UPDATED 3/13/08

SPECIAL PIAA PLAYOFF UPDATE
 
It is always great to see District 2 teams advance to the state championships, but even when that does not happen, the season can still be considered a huge success.  Scranton Prep held even with Susquehanna Twp. for 3-1/2 quarters Tuesday night, but they eventually dropped a 61-52 loss to the Indians.  Move on that game below.
 
So, it is time for the Northeast Beat to hit the road for the PIAA state championships at the Bryce Jordan Center.  Rumors continue to circulate that the games will be returning to Hershey next year (although the PIAA does have an option on holding them at Penn State in 2009 also).  It will be interesting to see how hospitable the hotels and restaurants are this year because they all tried to roll out the red carpet for fans last year.  This year the Northeast Beat will be at the Penn Stater Hotel and hope to meet some hoops fans there.  Watching high schools basketball in the BJC was actually very well done, but the spacious arena seems a bit cavernous.  No doubt that some gate money will be lost as the Friday night Boys 3A matchup between Steel-High and Susquehanna Twp. might have been a sellout at the Giant Center.  The Northeast Beat will post the best of PIAA Championships next week. 
 
Also, stop back in the next few weeks for final District Top 10 season rankings, senior all-star game highlights, and Northeast Beat all-District teams.              
 
 

Boys 3A State Semi-Final
Susquehanna Township 61, Scranton Prep 52
 
Sometimes, players, coaches, and fans simply have to accept that they got beaten by a better team.  And there should be no lingering disappointment in that realization.  In fact, it is difficult to imagine Scranton Prep playing a better game.  Sure, maybe another trey here or there might have made for a magical finish and trip to Penn State, but overall, it was still a fantastic culmination of a great high school hoops careers for their senior players.  As their head coach, Joe Ferguson, said it best, the kids played their hearts out.  The Northeast Beat was on-hand at Parkland for this matchup and is always pleased to take in a hoops event at this well-designed facility.  There was lots of energy and vocal fan support on both sides of the court, just the atmosphere that makes for playoff drama.  The Cavaliers got a great game from Matt FitzPatrick (17 points), Billy Joyce (16 points, 4 treys), and Chris Dende (4 treys) and were right in the game up until about halfway through the final period when the Indians finally began to put some distance between the two on the scoreboard.  Credit is well-deserved on both sides of the ball as Will Wertz did a fine job maneuvering around the relentless Hanna pressure defense that followed him all over the court.  Akeem Wilson was a real force inside for Susquehanna as he caused all kinds of interference and had 5 blocks.  But, you had to be impressed with the play of Jared Hill as he fought hard also.  Matt Jones and Greg Edwards each scored 13 points and were fun to watch.  In the end, the Indians control of the boards really prevented the Cavs from getting and second chances and hitting 11 of their 13 free throws was huge. 
 
On further reflection of the Cavalier program, it also worth noting that Joe Ferguson was in his first year as boys head coach at Prep (moving over from the girls program this season).  This group of players was highly touted as having championship potential since the beginning of the 2006-2007 season.  Last year ended without qualifying for the state tournament, a real disappointment for their program.  This year, there were early problems getting the players to buy into their new coach‚s defense-wins-games philosophy.  Eventually, later on in the season, a mutual respect developed between both players and coaches and their offensive firepower shined alongside brilliant defense pressure.  Overall, it was one of the great District 2 hoops stories of the year. 
 
 
 
 

UPDATED 3/10/08

SPECIAL PIAA PLAYOFF UPDATE
 

A weekend which began with such high optimism among District 2 boys and girls quarter-finalists ended on a disappointing note for four of five local squads that came up a bit short.  Several of the matchups were so tantalizingly close to victory, as each team possessed late fourth period leads over state ranked opposition.  But rather than focusing on the negatives of a devastating loss, each of these teams has plenty of youth returning to their lineup and can confidently look to next season as an opportunity to advance even further.  Often times the fans have a tougher time forgetting the loss than the players or coaching staffs.  The sole team moving on to the state Boys 3A semi-finals are the Cavaliers from Scranton Prep.  More on their quarterfinal win over Daniel Boone and a preview of their next game (against Susquehanna Township) is listed in the game capsule below.
 
Recapping the four sensational seasons that ended over the weekend, in Boys AA action, Holy Cross put together one of the all-time District 2 state playoff efforts against a top rated Philadelphia area team, Imhotep Charter.  The Crusaders played absolutely even with the District 12 runner-up for 31 minutes and 54 seconds.  When Joe Gibbons (8 points) corralled the rebound off a Nico Fricchione (10 points) miss, he went right up with a layup to tie the game at 49.  The officials met and added two seconds onto the clock when Imhoptep called timeout (0:03:09 to 0:05:09) and that was just enough to allow a full court break as Miquel Bocachica took a feed from Lamar Trice and hit the winning layup at the buzzer to win, 51-49.  Sophomore center Mark Bevacqua contributed 13 points for Holy Cross.  Head coach Al Callejas deserves a lot of credit for successfully blending the two former Scranton Diocese rival programs together.  Sports united not just the basketball players, but entire fan bases and local communities came together.  With three sophomore starters returning, the Crusaders program is certainly headed for another championship run next year. 
 
The same could be said for the Holy Redeemer girls team which dropped a Girls AAA game to Villa Maria Academy, 56-52 in overtime.  Although most pointed toward their 7 of 19 free throw shooting stat as costing Holy Redeemer the game, the Hurricanes shot an equally disappointing 13 of 24 from the charity stripe.  Monica Wignot (15 points) drawing her third foul before halftime did not help matters.  But the real difference was likely the momentum shift that VMA gained when they outscored the Royals 15-2 at one point in the third quarter and erased a 12-point halftime deficit.  Yes, Holy Redeemer had their chances to finally overcome one of the perennial hurdles to getting to a 3A state title game, defeating the always tough AACA teams.  A core nucleus returns to the Wilkes-Barre school and expectations will be high again next season. 
 
In Girls 1A, Old Forge got a fantastic effort from sophomore Kim Kaville (20 points), but dropped a 43-37 loss to Schuylkill League powerhouse Nativity BVM.  The Blue Devils trailed 32-27 when Angela Altemose picked up her 4th foul.  In frustration she appeared to toss the ball at the backboard as if taking a shot.  The other referee came in and immediately called a technical, sending her to the bench.  Seizing the opportunity, Old Forge converted the 1+1 foul, both technical shots, and the ensuing possession to take a 33-32 lead.  However, as if on cue, as she did twice before in the game, reserve Mara Franko knocked down another clutch trey to give momentum right back to the Golden Girls.  Though Kaville again knotted the game at 35, Nativity ended the game on an 8-2 run.  The bright spot for the Blue Devil is that they return 100% of the scoring from this game next season, losing only one senior. 
 
The Girls AAAA game played at Martz Hall saw incredible pre-game school spirit from the Scranton faithful as they filled 9 fan buses and had virtually everyone wearing Knight Time t-shirts.  Unfortunately, as can sometimes inexplicably happen in the postseason, the Lady Knights endured a disastrous off-night offensively.  As unbelievable as their single field goal first half performance seemed, they only trailed by a score of 13 to 9 to Central Dauphin.  But, they were doing some other things right, including rebounding, shot blocking, and holding Ram sensation Alyssa Thomas in check.  But foul troubles began to hurt the Lady Knights as Lachelle Miller picked up her 3rd foul five minutes before halftime and Nashira Turner quickly drew her 4th foul early in the third period.  For a few moments it seemed as it Scranton had finally snapped out of their luckless shooting woes when they scored to only trail 16-14 with 5:00 left in the third period.  A few moments later, going after a loose ball, Lachelle Miller seemed to momentarily get tossed around like pinball as she tried to break free from CD defenders.  No call was made and the Scranton bench drew a technical foul protesting the non-call.  Rather than spark the Knights, the net result seemed to deflate Scranton of any momentum that had established and vaulted the Rams toward a 12-1 run, taking control of the game after three periods (30-20) on their way to the 51-40 victory.  Scranton, like all several other District 2 teams that came up short, returns a good part of the lineup next season, although they clearly lose some of their height. 
                                     
 
 
PIAA SEMI-FINAL ROUND GAME (DISTRICT 2 TEAM)

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

Boys 3A
(2-1, 24-7) Scranton Prep vs. (3-1, 31-2) Susquehanna Twp., Parkland, 7 pm
 
In their quarter-final 49-42 win over Daniel Boone, Scranton Prep started out slowly, trailing by 6 points (8-2) before going on a 9-0 run to take an 11-8 lead in the second period.  Prep standout Matt FitzPatrick (22 points) also got his long range shot going in this matchup, hitting a pair of critical 3-point shots when Prep needed to hold onto the lead.  Daniel Boone got a great game from Dan Sekulski (21 points).  Another key for the Cavaliers was the play of big-man Jared Hill who scored 8 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.  One of the biggest shots of the evening came at the close of the third period as Chris Dende nailed a tray to give Prep a little breathing room, 34-29 heading into the final period.  After FitzPatrick converted a pair of free throws with 1:55 remaining to go up 43-36, Daniel Boone used an intense pressure defense to trap the Cavalier guards and create 4 consecutive turnover sand trigger 6-0 run to only trail 43-42.  However, Prep did regroup, got to the foul line, and secured the 7-point victory.  
 
Moving on to the Boys AAA semi-final against Susquehanna Township, this game features a pair of teams with very different expectations just a few weeks ago.  The Indians were aiming to get by Steel-High in the District 3 championship game and were already planning on a possible rematch against the Rollers in the Bryce Jordan Center this Friday night.  The Cavaliers, meanwhile, were really just trying to get by Crestwood in the District 2 title game and gain a more manageable first round state playoff matchup  However, move ahead 17 days and Prep is now within one win of advancing to the state championship.  Though their role is admittedly that of an underdog, this game is not out of their reach.  The first challenge for the Cavs is dealing with the fatigue of playing three physically draining games, especially their wins over Greencastle-Antrim and Daniel Boone.  Prep can go 8 players deep, but if the patented Hanna transition game gets rolling, it could cause major problems.  Daniel Boone used an effective trap defense to force consecutive turnovers and almost pull even late in the game, although Prep was more intent on trying to draw fouls at that point.  The Indians will likely use a similar defensive scheme to try and create easy fast breaks down the court.  The Prep guards are capable ball handlers so they should be able to limit their turnovers.  Hanna brings a terrific lineup into the game, featuring Greg Edwards (6-4, junior, forward) who averages about 18 ppg and is a great scorer around the basket.  He hit for 12 points and pulled down 12 rebounds against Communications Tech and netted 18 (including 3 treys) in their win over Great Valley.  Another player who can score from almost anywhere on the court is Akeen Wilson (6-6, junior, center).  The Indian sophomore guards are both lightning quick and can be very effective off the dribble.  They include Tajih Turner (5-11) and Ben Dupree (5-9).  Matt Jones (6-3, senior, forward) rounds out their lineup with top reserve action coming from Maury Young (5-10, sophomore, guard), Mike Johnson (5-8, sophomore, guard), Dominic Schiano (6-5, senior, forward), and BJ Smith (6-1, senior, guard).  For Scranton Prep, their trio of guards includes Will Wertz (5-9, senior, 5.9 ppg), Billy Joyce (5-10 senior, 11.6 ppg), and Chris Dende (6-2, senior, 14.4 ppg).  Matt FitzPatrick (6-3, senior, forward, 14.3 ppg) is a real playmaker and Jared Hill (6-5, senior, center, 5.1 ppg) is a capable force inside.  Top reserve action is provided by Tim Lavelle (5-10, junior, guard), Pat Mineo (5-10, junior, guard), and Josh Ildefonso (6-2, senior, forward).     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UPDATED 3/6/08

SPECIAL PLAYOFF UPDATE
 
District 2 hoops fans should be very proud of their PIAA representatives as five of the eight remaining teams advanced into quarter-final round action.  Unfortunately, three more sensational basketball campaigns came to a close this week, but not without a fight to the very last buzzer.  In Boys 2A, Wilkes-Barre GAR got a great game from Tyseane Whitt (4 treys) and Mike Polakoski (19 points) but dropped a 52-49 loss to Trinity.  The Grenadiers grabbed a 46-44 lead with 3:24 remaining but could not keep up the momentum, getting to within 50-49 with 1:24 left.  In Boys 1A Old Forge got a tremendous effort from their senior leader, Stephen Semenza (36 points, 6 treys) but dropped a 69-59 loss to high flying Girard College.  Though Old Forge was able to somewhat contain freshman John Johnson, it was senior guard Omar Bey-ford who rolled up 23 points.  And in Girls 2A, Dunmore rallied from a 17-10 first quarter deficit to lead Trinity 33-31 later in the game.  But the Shamrocks, behind 21 points from their gutsy sophomore guard Laura Murray (21 points) ended the game on a 10-3 run to win, 41-36.  The Lady Bucks got a great effort from Tayler Pallotta (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Lauren Carra (17 points), but really struggled to hit their shots in the final period.
 
Friday night brings a great doubleheader at Martz Hall as Scranton plays Central Dauphin in a Girls AAAA 6 pm matchup with Scranton Prep playing Daniel Boone in Boys AAA action at 7:30 pm.  The Northeast Beat will be on hand for that and also one of the Saturday sites, either the Boys AA, Girls AAA doubleheader at Bethlehem Freedom or the Girls 1A matchup at Hazleton.  Good luck to all the teams and coaches in trying to advance to the PIAA semi-final round.       
 
         

PIAA QUARTER-FINAL ROUND GAMES (DISTRICT 2 TEAMS)

FRIDAY, MARCH 7

Boys 3A
(2-1, 23-7) Scranton Prep vs. (3-4, 25-7) Daniel Boone, Martz Hall, 7:30 pm
 
There was a pickpocket on the loose in Martz Hall Tuesday night.  Although the culprit was quickly identified, he never did get apprehended (though a foul was called in the process).  The skillful thefts earned him a hero‚s welcome into the Scranton Prep locker room following their stunning 46-45 upset over 2007 state championship participant Greencastle-Antrim.  His name, Josh Ildefonso, his number 23.  The fourth quarter pressure that the seldom-used reserve forward provided, along with his brilliant defensive anticipation, created 4 important steals against the very adept ball-handling Blue Devils.  However, earlier in the game, it was Scranton Prep that looked deflated and demoralized as they stood, looking a bit fatigued as G-A appeared willing to allow the clock to wind down to halftime.  However, rather than running a final play, Jordan Gembe ever-so-casually took a step forward and launched a trey to give his team a 23-12 halftime advantage.  Though they would be his only points of the night, his teammate Dameatric Scott had a fantastic game, scoring 29 points and grabbing 15 caroms.  The Blue Devil lead ballooned to 13 points on a Jordan Statler putback in the third period.  An ensuring technical call on Meter Scott midway through the period allowed Prep to stop the bleeding and trip the deficit to 9 points (27-18).  A Billy Joyce (11 points) trey at the end of the quarter cut the lead to 5 points (36-31).  Enter Josh Ildefonso and instantly Prep had an effective defensive weapon going strong, one which Greencastle-Antrim was not able to adjust to.  A Will Wertz trey gave Prep a 37-36 lead and the final 5 hectic minutes were underway, featuring the (Meter) Scott show.  His 3-pointer with under a minute remaining gave G-A a 44-43 lead and sent their large following of fans to their feet.  Prep tied the game when Wertz hit 1 of 2 free throws with 40 seconds left.  The Blue Devils ran down the clock, calling a pair of timeouts to get their play called.  The Cavaliers were called for a foul on the inbounds and Gembe went to the line for a 1+1.  After he missed the first shot, Scott skillfully grabbed the rebound and got fouled.  He made the first (to go up 45-44), but missed the second shot.  Matt FitzPatrick (13 points) got the rebound and immediately started a fast break up court as the final 6 seconds were winding down.  Amazingly, Prep found themselves with a 3 on 1 situation, with Chris Dende on his left and Bully Joyce to the right.  The pass went to Joyce and his game winning layup was thwarted by a foul on Jordan Gembe.  It was a good call and not a case of a referee deciding the outcome of a game.  Joyce went to the line and calmly sank both free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining for the 46-45 lead.  On the inbounds, Scott launched a three-quarter court shot which glanced of the front of the rim, sending the Cavalier faithful spilling onto the Martz Hall court in celebration.  Though the Northeast Beat loves covering game at this historic Pottsville venue, the equally legendary interstate 81 fog encountered driving home was some of the worst ever seen.  It was pea soup thick (or peanut butter if you so choose) right to Hazleton.                                                      
 
Moving on to quarter-final action, Scranton Prep next faces Daniel Boone, a team that had their own dramatic win Tuesday night.  The Blazers rallied from 14 points down in the final period to nip Eastern York at the buzzer, 74-72.  It was their first state playoff win in school history.  They average 64 ppg.  The Blazers are led by a talented 6-2 senior forward, Dan Sekulski (16.6 ppg), who scored 31 points against Eastern York (and 25 in their opening round win).  Two other senior players average double-figures, 1,000-pt. scoring guard Jeff Sowers (16 ppg) and Jimmy McCarthy (10.3 ppg).  Others players include Kyle Yarmush, Gavin Williams, Zach Benjamin, and Neil Rusiewicz.  Like Prep, Daniel Boone has talented players who can all score.  They have good ball handlers and favor an up tempo game running a sideline break.  Typically, they‚ll go with a man defense.  Prep has a core of three terrific guards in Will Wertz (5-9, senior, 5.9 ppg), Billy Joyce (5-10 senior, 11.6 ppg), and Chris Dende (6-2, senior, 14.4 ppg).  Matt FitzPatrick (6-3, senior, forward, 14.3 ppg) is a versatile playmaker and Jared Hill (6-5, senior, center, 5.1 ppg) is a force inside.  This is an interesting matchup of two teams that possibly (on paper) should not have advanced this far, but that is exactly why the games are played.  This should be a very close game.  The winner next plays either District 3 champion, Susquehanna Township (30-2) or District 12 Champion, Communications Tech (27-3).      
 
 
 
Girls 4A
(2-1, 24-5) Scranton vs. (3-3, 25-7) Central Dauphin, Martz Hall, 6:00 pm
 
District 2 fans are quickly discovering something that Scranton head coach Pat Ferguson has known for quite a while.  The only thing keeping his team from being recognized as a legitimate state title contender are two close losses to Lackawanna Division 1 rival Abington Heights.  And maybe that was a good thing for his group giving them time to gel and develop stability at the guard position.  After defeating well-balanced teams from Northampton and Cedar Crest, the Lady Knights are peaking at the right time.  They jumped out to a 12-0 lead over Cedar Crest and placed three players in double-figures with sophomore guard Lachelle Miller (19 points, 8 steals) leading the way.  Kayla Bailey added 14, Liz Borgia 12, and Nashira Turner added 14 rebounds.  Scranton created 17 total steals on the game also.  And enthusiasm is sky-high at the Electric City high school as 5 busloads of fans made the trip to Hazleton to view the game, spilling onto the court in postgame celebration.
 
Next up is a game against Central Dauphin, a 53-46 winner over Downingtown East (they never trailed) as their all-everything sophomore, Alyssa Thomas, led the way with 31 points.  The future Division 1 prospect plays all over the floor and has height to go inside (6-0 tall).  Their guards are Gabby Singer (5-7, junior) and Sarah Dowhower (5-6, sophomore).  Inside they have Lindsey Meyer (5-9, senior, forward), Caitlyn Bassett (6-1, sophomore, center), and Emily Wolford (5-7, senior, forward).  Scranton counters with their guards Lachelle Miller (5-3, sophomore), Liz Borgia (5-11, junior, 10.3 ppg), and Kayla Bailey (5-3, sophomore).  Inside they have forwards Nashira Turner (5-9, senior, 10.6 ppg) and Terika Turner (6-0, junior, center, 9.6 ppg).  This game should be another excellent matchup.  The winner advances to play either William Allen (11-1, 25-5) or Central Dauphin East (3-2, 23-7).                       
 
 
 
SATURDAY, MARCH 8

Boys 2A
(2-1, 26-3) Holy Cross vs. (12-2, 26-3) Imhotep Charter, Freedom HS 2:30 pm
 
District 2 champion Holy Cross rallied from 11 points down in the second half (31-20) to defeat Delone Catholic 49-45 at Martz Hall.  The Squires went ice cold and Holy Cross switched to a trap zone to force numerous turnovers.  It triggered an 11-0 Crusader run and made it a new ball game with les than 5 minutes remaining.  Mark Bevacqua netted 14 points and Louis Cipriano hit 4 treys.
 
Holy Cross advances to play one of the top AA teams in the state, Imhotep Charter.  They rolled over Hughesville Wednesday night 63-36.  The Panthers margin of victory this year is 20 ppg.  Their three losses came to Strawberry Mansion, the District 12 champ (twice) and to top rated AAAA Chester.  They are considered by some to have six Division 1 recruits on their roster.  They are led by guards Lamar Trice (6-0, senior, 6.8 ppg), Kenny Battle (6-2, junior, 4.8 ppg), and Will Adams (6-3 junior, 14.5 ppg).  Inside they have forwards Miguel Bocachica (6-6, senior, 8.7 ppg) and Rashad Savage (6-6, junior, 14.3 ppg).  Their top reserve is 6-3 junior guard Sam Prescott (4.4 ppg).  This game will certainly be a monumental challenge for the Crusaders, but they will give it everything they have.  As shown against Delone Catholic, that might just be enough to get a win.  Holy Cross features guards Nico Fricchione (6-1, senior, 14.3 ppg), Brett Podyski (6-2, soph, 7.6 ppg), Louis Cipriano (5-8, soph, 5.9 ppg).  Inside they have big man Mark Bevacqua (6-6, soph, center, 13.7 ppg) and forward Joe Gibbons (6-1, senior, 5.1 ppg).  The winner moves on to take on either Strawberry Mansion (12-1, 21-5) or Trinity (3-1, 20-8).
 
 
 
Girls 3A
(2-1, 23-3) Holy Redeemer vs. (1-1, 23-6) Villa Maria Academy, Freedom HS 1 pm
 
District 2 champion Holy Redeemer expected an extremely tight game against Northeastern, but the Lady Royals jumped out to a 13-0 lead over the Bobcats and never trailed.  Alyssa Sabalesky (junior guard) scored 21 points in their 68-53 victory.  Holy Redeemer held Autumn Lau to only 14 points (13 below her season average).
 
Next Up for Holy Redeemer is a matchup against one of the perennial AAA powerhouse teams from the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies (AACA), Villa Maria Academy.  The Hurricanes fell to Hopewell in last year‚s state championship, 37-36.  Their nucleus features Erin Mann (6-1 junior forward), Brooke Angelos (freshman guard), and Ellen Cannon (sophomore point guard).  Cannon scored 16 in their second round 42-35 win over Blue Mountain (Angelos had 13).  Mann suffered a knee injury against Lancaster Catholic, but did play Wednesday night (scoring 3 points).  Other starters include Alex Martin (senior forward) and Lindsay Corcoran (senior guard).  Corcoran is headed to Division 1 Wagner next year.  She scored 23 points in a first round win over LC.  This should be a terrific game.  Holy Redeemer matches up well inside to counter their pair of 6-foot forwards in sophomore center Monica Wignot (6-1) and Lindsay Maximowicz (5-11 senior).  The Lady Royals have such depth and talent at the guard position that they literally wear teams down and run a swarming defense all the time.  They have a great opportunity to advance to the semi-finals.  The winner gets their ticket to the next round to play either Mount St. Joseph Academy (1-2, 27-3) or Carver Engineering and Science (12-1, 25-3).          
 
 
 
Girls 1A
(2-1, 19-8) Old Forge vs. (11-2, 26-4) Nativity BVM, Hazleton HS 2:00 pm
 
District 2 champion Old Forge did an excellent job boxing out on rebounds against the taller Sacred Heart squad.  They held them to 25% shooting (including 0 for 14 treys) on their way to a 43-26 win. 
 
Moving into the next round, the Lady Blue Devils go up against one of the traditional powerhouse 1A teams in Pottsville Nativity BVM.  The Golden Girls feature on of the top players in the Schuylkill League in Angela Altemose (senior, center, 13 ppg).  She battled through foul trouble and held Reading Central Catholic 6-2 center in check for a dramatic 39-38 win on Wednesday night.  Other starters include Cassie Phillips (senior, guard, 5.5 ppg), Angela Kuperavage (senior, guard, 9-1 ppg), Gwen Reimer (senior, guard, 5.1 ppg), and Paloma Russell (senior, forward, 7.6 ppg).  Off the bench key reserves include Gabi Nabholz (sophomore, center, 1.6 ppg), Sasha Birosik (sophomore, guard, 0.5 ppg), and Mara Franko (senior, guard, 3.8 ppg).  Though big-time playoff experience favors the Golden Girls, who can forget the memorable upset last year when the former Bishop OReilly defeated Marian Catholic.  Old Forge is led by guard Aleca Semenza (5-5, sophomore, 9.2 ppg) and forward Kim Kaville (5-8, sophomore, 14.8 ppg).  Other starters include guards Chrissy Belko (5-5, sophomore, 4.8 ppg) and Alyssa Karlak (5-4, senior, 3.1 ppg) along with forward Sarah Fife (5-6, junior, 8 ppg).  Those the Blue Devils may have some problems containing Altemose, they have a lot of confidence in each other right now, so expect this to be a very competitive game.  The winner next plays either Marian Catholic (11-1, 29-1) or Bishop Guilfoyle (6-1, 27-3).       
 
 

UPDATED 3/4/08

 

As mentioned yesterday, Wednesday second round games featuring District 2 teams are posted below. Hopefully there will be some quarter-final previews to be discussed later this week so stop back on Thursday.

 

 

PIAA SECOND ROUND GAMES (DISTRICT 2 TEAMS)

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5

 

Boys 2A

(2-1, 25-3) Holy Cross vs. (3-2, 25-4) Delone Catholic, Martz Hall, 6 pm

 

District 2 champion Holy Cross got a combined 46 points from their three sophomores (Brett Podhyski 17, Mark Bevacqua 16, and Louis Cipriano 13) in their 54-43 first round win over Milton Hershey. The Crusaders led by 9 points after three periods (36-27) before the Spartans rallied to trim the deficit to a single bucket, 40-38. But Holy Cross maintained their composure nicely and finished the game on a 14-5 run to win their first ever PIAA playoff game. Their next opponent is Delone Catholic from McSherrystown. First off, they have a great head coach in 500+ game winner James Dooley. The Squires also defeated Milton Hershey (in the District 3 semis) by a score of 58-46, using an effective 1-3-1 trap zone to seal the win. However, they came up short in the District 3 title game, shooting only 30% and losing 51-41 to Trinity. The Squires feature their own terrific outside-inside combo in Cody Smith (5-10, junior, guard) and Chris Hartmann (6-6, junior, center). Hartmann is very good and averaged over 20 ppg during the season (he netted 35 points in an opening day win over Trinity). Adam Naymick (6-2, senior, forward) is their other scorer and needs to get into the flow if the Squires are going to win this game. Other than Hartmann, Delone Catholic does not have much height other than reserve Brandon Castelnuovo (6-5, senior, center). Holy Cross has their trio of sophomores in Mark Bevacqua (6-6, center), Louis Cipriano (5-8, guard), and Brett Podhyski (6-2, forward) along with slick senior guard Nico Fricchione (6-1) and Joe Gibbons (6-1 senior, G/F). The Crusaders, because of the blending of two former schools, have a deep lineup and will probably get a dozen players into the game. The pleasant surprise for head coach Al Callejas is that these players are all talented and really do contribute when they get into the game. The game matches two seemingly even teams and that should make for an entertaining game at Martz Hall. The key is whether Holy Cross (and Bevacqua) and keep Hartmann from dominating inside. The winner advances to take on either Hughesville (4-1, 25-2) or Imhotep Charter (12-2, 25-3).

 

 

 

Boys 2A

(2-2, 19-10) Wilkes-Barre GAR vs. Trinity(3-1, 19-9) Martz Hall, 7:30 pm

 

Wilkes-Barre GAR found themselves in a 30-30 game against Wyalusing Valley after three periods. That is when their 5-10 senior guard Tyseane Whitt (11 points) finally found his shot, and hit a pair of final period treys to give his Grenadiers a 42-36 win in the first round. Their next opponent is one of the traditional powerhouse teams in the entire state, Trinity, the District 3 champion. The Shamrocks are big and that will cause immediate problems for the Grenadiers. Inside they have RJ Hill (6-8, senior, center), Christian Kuntz (6-4, junior, forward) and Eric Kindler (6-5, soph, forward). Hill only averages 5 ppg, but is a huge obstacle in the middle and is a great shot blocker. Kindler averages 18 ppg, can hit a three-pointer, and is a great rebounder. Kuntz is also steady averaging 6.7 ppg and 7 rebounds per game. In the backcourt Eric Pochak (6-1, senior, guard, 8.7 ppg) and Matt Donahue (5-11, junior, guard, 10 ppg) lead the way. The Shamrocks have one of the great head coaches in 450+ winner Larry Kostelac Jr. and always feature terrific defensive pressure up and down the court. GAR counters with Tyseane Whitt (5-10, senior), Breon Phillips (6-5, senior), Adam Wayman (6-0, junior), AJ Magda (6-1, junior), and Mike Polakoski (5-10, freshman). Because of their significant height advantage, the Shamrocks go into the game as a decided favorite. The winner next plays either North Schuylkill (11-1, 23-7) or Strawberry Mansion (12-1, 20-5).

 

 

 

Girls 3A

(2-1, 22-3) Holy Redeemer vs. (3-3, 22-7) Northeastern, Hamburg HS 7:30 pm

 

District 2 champion Holy Redeemer once again used their superior depth and defensive pressure to get by Shamokin, 52-27. Lindsay Maximowicz scored 16 point for the Lady Royals who forced the Lady Indians into 26 turnovers. Holy Redeemer (a merger of the former Bishop Hoban, Bishop Hafey, Bishop OReilly, and Seton Catholic schools) next plays Northeastern, a 64-50 winner over Prep Charter in the opening round. Any discussion of the Bobcats has to begin with their standout pair of twin sister forwards, Amber and Autumn Lau. Against Prep Charter, Amber netted 18 points and 12 rebounds while Autumn got 30 points and 18 boards. Autumn also scored 33 points in an earlier district win over Lancaster Catholic. Northeastern was also able to skillfully navigate through the Prep Charter defensive pressure via some great play from guards Jess King and Chelsea Kohr. Additional contributions come from Abbie Forry. Holy Redeemer has the ability to wear down opponents with their 12 person rotation, but the Bobcats have a lot of stamina and confidence going right now. Holy Redeemer has some height in Lindsay Maximowicz (their senior center) along with sophomore forward Monica Wignot. In the backcourt, the Lady Royals have talent and depth featuring Laura Wingert, Natalie Adams, Alyssa Sabalesky, Megan Kazmerski, Laura Casey, Mary Kate Lambert, among a few others. Look for the Lau sisters to establish early control of the inside. If they get the Redeemer forwards in foul trouble, it could be a tough night for the Lady Royals. The winner next takes on either Villa Maria Academy (1-1, 22-6) or Blue Mountain (11-2, 24-4).

 

 

 

Girls 1A

(2-1, 18-8) Old Forge vs. (1-1, 11-18) Sacred Heart, Parkland HS 6 pm

 

District 2 champion Old Forge got a great game from Kim Kaville (22 points, 11 rebounds) who scored 14 of the 15 Blue Devils fourth period points to defeat Lourdes Regional 40-36. The Lady Blue Devils next play Sacred Heart, who despite their 11-18 record, romped over Lancaster Country Day 46-21 in the opening round. The Lions are led by Alex Kemble, Devon Grinnan, and Hannah Rush. Sacred Heart also played a full game pressure defense that was very effective in their win over the Cougars. Old Forge has sophomores Aleca Semenza, Kim Kaville, Chrissy Belko, and Jess Armillay. They are joined by freshman Andrea Alsalahat, junior Sarah Fife, and senior Alyssa Karlak. The winner of this game will next play either Reading Central Catholic (3-1, 22-6) or Pottsville Nativity BVM (11-2, 25-4).

 

 

UPDATED 3/3/08

As was mentioned in last week‚s Northeast Beat, first round matchups were expected to be very competitive.  Of the eleven District 2 teams that went down to defeat, five of the games were decided by 6 points or less.  There are eight squads advancing into Second Round playoff action Tuesday and Wednesday.  Boys teams still alive include Scranton Prep (Boys 3A), Holy Cross (Boys 2A), Wilkes-Barre GAR (Boys 2A), and Old Forge (1A).  On the girls side, Scranton (4A), Holy Redeemer (3A), Dunmore (2A), and Old Forge (1A) will continue on to the second round.  Capsule previews of the Tuesday boys and girls games are included below.  Wednesday previews will be posted Tuesday morning.  Doubleheaders are set for Martz Hall on both nights.  Final District 2 Top Ten rankings will be posted at the end of the season.
 
Several terrific basketball seasons unfortunately ended this past weekend.  Once again, many of the opening round matchups involving District 2 teams were postponed from Friday to Saturday due to the abrupt snowfall that arrived late in the afternoon.  In fact the only three district teams that played Friday night were those who were able to travel out of the area during the mid-afternoon hours to suburban Philly or Hershey.  In Boys AAAA, District 2 champion Abington Heights fell behind to a more athletic, but shorter Pocono Mountain West team 45-31 before rallying to cut the lead to four points (61-57).  Phil Leyro netted 23 points for PM-West who converted many inside opportunities in the game to win 65-60.  For the Comets, Ross Danzig came off the bench to score 15 points and jumpstart AH.  In Boys AAA, Crestwood went icy cold from the offensive end after taking an 18-16 halftime lead over Great Valley.  The Comets went on a zero for 14 stretch but still hung around to be right in the game (trailing 28-26 with 3:03 remaining).  Great Valley, however, got very patient with the ball and converted their free throws to secure the 39-32 win.  Another 3A team gave one of the states top teams a real battle for about 27 minutes.  Dallas was leading Susquehanna Township by 10 points throughout much of the first half before taking a 23-15 intermission lead.  However, some intense third quarter full court pressure created 11 Mountaineer turnovers, giving Susquehanna a 32-27 lead after three periods.  They finished with an 18-4 run in the final five minutes for the 54-36 victory.  In Boys 2A action, Dunmore rallied after trailing by 19 points to Hughesville, taking a 1-point lead with 1:31 remaining before losing 59-57.  Josh Crownover scored 18 for Hughesville and Pat Ross netted 15 for Dunmore.  In Boys 1A, North Penn got 24 points from both Jesse Kriner and Kyle Atkinson to defeat Susquehanna Community 59-48.  Brent Keyes scored 23 for the Sabers who only trailed 22-21 at halftime.    
 
In District 2 girls first round playoffs, Class AAAA featured a battle of state heavyweights as Downingtown East took on Abington Heights.  The Lady Comets played very well in the first period but started committing turnovers in the second period and trailed 23-18 at halftime.  Beck Burke scored 9 of her 18 points in the final stanza giving AH one last chance for the tie with six ticks left (trailing 33-30).  The play was to go to Kim Kalinoski, but the ball was mishandled and Meghan Kerrigan made the 3-point play to give DTE the dramatic 36-30 win.  In Girls AAA, North Pocono only trailed 30-23 at halftime to Mount St. Joseph, but they committed way too many turnovers and dropped the 61-39 game as Megan Cozza (14) and Katie Cahill (13) paced the Lady Trojans.  Also, Wilkes-Barre Coughlin came so close to sending their game against District 3 Lancaster Mennonite to overtime, but lost 34-32.  LM missed several opportunities in the final minute to put the game away, missing two one-and-ones and a two-shot foul with 10 seconds left.  On the last miss, Laura Taylor (11 points) took the rebound and drove down court, but missed a shot in the paint with 3 ticks left to the game.  In Girls AA action, Loyalsock played very sloppy and shot under 25%, but managed to pull out a 28-25 win over Meyers.  Also, the Wilkes-Barre GAR Cinderella story finally ended as the Lady Grenadiers dropped 60-58 loss to East Juniata.  GAR led 53-48 before East Juniata went on a 10-2 run to take a 58-55 lead.  Then GAR‚s Lydia Naperkowski (14 points) hit a trey to tie the game at 58 with 1:19 remaining.  East Juniata ran down the clock and Steph Yetter (19) hit a putback shot with 5 seconds left to go up 60-58.  Paige Venson (21) missed a shot at the buzzer to tie the game.  In Girls 1A, Forest City dropped a 52-43 game to Northeast Bradford.  The bright spot for the Lady Foresters was the performances by their top underclassmen, sophomore Amanda Collins (20 points) and freshman Cassie Erdmann (14 points).     
 
 
 
PIAA SECOND ROUND GAMES (DISTRICT 2 TEAMS)

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

Boys 3A
(2-1, 22-7) Scranton Prep vs. (3-3, 25-5) Greencastle-Antrim, Martz Hall, 7:30 pm
 
Scranton Prep broke open a 15-15 tie game against Danville by going on a 21 to 6 run, taking a 36-21 halftime lead.  The Cavaliers got an incredible game from Matt FitzPatrick who netted 34 points, hitting and driving for layups almost at will throughout the game.  Chris Dende (17 points) also had a hot hand for Prep in their 73-53 first round win.  Although Prep had a commanding 46-22 lead later in the game, they did get sloppy with the ball, consistently failed to run their sets, and allowed the Ironmen to go on an 11-0 run.  Their next opponent, a team that got a jump shot with under a second left to edge by the much taller team from Franklin Learning Center, 48-47.  The Blue Devils have an experienced and deep team that advanced to the state championship last season.  They start five seniors, highlighted by Jordan Gembe (6-2, senior, guard, 13.5 ppg) and Dameatric (Meter) Scott (6-6, senior, forward, 22 ppg).  Gembe is closing in on 1,000 career points and Scott has been dominating in the playoffs.  Other starters include Levie Holman (6-0, senior, forward, 5.5 ppg), Jordan Statler (6-0, senior, forward, 5.2 ppg), and Evon Wiestling (5-10, senior, guard, 2.1 ppg).  Off the bench Daniel Cordell (5-11, junior, guard), Mac Frederick (5-11, senior guard), and Rust Cordell (5-9, senior, forward) contribute.  The Blue Devils play a tenacious defense all over the court, but Scranton Prep has very talented guards so they should be able to handle the pressure.  The Cavaliers must be careful to not do too much, but to get the ball up court and run their sets.  This game has the potential the very a very close matchup, but big game experience in a venue like Martz Hall slightly favors Greencastle-Antrim.  The winner of this game moves on the battle either Eastern York (306, 19-10) or Daniel Boone (3-4, 24-7) on Friday night.
 
 
 
Boys 1A
(2-1, 18-9) Old Forge vs. (1-1, 24-3) Girard College, Beth. Freedom HS 7 pm
 
Old Forge got an offensive boost from junior Matt Rava (8 points) and bridged the gap when Stephen Semenza (17 points) was out of the game with foul trouble to defeat Lourdes Regional 52-59.  A 17-5 final period rally by Lourdes (and forcing 9 Blue Devil turnovers) tightened the 40-26 lead after three periods.  Old forge scored 8 treys and also got 13 points from Mark Alexander.  The Blue Devils next take on Girard College from the Philadelphia area.  The Cavaliers took a 21-4 lead after the first period in their first round win over Millersburg.  Their top player is freshman John Johnson (6-0, guard. 20.3 ppg).  Johnson is also a defender, along with fellow guards Trevor Peeples (5-6, senior, 8.6 ppg, 94 assists) and Torrell Candelaria (6-0, soph, 14 ppg).  Candelaria is a good 3-point shooter.  Inside Andre Rivers (6-5, junior, forward) and Omar Ford-bey (6-3, senior, forward, 12 ppg, 8 rpg) lead the way.  Old Forge will have their hands full in this one, but might catch Girard looking ahead to a possible showdown with powerhouse Scotland School Friday night.  Scotland (3-1, 21-4) takes on Freire Charter (12-1, 13-6) in the other bracket matchup.  
 
 
 
Girls 4A
(2-1, 23-6) Scranton vs. (3-4, 23-7) Cedar Crest, Hazleton 7:30 pm
 
District 2 champion Scranton built a 17-point lead on Northampton before the Konkrete Kids chipped away and only trailed by 3 points with 2:18 remaining (44-41).  The Lady Knights regrouped and posted a 50-41 win as Liz Borgia (14), Kayla Bailey (11), and Terika Turner (12) led the way.  Next up for Scranton is a game against Cedar Crest, a 66-64 2OT winner over Norristown in the first round.  The Falcons are led by guards Aubrey Hoover (5-9, senior, 9 ppg), Cassie Jones (5-7, senior, 4.7 ppg), and Meghan Phillips (5-9, junior, 12.8 ppg).  Forwards are Carrie Sheffey (5-10, senior, 8.2 ppg) and Shannon Stokes (6-2, senior, 12.0 ppg).  Efficient role play off the bench is provided by a pair of sophomores, Jasmine Trimble (5-2, guard) and Taylor Bower (5-11, forward).  Cedar Crest averages 50 ppg and is the 2-time defending champion of the Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1.  Scranton is led by Kayla Bailey (5-4, soph, guard), Lachelle Miller (5-4, soph, guard), Liz Borgia (5-8, junior, forward), Terika Turner (6-0, junior, center), and Nashira Turner (5-10, senior, forward).  The winner advances to play either Downingtown East (1-1, 28-1) or Central Dauphin (3-3, 24-7).
 
 
 
Girls 2A
(2-1, 28-1) Dunmore vs. (3-2, 23-4) Trinity, Martz Hall 6 pm
 
District 2 champion Dunmore forced Delco Christian into 29 turnovers, but could only hit about 30% of their shots in a game that was 21-12 (Dunmore leading) at halftime.  Then, the Lady Bucks (behind 24 points from Lauren Carra) outscored Delco 16-5 in the third period to take control 37-17, on their way to the 51-23 victory.  Their next opponent is one of the top programs in the state every season, Trinity.  If you are a District 2 team with state AA championship aspirations, the road must go through Pottsville‚s lengendary hardwoods and past the Shamrocks first.  If the Lady Bucks were to take a long look into a mirror they just might see the Trinity squads staring right back at them.  There are a lot of similarities between these squads.  Neither has much height to rely on, but both possess a swarming, tenacious, dazzling defense that leaves opponents wondering how to advance the ball down court.  And there might be the difference.  If Trinity is able to beat Dunmore down court in transition and if their guards come anywhere close to their 14 steals per game average, it could be a long night for the Lady Bucks.  Trinity is led by their outstanding freshman guard, Ashley Betz-White (5-4, 10.7 ppg).  Other guards are Alexa Barbush (5-8, junior, 12.4 ppg), Rachael Holt (5-6, senior, 6.1 ppg), and Laura Murray (5-10, soph, 16.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg).  Inside Caroline Lauer (5-9, soph, forward, 5.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Nicole Gilbertson (5-11, junior, center, 5.2 rpg) lead the way.  Dunmore is paced by Allie Donato (5-3, senior, guard), Courtney Clark (5-10, senior, G/F), Julianna Lynott (5-10, senior, center), Lauran Carra (5-9, junior, guard), and Tayler Pallotta (5-10, junior, forward).  The winner of this game takes on either Loyalsock (4-1, 27-2) or Pine Grove (11-1, 21-8).                     
 
 

UPDATE 2/26/08

 

 

Welcome to the inter-district playoff edition of the Northeast Beat. This week, complete District 2 tournament results, along with championship game summaries are provided. The boys and girls Top 10 are both updated, along with the Players of the Week feature. Capsule previews for all 9 boys and 10 girls state playoff games involving District 2 schools are also included. As always, boys stuff is listed first with girls coverage further down the page. Action gets underway Friday (Girls 2A, 4A and Boys 1A, 3A) and Saturday (Girls 1A, 3A and Boys 2A, 4A). Get ready for some great games and maybe even an upset or two along the way. For some teams, just playing inter-districts is icing on the cake. Some of the district runner-ups get their chance this weekend at the proverbial do-over, after missing their opportunity at district gold on Saturday. But, that comes with a hefty tradeoff, as teams such as Crestwood (boys 3A) and Abington Heights (girls 4A) must now hit the road to take on powerful District 1 teams in the first round. Being a lover of great basketball quotes, two come to mind this time of year. Basketball does not build character, it reveals it (author unknown) is a favorite. Another is from MJ; talent wins games, but team work and intelligence wins championships. Sure, being in the right or wrong bracket often has a lot to do with how far a team can progress, but that is just what makes high school hoops so exciting.

 

As happened around most eastern PA districts last Friday, District 2 postponed their six championship and consolation boys games to Saturday due to the all day snowfall. In several instances, the district committee was able to reschedule games to create boys and girls doubleheaders, so that fans from a single school could watch both teams compete. That worked well for GAR and Old Forge followers, but not for Dunmore and Abington Heights. In the case of Abington Heights, both teams were competing for district championships, but a school function prevented the boys from playing an evening doubleheader with the AAA championship game at Kings College. So, both games were set for 1:00 pm tip-offs at venues about 65 miles apart, making it impossible for fans to even contemplate getting to both games. That did cause some frustration among fans, questioning why the committee would not push one of the games off until Sunday. In this case, competing teams from Scranton and Williamsport really did prohibit holding the games at a single site, but it should have been possible to get these games moved to different days. The PIAA obviously granted district playoff extensions, as seen from the Sunday District 1 games and even Monday nights District 3 championships. But, enough about site selections and game times, championship teams have to take on the attitude that they can play anyone, anytime, anyplace.

 

Scranton area hoops fans will quickly point out that the Lackawanna League captured all four boys district championships as Abington Heights (AAAA), Scranton Prep (AAA), Holy Cross (AA), and Old Forge (1A) won gold this past weekend. There is something to be said for top competition making teams better. Sometimes that means traveling around the state for challenging matchups, but success can also be nurtured right in your own backyard. Last year, both Hazleton and Crestwood drove each other to district titles, as seen by their memorable battles in the WVC Division 1. That formula worked again this year as rival Lackawanna League Division 1 teams Abington Heights and Scranton Prep staged four terrific matchups this season and both then moved on, well-prepared into district championships. All four of these championship teams have an extra dimension which seems to kick in to win big games. They all have great team chemistry, outstanding head coaching, and an overdrive gear just when they need it most. Heading into state playoffs everyone wants to know which teams can keep it going. Unlike other years when 50% or more of the first round games seems within reach, this year has more games which could really go either way.

 

 

 

THIS WEEKS DISTRICT 2 BOYS TOP 10

1. Holy Cross (24-3) 2A

2. Abington Heights (22-6) 4A

3. Scranton Prep (21-7) 3A

4. Crestwood (23-5) 3A

5. Williamsport (19-8) 4A

6. Dunmore (19-9) 2A

7. Dallas (18-8) 3A

8. Wilkes-Barre GAR (18-10) 2A

9. Old Forge (17-9) 1A

10. Hazleton (18-8) 4A - season complete

 

OTHERS TO WATCH

Susquehanna (14-11)

 

 

 

LLHOOPS NORTHEAST BEAT BOYS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Kurt Medeiros (6-2 senior) for Abington Heights is one of several heroes that came through for the Comets in their dramatic quadruple overtime 87-76 thriller over Williamsport. Kurt went from a scoreless first half to hitting six key inside points toward the end of the 3^rd period, giving AH the boost and confidence they needed to stay with the Millionaires the rest of the way. He finished with 20 points.

 

Chris Dende (6-2 senior) for Scranton Prep scored 12 of his teams 15 fourth period points in the Cavaliers emotional 44-41 AAA win over top-seeded Crestwood at Kings College.

 

 

 

2007-2008 DISTRICT 2 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP RECAPS AND PIAA PREVIEWS

 

AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(1) Abington Heights 87, (3) Williamsport 76 (4OT)

 

PIAA BOYS AAAA FIRST ROUND (Saturday, March 1)

(2-1) Abington Heights (22-6) vs. (11-2) Pocono Mt. West (22-4), Carbondale 2 pm

 

After Williamsport struggled mightily to edge past Wyoming Valley West and Hazleton Area (both in overtime), most thought that the opportunity for a District 2 team to knock off the Millionaires had slipped away. Abington Heights might be capable of pulling off the win, but most expected that Port would finally rediscover the winning rhythm that they had earlier in the season. So, even if opinions were split heading into the game, any remaining optimism was waning fast when Jadiah Lynch (14.4 ppg, junior PG) returned to the Billtown lineup after missing several games due to academic suspension. The game started with Abington getting chances inside, although they were having trouble finding Spencer Liddic open. Some Comet turnovers and Port offensive rebounding gave Williamsport a 14-10 lead after the first period. The second period saw Abington playing better defense and headed into the locker room trailing by only three points (26-23). The 3^rd stanza belonged to EJ Murphy and Kurt Medeiros who scored a combined 17 of the AH 23 points. Murphy (15 points) was red-hot in the first 3 minutes of the period and it was Medeiros (20 points) who helped Abington take a 44-41 lead at the end of the period. In the fourth quarter, it seemed like a here-we-go-again moment as AH had built a 53-48 lead with 3:34 remaining. Just as they had done against Hazleton, Port went on a 5-0 run (via a Dontahe Jordan 3-point play and Thomas James layup) to net the score at 53-53. Williamsport went for the final shot, but missed, a theme that would repeat itself three more times. In the first OT, Port grabbed a 60-56 lead and then AH cut it to 60-58 with 1:40 left. Knowing the Millionaires would try to run out the clock, Ken Bianchi had his team begin fouling. With 36 seconds left and AH planning to foul on the inbounds, Port panicked a bit as a 5-second call was close to being called. The ball was tipped out of bounds by Port and AH had a chance to tie the game. They took full advantage of the huge Williamsport miscue as Kurt Medeiros hit a jumper with 9 ticks left to again knot the game at 60. The Cherry and While almost made another huge error inbounding underneath their own basket with 4 seconds left (following a timeout) as the ball was tipped and AH actually got an uncontested shot off before the buzzer from inside the 3-point line, but it was off the mark and the game was headed to a 2^nd overtime. Abington took a 64-60 lead only to see it again evaporate following two critical turnovers with 2:01 remaining. An Isaiah Twine (23 points) jumper with 32 seconds left gave Port a 2-point lead only to have Comet reserve player Ross Danzig (6 points) nail down a pair of key free throws with 0:21 left. The 3^rd overtime saw the lead go back and forth before AH again tied the scored at 72 with Cory Spangenberg (25 points) hitting a pair of free throws with 0:48 left. Again Port went for the last shot and came up empty. It would be their final chance to win the game as Abington Heights owned the 4^th overtime by outscoring the Millionaires 15-4 to win 87-76. Overall, it was one of the most entertaining 4A title games ever played in District 2. The Abington Heights team played a very aggressive style of basketball from the second half onward and it worked. And hitting 24 of their 26 free throw attempts did not hurt either. At times it seemed as if Williamsport was playing too patiently and in-control, maybe playing right into the strength of the Comets. Some of the best plays that the Millionaires had were following important Comet scores when they pushed the ball quickly up court and often got easy baskets, once on a 3 on 0 break.

 

There are some years when the District 2 champion gets a more manageable first round state opponent. This is not one of those years. However, it could always be worse (like if they lost to Williamsport and had to take on District 1 champion and nationally ranked Chester this weekend). Abington Heights (22-6) next plays the District 11 runner-up, Pocono Mountain West (22-4). The Panthers entered the D-11 tourney with very high hopes as the top seed, only to find themselves trailing 25-10 after the first period and 39-25 at halftime to Bethlehem Liberty. Though they battled back, they dropped a 70-66 loss to the Hurricanes (snapping their 15-game winning streak). PM-West is coached by Brad Pensyl, one of the greats in the Mountain Valley League (342-148 record). After starting the season 0-2, they won 22 of their next 23 (with single point losses to Allen, Easton, and Freedom). They have four players who average double figures. Their 2G is Kyerell Scott (6-0 junior, 13 ppg) who is the 2-time MVC Player of the Year. He is a 3-point threat. Mike Quiteh is their PG (5-9 senior, 10 ppg). Forwards are Phil Leyro (6-2 senior, 12 ppg) and Jon Mangual (6-1 senior, 15.5 ppg) along with their center Demetrice Fair (6-2 senior, 6 ppg). The Panthers play great man to man defense and are very aggressive on offense. They, along with the Comets, also play well together and seem very confident on the court. PM-West is a battle-tested team that has played some of the best teams in the Lehigh Valley, so there is no quit and no flustering these guys. The Comets are going to have to be careful with the basketball. Too many turnovers will cost them big in this game. But if there is any coach who can figure out a way to put his team in a position to be there in the final minutes, it is Ken Bianchi. The winner of this game next plays the winner of the Penn Wood (1-4, 21-8) vs. Elizabethtown (3-4, 17-12) game.

 

 

AAA CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(3) Scranton Prep 44, (1) Crestwood 41

AAA CONSOLATION (Saturday, February 23)

(7) Dallas 72, (5) Valley View 68 (OT)

 

PIAA BOYS AAA FIRST ROUND (Friday, February 29)

(2-1) Scranton Prep (21-7) vs. (4-2) Danville (17-10), Scranton 7:30 pm

(2-2) Crestwood (23-5) vs. (1-2) Great Valley (21-8), Spring Ford 6 pm

(2-3) Dallas (18-8) vs. (3-1) Susquehanna Twp. (28-2), Hershey Arena 8 pm

 

The Crestwood Comets, 4-time defending Class AAA champions, went up against surging Scranton Prep in front of a large crowd at Kings College Saturday night. Crestwood really struggled with their first half shooting (around 25%) and actually trailed by 9 points (23-14) before Adam Fazzini nailed a trey to cut the Prep lead to 23-17 at halftime. In the 3^rd period, Joe Chrismer finally connected on a trey, giving the Comets a 28-27 lead before Billy Joyce hit a jumper to give the Cavaliers a 28-27 advantage heading into the final stanza. The final 4 minutes of the game were thrilling, with rapid, emotional lead changes. Scranton Prep momentarily took a 7-point lead (37-30) on a Chris Dende trey (off a Comet turnover), but Adam Fazzini quickly hit his own jumper to trim the gap to 37-32. At that point, many expected to see Joe Ferguson (Prep head coach) start using his guards to take some serious time off the clock. But following a Prep miss, a pair of Crestwood treys by Fazzini (18 points) and Josh Popowicz wrapped around a Prep inbounds turnover gave the Comets a quick 38-37 lead with 1:43 remaining. Chris Dende (19 points, 12 in the final period) then hit a trey with 1:15 left to give Prep the lead back at 40-38. A Joe Chrismer trey put Crestwood back up, 41-40. Back up court, red-hot Chris Dende nailed a bank shot to give the Cavs a 42-41 advantage. Following a Comet timeout with 0:26 left, Adam Fazzini missed a trey with 15 ticks left. Matt FitzPatrick (12 points) then headed down court and hit a layup for a 44-41 lead, but Crestwood did manage one last 3-point attempt to tie the game, but the Mike Pritt shot was off target. Overall, the game was well-played by both teams and featured some great coaching strategies. It should no go without saying that Prep big man Jared Hill (6-5 senior center) has really become a force in the middle, giving a whole new dimension to this Cavalier squad. In the consolation matchup, Dallas rallied from a 12-point third period deficit 72-68 win over Valley View (in OT) and move into state competition. Myer Messinger netted 18, Henry Messinger 15, and Pat Murray 17. For Valley View, John Strauss scored 19, Kyle Colachino and Scott Fenton had 14 apiece in their season ending loss.

 

Moving into state playoffs, Scranton Prep (21-7) will take on District 2 runner-up Danville (17-10). The Ironmen may be best known across the area from their recent 46-45 semi-final win over top seeded Shamokin as C.J. Cressman took an inbounds pass back from Curtis Klein, cut through a few defenders to halfcourt, and launched a desperation shot that went in for the incredible finish. The amazing part is that it is the third time that he has connected on a mid court shot in the last few games. The Ironmen clinched a state playoff berth, but dropped a 71-51 loss to Selinsgrove in the District 4 championship. They have a terrific freshman in Mikeal Owens-Wright who can really make things happen on both ends of the court. The other key players are Todd Moser, senior point guard Jacob Zalac, Steve Myers, and Curtis Klein (their leading scorer). This should be a good matchup with Scranton Prep well positioned to possibly advance to the second round. The winner next plays either Greencastle-Antrim (3-3, 24-5) or Franklin Learning Center (12-2, 16-5). Crestwood (23-5), coming off their loss to Scranton Prep, must hit to road to take on Great Valley (21-8), the District 1 runner-up. The Patriots were in a thrilling title game against Pottstown at Villanova University. Great Valley center Zach Oas (6-5 senior) was fouled with less than 1 second remaining and his team trailing by 2 points, 51-49. He hit the first, but missed the second shot in the 51-50 loss. The Patriots are lead by senior guards Mike Donatoni (5-9, 13 ppg), Kyle Stackhouse (5-11, 12 ppg), and Kevin Klein (5-11). Inside they are powered by junior Chris Hobson (6-5, 9 ppg) and 6-5 senior center Zach Oas. Hobson and Oas each had a double-double in the loss to Pottstown. The keys for both teams will be identical, control the offensive boards, limit turnovers, and be patient on offense. The Comets could win this game, but they must hit more of their outside shots this time around. The winner next takes on either Susquehanna Twp. (3-1, 28-2) or Dallas (2-3, 18-8). Dallas (18-8) takes on District 3 champion Susquehanna Township (28-2) at historic Hershey Arena. The Indians defeated powerful Steel-High 57-54 in the D-3 title game and bring an impressive lineup into the game led by Ben Dupre (5-10 soph, G), Tajih Turner (5-11 soph, G), Matt Jones (6-3 senior, forward), Greg Edwards (6-4 junior, forward), and Akeem Wilson (6-5 junior, center). Dupre and Turner are very difficult to guard and Jones is a key to the whole team. The Indians were a powerhouse squad even before Greg Edwards joined the program (he is averaging over 18 ppg in the playoffs). This is one of those games where Dallas just has to go out, enjoy the playoff experience and give it their best shot.

 

 

AA CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(1) Holy Cross 48, (9) Wilkes-Barre GAR 41

AA CONSOLATION (Saturday, February 23)

(6) Dunmore 67, (4) Northwest 40

 

PIAA BOYS AA FIRST ROUND (Saturday, March 1)

(2-1) Holy Cross (24-3) vs. (1-2 vs. 3-4 winner) TBD on 2/26

(2-2) GAR (18-10) vs. (4-2) Wyalusing (21-5), Wyoming Area 1 pm

(2-3) Dunmore (19-9) vs. (4-1) Hughesville (24-2), Shikellamy 4 pm

 

Holy Cross rallied from a 15-9 deficit to Wilkes-Barre GAR with a 9-0 run (to lead 18-15) at the end of the first quarter. The Grenadiers again took a 20-18 lead before Holy Cross went up by four (24-20). Breon Phillips played very well for GAR, but got into some early foul trouble. He scored 17 points and held Crusader inside man Mark Bevacqua to 12 points (and no second half field goals). Nico Fricchione (14) and Brett Podhyski led the way for Holy Cross as they picked up the hard fought 48-41 victory. The win marked the first ever district championship for the newly formed program which combined the former Bishop OHara and Bishop Hannan schools.

 

Holy Cross (24-3) awaits the winner of the play-in game Tuesday between Christopher Dock Mennonite (1-2, 10-16) and Milton Hershey (3-4, 20-8). A preview of that game may be posted later in the week. District 2 runner-up GAR (18-10) plays the District 4 runner-up Wyalusing Valley (21-5). The Rams won the Northern Tier League East championship and are led by a trio of seniors, Bucky Aeppli (5-10, guard), Drew Fogel (6-1, forward), and Darren Mahoney (6-3, forward). Both Aeppli and Fogel can hit a trey, while Mahoney and Fogel are great rebounders. Other contributions are made by Jeff Dorman (6-0, senior forward), Craig Fenton (5-4, senior guard), Degan Smith (6-1, junior forward), Andrew Dorman (6-2, junior forward), and Mark Cruver (6-7, junior center). Wyalusing plays with a lot of enthusiasm, but will have their hands full with the athletic Grenadiers. GAR is playing their best basketball of the year and could advance to the second round in this matchup. Dunmore (19-9), the District 2, #3 team plays the District 4 champion, Hughesville (24-2). The Bucks advanced to the state tourney with a 67-40 win over Northwest as the Bucks grabbed an 18-9 first period lead. Mike Ehnot netted 11, while Jake Rowland and Matt Maldonato each scored 10 points. Hughesville defeated Wyalusing 56-41 in the District 4 championship game. The Spartans have a trio of three veteran players, along with a bunch of sophomore impact players. They can go 11 or 12 players deep in their rotation. They are led by point guard Brian Hoover (5-11, junior), Rezin Davis (6-2, junior guard), and Josh Crownover (6-5, senior center). Other key players include versatile forward Addison Hanford (6-3, soph), Brian Gerney (6-1, soph guard), Greg Taggart (6-0, soph guard), Drew Eiswerth (6-3, junior forward), Kyle Stubbs (6-0, junior guard), and Jordan Holmes (5-11, soph guard). Hughesville plays very tough defense and forced Wyalusing into 19 turnovers. The Spartans have a knack of putting together offensive runs, so the Bucks will have to try and control the tempo. The winner plays either Northern Lehigh (11-1, 26-3) or Imhotep Charter (12-2, 24-3).

 

 

A CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(1) Old Forge 51, (3) Susquehanna 30

 

PIAA BOYS 1A FIRST ROUND (Friday, February 29)

(2-1) Old Forge (17-9) vs. (4-2) Lourdes (19-9), Marywood Univ. 7:30 pm

(2-2) Susquehanna (14-11) vs. (4-1) North Penn (26-1), Montoursville 7:30 pm

 

Old Forge started with an 8-0 run and played tenacious defense on the perimeter (to control Kirk Fallon) in their 51-30 win over Susquehanna Community. The Sabers trimmed the gap to 11-7 after the first period, but found themselves trailing 26-13 at halftime. Stephen Semenza netted 22 points for the Blue Devils.

 

Old Forge (17-9) advanced to play the District 4 runner-up, Lourdes Regional (19-9). The Red Raiders like to play a slow, deliberate, methodical half court game. And it almost worked to perfection, but it was not quite enough, losing 48-46 to North Penn in overtime of the District 4 title game. They have a great defense and routinely hold opponents under 40 ppg. Their top players are guards Chris Johnson and Billy Chesney. Because of their tough league competition and state playoff experience, Old Forge should be in a good position to win this game and move on to the second round. Susquehanna (14-11) will really have their hands full against North Penn (26-1), the District 4 champion. The Panthers captured their first district title since 1976 and are a veteran team that includes 10 seniors. Their backcourt features seniors Jessie Kriner (5-11, 20 ppg) and Kyle Atkinson (5-9) who also scores in double figures. Under the basket, Nick Bowne (6-2, senior) is a big scorer while Dane Kurzejewski (6-2, senior) averages 13 rebounds per game. Other players include seniors Chris Reese (5-9, guard), Phil Jennings (5-11, guard), and Justin Harris (6-0, guard).

 

 

 

2007-2008 DISTRICT 2 BOYS PLAYOFF FINAL RESULTS

 

AAAA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 (QUARTER-FINALS)

(1) Abington Heights (BYE)

(4) Delaware Valley 59, (5) Wallenpaupack 49 (ends at 12-12)

(2) Hazleton 67, (7) Scranton 36 (ends at 7-18)

(3) Williamsport 72, (6) Wyoming Valley West 67 OT (ends at 10-15)

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 (SEMI-FINALS)

(1) Abington Hts. 43, (4) Delaware Valley 34 (ends at 13-13)

(3) Williamsport 54, (2) Hazleton 51 OT (ends at 18-8)

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 (FINAL) – top 2 advance

(1) Abington Heights 87, (3) Williamsport 76 (4OT)

 

 

AAA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 (FIRST ROUND)

(1) Crestwood (BYE)

(8) Pittston 57, (9) North Pocono 38 (ends at 10-14)

(5) Valley View 57, (12) Honesdale 46 (ends at 7-18)

(3) Scranton Prep 63, (14) Wyoming Area 55 (ends at 4-21)

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 (FIRST ROUND)

(4) Nanticoke 54, (13) Western Wayne 44 (ends at 5-20)

(7) Dallas 54, (10) West Scranton 41 (ends at 8-16)

(2) Holy Redeemer 64, (15) Tunkhannock 44 (ends at 5-19)

(6) Coughlin 33, (11) Berwick 30 (ends at 6-19)

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 (QUARTER-FINALS)

(1)  Crestwood 37, (8) Pittston 20 (ends at 13-13)

(5) Valley View 48, (4) Nanticoke 41 (ends at 17-10)

(7) Dallas 64, (2) Holy Redeemer 58 (ends at 20-7)

(3) Scranton Prep 45, (6) Coughlin 39 (ends at 17-9)

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 (SEMI-FINALS)

(1) Crestwood 43, (5) Valley View 24

(3) Scranton Prep 56, (7) Dallas 42

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 (FINAL, CONSY) – top 3 advance

TITLE: (3) Scranton Prep 44, (1) Crestwood 41

CONSY: (7) Dallas 72, (5) Valley View 68 (OT) (ends at 21-8)

 

AA

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 (PLAY-IN ROUND)

(16) Blue Ridge 82, (17) West Side Tech 46 (ends at 4-15)

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 (FIRST ROUND)

(1) Wyoming Seminary 67, (16) Blue Ridge 47 (ends at 7-19)

(9) GAR 62, (8) Lake-Lehman 45 (ends at 7-17)

(4) Northwest 41, (13) Montrose 22 (ends at 9-15)

(12) Carbondale 62, (5) Lackawanna Trail 48 (ends at 16-10)

(2) Holy Cross 62, (15) Lakeland 28 (ends at 5-16)

(7) Mountain View 47, (10) Riverside 42 (ends at 11-13)

(3) Elk Lake 63, (14) Meyers 62 (ends at 7-18)

(6) Dunmore 61, (11) Hanover 43 (ends at 7-18)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 (QUARTER-FINALS)

(9) GAR 47, (1) Wyoming Seminary 36 (ends at 22-2)

(4) Northwest 46, (12) Carbondale 30 (ends at 11-15)

(2) Holy Cross 58, (7) Mountain View 37 (ends at 16-9)

(6) Dunmore 58, (3) Elk Lake 41 (ends at 17-8)

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 (SEMI-FINALS)

(9) GAR 43, (4) Northwest 35

(2) Holy Cross 67, (6) Dunmore 56

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 (FINAL, CONSY) – top 3 advance

TITLE: (2) Holy Cross 48, (9) GAR 41

CONSY: (6) Dunmore 67, (4) Northwest 40 (ends at 14-12)

 

A

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 (SEMI-FINALS)

(1) Old Forge 81, (4) MMI Prep 43 (ends at 9-16)

(3) Susquehanna 48, (2) Forest City 43 (ends at 12-12)

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 (FINAL) – top 2 advance

(1) Old Forge 51, (3) Susquehanna 30

 

 

 

DISTRICT 2 BOYS BASKETBALL FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

 

WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE

x (denotes won first half title)

y (denotes won second half title)

z (denotes won all season championship)

 

DIVISION 1 (second half record, first half record, season record)

xyz-Crestwood (5-1, 6-0, 23-5)

Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (5-1, 3-3, 17-9)

Hazleton Area (4-2, 5-1, 18-8)

Pittston (4-2, 3-3, 13-13)

Wyoming Valley West (2-4, 3-3, 10-15)

Berwick (1-5, 1-5, 6-19)

Tunkhannock (0-6, 0-6, 5-19)

 

DIVISION 2

yz-Holy Redeemer (5-1, 4-2, 20-7)

x-Nanticoke (4-2, 5-1, 17-10)

Dallas (4-2, 4-2, 18-8)

Wilkes-Barre GAR (4-2, 3-3, 18-10)

Hanover (3-3, 3-3, 7-18)

Wilkes-Barre Meyers (1-5, 2-4, 7-18)

Wyoming Area (0-6, 0-6, 4-21)

 

DIVISION 3

xyz-Wyoming Seminary (5-0, 5-0, 22-2)

Northwest (4-1, 4-1, 14-12)

Lake-Lehman (3-2, 3-2, 7-17)

MMI Prep (2-3, 2-3, 9-16)

West Side Tech (1-4, 1-4, 4-15)

St. Michaels (0-5, 0-5, 0-13)

 

 

LACKAWANNA LEAGUE (FINAL STANDINGS)

x (denotes won first half title)

y (denotes won second half title)

z (denotes won all season championship)

 

DIVISION 1 (second half record, first half record, season record)

xz-Abington Heights (6-1, 7-0, 22-6)

y-Scranton Prep (6-1, 6-1, 21-7)

Wallenpaupack (5-2, 2-5, 12-12)

Delaware Valley (4-3, 3-4, 13-13)

North Pocono (2-5, 3-4, 10-14)

West Scranton (2-5, 3-4, 8-16)

Scranton (2-5, 3-4, 7-18)

Honesdale (1-6, 1-6, 7-18)

 

DIVISION 2

xyz-Holy Cross (6-1, 7-0, 24-3)

Valley View (6-1, 4-3, 21-8)

Dunmore (5-2, 5-2, 19-9)

Old Forge (4-3, 5-2, 17-9)

Riverside (4-3, 4-3, 11-13)

Western Wayne (2-5, 0-7, 5-20)

Lakeland (1-6, 2-5, 5-16)

Mid Valley (0-7, 1-6, 2-22)

 

DIVISION 3

y-Lackawanna Trail (6-1, 5-2, 16-10)

Mountain View (5-2, 4-3, 16-9)

Forest City (4-3, 3-4, 12-12)

Carbondale (4-3, 2-5, 11-15)

xz-Elk Lake (3-4, 6-1, 17-8)

Susquehanna (3-4, 3-4, 14-11)

Montrose (2-5, 3-4, 9-15)

Blue Ridge (1-6, 2-5, 7-19)

 

 

 

 

 

 

GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL

 

 

THIS WEEKS DISTRICT 2 GIRLS TOP 10

1. Dunmore (27-1) 2A

2. Scranton (22-5) 4A

3. Abington Heights (25-1) 4A

4. Holy Redeemer (22-4) 3A

5. North Pocono (20-8) 3A

6. Hazleton (18-7) 4A - season complete

7. Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (19-8) 3A

8. Berwick (16-10) 3A - season complete

9. Wilkes-Barre GAR (16-13) 2A

10 (tie). Wilkes-Barre Meyers (16-10) 2A

10 (tie). Old Forge (17-7) 1A

 

 

 

LLHOOPS NORTHEAST BEAT GIRLS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Liz Borgia (5-8 junior) was one of several Lady Knights players who combined to stifle the Abington Heights high-power offensive attack in the AAAA title game. Liz played well with Nashira Turner on the bench in foul trouble, scoring 12 points and pulling down 9 rebounds in the 46-42 Scranton win.

 

Lauren McGinley (junior) scored 14 points in leading Wilkes-Barre Coughlin to a AAA consolation 59-52 win over Nanticoke. It is the first ever PIAA state basketball playoff appearance for the Lady Crusader program.

 

 

 

2007-2008 DISTRICT 2 GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP RECAPS

 

AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(3) Scranton 46, (1) Abington Heights 42

 

PIAA GIRLS AAAA FIRST ROUND (Friday, February 29)

(2-1) Scranton (22-5) vs. (11-2) Northampton (23-6), Marywood Univ. 6 pm

(2-2) Abington Heights (25-1) vs. Downingtown East (27-1), Norristown 7:30 pm

 

The Scranton Lady Knights, playing in the shadow of their two Lackawanna League Division1 losses to Abington Heights, made up for all their frustration by defeating the undefeated and top-ranked Lady Comets, 46-42. With Scranton shooting only 30% in the first half and having several starters on the bench in early foul trouble, things looked bleak for the Lady Knights. But Liz Borgia (12 points) and Terika Turner (14 points) elevated their level of play and kept the game even until Nashira Turner could return to their lineup. Abington Heights had grabbed a 34-32 lead with 7:00 remaining before Scranton went on a 7-0 run to take a 39-34 lead. Then with 2:10 left, Becky Burke (23 points) fouled out of the game going for an anticipation steal at mid court. Trailing by 2 points (44-42), the Lady Comets missed a few opportunities to tie the game, but Scranton held on and hit their remaining foul shots to secure the huge win.

 

Scranton (22-5) will next face the District 11 runner-up, Northampton (23-6). The Konkrete Kids feature one of the top centers in the LVC in Megan Bowen (6-1, junior) who scored 18 points in the D-11 title loss to Allentown Allen. They also have a talented senior point guard in Ashley Santee (5-7) who is very quick. Sophomore forward Alyssa Bonenberger (5-9) is very athletic and has a nice shot. Other top players include Megan LaFaw (5-7, senior forward), Emily Shultz (5-10, junior guard), Abby Silfies (5-8, junior guard), and Jordan Martin (5-7, freshman guard). One of their promising younger players, Kara Bonenberger (5-11, freshman guard) suffered a high ankle sprain against Allen and her status for Friday is not known. The winner advances to play either Norristown (1-4, 19-8) or Cedar Crest (3-4, 22-7). Abington Heights (25-1) finds themselves in an interesting position. On the one hand, they are extremely disappointed with dropping a district championship that once again eluded them. On the other hand, heading into state playoffs with an undefeated record and top state ranking is quite the extra baggage to haul and often carries a ton of added pressure. In theory, Abington Heights and Downingtown East could have met up in the quarter-final playoffs one week from Friday, so why not just get this matter settled a week earlier. The Lady Cougars team leader is their only senior starter, Lauren Beyrent (5-11, forward) who can really settle things down on and off the court. Amber Yacenda (5-8, junior forward) had a double-double in their 41-39 district championship win over undefeated Methacton. Their junior center is 6-0 Kristen Blye. They also feature guards Kelli Jordan (5-7, junior) and Meghan Kerrigan (5-7, junior) and strong inside play from Biz Matta (5-7, junior forward). Downingtown has one of the truly great girls coaches in Bob Schnure. This should be one of the premier girls matchups in the entire year with the winner advancing to play either Central Dauphin (3-3, 23-7) or Simon Gratz (12-3, 11-4).

 

 

AAA CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(1) Holy Redeemer 64, (6) North Pocono 53

AAA CONSOLATION (Saturday, February 23)

(5) Coughlin 59, (7) Nanticoke 52

 

PIAA GIRLS AAA FIRST ROUND (Saturday, March 1)

(2-1) Holy Redeemer (22-4) vs. (4-2) Shamokin (16-11), Wyoming Area 3 pm

(2-2) North Pocono (20-8) vs. (1-2) Mt. St. Joseph Aca. (25-3), Spring Ford 1 pm

(2-3) Coughlin (19-8) vs. (3-1) Lancaster Mennonite (27-4), Hershey Arena 1:30 pm

 

Holy Redeemer, in their first year of existence, found themselves tied with North Pocono 12-12 at the end of the first period, but slowly began to inch away from the Lady Trojans. The Lady Royals feature a deep lineup (often rotating 12 players) and have a lot of talent at the guard position. Monica Wignot scored 16 points, Lindsay Maximowicz netted 13, and Laura Wingert had 12 in the 64-53 win. Megan Cuzza scored 15 points for North Pocono. Coughlin defeated Nanticoke in the District 2 consolation game, 59-52, as they took a commanding 40-15 halftime lead. The Lady Crusaders were paced by Lauren McGinley and Kacee Rava with 14 points each and Laura Taylor with 11. Megan Thomas netted 23 for the Trojanettes.

 

Moving on to the state tourney, Holy Redeemer (22-4) will take on the District 4 runner-up, Shamokin (16-11). The Indians trailed Selinsgrove by 18 points before actually taking a 25-24 lead before dropping the 36-31 decision to the Seals. Katie Shingara (5-7, senior guard) is their key ball handler along with guards Tara Sabotchick (5-7, freshman) and Kayla Ramer (5-7, senior), Inside they are led by Summer Reigle (5-9, freshman forward) and Jessica Dascani (5-8, senior forward). Top reserves are Ashley Slodysko (5-5, junior guard), Courtney Conrad (5-6, junior guard), and Miranda Pertrovich (5-8, senior forward). Defensively, the Indians are strong, but they have quite a bit of trouble scoring points, particularly from the perimeter. The winner will next play either Northeastern (3-3, 21-7) or Prep Charter (12-2, 17-7). North Pocono (20-8) will take the District 1 runner-up, Mount Saint Joseph Academy (25-3). The Magic compete is the highly regarded AACA and are always one of the premiere AAA teams. This edition of the Magic had defeated Villa Maria on three previous occasions this season, but dropped the District 1 final 49-34 at Villanova University. They use a full court defense that creates turnovers. Point guard Elle Hagadorn is nursing an ankle injury. Their other top players are senior guard Laura Johnson, Jen Sabia, forward Sarah McGorry, Ryann Gallagher, and Claire Kueny. The winner takes on either Lancaster Mennonite (3-1, 27-4) or Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (2-3, 19-8). Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (19-8) advanced to play District 3 champion Lancaster Mennonite (27-4) a 37-27 winner over Gettysburg which gave the Blazers their first ever girls district championship. Their 6-0 sophomore center Erin LaVenice is a superb addition to their team this season and is averaging 12 ppg off the bench in district playoffs. She is also a great rebounder. The Blazers have a good outside and inside game, anchored by senior guard Melissa Sauder and senior forward Mary Poole. It will be interesting to see how Coughlin inside player Laura Taylor (6-0, senior) can contain LaVenice. This game could be closer than many anticipate.

 

 

AA CHAMPIONSHIP (Saturday, February 23)

(1) Dunmore 67, (16) GAR 24

AA CONSOLATION (Saturday, February 23)

(3) Meyers 32, (4) Montrose 29

 

PIAA GIRLS AA FIRST ROUND (Friday, February 29)

(2-1) Dunmore (27-1) vs. (1-2 vs. 3-4 winner) TBD on 2/26

(2-2) GAR (16-13) vs. (4-2) East Juniata (25-2), WVW 7 pm

(2-3) Meyers (16-10) vs. (4-1) Loyalsock (26-2), Montoursville 6 pm

 

Top seeded Dunmore continues to roll along and notched a 67-24 win over 16-seed GAR as the Lady Bucks ran out to a 26-0 lead forcing 14 early turnovers. They held GAR standout Paige Venson to only 7 points (17 below her season average). Lauren Carra and Taylor Pallotta paced the Lady Bucks. Wilkes-Barre Meyers captured the 3^rd state playoff position with a 32-29 come-from-behind win over Montrose as Madison Lavery (9 points), Ashley Smith (7), and Christa Tutella (also 7) led the way for the Lady Mohawks. Montrose, who led 22-18 after three periods, was paced by Julia Koloski (18 points).

 

Dunmore (27-1) must wait for the winner of the Tuesday play-in game between Hanover (3-4, 8-18) and Delco Christian (1-2, 20-7). The Northeast Beat may post a preview of that matchup later in the week. District 2 runner-up GAR will travel to play the District 4 runner-up East Juniata (25-2). The Tigers are one of those teams which have seen a young group of players move up through the program, getting better each year. They have a nice inside and outside combo going with center Steph Yetter (1,000 pt. scorer) and guard Megan Shipe, two Tri-Valley all-stars who can put up points. East Juniata, a team without much height, also relies on their stingy defense and effective full court pressure to win games. Their other players are Carly Inch, Allison Inch, Marah Leister, and Kelsey Yetter. GAR has a very athletic team, but only has 6 players on their roster. Yet, it is never wise to count out a true Cinderella-type story. The winner next plays either powerhouse York Catholic (3-1, 28-1) or South Huntingdon (6-3, 23-6). Wilkes-Barre Meyers (16-10) gets a taste of state playoff competition when they travel to play District 4 champion, Loyalsock (26-2). The Lancers have an experienced team that tasted district title success back in 2006. Their only losses this year came via a buzzer-beater to AAA Jersey Shore and 46-42 to Benton. They have a deep lineup with great balance all over the court. Kerri Datres is their senior point guard and gets help from Molly Kirby and Megan McLain on the perimeter. Inside, forwards Marisa Stetts and Keely Henninger (senior, 11 ppg) power the way. They get