in the Mid Penn Capital Division, three games behind 11-1 Camp Hill. In the District 3 tourney, they got by Boiling Springs (49-21) and Wyomissing (63-51) before dropping a semi-final loss to Bishop McDevitt (36-34) after leading 27-20 after three periods. In the consolation tilt, they dropped a 53-31 loss to Lancaster Catholic. West Perry is led 6-3 senior Gracie Stauffer, a 1,000 point scorer who averages 15 ppg. She netted 24 and grabbed 15 boards in their win over Wyomissing. 5-10 forward Meredith Brown, hit 13 and secured 10 caroms in the same game. They also have several top underclassmen in junior Haylee Reisinger, junior Savannah Urich, and sophomore Margrett Brown. The winner advances to play either District 12 Runner-up Audenried (10-13) or District 1 Runner-up Gwynedd-Mercy (17-8).
District 2 Runner-up, Berwick, will take on Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs defeated Shamokin (43-37) in the District 4 quarter-finals before dropping a 47-40 semi-final loss to Montoursville. Then, in the consolation game against Lewisburg, they got a baseline shot at the buzzer to complete a 5-0 rally at the end of the game to defeat the Green Dragons 35-33. Jersey Shore is not a big team. They are led by 5-6 senior guard Olivia Edler who netted 18 against Montoursville and 12 vs. Lewisburg. She has great court vision and plays big. 5-9 sophomore forward Hannah Kaufman scored 16 in each of those same games. They also have a pair of junior guards in Averie Hess and Liz Severino. Sidney Trunzo is their 5-8 senior center. The winner moves on to play either District 1 champion Lower Moreland (17-7) or Carver Engineering and Science (12-4, 10-4).
Scranton Prep, the #3 seed from District 2, faces a juggernaut of a team in District 11 Champion Bethlehem Catholic. The Golden Hawks, winners of 14 straight have only lost two games this season, 56-29 to Catholic League powerhouse Cardinal O’Hara and 57-36 to Maryland Rock Creek Christian. Becahi is led by head coach Jose Medina who has a 70-15 record over the last three seasons. In the District 11 tourney, the Hawks topped Blue Mountain (66-30) before getting yet another win over perennial contender Allentown Central Catholic, 43-27, in the title matchup. They have a strong lineup led by George Washington University recruit Neila Luma (6-0, senior, forward) who averages 10.3 ppg. She is joined by senior Tess Zamolyi (5-11 forward, 8.1 ppg) and junior Hope Brown (5-9 forward, 10.2 ppg). In the backcourt, they are led by 6-0 freshman point guard Taliyah Medina (10.7 ppg) and junior Natalie Rhine (5.8 ppg). The winner moves on to play either the District 12 Champion Lansdale Catholic (13-11) or Berks Catholic (3-5, 16-12).
GIRLS AA (2-1) Old Forge (9-16) vs. (4-2) East Juniata (15-9), Scranton 6 (2-2) Elk Lake (14-11) vs. (4-1) Sayre (22-3), Troy 7
The District 2 Champion, Old Forge, will take on the District 4 Runner-up, East Juniata. The Tigers got by Southern Columbia in the semi-finals, 29-26, before letting a 24-15 lead slip away in their overtime 38-36 loss to Sayre in the D4 championship game. They are led by senior guard Laurel Amey, a great shooter who can control the whole tempo of the game. She averages 16 points, 4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 5 steals per game. She is joined by senior guard Erin Heiumbach (who netted 13 in their title loss to Sayre) and juniors Lily Sankey and Bre Terry. The Tigers also have some height in a trio of 5-10 players – senior Liz Weidner, junior Haley Lash, and sophomore Alyssa Hibbi. The winner advances to play either the District 12 Runner-up Maritime Academy (12-3) or District 11 Runner-up Mahanoy Area (20-4).
Elk Lake, the District 2 Runner-up will take Sayre, the District 4 Champion. The Redskins captured their first-ever district title in girls’ hoops with their come-from-behind overtime win over East Juniata, 38-36. That followed their 48-39 victory over Line Mountain in the semi-finals. The championship win sent their fans into a wild celebration and earned their team a police escort when they got back home. To say that the Redskins struggled through much of their game against East Juniata would be an understatement as they amassed 18 turnovers and trailed by 9 late into the third period. But, relying on their defense and getting some key triples from sophomore Camry Lane (12 points) got them right back into the game. Lane is joined by another talented sophomore, Steph Klovekorn. But, what makes this team click is the senior experience and leadership provided a pair of standout dual-sport athletes, Chloe Tracy (soccer) and Molly Ball (volleyball) who had 11 points with 3 triples against EJ. The winner moves on to play either District 12 Champion West Catholic (11-13) or District 3 Runner-up Columbia (10-12).
SATURDAY, MARCH 11 GAMES
BOYS AAAAAA (4-1) Williamsport (20-4) vs. (1-7) Penn Wood (19-9), Milton 4:30
BOYS AAAA (2-1) Scranton Prep (22-3) vs. (11-3) Salisbury (20-7), Marywood U. 5:30 (2-3) Nanticoke Area (18-7) vs. (11-1) Beth. Catholic (21-7), Freedom 4:30
District 2 Champion Scranton Prep will take on Salisbury, the #3 seed from District 11. The Falcons, who finished 14-4 in Colonial League action, dropped a CL semi-final game to Southern Lehigh. Then, in the D1/11 4A sub-regional, they nipped Octorora 68-67 in the quarters before losing to Jim Thorpe (48-35) in the semis. Salisbury bounced back with a strong 75-48 consolation victory over Saucon Valley. Down the stretch, the Falcons were showing a bit of inconsistency. Their top player, 6-4 senior center Jaxon Costello who averages 18.8 ppg, netted 35 against Octorora, but then had just 3 points against Jim Thorpe. Costello is joined inside by 6-3 senior forward Ryan Slutsky. On the perimeter, 6-0 junior guard Jake Reichenbach scores 15.9 ppg (he hit 32 against Southern Lehigh). In their consy win over Saucon Valley, that trio combined for 58 of their 75 points. Other guards include senior Blake Jones, junior Joey Gallantini, and sophomore Sean Snyder. In the frontcourt, they have 6-1 junior Oliver Stewart and 6-2 senior Eric Frankenfield. The winner advance to play either District 12 Champion Imhotep Charter (26-2) or Bishop McDevitt (3-4, 17-8).
District 2 Runner-up Wilkes-Barre GAR will take on District 4 Runner-up Selinsgrove. The Seals lost in the Heartland Conference semi-finals to Central Columbia, 52-50, but then got by Montoursville (55-47) and Athens (86-53) before dropping the District 4 championship game to Lewisburg, 81-57. But, it still secured the first PIAA appearance for the Seals in 9 years. In their victory over Athens, Selinsgrove connected on an amazing 9 of 13 triples across the middle periods (13 of 23 for the game). The Seals are a resilient team that features great ball movement. Their go-to player is 6-5 senior center Hunter George (hit 18 vs. Athens). He has tremendous skill and uses his height well. The Seals have speedy senior guard Brice Harro. They also have 6-6 senior playmaker Griffin Kirchner, junior Tony Dressler, and junior guards Thomas Kerstetter and Drew Gabrielson. The winner moves on to play either District 3 champion Lancaster Catholic (24-4) or West Philadelphia (12-4, 12-4).
Nanticoke Area will take on District 11 Champion Bethlehem Catholic. After losing to Allentown Allen 84-62 in the East Penn Conference title game, the Hawks rolled through the D1/11 Sub-regional with wins over Lower Moreland (71-48), Saucon Valley (60-34), and Jim Thorpe (64-31). It gives Becahi, who is coached by former William Allen standout Ray Barbosa, their first district crown since 2002. And while the Hawks have a very talented starting lineup, the inside-outside combo of Ryan Young (6-9 junior center) and Justin Paz (5-10 sophomore guard) really light up the scoreboard. Young (a 2nd Team EPC All-star) averages 14.2 ppg and 12.7 rpg. Against Lower Moreland, he netted 19 and grabbed 25 boards. Paz hits 17.4 ppg and has nearly 70 triples on the season. Becahi also has 6-4 senior forward Jordan Odle (4.3 ppg), 6-2 senior forward Amir Pettiford (6.3 ppg), and junior guard Will Melson (9.3 ppg). The winner moves on to play either District 12 runner-up Conwell-Egan (9-14) or Saucon Valley (11-4, 14-12).
BOYS AA (2-1) Holy Cross (18-8) vs. (11-2) Shenandoah V. (20-4), N. Pocono 5:30
District 2 Champion Holy Cross will take on District 11 Runner-up Shenandoah Valley. The Blue Devils defeated Mahanoy Area in the semi-finals before falling in the championship game to Marian Catholic, 59-51, as the Colts rallied from a late third quarter 35-22 deficit with a 14-0 run. SV scores 61.8 ppg and gives up 44.9 ppg. The Blue Devils have an experienced team that gets lots of outside scoring from senior guards Joel Santana (20.1 ppg) and Jermaine McNeil (15.7 ppg). The duo has combined for over 100 triples on the season. They also get about 11 ppg combined from 6-0 senior guards Noah Raisner and Austin Uholik. 6-2 senior forward Isaiah Alvarez hits 6.3 ppg. The winner advances to play either District 1 champion Church Farm (18-9) or District 12 Runner-up Constitution (16-9).
District 2 Runner-up Mountain View will take on District 4 Runner-up Northeast Bradford. The Panthers defeated Canton in the district semi-finals, 53-45, before trying to slow things down in the title game, a 35-16 loss to North Penn Mansfield. NEB has a senior-filled roster with guards Nate Watkins, Garret Smith, Zak Smith, and Austin Senn-Bishop. Inside they feature David Ford (who netted 21 against Canton), Michael Wallitsch, and Tommy Rought. The winner advances to take on either District 12 Champion Math, Civics and Sciences (18-9) or District 1 Runner-up Dock Mennonite (16-10).
GIRLS AAAAA (2-1) Abington Hts. (21-5) vs. (3-6) New Oxford (21-8), Marywood 4 (2-2) Wyo. Valley West (20-5) vs. (3-4) Twin Valley (20-7), Wilkes Univ. 4
District 2 champion Abington Heights, who won the district title with upsets over the top three seeds, will face New Oxford from the York-Adams Conference. The Colonials lost the YAIAA title game to Central York, 65-50, and then went 2-2 through the District 3 playoffs to secure the #6 seed. They got by Muhlenberg 59-43 before losing to Twin Valley in the quarter-finals, 54-46. In the consolations, they bounced back from a 53-39 defeat to Dover with a 52-43 victory over West York. New Oxford is a veteran team that likes an up-temp game. They have good shooters and have learned how to balance their preference for a quick pace with being patient and finding that good shot. And they can implement an effective full court press. They are led by 5-10 senior forward Kaelyn Long (15+ ppg) who hit her 1,000th point back in mid-January. She hit 14 in their loss to Twin Valley and 20 in the win over Dover. Presley Berryhill, their junior point guard, is joined on the perimeter by 5-6 senior Haley Still and 5-4 senior Breane Sauter. Haley Luckabaugh, a 5-9 senior, is a versatile player. Inside, the Colonials feature a 5-9 sophomore in Daelyn Stabler. The winner advances to play either the District 3 Champion Susquehannock (23-3) or Radnor (1-6, 18-8).
Wyoming Valley West, the District 2 Runner-up will meet Twin Valley, the #4 seed from District 3. The Raiders finished in a three-way tie (at 8-2) in Berks Conference Division 1 play. They advanced into the district semi-finals with wins over Palmyra (50-46) and New Oxford (54-46) before a pair of resounding defeats to eventual champion Susquehannock (48-25) and Lower Dauphin (50-19). They average 45.4 ppg and give up 34.9 ppg. Taylor Knorr, a senior forward, scores 12.7 ppg. She hit 15 in the win over Palmyra. Their 5-10 freshman guard, Peyton McDaniel, scores 10.7 ppg (and had 19 vs. Palmyra). Also in their backcourt, senior Julie Wallace and junior point guard Ashlynn Lennon score a combined 16.7 ppg. Inside, they have a 6-0 sophomore in Cameryn Jamison (3.2 ppg). The winner moves on to play either District 1 Champion Springfield Delco or Lampeter-Strasburg (3-8, 20-7).
GIRLS AAA (2-1) Holy Redeemer (21-5) vs. (12-4) Bodine (7-10), Wilkes Univ. 7 (2-2) Dunmore (23-1) vs. (4-2) Hughesville (16-9), Williamsport 6 (2-3) Riverside (15-10) vs. (11-2) New Hope Solebury (26-1), U. Dublin 5:30
District 2 Champion Holy Redeemer will take on Bodine, the #4 team from District 12. The Ambassadors compete in the Philly Pub League. The majority of their scoring comes from an inside-outside combination of players that have both been averaging about 15 ppg toward the end of the season. In the paint, guard/forward Keyanah Price is effective, but can also move outside to hit a triple. On the perimeter, Canya Harp runs the point and has a quick penetration to the basket. The winner advances to play either District 4 Champion Mount Carmel (26-1) or District 11 Runner-up Notre Dame Green Pond (20-7).
Dunmore, the District 2 Runner-up who lost their first game of the year to Holy Redeemer, will take on Hughesville, the District 4 runner-up. The Spartans competed in their first girls district title game ever. And it continues their program’s improvement after only winning 5 games three seasons ago. And with plenty of talented underclassmen on their roster, the future continues to look promising. In the district playoffs, they defeated both Troy (54-20) and Wellsboro (32-24) before dropping the title game to Mount Carmel, 38-27. The Spartans are patient and play very good defense. They are led by junior Emily Akers (9.6 ppg) who netted 15 points in their win over Wellsboro. Makenna Budman, a 5-6 senior guard/forward, scores 8 ppg. And Alisha McKinley, a 5-7 junior, hits about 9 ppg. They also have Justine Yeager (a senior) plus juniors Kendra Smith, Savanna Schrader, and Jayden Leighow. The winner moves on to play either undefeated District 1 Champion St. Basil Academy (27-0) or Philadelphia Academy (12-5, 17-4).
Riverside, the #3 seed from District 2 will take on once-beaten District 1 Runner-up New Hope-Solebury. The Tigers, who compete in the Bicentennial Athletic League, navigated through the District 1/11 Sub-regional with wins over Jim Thorpe (43-33) and Notre Dame Green Pond (45-36) before bumping into 26-0 St. Basil Academy. In the title game, NHS came up short, 49-34, giving them their first loss on the season. This is a team which is an incredible 52-4 over the last two seasons. They love to control the tempo and everyone on the floor is a superb ball-handler. They often frustrate teams into making miscues. The Tigers are led by 6-2 senior forward Alana Davidson (13.3 ppg) who is headed to play at, of course, Davidson College. The 1,000 point scorer is a strong, agile player that is a very effective shot blocker. She netted 19 in the loss to St. Basil. Their junior point guard is Sarah Wilson (7 ppg). She is joined by senior guard Kelley Hyland (9.7 ppg). The winner moves on to play either District 12 Champion Neumann-Goretti (19-5) or Middletown (3-3, 12-13).
GIRLS A (2-1) Susquehanna (14-13) vs. (4-3) Benton Area (20-5), N. Pocono 4
District 2 Champion Susquehanna Community will take on Benton Area, the #3 seed from District 4. The Tigers defeated Sunbury Christian 48-37 before dropping a district semi-final loss to Lourdes Regional, 54-26. In the consolation game, Benton got by Galeton 55-30. The Tigers are led by 5-9 junior forward Dana Kingsbury (13.4 ppg) who is a threat to shoot a triple. She scored 12 against Lourdes and 18 in their big win over Galeton. Their speedy 5-2 senior guard, Dominique Brown, hits about 11 ppg. And 5-4 junior guard Sadie Huntingdon nets about 7.5 pg. Benton employs a good press defense and usually goes 4 deep off the bench. The winner will move on to play either District 4 Champion Lourdes Regional (19-6) or Lancaster Country Day (3-6, 13-12).
2017 District 2 Tourney (click here)
UPDATED 3/3/17
Friday’s District 2 Championship headlines –
YOUTH MOVEMENT Susquehanna Community defeats Forest City 34-28 to win the Girls’ A Championship; freshmen Taylor Huyck and Mackenzie Steele team up for 18 points as the Lady Sabers advance to tonight’s D2/11 Sub-regional title game against Nativity BVM
A ROYAL COMEBACK Holy Redeemer gets incredible blocked shot by Colin Cook in final seconds to secure 38-36 Boys’ AAA title win over Mid Valley; Nick Prociak (6-7 sophomore) powers his way inside to lead Royals with 16 points
THE TROJANETTES WAY Great Nanticoke Area gets triple offensive spark from Lisa Radziak to claim Girls’ AAAA 52-33 over Berwick; seniors Kayla Aufiero and Riley Klepadlo combine for 33 points as they move to 25-1 on the season
Follow along with updates on possible PIAA First Round opponents for District 2 teams. PIAA FIRST ROUND TRACKER (click here)
UPDATED 3/2/17
District 2 Championship Previews are now posted below for all Thursday, Friday, and Saturday games.
Boys 6A Boys 5A Boys 4A Boys 3A Boys 2A Boys 1A
Girls 6A Girls 5A Girls 4A Girls 3A Girls 2A Girls 1A
District 2 Tournament (FINALS Preview)
BOYS AAAAAA 2/4 SUB-REGIONAL FINAL SATURDAY, MARCH 4 at 8:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Williamsport (19-4) vs. (2) Hazleton Area (20-3)
Top seed Williamsport needed an 11-5 run over the final four and a half minutes of their semi-final matchup against Delaware Valley to get a hard-fought 52-45 win over the Warriors. Stanley Scott led the way for the Millionaires with 14 points while Rondell Carson added 11. Del-Val, who had a 32-25 lead in the third period, got 9 each from Dylan Kelly and Tyler Smith. In the other semi-final, Hazleton Area (who hit 24 of 28 free throws in the game) jumped out to a 14-2 lead and then withstood several Scranton rallies as the #2-seed Cougars topped the Knights, 68-62. Josh Samec netted 18, Da’Mir Faison 13, Nolan Genasevich 13, and Joey Grula 11 in the victory. Scranton got 11 team triples as the Knights were led by Robbie McAndrew (15), Ky’Ron Harbin (14), and Jacob Watts (14).
The 6A top seed flipped from Hazleton Area to Williamsport after the Cougars could not hold off a final period rally by Wilkes-Barre Meyers to end their 18-game winning streak. That allowed the Millionaires, who are in the midst of their own 12-game winning run, to claim the top position. Williamsport, as always, has played one of their toughest schedules in the entire state. In recent weeks, they got home victories over Harrisburg and Central Dauphin East plus a big road win over State College. They are an experienced squad that never seems to play out of control. Senior guard Stanley Scott (20.4 ppg) is sensational and makes great things happen on both ends of the floor. A pair of 6-2 forwards, Rondell Carson (11.1 ppg) and Qayiim Ali (12.4 ppg) are very tough around the basket. Ali, a very quick athlete, is a terrific rebounder. Scott and Ali can play anywhere on the floor and have terrific an on-floor chemistry. They also have 5-10 senior guard Brian Duvall. One of their four losses occurred back on December 30 to #2 seed Hazleton Area (78-69). The Cougars raced out to a 42-29 lead at the break in that one and held off a late Port surge as Scott netted 32 points. Hazleton Area is an athletic team that has a great blend of overall height and shooting ability. Throughout the season, they have had different players step up to make an impact. However, two of them seem to be the glue that holds this team together, 6-4 junior forward Jeff Planutis (16.4 ppg) and senior point guard Michael Cusatis (6.4 ppg). They also feature 6-7 junior forward Josh Samec (11.7 ppg), 6-4 junior forward Joey Grula (11 ppg), 6-8 senior forward Nolan Genasevich (5.9 ppg), and 6-4 sophomore Da’Mir Faison (9.9 ppg). Mike Joseph’s team needs to play solid defense and make each possession count. Williamsport has a knack of kicking their level of play into another gear after an explosive play, namely one of their spectacular dunks. It gives them instinct momentum and often comes with an offensive flurry. The Cougars are going to have to manage those episodes carefully. The winner advances to play the District 1, #7 team (either Perkiomen Valley or Penn Wood). The season unfortunately comes to an abrupt end for the loser.
BOYS AAAAA FINAL FRIDAY, MARCH 3 at 8:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Abington Heights (21-3) vs. (3) West Scranton (14-10)
In the semi-finals, Abington Heights had another steady performance in a 61-42 victory over Dallas. The Comets got 15 points each from Seth Maxwell and George Tinsley plus 14 from Trey Koehler. Tinsley was spectacular on both ends of the floor, grabbing 14 boards. The only area of concern for AH was from the charity stripe where they only converted 10 of 23 opportunities. Dallas got 10 points from Nick Kocher. In the other semi-final, Blake Carlton found himself wide open for a triple at the end of the third overtime to give #3 West Scranton a pulsating 41-38 victory over #2 seed Crestwood. Josh Hart and Matt Williams combined for 22 points for the Invaders. Crestwood, who had a chance to win from the free throw line in the first OT, got 20 points from Kyle Gegaris.
Abington Heights came into the 5A tourney with only three losses, two to 4A top-seed Scranton Prep and one to 6A top-seed Williamsport. The Comets have a solid lineup that gets very balanced scoring. Inside, Ken Bianchi has 7-0 senior center Seth Maxwell (11 ppg). He has a nice shooting touch and can go strong to the basket. The challenge at times is getting him into correct position. Senior point guard Tom Rothenberger (5.9 ppg) runs the offense well and has become an occasional three-point threat. Sophomores George Tinsley (6-4, 12.5 ppg) and Trey Koehler (6-2 guard, 10.6 ppg) complement each other with Tinsley showing quick agility and aggressiveness around the basket. And 6-5 junior guard Jackson Danzig (11.1 ppg) plays great all over the floor. West Scranton is the #3 seed. Before the tourney began, it was mentioned that the Invaders may feel that they have something to prove. With their triple OT 41-38 upset of #2 seed Crestwood, they are well on their way. Along with Abington Heights, they competed in the rugged Lackawanna Division 1. During the season, the Comets got a pair of division victories over West Side, 45-23 and 56-24. Though West does prefer a deliberate pace most of the time, they’re going to need more offensive output this time around. Four-year starting guard Cole Stetzar leads the way with 11.9 ppg (and has 39 treys). Inside, Jack Lyons squad features 6-2 senior forwards Matt Williams (7.4 ppg) and Shaun Fanning (6.9 ppg). In the backcourt, senior guards Blake Carlton (19 treys) and Austin Lipowitch net a combined 7.3 ppg. They also have 6-2 junior forward Josh Hart (3.6 ppg). The winner advances to play the District 3, #8 seed (either Manheim Central or Lampeter-Strasburg). The loser takes on the District 3, #4 seed (either Spring Grove or Milton Hershey).
BOYS AAAA FINAL SATURDAY, MARCH 4 at 4:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Scranton Prep (21-3) vs. (3) Wilkes-Barre GAR (18-6)
Top seed Scranton Prep trailed #4 seed Nanticoke Area 34-10 early in the third period before the Cavaliers went on a 19-3 run to cut the deficit to eight points (37-29). Still trailing by ten early in the final stanza, Prep then used a 19-8 run to move ahead 51-50. This one had it all, including a roof leak on Saturday which suspended the game for about 24 hours. In the end, the Cavs prevailed for a hard-fought 72-66 double overtime, semi-final thriller. Paddy Casey netted 24 while Logan Bailey, Nick Dende and Leo O’Boyle combined to score 37. Nanticoke Area got 19 from Nate Kreitzer, 14 from Cody Piestrak, and 10 from Luke Butczynski. In the other semi-final, Wilkes-Barre GAR built some momentum heading into the final period and came away with a 57-51 win over city rival Wilkes-Barre Meyers. The Grenadiers got 18 from Will Johnson and 15 from Khalil White. Meyers got 29 (including 7 triples) from Juwane Buckner and 11 from Levaugn Soules.
Scranton Prep, Lackawanna Division 1 champs, dropped games to District 12 powerhouse Archbishop Wood, plus Pottsville and Parkland from District 11. Prep has veteran leadership and a coach that matches their incredible intensity. They can run the floor flawlessly, nail a triple at any moment, and work it inside to their bigs. Their senior guards are sensational – Paddy Casey (14.7 ppg, 39 triples), Logan Bailey (12.6 ppg), and Nick Dende (11.9 ppg, 62 triples). Brett Para (6-4 senior) is a versatile player that hits 9.1 ppg. Inside, Wes Simons (6-5 junior center) and Leo O’Boyle (6-7 sophomore forward) net a combined 12.6 ppg. Wilkes-Barre GAR, the #3 seed, had their 9-game winning streak snapped with back-to-back losses to Wyoming Area and Meyers to end the regular season. They feature sophomore guard Will Johnson (17.4 ppg, 36 triples). He is joined by senior guard Andrew Campbell (11.3 ppg, 54 treys). Inside, the Grenadiers have 6-6 senior center Keyshawn Palmer (12.8 ppg) and 6-5 junior forward Herman Suazo (6.3 ppg). Scranton Prep definitely needs to get off to a quicker start than what they did against Nanticoke Area. The Grenadiers are an athletic group that can get to the basket. This is shaping up to be a great 4A final. The winner advances to play the District 11, #3 team (either Saucon Valley or Salisbury). The loser will take on the District 4 Runner-up.
BOYS AAA FINAL THURSDAY, MARCH 2 at 8:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Mid Valley (23-2) vs. (3) Holy Redeemer (16-8)
Top seed Mid Valley used a 16-0 run in the second period to propel the Spartans to a 70-49 semi-final win over Carbondale. Mid Valley placed four in doubles (Noah Tanner 20, RJ Gouldsbury 13, Brad Kalinowski 12, and JJ Glinsky 12). Giovanni Mustica scored 10 points for the Chargers. #3 Holy Redeemer found a lot of success in the paint and used a fast pace for an impressive 60-34 win over Dunmore. The Royals got 14 each form Jason Stachokus and Nick Prociak as they dominated the middle periods, 35-13. John Mandarano hit 11 points for the Bucks who only connected on 2 of 24 trey attempts.
The Spartans are led by a trio of senior guards, Noah Tanner (12.9 ppg), Brad Kalinowski (12 ppg), and Brendan Davies (6.5 ppg). Junior guard JJ Glinsky nets 8.2 ppg. Mid Valley does not have much height, but 6-0 senior forward RJ Gouldsbury plays very tough and scores just over 10 ppg. The Spartans have established a winning tradition and it carries onto the floor. They shot 55% in their win over Carbondale for their 15th straight victory. Another team finishing with a bang is Holy Redeemer, the #3 seed, who finished the season winning 9 of 10. Their only loss was to D3 powerhouse Trinity, 78-77. The Royals get 9.5 ppg from senior guard Jason Stachokus who hit 39 triples this year. He is joined on the perimeter by junior Joey Judge (7.2 ppg) and senior James Kosik (4.7 ppg). Inside, HR has plenty of height and depth in 6-7 sophomore Nick Prociak, 6-3 sophomore Colin Cook (9.5 ppg), 6-4 senior Joe Layaou, 6-6 senior Luke Nealon, and 6-4 junior J.D. Turosky. Mid Valley’s ability to keep Holy Redeemer from dominating the glass is going to be a big storyline in this game. The winner advances to play the District 12, #4 team (either West Catholic or World Communications Charter). The loser also moves on to play the District 4 Runner-up.
BOYS AA FINAL SATURDAY, MARCH 4 at 2:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Holy Cross (17-8) vs. (3) Mountain View (11-13)
Top seed Holy Cross trailed 8-0, but used an 18-1 run to take control at the break (22-9) and go on to a 52-23 win over Old Forge. Tyler Mozeleski netted 17 for the Crusaders who connected on 8 of 16 triples. Patrick Galvin and Matt Nelson also combined to score 21 points. Ben Grochowski scored 11 for Old Forge. In the other semi-final, Mountain View and Blue Ridge went back and forth with the Eagles rallying for a 62-56 win after trailing by 12 in the second half. They got 19 from Mikey Schermerhorn, 15 from Zeb Feduchak, and 11 from Kyle Streich. The Raiders, who led 39-27 midway through the third period, got 22 points from Jeff Morris.
Top seed Holy Cross finished the season winning 12 of their last 14 games with both losses coming to 3A top seed Mid Valley. The Crusaders finished Lackawanna Division 3 play with a 10-2 mark. They are led inside by 6-6 senior center Malachi Phillips (12 ppg) and 6-0 sophomore forward Tom Montefour (6.5 ppg). In the backcourt, they feature junior Patrick Galvin (8.9 ppg), senior Matt Nelson (6.6 ppg), and sophomore Tyler Mozeleski (8.8 ppg, 39 triples). Mountain View, the #3 seed, gets 17.6 ppg from senior guard Matt Lavin who connected on 42 triples. Junior guard Kyle Streich (9.3 ppg) also added 42 treys. Mt. View also gets 7 ppg from sophomore guard Mikey Schermerhorn and 5.3 ppg from junior guard Alex Showalter. The winner will play the District 11 Runner-up (either Shenandoah Valley or Marian Catholic. The loser will face the District 4 Runner-up (either North Penn Mansfield or Northeast Bradford).
BOYS A FINAL FRIDAY, MARCH 3 at 2:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (6) Susquehanna (8-15) vs. MMI Prep (5-17)
Susquehanna Community led 30-27 entering the final quarter, but Salem Christian rallied for a 43-38 quarter-final victory as they got 14 from Justin Rosak (with 4 triples) and 13 from Ben Avery. The Sabers got 13 in the loss from Mason Deakin. So, with both District 2 Single-A teams being eliminated from the District 2/11 sub-regional semi-finals, Susquehanna will face MMI Prep for the District 2 title.
Susquehanna came into the sub-regional as the #6 seed and the only District 2 sub-regional qualifier. The Sabers competed in the challenging Lackawanna League Division 4 with teams like Blue Ridge, Mountain View, and Elk Lake. They are led by guards Mason Deakin (sophomore, 13 ppg), Tyler Williams (senior, 11.2 ppg), Garret Grausgruber (senior, 8.1 ppg), and sophomore CJ Stone. Inside they have 6-0 junior forward Eric Lee (5.7 ppg). While MMI Prep only came out on top in five games all year, they finished their season strong by winning three of their final four tilts over Lake-Lehman, Hanover Area, and Northwest Area. The Preppers are definitely building toward the future with a pair of freshmen, a sophomore, and a junior in their starting lineup. In the backcourt they have sophomore Matt Marchetti (5.6 ppg) and junior George Palermo (3.5 ppg). Inside, 6-7 freshman Philip Byriel has been steady scoring 13.4 ppg. He is joined by senior Kyle Williams and freshman Marcus Kassick who combine for about 11 ppg. Both teams conclude their season following this matchup.
GIRLS AAAAAA FINAL FRIDAY, MARCH 3 at 6:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Scranton (17-5) vs. (2) Hazleton Area (15-8)
#2 seed Hazleton Area used a 15-3 run through the third period to pull away from a close 22-18 halftime game against Delaware Valley to get a 51-28 win over the Lady Warriors. Kendra Pfeil netted 20 and Maddie Mrochko 10 in the win. Stephanie O’Grady scored 11 for Del-Val.
Top seed Scranton had a bye right into the championship matchup at Mohegan Sun Arena. The bad news is that the Lady Knights needed to somehow find a way to stay sharp over what will be a 16-day layoff from their last game on February 16. Across all of District 2, Scranton features some of the best athleticism along with a great combination of experience and youthful talent. Without question, one of the top players in the entire district is senior guard Ciaira Loyd (19.1 ppg, 39 triples). She is joined by senior guard Tahliah Dillon (6.2 ppg). They have also been getting good efforts from freshman guard Sophia Glogowski (3.5 ppg). Perhaps their most formidable strength is the quickly improving frontcourt with 6-0 sophomore Kristen Hart (5.7 ppg), 5-11 junior Shelby Funchess, and 6-2 freshman Colette Mulderig (6.2 ppg). The Lady Knights completed a 13-0 mark on their way to capturing the talent-filled Lackawanna Division 1 title. #2 seed Hazleton Area also had their own share of division success this year finishing 10-6 in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 play. The Lady Cougars finished strong winning 9 of their final 11 games, including division wins over Crestwood, Dallas, and Pittston – teams which all advanced to the district semi-final round. Hazleton features one of the best backcourts in District 2 with senior Kendra Pfeil (16.6 ppg, 49 triples) and junior Maddie Mrochko (14 ppg, 49 triples). Inside, the Lady Cougars have been relying on Virginia Yurchak (5-8 sophomore, 5.5 ppg), Marissa Trivelpiece (5-10 freshman, 9.7 ppg, 19 triples), and older sister Megan Trivelpiece (5-7 senior, 5.1 ppg). Hazleton is led by the very effective, but often animated, veteran head coach Joe Gavio. This is one of several District 2 championship matchups in which one of the teams played at the arena last year. That intangible, the comfort and experience of playing in such a large venue could be a factor, at least early on in the game for Hazleton Area. The winner advances to play the District 1, #8 seed.
GIRLS AAAAA FINAL SATURDAY, MARCH 4 at 6:00 pm (@MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Wyoming Valley West (20-4) vs. (6) Abington Heights (13-11)
Top-seed Wyoming Valley West jumped out to a 19-9 lead early, but Pittston Area kept battling back throughout their semi-final game to send it to overtime. In the end, the Lady Spartans came away with a 55-52 win as Erin Gibbons (22 points) and Gabby Smicherko (12) led the way. The Lady Patriots got 25 from Taryn Ashby and 11 each from Kirsten Durling and Leah Hodick. In the other semi-final, Abington Heights did an excellent job rebounding and extending their matchup zone to defeat #2 seed Crestwood 50-38. The Lady Comets got 18 points from Hannah Kowalski and 13 from Alessia Brunori. Crestwood got 13 from Julia Makowski.
Wyoming Valley West comes into the 5A tourney final as the top seed, winning 11 of their final 12 games. Their four losses were to Scranton Prep, Pocono Mountain East, Pittston Area, and Holy Redeemer. The Lady Spartans have senior guards Erin Gibbons (25.9 ppg, 40 triples) and Gabby Smicherko (12 ppg). Sophomore guard Andi Blasko adds 5.5 ppg. Inside, 6-0 senior center Colleen Cwalina, hits 8.6 ppg. The NEP Neat thought going into the tourney that #6 seed Abington Heights had the potential to be a sleeper team. The Lady Comets are 11-4 since January with all four losses coming by a total of 14 points. And two of those losses were to West Scranton, a team that they came back to defeat in the district quarter-finals, 39-34. AH is led by their junior floor leader Hannah Kowalski (11.4 ppg, 23 triples). She is a terrific ball handler that can drive to the basket. She is joined by senior guards Nicole Getz (4 ppg) and Grace Evans (4.3 ppg, 25 triples). Inside, the Lady Comets have 5-11 senior center Alessia Brunori (8 ppg) and 5-11 senior forward Olivia Baker (5.1 ppg). The challenge in this one is whether AH can contain Erin Gibbons and which team can get their inside game going. The winner advances to take on the District 3, #6 seed (either West York or New Oxford). The loser will play the District 3, #4 seed (either Lower Dauphin or Twin Valley).
GIRLS AAAA FINAL THURSDAY, MARCH 2 at 6:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Nanticoke Area (24-1) vs. (2) Berwick (16-8)
In the semi-finals, Nanticoke Area used their press defense to create some final period turnovers which helped erase a 10-point deficit approaching 6 minutes remaining for a pulsating 55-54 win over Dallas. Riley Klepadlo led the way with 19 while Katie Butczynski and Alyssa Lewis each added 13. In the loss, Maddie Kelley (17), Lauren Charlton (16), and Sara Lojewski (12) paced the Lady Mountaineers. In the other semi-final, #2 seed Berwick pulled away in the second half as the Lady Bulldogs got 13 from Reese Mensinger and 10 each from Tori Talanca and Abby Burt (3 triples) in a 39-30 win over Scranton Prep. Julia Sirotnak and Calista Kline teamed up for 19 points for the Classics.
Nanticoke Area came into the 4A tourney as the clear team to beat. But they may also be finding that teams are coming at them with their best effort. The Trojanettes have played a challenging non-league slate, including a victory over the top 6A seed from District 11 (Nazareth). Their sole loss came via an 80-71 matchup against 5A top seed Wyoming Valley West. Pick your adjective – relentless, tenacious – as a number of them apply to GNA’s brand of hoops this year. And they repeatedly out-hustle taller teams, creating their own scoring opportunities. Trailing Dallas 46-38, they used their defense to go on a 15-6 run to grab 53-52 lead. They are led by guards in the frontcourt and the backcourt. Seniors Kayla Aufiero (17 ppg, 58 triples) and Riley Klepadlo (15.6 ppg, 25 treys) are their go-to players with Lisa Radziak (junior, 10 ppg, 39 triples) and Alyssa Lewis (sophomore, 8.1 ppg) always in the mix. Junior Katie Butczynski netted 13 in the semi-finals. Berwick battled Nanticoke even through intermission before the Trojanettes came away with a 50-47 win back on February 6. The Lady Bulldogs finished 10-6 in the extremely competitive WVC Division 2. And while they may not have received as many headlines as the frontrunners, they are a solid squad. Junior guard Reese Mensinger is outstanding scoring 17.8 ppg with 63 triples. They also have some inside power with seniors 5-11 forward Tori Talanca (14.5 ppg) and 6-0 center Roni Isenberg (6.8 ppg). Head coach Bill Philips is also getting about 4 ppg game from freshman guard Abby Burt (20 triples). The winner advances to play the District 3, #4 seed. The loser will play the District 4, #3 seed. Scranton Prep defeated Dallas in the third place game Tuesday night, 42-36. The Classics will next play the District 11 Champion.
GIRLS AAA FINAL SATURDAY, MARCH 4 at NOON (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (1) Dunmore (23-0) vs. (2) Holy Redeemer (20-5)
Dunmore maintained their undefeated mark with a 49-45 semi-final win over Riverside, but it took an extra stanza and proved to be an epic slugfest among Lackawanna Division 3 rivals. This one went back and forth. The Lady Vikings hit 8 triples and had a 37-32 lead midway through the final period before Dunmore rallied behind the scoring of Maddie Martin (25 points) and Erika Bistran (13). Lizzie Spindler and Julia Antoniacci combined to score 28 points for Riverside. In the other semi-final, Holy Redeemer got 22 combined points from Sam Rajza and Irelyn Januzzi as the Lady Royals defeated Mid Valley 48-39. The Spartanettes, who rallied twice in the final stanza, got 10 points from Emily Morano.
Four-year starter Maddie Martin (16.5 ppg, 50 triples) runs the top-seeded Lady Bucks show to near-perfection. And what makes them so talented is that the players around her elevate their play to her level. Martin is joined by senior guard Erika Bistran (9 ppg. 44 treys). Dunmore also features several talented underclassmen in the backcourt – sophomores Gianna Delfino and Lisa Tallo along with junior Kelly Quinn. Those three combine for 21 ppg. Inside, 6-0 sophomore forward Victoria Toomey has been steady contributing 10.2 ppg. #2 seed Holy Redeemer started out 1-3 this season before going on a 14-game winning streak. A pair of late-season losses to 4A top seed Nanticoke definitely helped prepare the Lady Royals for a rigorous 3A district tourney. Holy Redeemer gets balanced team scoring, but without question, their sparkplug is junior guard Sam Rajza (12.6 ppg). She makes things happen all over the court. She is joined by senior guards Irelyn Januzzi (9.4 ppg), Maya Kornfeld (8.1 ppg), and Talia Kosierowski (7 ppg). Sophomore guard Julia Andrejko nets 8.8 ppg. Inside, 5-10 freshman forward Samantha Yencha is fun to watch. These two teams did meet up way back in December with Dunmore coming out on top 61-47, but expect the rematch to be much closer. The winner will advance to play the District 12, #4 team. The loser moves on to take on the District 4 Runner-up.
GIRLS AA FINAL FRIDAY, MARCH 3 at 4:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (3) Elk Lake (14-10) vs, (4) Old Forge (8-16)
In the semi-finals, #4 seed Old Forge rallied to erase a 12-point lead by Northwest Area to secure a 49-44 win over the top-seeded Lady Rangers. In the win, Kierstyn Breig led with 19 while Lindsey Walsh added 17. Brenna Babcock netted 21 and Raegan Harrison 12 for Northwest. In the other semi-final, #3 Elk Lake got 26 points (including 5 triples) from Keri Jones and 17 from Justine Johns as they defeated #2 seed Blue Ridge, 62-50. Isabella Cosmello netted 21 in the loss for the Lady Raiders.
Elk Lake, who finished 6-6 in league play, has gotten on track in the district playoffs. The Lady Warriors, who battled several teams in Lackawanna Division 4 action, feature a pair of senior guards, Keri Jones (12.4 ppg, 26 treys) and Justine Johns (11.7 ppg). Inside, they are led by senior forward Whitney Tyler (8 ppg), but also get contributions from their 5-9 juniors, Abby Johns and Eliza Bosscher who score a combined 8.5 ppg. #4 seed Old Forge comes into the tourney as a team that absolutely believed that they could challenge for the district title. The Lady Devils finished the season 2-4, but that included a win over Forest City and close losses to Mid Valley and Carbondale. Freshman guard Lindsey Welsh has been impressive hitting 12 ppg and connecting on 45 triples. Guards Alex Nocera (junior) and Kierstyn Breig (senior) score a combined 14.2 ppg. Inside, 5-10 junior center Jen Regan teams up with 5-8 senior forward Maya Florovito to score 8 ppg. The winner advances to play to the District 4 Runner-up (either Sayre or East Juniata). The loser advances to play the District 4 Champion (either Sayre or East Juniata).
GIRLS A FINAL THURSDAY, MARCH 2 at 4:00 pm (at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA) (2) Forest City (16-10) vs. (3) Susquehanna (13-12)
In the semi-finals, Forest City held off a rally in the third period by Salem Christian for a 51-43 win over the #7-seeded Lions. Kendra Bendyk (21 points) connected on a key triple early in the final period to help the Lady Foresters hold on to their lead. MacKenzie Hartman hit 16 points in the win. Salem Christian got 17 from Ally Barnes and 12 from Jenna Krage. FC will next take on #3 seed Susquehanna after the Lady Sabers topped Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter, 53-38, getting 9 each from Bethany Maby and Lauren Soden (and hitting 16 of 19 free throws). Lincoln got all of their 38 points from Ramsey Rodriguez (23 with 5 triples) and Zeleny Ramos (15).
#2 Forest City, winners of 8 of their final 9 games, including the Lackawanna Division 4 title game, gets 12.8 ppg game from junior guard MacKenzie Hartman. She is joined on the perimeter by sophomore guard Maggie Kowalewski (4.6 ppg) and senior guard Caitlyn Bonham (4 ppg). The Lady Foresters also have versatile 5-8 senior forward Kendra Bendyk (12.4 ppg, 47 triples) and 5-9 junior forward Skylar Fortunar (7.7 ppg). They will be playing #5 seed Susquehanna for the 5th time this season. After two wins in league play, the Lady Sabers dropped the last two to Forest City (48-37 and 49-39). Susquehanna is led in scoring by a pair of freshmen, guard Taylor Huyck (10.7 ppg) and Mackenzie Steele (6-0 center, 7.5 ppg). Sophomore guard Bethany Maby nets 8 ppg while senior guard Lauren Soden adds 5.8 ppg. Inside, they also have senior forward Taylor Williams (3 ppg). The District 2 title game is set for Mohegan Sun Arena late Thursday afternoon with the winner advancing to the District 2/11 Sub-regional championship the next evening at Scranton Prep HS (7 p.m.). District 2 became the host district Tuesday evening after #4 seed Pottsville Nativity BVM upset top-seeded Notre Dame East Stroudsburg 40-37.
UPDATED 2/26/17
Stop back for semi-final recaps and championship previews of all games.
3RD PLACE GAMES (winners advance)
GIRLS AAA (Tuesday, 2/28 at 6 p.m.) (4) Riverside (14-10) vs. (6) Mid Valley (15-9)
GIRLS AAAA (Tuesday, 2/28 at 7:30 p.m.) (3) Scranton Prep (14-10) vs. (5) Dallas (12-12)
BOYS AAAA (Wednesday, 3/1 at 7 p.m.) (2) Wilkes-Barre Meyers (18-6) vs. (4) Nanticoke Area (17-7)
2017 District 2 Tourney (click here)
CONGRATULATIONS !!! 1,000th CAREER SCORING POINT
Taryn Ashby (Pittston Area Lady Patriots)
DISTRICT 2 SEMI-FINAL SITES
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Berwick MS Boys 6A (1:30 pm): (2) Hazleton (19-3) vs. (3) Scranton (13-9) Girls 6A (3 pm): (2) Hazleton (14-8) vs. (3) Delaware Valley (3-19) Boys 6A (4:30 pm): (1) Williamsport (18-4) vs. (4) Delaware V. (13-9)
Wilkes University Girls 3A (12 pm): (2) Holy Redeemer (19-5) vs. (6) Mid Valley (15-8) Boys 4A (1:30 pm): (2) W-B Meyers (18-5) vs. (3) W-B GAR (17-6)
Girls 5A (4 pm): (2) Crestwood (15-8) vs. (6) Abington Hts. (12-11) Girls 5A (5:30 pm): (1) Wyo. Valley West (19-4) vs. (4) Pittston (14-9)
Lackawanna College Girls 3A (1 pm): (1) Dunmore (22-0) vs. (4) Riverside (14-9) Boys 4A (2:30 pm): (1) Scranton Prep (20-3) vs. (4) Nanticoke (17-6)
Valley View HS Boys 2A (1 pm): (2) Blue Ridge (17-7) vs. (3) Mt. View (10-13) Boys 2A (2:30 pm): (1) Holy Cross (16-8) vs. (5) Old Forge (7-16)
UPDATED 2/20/17
2017 District 2 Tournament Picks
BOYS CLASS AAAAAA 2/4 Subregional
(1) Williamsport (18-4) vs. (4) Delaware Valley (13-9) (2) Hazleton Area (19-3) vs. (3) Scranton (13-9)
FAVORITES: Williamsport, Hazleton Area KEEP AN EYE ON: Scranton BEST SEMI-FINAL: Hazleton Area vs. Scranton
THE NITTY-GRITTY: The 6A top seed flipped from Hazleton Area to Williamsport after the Cougars could not hold off a final period rally by Wilkes-Barre Meyers to end their 18-game winning streak. That allowed the Millionaires, who are in the midst of their own 11-game winning run, to claim the top position. Williamsport, as always, has played one of their toughest schedules in the entire state. In recent weeks, they got home victories over Harrisburg and Central Dauphin East plus a big road win over State College. They are an experienced squad that never seems to play out of control. Senior guard Stanley Scott (20.4 ppg) is sensational and makes great things happen on both ends of the floor. A pair of 6-2 forwards, Rondell Carson (11.1 ppg) and Qayiim Ali (12.4 ppg) are very tough around the basket. Ali, a very quick athlete, is a terrific rebounder. They also have 5-10 senior guard Brian Duvall. One of their four losses occurred back on December 30 to #2 seed Hazleton Area (78-69). The Cougars raced out to a 42-29 lead at the break in that one and held off a late Port surge as Scott netted 32 points. Hazleton Area is an athletic team that has a great blend of overall height and shooting ability. Throughout the season, they have had different players step up to make an impact. However, two of them seem to be the glue that holds this team together, 6-4 junior forward Jeff Planutis (16.4 ppg) and senior point guard Michael Cusatis (6.4 ppg). They also feature 6-7 junior forward Josh Samec (11.7 ppg), 6-4 junior forward Joey Grula (11 ppg), 6-8 senior forward Nolan Genasevich (5.9 ppg), and 6-4 sophomore Da’Mir Faison (9.9 ppg). Mike Joseph’s team needs to play solid defense and make each possession count. The Cougars will face #3 seed Scranton. The Knights’ somewhat modest 13-9 mark should not be taken lightly. Four of their losses came in division play to top 4A and 5A seeds Scranton Prep and Abington Heights. Another was a close loss to District 11 powerhouse Pocono Mountain West. Scranton has good height, tremendous athletic ability, and great ball handlers. They can be very patient with the ball. And if they can keep their turnovers to a minimum, they could give Hazleton Area a very competitive game. Their heart and soul is Ky’Ron Harbin (14.8 ppg). He is joined in the backcourt by Robbie McAndrew (junior, 8.5 ppg). Inside, 6-9 senior center Matt Hart (10 ppg) is steady along with 6-3 senior forwards Jacob Watts (5.9 ppg) and Nasir Cunningham (5.6 ppg). Most of their triples come via Harbin, McAndrew, and Cunningham (55 total). #4 seed Delaware Valley, the Lackawanna Division 2 champion, finished the season winning 6 of their final 8 games. The Warriors are very well coached and feature one of the top playmakers in the entire district, 6-6 senior forward Shane Acoveno (13.9 ppg). Also in the backcourt, Del-Val has Tyler Smith (senior, 9.8 ppg), Zach Klapack (junior, 5 ppg), and sharpshooter Blake Gearhart (sophomore, 6.4 ppg, 31 triples). Inside, 6-4 senior forward Trevor Smith averages 7.9 ppg.
BOYS CLASS AAAAA
(1) Abington Heights (19-3) vs. (8) Wallenpaupack (7-15) (4) Wyoming Valley West (12-10) vs. (5) Dallas (11-11) (2) Crestwood (15-7) vs. (7) Pittston Area (6-16) (3) West Scranton (12-10) vs. (6) North Pocono (9-13)
FAVORITE: Abington Heights KEEP AN EYE ON: Crestwood, Wyoming Valley West DON’T COUNT OUT: West Scranton, Dallas BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Wyoming Valley West vs. Dallas BEST SEMI-FINAL: Abington Heights vs. Wyoming Valley West
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Abington Heights comes into the 5A tourney with only three losses, two to 4A top-seed Scranton Prep and one to 6A top-seed Williamsport. The Comets have a solid lineup that gets very balanced scoring. Inside, Ken Bianchi needs 7-0 senior center Seth Maxwell (11 ppg) to contribute on both ends of the court. Senior point guard Tom Rothenberger (5.9 ppg) runs the offense well and has become an occasional three-point threat. Sophomores George Tinsley (6-4, 12.5 ppg) and Trey Koehler (6-2 guard, 10.6 ppg) complement each other with Tinsley showing quick agility around the basket. And 6-5 junior guard Jackson Danzig (11.1 ppg) has a great shooting touch. #2 seed Crestwood benefits from great coaching and being fundamentally sound. The Comets love to keep scores in the 40s, averaging 47.5 ppg. They defeated Wilkes-Barre Meyers in the middle of the season and lost by a basket to rival Hazleton Area a few weeks ago. They are an experienced team led by senior guard Kyle Gegaris (10.6 ppg, 24 triples) and versatile senior playmaker Lance Blass (7.8 ppg). Inside, they have a pair of 6-4 forwards in Kyle Richards and Noah Jackson who score a combined 17.1 ppg. West Scranton comes in as the #3 seed and the Invaders may feel that they have something to prove. Along with Abington Heights, they compete in the rugged Lackawanna Division 1. West likes a deliberate pace most of the time, and that can surprise some teams in the playoffs. Four-year starting guard Cole Stetzar leads the way with 11.9 ppg (and has 39 treys). Inside, Jack Lyons squad features 6-2 senior forwards Matt Williams (7.4 ppg) and Shaun Fanning (6.9 ppg). One of the teams that has been on a roll in the latter third of the season has been Wyoming Valley West, the #4 seed. The Spartans finished the season winning 7 of the final 9 games and seem to be capable of pulling off a big upset. WVW has been getting terrific offense from Draig Ruff (junior forward, 15.3 ppg) and a trio of seniors – forward Aaron Austin (12.1 ppg, 46 triples) and guards Sean Judge (11.1 ppg) and Noah Frace (9.8 ppg, 29 treys). Dallas, the #5 seed, has had some ups and down this season, but overall the Mountaineers have remained very competitive even without Jay Bittner (14.6 ppg) in the lineup since late January. They have a win over Berwick and close losses to Crestwood, WVW, and Nanticoke since then. The Mounts are led by senior Ben Donahue (10.3 ppg, 34 triples) and junior Joey Parsons (11.3 ppg). North Pocono, the #6 seed, gets about 6.3 ppg from senior James Ildefonso. The Trojans have a pair of talented underclassmen in Anthony Kosiba (sophomore, 7.5 ppg) and Robert VanBrunt (freshman, 7 ppg). Pittston Area was dealt a tough blow mid-season when junior guard Alex McAndrew (13.2 ppg) went down with a season-ending ACL injury. But, the #7 seed Patriots have rallied around junior guards Matt McGlynn and Naseem Guillauame who have teamed up for 55 triples. The Pats also get 9.8 ppg from senior guard Chris Klein and 8.1 ppg from 6-5 senior forward Pat Mitchell. Wallenpaupack, the #8 seed, has a daunting task ahead, taking on top seed Abington Heights. The Buckhorns, who dropped a previous matchup to the Comets 60-20, are paced by sharp-shooting senior guard Mitch Guerrieri (9.7 ppg, 55 treys) and freshman guard Elijah Rosenthal (7.1 ppg, 29 triples).
BOYS CLASS AAAA
(1) Scranton Prep (19-3) vs. (8) Tunkhannock (10-12) (4) Nanticoke Area (16-6) vs. (5) Wyoming Area (16-6) (2) Wilkes-Barre Meyers (17-5) vs. (7) Valley View (10-12) (3) Wilkes-Barre GAR (16-6) vs. (6) Berwick (15-7)
FAVORITE: Scranton Prep KEEP AN EYE ON: Wilkes-Barre Meyers DON’T COUNT OUT: Nanticoke, W-B GAR, Berwick, Wyo. Area BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Wilkes-Barre GAR vs. Berwick BEST SEMI-FINAL: Wilkes-Barre Meyers vs. Wilkes-Barre GAR
THE NITTY-GRITTY: The 4A tourney is filled with talented squads and great matchups. Fortunately, three teams will advance to the state playoffs. Few teams have been as consistently good throughout the season as top-seeded Scranton Prep. But, if finishing strong and momentum counts toward anything, it’s tough to overlook Wilkes-Barre Meyers, one of the hottest teams in the entire district right now. Time will tell whether the gap has widened or narrowed between these teams since an opening night 77-65 Prep win over the Mohawks. In any event, this is going to be a fun bracket to watch unfold. Scranton Prep, Lackawanna Division 1 champs, dropped games to District 12 powerhouse Archbishop Wood, plus Pottsville and Parkland from District 11. Prep has veteran leadership and a coach that matches their incredible intensity. They can run the floor flawlessly, nail a triple at any moment, and work it inside to their bigs. Their senior guards are sensational – Paddy Casey (14.7 ppg, 37 triples), Logan Bailey (12.6 ppg), and Nick Dende (11.9 ppg, 57 triples). Brett Para (6-4 senior) is a versatile player that hits 9.1 ppg. Inside, Wes Simons (6-5 junior center) and Leo O’Boyle (6-7 sophomore forward) net a combined 12.6 ppg. Wilkes-Barre Meyers, the #2 seed, lost a pair of games to highly-regarded Constitution (Philly Pub) and Berks Catholic at a holiday shootout. They also dropped conference games to Crestwood and Nanticoke Area. They then captured the WVC Division 2 with huge wins over rival GAR and Hazleton Area to end the regular season. They are led by junior guard Juwane Buckner (14.1 ppg) plus seniors Matt Dessoye (guard, 11.9 ppg) and Levaugn Soules (6-4 forward, 10.7 ppg). The Mohawks also get contributions from Ryan Gilgallon (6-4 senior forward, 8 ppg) and Robbie Formola (senior forward). Wilkes-Barre GAR, the #3 seed, had their 9-game winning streak snapped with back-to-back losses to Wyoming Area and Meyers. They feature sophomore guard Will Johnson (17.4 ppg, 32 triples). He is joined by senior guard Andrew Campbell (11.3 ppg, 52 treys). Inside, the Grenadiers have 6-6 senior center Keyshawn Palmer (12.8 ppg) and 6-5 junior forward Herman Suazo (6.3 ppg). #4 seed Nanticoke Area finished the regular season with a 38-35 win over #5 seed Wyoming Area. So, these two teams will battle once again in the quarter-finals. The Trojans rely on seniors Luke Butczynski (13.1 ppg, 42 triples) and Cody Piestrak (7.2 ppg, 35 triples). Sophomore Nate Kreitzer (11 ppg) has connected on 50 treys. Wyoming Area has enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in recent memory and their fans have enjoyed every minute of it. The Warriors get 11.9 ppg from junior Sam Greenfield and 7.4 ppg from speedy junior Kyrie Zielinski. Seniors Anthony Saitta and Anthony Nardell hit a combined 12.7 ppg (Saitta connected on 33 treys). #6 seed Berwick finished the season 2-7 after starting out 12-1. The Bulldogs go up against GAR, a team that beat them 54-50 earlier this month. They are led by 6-2 senior forward Jude Goddard (14.9 ppg). In the backcourt they have a trio of juniors – Damon Beckhorn (13 ppg), Alec Markle (9.3 ppg), and Kenny Marshman (6.5 ppg) – plus senior Matt Champ (9.2 ppg, 33 triples). One of the younger teams in the tourney is #7 seeded Valley View. The Cougars get their firepower from a trio of talented sophomores, guard Marc Kudrich (11 ppg, 30 treys), guard Bobby Craig (6.7 ppg), and 6-4 forward Brian Durkin (7.6 ppg). Tunkhannock loves to shoot from long-range. The #8 seed Tigers are led by sophomore Tyler Faux (11.2 ppg, 45 triples), juniors Sean Harder (9.9 ppg) and Evan Turner (9 ppg), and senior Avery Newhart (7.8 ppg, 47 treys).
BOYS CLASS AAA
(1) Mid Valley (21-2) vs. (8) Lakeland (4-18) (4) Wyoming Seminary (13-9) vs. (5) Carbondale (10-12) (2) Dunmore (15-8) vs. (7) Riverside (7-15) (3) Holy Redeemer (14-8) vs. (6) Montrose (11-11)
FAVORITE: Mid Valley KEEP AN EYE ON: Dunmore, Holy Redeemer DON’T COUNT OUT: Wyoming Seminary BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Wyoming Seminary vs. Carbondale BEST SEMI-FINAL: Dunmore vs. Holy Redeemer
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Mid Valley, the Lackawanna Division 3 champion, storms into the 3A playoffs as the top-seed and riding a 13-game winning streak. The Spartans are led by a pair of senior guards, Noah Tanner (12.9 ppg) and Brad Kalinowski (12 ppg). Junior guard JJ Glinsky nets 8.2 ppg. Mid Valley does not have much height, but 6-0 senior forward RJ Gouldsbury plays very tough and scores just over 10 ppg. The Spartans have established a winning tradition and it carries onto the floor. While they come into the tourney as the favorite, there will be challenges ahead. Dunmore, the #2 seed, took the Spartans to overtime last week before dropping a 60-56 loss. The Bucks have won 6 of the last 8 games, with their other recent loss to top 2A seed Holy Cross. They feature a senior oriented lineup with guards Michael Dougherty (10 ppg, 24 triples), Conor Walsh (10 ppg), and John Mandarano (9.4 ppg). Inside, the Bucks have 6-2 center Nick Maldonato (7.3 ppg). Speaking of teams finishing with a bang, Holy Redeemer, the #3 seed, finished the season winning 8 of 9. Their only loss was to D3 powerhouse Trinity, 78-77. The Royals get 9.5 ppg from senior guard Jason Stachokus who hit 35 triples this year. He is joined on the perimeter by junior Joey Judge (7.2 ppg). Inside, HR has some height in 6-3 sophomore Colin Cook (9.5 ppg) and 6-4 senior Joe Layaou. While Holy Redeemer did capture the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 3 title with an 11-5 mark, the rest of the division finished with a dismal 21-59 conference record. One of the teams that did get a mid-January win over them was #4 seed Wyoming Seminary. The Blue Knights are a young squad that features sensational freshman guard Jeremy Callahan (15 ppg, 55 triples). He is joined inside by a pair of sophomores, 6-3 forward Dimitri Gnall (8 ppg, 38 treys) and 6-4 center Nick Ganter (7.6 ppg). Carbondale comes into the tourney as the #5 seed. The Chargers get very balanced scoring. Inside, 6-5 senior center Giovanni Mustica hits 9 ppg. In the backcourt, senior Evan Dearie (8 ppg, 38 triples) and junior Bobby Salitsky (7.5 ppg) lead the way. Montrose, the #6 seed, played steady basketball in Lackawanna Division 4 this season, but was not able to get into the division playoff picture. The Meteors get about 11.3 ppg from senior Brennan Gilhool, 9.5 ppg from junior Jacob Peck (who also hit 35 triples), and 7.9 ppg from senior Brendan Buck. Riverside, the #7 seed, has a bit of a deceiving record as they have played quite competitively in many of their losses, including a pair of oh-so-close defeats to their next opponent, Dunmore (42-40 and 61-60). The Vikings are led by 6-3 senior forward Bill Nash (13 ppg), junior guard Evan Carrubba (9 ppg, 24 triples), and 6-2 junior forward Marcos Echeverria (8.2 ppg). Lakeland, the #8 seed, is led by a pair of sophomores in 6-4 forward Jake Curnow (14.7 ppg) and guard James Lewis (8 ppg).
BOYS CLASS AA
(1) Holy Cross (15-8) vs. (8) Forest City (3-19) (4) Elk Lake (11-11) vs. (5) Old Forge (6-16) (2) Blue Ridge (16-7) vs. (7) Lackawanna Trail (5-17) (3) Mountain View (9-13) vs. (6) Northwest Area (7-15)
FAVORITE: Holy Cross KEEP AN EYE ON: Elk Lake, Blue Ridge DON’T COUNT OUT: Old Forge, Mountain View BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Elk Lake vs. Old Forge BEST SEMI-FINAL: Blue Ridge vs. Mountain View
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Top seed Holy Cross finished the regular season winning 10 of their last 12 games with both losses coming to 3A top seed Mid Valley. The Crusaders finished Lackawanna Division 3 play with a 10-2 mark. They are led by 6-6 senior center Malachi Phillips (12 ppg). In the backcourt, they feature junior Patrick Galvin (8.9 ppg), senior Matt Nelson (6.6 ppg), and sophomore Tyler Mozeleski (8.8 ppg, 39 triples). How big is the gap between Holy Cross and the rest of the field? #2 seed Blue Ridge dropped back-to-back crossover games to Holy Cross to end the season (64-36 and 59-30). The Raiders, who lost to Elk Lake in the Lackawanna Division 4 title game, get 17.9 ppg from senior forward Jeff Morris. He is joined in the frontcourt by senior Kyle Donovan (5.1 ppg). On the perimeter senior Mike Allen scores 6.6 ppg (with 42 triples) and senior Jarred Mills adds 5.8 ppg. Mountain View got the #3 seed over division winner Elk Lake. The Eagles get 17.6 ppg from senior guard Matt Lavin who also connected on 40 triples. Junior guard Kyle Streich (9.3 ppg) added 39 treys. Mt. View also gets 7 ppg from sophomore guard Mikey Schermerhorn. Elk Lake, the #4 seed, gets strong efforts from Reirdan Reyan (junior guard, 17.3 ppg, 60 triples) and Ben Woolcock (senior guard, 15.3 ppg). The Warriors will face a tough opponent in #5 seed Old Forge. The Blue Devils are anchored inside by 6-4 senior center Ben Grochowski (16.1 ppg) plus a trio of junior guards, Kevin Welsh (9.8 ppg), Joey Verespey (9.2 ppg), and Brandon Nee (6.6 ppg). Welsh and Verespey combined to hit 60 triples on the season. #6 seed Northwest Area features a pair of sharpshooting sophomore guards in Sam Saxe (14 ppg, 47 triples) and Jaxson Yaple (11.5 ppg, 44 triples). The Rangers also have senior guard Mitchell Mazonkey (7.5 ppg). Lackawanna Trail, the #7 seed gets about 16.3 ppg combined from Travis Ankoff (senior guard) and Shawn Jones (6-2 junior forward). And, #8 seed Forest City gets about 15 ppg total from senior guard Jared Paulin and 6-3 senior forward Kolby Rotella. The two combined to hit 34 triples on the season.
BOYS CLASS A 2/11 Subregional
(1) Lincoln Leadership Academy (13-8) bye (4) Tri Valley (9-13) vs. (5) Notre Dame ES (10-12) (2) Nativity BVM (12-10) bye (3) Salem Christian (14-8) vs. (6) Susquehanna (8-14)
FAVORITE: Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter KEEP AN EYE ON: Nativity BVM DON’T COUNT OUT: Tri Valley, ND-ES, Susquehanna BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Tri Valley vs. Notre Dame ES BEST SEMI-FINAL: Nativity BVM vs. Susquehanna
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Lincoln Leadership Academy is a charter school located in Allentown’s East Side. The Lions enter the 1A tourney as the clear favorite after five consecutive district appearances (and losing the title game to Notre Dame East Stroudsburg last year). They improved their schedule this year and have an experienced senior lineup led by guard Ramfis Rodriguez. He is joined in the backcourt by Isaac Torres. The frontcourt is led by 6-2 Justin Marrero and Adonis Morales along with junior Justin Ayala. The Lions also have a pretty avid student following not often seen for charter schools. Pottsville Nativity BVM is the #2 seed. The Hilltoppers are a high-flying, athletic squad that rebounds very well. And they can go 10-deep in their lineup. BVM features Price Szeglia (senior guard), Raphael Mudrow (sophomore guard), and Trent Shalatsky (senior forward). Salem Christian, the #3 seed located in Macungie, competes in the ACCAC conference, a group of twelve Christian schools located across eastern Pennsylvania. The Eagles feature a pair of conference all-stars in Matt Shiffer and Levi Gehman. Tri Valley comes in as the #4 seed. The Bulldogs could be the sleeper team here. After starting the season 3-11, they have finished strong at 6-2. Justin Ziegmont, senior forward, is their only senior. His younger brother, Nick Ziegmont, is a sophomore guard. Ashton Buchanan, a junior, has been playing well at the point. Defending 1A champion Notre Dame East Stroudsburg is led by a trio of seniors – guards Luis Bermudez and Davis Jaeder along with 6-5 center Kittipich Saicharoen. District 2 representative Susquehanna, comes in at the #6 seed. The Sabers cannot be overlooked as they compete in a challenging Lackawanna League division. They are led by guards Mason Deakin (sophomore, 13 ppg), Tyler Williams (senior, 11.5 ppg), and Garret Grausgruber (senior, 8.1 ppg). Inside they have 6-0 junior forward Eric Lee (5.7 ppg). Keep in mind that if Susquehanna does not win the 1A sub-regional, they will also face MMI Prep for the District 2 championship. If the Sabers lose before the title game, they play MMI at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 3. If they lose in the title game, they play the Preppers on March 6.
GIRLS AAAAAA
(1) Scranton (17-5) bye (2) Hazleton Area (14-8) vs. (3) Delaware Valley (3-19)
FAVORITE: Scranton KEEP AN EYE ON: Hazleton Area
THE NITTY-GRITTY: With Williamsport opting out of the tournament, #1 seed Scranton advanced directly to the district championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena next week. The bad news is that the Lady Knights must somehow find a way to stay sharp over what will be a 16-day layoff from their last game on February 16. Scranton has terrific athleticism and a great combination of experience and youthful talent. Without question, one of the top players in the entire district is senior guard Ciaira Loyd (19.1 ppg, 39 triples). She is joined by senior guard Tahliah Dillon (6.2 ppg). They have also been getting good efforts from freshman guard Sophia Glogowski (3.5 ppg). Perhaps their most formidable strength is the quickly improving frontcourt with 6-0 sophomore Kristen Hart (5.7 ppg), 5-11 junior Shelby Funchess, and 6-2 freshman Colette Mulderig (6.2 ppg). The Lady Knights completed a 13-0 mark on their way to capturing the talent-filled Lackawanna Division 1 title. #2 seed Hazleton Area also had their own share of division success this year finishing 10-6 in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 play. The Lady Cougars finished strong winning 8 of their final 10 games, including division wins over Crestwood, Dallas, and Pittston – teams which all advanced to the district semi-final round. Hazleton features one of the best backcourts in District 2 with senior Kendra Pfeil (16.5 ppg, 47 triples) and junior Maddie Mrochko (14.1 ppg, 49 triples). Inside, the Lady Cougars have been relying on Virginia Yurchak (5-8 sophomore, 5.5 ppg), Marissa Trivelpiece (5-10 freshman, 9.7 ppg, 19 triples), and older sister Megan Trivelpiece (5-7 senior, 5.1 ppg). Hazleton is led by the very effective, but often animated, veteran head coach Joe Gavio. Delaware Valley, the #3 seed, is led by 6-3 senior center Hannah Gallagher (9.3 ppg). On the perimeter, the Lady Warriors have senior Jenna Pacella (7.2 ppg), senior Stephanie O’Grady (2.8 ppg), and junior Ciera Cavallaro (4.3 ppg).
GIRLS AAAAA
(1) Wyoming Valley West (18-4) vs. (8) W-B Coughlin (0-22) (4) Pittston Area (13-9) vs. (5) North Pocono (15-7) (2) Crestwood (14-8) vs. (7) Wallenpaupack (13-9) (3) West Scranton (16-6) vs. (6) Abington Heights (11-11)
FAVORITE: Wyoming Valley West KEEP AN EYE ON: Crestwood, Pittston Area DON’T COUNT OUT: West Scranton, Abington Hts., N. Pocono BEST QUARTER-FINAL: West Scranton vs. Abington Heights BEST SEMI-FINAL: Wyoming Valley West vs. Pittston Area
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Wyoming Valley West comes into the 5A tourney as the top seed, winning 9 of their final 10 games. Their four losses were to Scranton Prep, Pocono Mountain East, Pittston Area, and Holy Redeemer. The Lady Spartans have senior guards Erin Gibbons (25.9 ppg, 40 triples) and Gabby Smicherko (12 ppg). Sophomore guard Andi Blasko adds 5.5 ppg. Inside, 6-0 senior center Colleen Cwalina, hits 8.6 ppg. #2 seed Crestwood dropped a pair of WVC Division 1 games to Valley West. The Lady Comets finished conference play at 10-6 against several highly-regarded teams. They are led by a trio of juniors, guard Julia Makowski (15.9 ppg), guard Sara Hopkins (10.5 ppg), and forward Andrea Shipton (6.6 ppg). #3 West Scranton took second place in Lackawanna Division 1 play behind the scoring and leadership of Destiny Jefferson (senior guard, 19.4 ppg, 44 triples). Underclassmen Tatum Repshis (freshman guard, 8.1 ppg), Nevaeh Ross (sophomore guard, 6.8 ppg), and Raven Rozina (5-11 junior center) lead the way for the Lady Invaders. Pittston Area, the #4 seed, is a team to watch despite their 8-8 WVC division record. The Lady Patriots are anchored by seniors Taryn Ashby (15.8 ppg, 29 triples) and Kirsten Durling (12.1 ppg). Junior guard Alexa Noone nets 8.6 ppg with 26 triples. Freshman forward Leah Hodick has been impressive with 10.5 ppg. They will take on Lackawanna Division 2 champion North Pocono. The Lady Trojans get 13 ppg from 5-8 senior forward Chloe Pehanick. She is joined by 5-9 junior Sarah Kaneski (7.5 ppg) and sophomore forward Izzy Pehanick (6 ppg). Freshman guard Jenna Montana hit 23 triples on the season. #6 seed Abington Heights has the potential to be a sleeper team. The Lady Comets are 9-4 since January with all four losses coming by a total of 14 points. Two of those losses were to their next opponent, West Scranton (56-53 and 61-58). AH is led by their junior floor leader Hannah Kowalski (11.4 ppg, 23 triples). She is a terrific ball handler that can drive to the basket. She is joined by senior guards Nicole Getz (4 ppg) and Grace Evans (4.3 ppg, 25 triples). Inside, the Lady Comets have 5-11 senior center Alessia Brunori (8 ppg) and 5-11 senior forward Olivia Baker (5.1 ppg). #7 seed Wallenpaupack is probably a year away from district title run. The Lady Buckhorns have a trio of sophomore guards, Megan Guerrieri (10.3 ppg, 23 triples), Hannah Smith (7.8 ppg), and Rachel Tirjan (5.9 ppg, 21 triples). They also have junior guard Olivia Gregory (4.9 ppg, 18 treys). #8 seed Wilkes-Barre Coughlin gets a combined 11.7 ppg from senior guards Emily Cicon and Claire Curtis.
GIRLS AAAA
(1) Nanticoke Area (22-1) vs. (8) Honesdale (6-16) (4) Wyoming Area (13-9) vs. (5) Dallas (11-11) (2) Berwick (14-8) vs. (7) Valley View (5-17) (3) Scranton Prep (13-9) vs. (6) Lake-Lehman (7-15)
FAVORITE: Nanticoke Area KEEP AN EYE ON: Berwick, Scranton Prep DON’T COUNT OUT: Wyoming Area, Dallas BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Wyoming Area vs. Dallas BEST SEMI-FINAL: Berwick vs. Scranton Prep
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Nanticoke Area comes into the 4A tourney as the clear team to beat. The Trojanettes have played a challenging non-league slate, including a victory over the top 6A seed from District 11 (Nazareth). Their sole loss came via an 80-71 matchup against 5A top seed Wyoming Valley West. Pick your adjective – relentless, tenacious – as a number of them apply to GNA’s brand of hoops this year. And they repeatedly out-hustle taller teams, creating their own scoring opportunities. They are led by guards in the frontcourt and the backcourt. Seniors Kayla Aufiero (17 ppg, 58 triples) and Riley Klepadlo (15.6 ppg, 25 treys) are their go-to players with Lisa Radziak (junior, 10 ppg, 39 triples) and Alyssa Lewis (sophomore, 8.1 ppg) always in the mix. The #2 seed is Berwick, who battled Nanticoke even through intermission before the Trojanettes came away with a 50-47 win back on February 6. The Lady Bulldogs finished 10-6 in the extremely competitive WVC Division 2. And while they may not have received as many headlines as the frontrunners, they are a solid squad. Junior guard Reese Mensinger is outstanding scoring 17.2 ppg with 55 triples. They also have some inside power with seniors 5-11 forward Tori Talanca (15 ppg) and 6-0 center Roni Isenberg (6.9 ppg). Scranton Prep, the #3 seed, competes in the talent-filled Lackawanna Division 1. The Classics twice played 6A top seed Scranton very tough. Julia Sirotnak (5-10 senior forward) leads the way with 9.6 ppg (40 treys). A pair of sophomores, guard Kathleen Rose and forward Katherine Dzwonczyk, score a combined 14.5 ppg. Prep also gets about 6 ppg from senior guard Calista Kline and 5.7 ppg from junior forward Holly Daveski. Wyoming Area comes in as the #4 seed. The Lady Warriors finished the season 3-4, but three of those losses were narrow defeats to Berwick, Holy Redeemer, and Hazleton Area. They are led by junior guard Sarah Holweg (18 ppg, 64 triples). She is joined by senior guards Katie Wolfgang (11 ppg) and Lydia Edwards (8.1 ppg, 36 treys). Inside, 5-10 junior forward Addison Orzel has been solid scoring 9.7 ppg. Keep in mind that 3A advances three teams to the state tournament. So, the semi-final losers still get to play for the 3rd qualifier. Dallas comes in as the #5 seed. The Lady Mountaineers finished 6-10 through a tough WVC schedule. Senior guard Maddie Kelley scores 14.6 ppg, junior guard Sara Lojewski hits 12 ppg, and 5-11 freshman forward Lauren Charlton adds 6.5 ppg. #6 seed Lake-Lehman has a young lineup, so the Lady Knights are looking to gain some playoff experience and focus on the future. Sophomores Madison Borum (10.8 ppg), Corrina Scoblick (9.6 ppg), and Savannah Purdy (9 ppg) all contribute, along with freshman Sarah Salus (8.6 ppg, 25 triples). Valley View, the #7 seed, gets about 6 ppg each from guards Cali Craig (senior), Olivia Chieffallo (senior), and Jen Nguyen (junior). Craig and Chieffallo have combined for 49 triples. And Honesdale, the #8 seed, will rely on a trio of seniors – guard Corinne Casazza (6 ppg), 6-0 center Caroline Tuman (10 ppg), and 5-11 forward Emily Theobald (7.7 ppg).
GIRLS AAA
(1) Dunmore (21-0) vs. (8) Wilkes-Barre Meyers (14-8) (4) Riverside (13-9) vs. (5) Carbondale (13-9) (2) Holy Redeemer (18-5) vs. (7) Lakeland (11-11) (3) Holy Cross (17-5) vs. (6) Mid Valley (14-8)
FAVORITE: Dunmore KEEP AN EYE ON: Holy Redeemer, Holy Cross DON’T COUNT OUT: Riverside, Carbondale, Mid Valley BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Riverside vs. Carbondale BEST SEMI-FINAL: Holy Redeemer vs. Holy Cross
THE NITTY-GRITTY: It’s no coincidence that championship seasons are most often built around superb point guard play. And undefeated, #1 seed Dunmore certainly fits that mold with four-year starter Maddie Martin (16 ppg, 43 triples) running the show. But what makes the Lady Bucks so talented is that the players around her elevate their play to her level. Martin is joined by senior guard Erika Bistran (9 ppg. 43 treys). Dunmore also features several talented underclassmen in the backcourt – sophomores Gianna Delfino and Lisa Tallo along with junior Kelly Quinn. Those three combine for 21 ppg. Inside, 6-0 sophomore forward Victoria Toomey has been steady contributing 10.2 ppg. #2 seed Holy Redeemer started out 1-3 this season before going on a 14-game winning streak. A pair of recent losses to 4A top seed Nanticoke (22-1) have definitely helped prepare the Lady Royals for a rigorous 3A district tourney. Holy Redeemer gets balanced team scoring, but without question, their sparkplug is junior guard Sam Rajza (12.6 ppg). She makes things happen all over the court. She is joined by senior guards Irelyn Januzzi (9.4 ppg), Maya Kornfeld (8.1 ppg), and Talia Kosierowski (7 ppg). Sophomore guard Julia Andrejko nets 8.8 ppg. Inside, 5-10 freshman forward Samantha Yencha is fun to watch. She scored 11 points in their 49-47 loss to Nanticoke on Saturday. Holy Cross, the #3 seed, seemed to hit a few bumps heading into February as the Lady Crusaders dropped 3 of 4 division games. Abby Anderson (5-11 senior forward, 19 ppg), one of the top players in the entire district, can hit an outside shot (35 triples on the season). Junior guard Lexie Walsh (12.6 ppg) and sophomore guard Abby Sempa (8.3 ppg) have combined for 48 treys. They also get about 10 ppg combined from junior guard Mollie Burda and sophomore forward Haley Bestrycki. The #4 and #5 seeded teams (Riverside and Carbondale) are quite evenly matched with each team winning by 5 over the other during the regular season. Riverside features a sensational senior guard in Lizzy Spindler (18.8 ppg, 39 triples). She is joined by sophomore Julia Antoniacci (8.6 ppg, 37 triples). Inside, the Lady Vikes have 5-10 senior center Shelby Slaboda (7.5 ppg) and 5-11 senior forward Jess Millan (8.7 ppg). #5 seed Carbondale continues to play very well despite losing Mikenna Walsh to an off-court injury back on February 1. The senior guard was averaging 12.6 ppg with 37 triples. The Chargerettes get about 10.1 ppg from their backcourt, as senior Anna Totsky and junior Amelia Zazzera have teamed up to hit 52 triples. Inside, 5-10 senior forward Maresa Artone hits 7.6 ppg. Mid Valley, the #6 seed, has a strong frontcourt with Anielly Holt (5-10 senior, 7.9 ppg), Kiana Williams (6-0 junior, 6.9 ppg), and Lauren Owens (junior, 6.2 ppg). Senior guard Erica Haefele nets 10.9 ppg for the Spartanettes. Lakeland is the #7 seed. The 11-11 Lady Chiefs have balanced scoring behind a trio of seniors – Brooke Estadt (11.9 ppg, 44 triples), Madison Harding (11.2 ppg), and Katie Retzbach (8.4 ppg). Junior Haley Clauss-Walton adds 7.1 ppg. And #8 Wilkes-Barre Meyers features junior guard Erin Morris (8.3 ppg), sophomore guard Bella Skaff (8 ppg), and senior forward Giana Skaff (8.6 ppg, 47 treys).
GIRLS CLASS AA
(1) Northwest Area (15-7) bye (4) Old Forge (6-16) vs. (5) Wyoming Seminary (6-16) (2) Blue Ridge (13-9) vs. (7) Lackawanna Trail (1-21) (3) Elk Lake (12-10) vs. (6) Mountain View (3-19)
FAVORITE: Northwest Area KEEP AN EYE ON: Old Forge, Blue Ridge DON’T COUNT OUT: Elk Lake, Wyoming Seminary BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Old Forge vs. Wyoming Seminary BEST SEMI-FINAL: Blue Ridge vs. Elk Lake
THE NITTY-GRITTY: Northwest Area, the WVC Division 3 champion, looks to be poised to grab the 2A tourney. But, keep in mind that the Lady Rangers are still a very young squad. Brenna Babcock, sophomore guard, leads the way with 19.3 ppg (18 triples). She is joined by guards Trista Babcock (sophomore, 5.5 ppg) and Raegan Harrsion (freshman, 10.6 ppg). Junior forward Danielle Bowman nets 4.8 ppg. #2 Blue Ridge, one of four Lackawanna Division 4 teams in the tourney, finished behind the frontrunners. While the Lady Raiders do not feature much long-range firepower, but do get about 14.6 ppg from 1,000 point senior scorer Isabella Cosmello. They also get 12.1 ppg from junior Kalynne Myers and 8.3 ppg from junior Abby Hartman. Elk Lake, who finished 6-6 in league play, would love to get on track in the district playoffs. The Lady Warriors feature a trio of seniors – guards Keri Jones (11.3 ppg) and Justine Johns (11.4 ppg) plus forward Whitney Tyler (8.2 ppg). #4 seed Old Forge comes into the tourney as a team that could challenge for the district title. The Lady Devils finished the season 2-4, but that included a win over Forest City and close losses to Mid Valley and Carbondale. So, while they do compete in a very competitive division, they also did finish 1-11 against those teams. Freshman guard Lindsey Welsh has been impressive hitting 11.7 ppg and connecting on 40 triples. Guards Alex Nocera (junior) and Kierstyn Breig (senior) score a combined 13.6 ppg. Inside, 5-10 junior center Jen Regan nets 5 ppg. #5 seed Wyoming Seminary features a young squad. Freshman guard Alex Wesneski hits 11.6 ppg (and has 26 treys). They also get about 4.5 ppg each from Mia Raneri (sophomore forward), Julia Gabriel (junior forward), and Annemaakie Reitsma (sophomore guard). Lackawanna Trail, the #7 seed, is looking to build toward their future with three talented underclassmen – junior guard Lexie Kwaitkowski (7.2 ppg), sophomore guard Cali Fauquier (6 ppg), and junior forward Laurelann Penn (5.1 ppg).
GIRLS CLASS A 2/11 Subregional
(1) Notre Dame East Stroudsburg (15-7) bye (4) Nativity BVM (9-13) vs. (5) Weatherly (9-13) (2) Forest City (15-10) vs. (7) Salem Christian (15-7) (3) Susquehanna (12-12) vs. (6) Lincoln Leadership Aca. (9-12)
FAVORITE: Notre Dame East Stroudsburg KEEP AN EYE ON: Forest City, Susquehanna DON’T COUNT OUT: Nativity BVM, Lincoln Leadership BEST QUARTER-FINAL: Susquehanna vs. Lincoln Leadership BEST SEMI-FINAL: Forest City vs. Susquehanna
THE NITTY-GRITTY: The 1A sub-regional tourney is a bit tough to figure out, but appears to be aligned to give one of the District 2 qualifiers, #2 Forest City or #3 Susquehanna, a great chance to advance to the championship game. Starting with top-seeded Notre Dame East Stroudsburg, the Spartans feature 1,000 point scorer senior guard Krista Kissell. Clearly the heart and soul of their team, she scored over 30 points in several games this year. They also feature guards Hannah Durham (senior), Rosemary Porter (junior), and Caroline Bahara (freshman) along with forwards Alyssa Pipolo (junior) and Sarah Tichy (sophomore). #2 Forest City, winners of 7 of their final 8 games, including the Lackawanna Division 4 title game, gets 12.8 ppg game from junior guard MacKenzie Hartman. She is joined on the perimeter by sophomore guard Maggie Kowalewski (4.6 ppg) and senior guard Caitlyn Bonham (4 ppg). The Lady Foresters also have versatile 5-8 senior forward Kendra Bendyk (12.4 ppg, 47 triples) and 5-9 junior forward Skylar Fortunar (7.7 ppg). They will be playing #5 seed Susquehanna for the 5th time this season. After two wins in league play, the Lady Sabers dropped the last two to Forest City (48-37 and 49-39). Susquehanna is led in scoring by a pair of freshmen, guard Taylor Huyck (10.7 ppg) and Mackenzie Steele (6-0 center, 7.5 ppg). Sophomore guard Bethany Maby nets 8 ppg while senior guard Lauren Soden adds 5.8 ppg. Inside, they also have senior forward Taylor Williams (3 ppg). #3 seed Pottsville Nativity BVM, despite their 9-13 record, has played very competitively in many of their matchups this season. The Hilltoppers defeated their next opponent (#5 Weatherly) twice in league play (55-37 and 65-37). They are led by Mykenzie Malacusky (sophomore guard), Mallory Sanders (senior G/F), Maddie Ulsh (senior guard), Madison Clarke (junior forward), and Julia Klembara (junior guard). #5 Weatherly is paced by a trio of sophomores, Lindsey Hoffman, Emily Zoscin, and Megan Peifer. #6 seed Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School, located in East Allentown, features 5-2 sophomore guard Ramsey Rodriguez (22.6 ppg). And #7 seed Salem Christian comes in with the best record, but the lowest power rating. The Eagles, who lost during the season to top seed Notre Dame East Stroudsburg (56-41 back on January 16) and to #5 seed Weatherly (65-34), feature senior guard Jenna Krage (an ACCAC MVP selection). They also have junior forwards Rachel Aston (6-0) and Ally Barnes (5-10) along with freshman guard Anna Krage.
UPDATED 2/19/17
Posted below are the final regular season District 2 Boy’s and Girls’ Top 10 Ratings. Updated ratings will be posted on March 5 following the District 2 Championships at the Mohegan Sun Arena and again on March 25 following the PIAA State Championships in Hershey.
District 2 playoff matchups have been determined based on final power ratings (link below). A link has also been posted below to a complete summary of all District 2 tourney classification games.
Tuesday and Wednesday quarter-final matchups (sorted by venue) are also listed below. Stop back for more breakdowns and analysis of all boys’ and girls’ classifications.
2017 District 2 Final Power Ratings (click here)
2017 District 2 Tourney (click here)
2017 PIAA First Round (click here)
DISTRICT 2 QUARTER-FINAL SITES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
North Pocono HS Boys 3A (6 pm): (2) Dunmore (15-8) vs. (7) Riverside (7-15) Boys 3A (7:30 pm): (1) Mid Valley (21-2) vs. (8) Lakeland (4-18)
Pittston Area HS Girls 4A (6 pm): (4) Wyoming Area (13-9) vs. (5) Dallas (11-11) Boys 3A (7:30 pm): (3) Holy Redeemer (14-8) vs. (6) Montrose (11-11)
Scranton HS Girls 2A (6 pm): (4) Old Forge (6-16) vs. (5) Wyoming Seminary (6-16) Girls 4A (7:30 pm): (3) Scranton Prep (13-9) vs. (6) Lake-Lehman (7-15)
Tunkhannock HS Girls 2A (6 pm): (3) Elk Lake (12-10) vs. (6) Mountain View (3-19) Girls 2A (7:30 pm): (2) Blue Ridge (13-9) vs. (7) Lackawanna Trail (1-21)
Carbondale HS Boys 5A (6 pm): (3) West Scranton (12-10) vs. (6) North Pocono (9-13) Boys 5A (7:30 pm): (1) Abington Hts. (19-3) vs. (8) Wallenpaupack (7-15)
Wyoming Area HS Boys 3A (6 pm): (4) Wyo. Seminary (13-9) vs. (5) Carbondale (10-12) Boys 5A (7:30 pm): (4) Wyo. Valley West (12-10) vs. (5) Dallas (11-11)
Nanticoke Area HS Girls 4A (6 pm): (2) Berwick (14-8) vs. (7) Valley View (5-17) Boys 5A (7:30 pm): (2) Crestwood (15-7) vs. (7) Pittston (6-16)
Wyoming Valley West HS Girls 4A (7 pm): (1) Nanticoke (22-1) vs. (8) Honesdale (6-16)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Lackawanna College Girls 3A (6 pm): (4) Riverside (13-9) vs. (5) Carbondale (13-9) Girls 3A (7:30 pm): (1) Dunmore (21-0) vs. (8) W-B Meyers (14-8)
Pittston Area HS Girls 3A (6 pm): (2) Holy Redeemer (18-5) vs. (7) Lakeland (11-11) Girls 5A (7:30 pm): (1) WVW (18-4) vs. (8) W-B Coughlin (0-22)
Scranton HS Girls 5A (6 pm): (3) West Scranton (16-6) vs. (6) Abington Hts. (11-11) Boys 4A (7:30 pm): (1) Scranton Prep (19-3) vs. (8) Tunkhannock (10-12)
Tunkhannock HS Boys 2A (6 pm): (3) Mountain View (9-13) vs. (6) Northwest Area (7-15) Boys 2A (7:30 pm): (2) Blue Ridge (16-7) vs. (7) Lackawanna Trail (5-17)
Carbondale HS Girls 3A (6 pm): (3) Holy Cross (17-5) vs. (6) Mid Valley (14-8) Boys 2A (7:30 pm): (1) Holy Cross (15-8) vs. (8) Forest City (3-19)
Wyoming Area HS Girls 5A (6 pm): (4) Pittston (13-9) vs. (5) North Pocono (15-7) Boys 4A (7:30 pm): (3) W-B GAR (16-6) vs. (6) Berwick (15-7)
Nanticoke Area HS Girls 5A (6 pm): (2) Crestwood (14-8) vs. (7) Wallenpaupack (13-9) Boys 4A (7:30 pm): (2) W-B Meyers (17-5) vs. (7) Valley View (10-12)
Wyoming Valley West HS Boys 4A (7 pm): (4) Nanticoke Area (16-6) vs. (5) Wyoming Area (16-6)
Abington Heights HS Boys 2A (7 pm): (4) Elk Lake (11-11) vs. (5) Old Forge (6-16)
DISTRICT 2 BOYS TOP 10 (games thru 2/18)
1. Scranton Prep (19-3) 4A 2. Williamsport (18-4) 6A 3. Hazleton Area (19-3) 6A 4. Abington Heights (19-3) 5A 5. Mid Valley (21-2) 3A 6. Wilkes-Barre Meyers (17-5) 4A 7. Crestwood (15-7) 5A 8. Wilkes-Barre GAR (16-6) 4A 9. Nanticoke Area (16-6) 4A 10. (tie) Scranton (13-9) 6A 10. (tie) Dunmore (15-8) 3A
OTHERS TO WATCH Berwick (15-7), Blue Ridge (16-7), Dallas (11-11), Delaware Valley (13-9), Elk Lake (11-11), Holy Cross (15-8), Holy Redeemer (14-8), Montrose (11-11), West Scranton (12-10), Wyoming Area (16-6), Wyoming Seminary (13-9), Wyoming Valley West (12-10).
DISTRICT 2 GIRLS TOP 10 (games thru 2/18)
1. Dunmore (21-0) 3A 2. Nanticoke Area (22-1) 4A 3. Wyoming Valley West (18-4) 5A 4. Holy Redeemer (18-5) 3A 5. Scranton (17-5) 6A 6. Holy Cross (17-5) 3A 7. West Scranton (16-6) 5A 8. Hazleton Area (14-8) 6A 9. Crestwood (14-8) 5A 10. (tie) Berwick (14-8) 4A 10. (tie) Riverside (13-9) 3A
OTHERS TO WATCH Abington Heights (11-11), Blue Ridge (13-9), Carbondale (13-9), Dallas (11-11), Elk Lake (12-10), Forest City (15-10), Lakeland (11-11), Mid Valley (14-8), North Pocono (15-7), Northwest Area (15-7), Pittston Area (13-9), Scranton Prep (13-9), Susquehanna (12-12), Wallenpaupack (13-9), Wilkes-Barre Meyers (14-8), Wyoming Area (13-9).
UPDATED 2/18/17
CONGRATULATIONS !!! 1,000th CAREER SCORING POINT
Erin Gibbons (Wyo. Valley West Lady Spartans)
DISTRICT 2 BOYS DIVISION UPDATE (games through 2/18)
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1 Hazleton Area (15-1) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 2 Wilkes-Barre Meyers (15-2) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 3 Holy Redeemer (11-5) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 Scranton Prep (13-0) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 2 Delaware Valley (9-4) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 3 Mid Valley (11-1) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 4 Elk Lake (8-4) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
Championship Game (Saturday, 2/18 @ Valley View) · Elk Lake 63, Blue Ridge 55
DISTRICT 2 GIRLS DIVISION UPDATE (games through 2/18)
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1 Wyoming Valley West (14-2) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 2 Nanticoke Area (15-1) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
Championship Game (Saturday, 2/18 @ Wilkes Univ.) · Nanticoke Area 49, Holy Redeemer 47
DIVISION 3 Northwest Area (10-4) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 Scranton (13-0) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 2 North Pocono (10-3) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 3 Dunmore (12-0) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
DIVISION 4 Forest City (10-2) ALL-SEASON CHAMPION
Second Half Playoff Game (Friday, 2/17 @ Carbondale HS) · Forest City 45, Montrose 31
All Season Championship (Saturday, 2/18 @ Valley View) · Forest City 49, Susquehanna 38
With the switch to six classifications this year, all new state championship brackets are now posted on the PIAA website. Below is a link to the District 2 first round opponents.
2017 PIAA First Round Matchups
DISTRICT 2 TOURNAMENT DATES
2/13 (Monday): Deadline to opt out of D2 Tournament via email
2/20 (Monday): District 2 Tournament meeting
2/21 (Tuesday): Quarter-finals (Boys 3A, 5A; Girls 2A, 4A)
2/22 (Wednesday): Quarter-finals (Boys 2A, 4A; Girls 3A, 5A)
2/23 (Thursday): Quarter-finals (Boys 1A)
2/24 (Friday): Quarter-finals (Girls 1A) 2/24 (Friday): Semi-finals (Boys 3A, 5A; Girls 2A, 4A, 6A)
2/25 (Saturday): Semi-finals (Boys 2A, 4A, 6A; Girls 3A, 5A)
2/27 (Monday): Semi-finals (Boys 1A)
2/28 (Tuesday): Semi-finals (Girls 1A) 2/28 (Tuesday): 3rd Place Games (Boys 4A, Girls 3A, 4A)
3/2 (Thursday): Final (Girls 1A, 4pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/2 (Thursday): Final (Girls 4A, 6pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/2 (Thursday): Final (Boys 3A, 8pm, Mohegan Sun Arena)
3/3 (Friday): Final (Boys 1A, 2pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/3 (Friday): Final (Girls 2A, 4pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/3 (Friday): Final (Girls 6A, 6pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/3 (Friday): Final (Boys 5A, 8pm, Mohegan Sun Arena)
3/4 (Saturday): Final (Girls 3A, 12pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/4 (Saturday): Final (Boys 2A, 2pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/4 (Saturday): Final (Boys 4A, 4pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/4 (Saturday): Final (Girls 5A, 6pm, Mohegan Sun Arena) 3/4 (Saturday): Final (Boys 6A, 8pm, Mohegan Sun Arena)
3/10 (Friday): PIAA First Round (Boys 1A, 3A, 5A; Girls 2A, 4A, 4A) 3/11 (Saturday): PIAA First Round (Boys 2A, 4A, 6A; Girls 1A, 3A, 5A)
Question or Comments, email us at LLHoops.NEP-Beat@comcast.net
Twitter @LLHoopsNEPbeat
Jon K.
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