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Past Columns
12/2/08
12/9/08
12/16/08
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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.
UPDATED 12/22/08
The Northeast Beat comes at you a bit early this week, but there is still plenty of District 2 hoops action to discuss. No chance of Frosty melting outside any of the local venues as league play gets underway in near zero degree wind chill temperatures on Monday and Tuesday night. Later in the week, though, he might need a rail car to the North Pole. There are several must-see matchups on the schedule. On the boys side, Monday night features Scranton Prep heading to take on red-hot West Scranton in a Lackawanna League Division 1 battle. Get there early to find a seat at that one. On Tuesday night, Crestwood visits Pittston for an early WVC Division 1 showdown. Also on Tuesday, Abington hosts Scranton in what always promises to be a nail biting game. On the girls side, three games highlight Monday night play. Holy Redeemer sees if anyone their division can keep up with them as they travel to play Coughlin. Elsewhere, Abington Heights takes on Lackawanna Division 1 foe Scranton and Old Forge puts their undefeated mark on the line against Valley View in a great Lackawanna Division 2 event.
A couple of CONGRATULATIONS are in order this week. First, to Holy Cross girls head coach Barry Fitzgerald for notching his career win number 400. Fitzgerald has enjoyed a great coaching career which began at Bishop Hannan and has successfully continued into the Crusader program at Holy Cross. .
This week the Northeast Beat debuts the weekly Boys and Girls District 2 Top 10. Congratulations to the Holy Cross boys and Hazleton girls programs to securing the top positions in week one. Also included this week is a full lineup of holiday tournaments. At last count there were about 17 boys and 17 girls tournaments being held with District 2 participating schools across the region. The Beat tried to provide as comprehensive a list as possible, although first round matchups are sometimes subject to change. It is always best to check with individual host schools or local papers to verify dates and start times. Some of the holiday tourneys have long-time traditions which have gone through family generations. They are great opportunities to reunite with friends and past hardwood heroes. Possibly the top boys tournament this year is the Lynett Memorial which features four top Scranton area teams (Prep, Holy Cross, Scranton, and Dunmore). The Robert McGrane has Holy Redeemer, Pittston, and GAR headlining the action. The Coughlin Holiday tourney brings together Abington Heights, Coughlin, and Nanticoke. The Taylor Lions gets a boost this year with both West Scranton and MMI Prep having fine campaigns so far. On the girls side, again the Lynett Memorial (with Prep, Abington Heights, Dunmore, and Scranton) is a fantastic lineup. The Munley at Crestwood has Lake-Lehman and Coughlin. North Pocono has a nice blend of teams with Holy Cross, WVW, North Pocono, and Pocono Mt. East. Holy Redeemer heads to play in the Big Spring Tourney while Hazleton goes west to Punxsutawney to participate in their event.
No matter where you venture over the next week or so, the Northeast Beat wishes the very best to you and everyone associated with District 2 boys and girls basketball. To the players, coaches and parents a special THANK YOU for all the memories and kind words during the 2008 season. Yes, even losing can make for some inspiring, lifetime memories. And maybe, just maybe, Santa might find a way to wrap a trip to the Bryce Jordan Center this March for one (or more) of our hoops teams. Have a happy and hopefully more prosperous New Year. Have a safe holiday season.
The Beat will see you in 2009 with complete tourney recaps and a look toward league action. See you in the bleachers.
THIS WEEKS DISTRICT 2 BOYS TOP 10
- Holy Cross (4-0) 2A
- Williamsport (5-1) 4A
- Crestwood (5-1) 3A
- Abington Heights (4-1) 3A
- Hazleton (3-2) 4A
- Holy Redeemer (4-3) 3A
- Scranton Prep (5-1) 3A
- West Scranton (5-0) 3A
- Pittston (4-2) 3A
- Wilkes-Barre GAR (4-2) 2A
OTHERS TO WATCH
Blue Ridge (3-0), Dallas (6-1), Elk Lake (5-0), Mid Valley (4-2), MMI Prep (3-1), Nanticoke (3-4), North Pocono (4-2), Old Forge (4-2), Wallenpaupack (4-2), Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (6-1), Wyoming Area (4-2)
UPCOMING DISTRICT 2 TOP BOYS GAMES
MONDAY, 12/22
Scranton Prep at West Scranton (Lackawanna Division 1)
North Pocono at Wallenpaupack (Lackawanna Division 1)
Old Forge at Valley View (Lackawanna Division 2)
Dunmore at Riverside (Lackawanna Division 2)
Forest City at Elk Lake (Lackawanna Division 3)
Wilkes-Barre Meyers at Wilkes-Barre GAR (WVC Division 3)
TUESDAY, 12/23
Scranton at Abington Heights (Lackawanna Division 1)
Crestwood at Pittston (WVC Division 1)
Hazleton at Wyoming Valley West (WVC Division 1)
Tunkhannock at Dallas (WVC Division 1/2 crossover)
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin at Holy Redeemer (WVC Division 2)
Williamsport at State College
LLHOOPS NORTHEAST BEAT BOYS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Joe Caffrey (5-10, junior) led Wilkes-Barre Coughlin to a trio of victories last week. Joe scored 16 points in leading the Crusaders to an impressive 41-33 win over highly regarded Lackawanna League favorite North Pocono. He followed that by scoring 12 points in a thrilling 48-46 win over Lake-Lehman. Finally, the junior added 22 more points (including 6 treys) in a decisive 54-34 win over Northwest.
Jeff Madrak (6-3 senior) guided Elk Lake to three wins last week. Jeff first scored 22 points, including a critical 1 and 1 to seal a 55-54 win over Athens. He notched 27 points (5 treys) in a 78-43 victory over Northeast Bradford. Saving the best for last, the senior Warrior lit up the scoreboard for 31 points in a 75-60 win over Lake-Lehman.
BOYS EXHIBITION ACTION, HIGHLIGHTS, AND RECAPS
Scranton Prep got a pair of wins over WVC Division 1 top teams last week. First, the Cavaliers made a miraculous last second defensive stand to steal a 61-59 win away from Pittston as Tim Lavelle (14 points) snagged two steals and converted them into baskets in the final 10 seconds of the game. Adam Schroth added 19 points in the win (Dan Irvin had 18 points in the loss for the Patriots). Prep then rolled over Wyoming Valley West, 57-30 as the Cavs outscored the Spartans 32-10 in the second and fourth periods (Tim Lavelle scored 16). Of note, Lavelle also scored 20 points in a 63-55 loss to Pocono Mountain West last week. Prep is on a roll heading into league play. Across town, it has been an up and down week for Scranton. After flying into high gear in an 84-67 win over WVW as Terry Turner scored 22 and Tim Fisch netted 25, the Knights dropped games to a pair of solid Lackawanna League Division 2 foes. First, Dunmore got 32 points from Mike Ehnot in a 71-64 win and, then on Saturday, Riverside got 17 points from Kevin Sochovka in a 48-41 win over the cold shooting Knights. Hazleton ventured down to play at former East Penn League rival, Easton, for the first time in 27 years, but dropped a 57-48 to the seasoned Red Rovers. Paris Cleveland scored 18 and Danny Magushack had 17, but the Cougars did have trouble with the taller Easton squad.
Abington Heights continues to show progress with their new lineup, getting 25 points from Eric Hardaway in a 64-48 win over Valley View (Kyle Colachino scored 17 for the Cougars). North Pocono also got a win over Valley View, 55-50 as Joe Bonacci scored 23 while John Strauss and Kyle Colachino combined for 37 for Valley View. North Pocono added a 54-26 win over Forest City as Eric Steinmetz netted 26 points. Crestwood got a pairs of wins last week sandwiched around a loss to Williamsport. The Comets played great defense and limited GARs high flying offense in a 61-43 win over the Grenadiers. Crestwood got hot on offense, converting 7 treys and taking a 16-5 advantage in the second period. Adam Fazzini scored 17 points. He added another 21 points (including his 1,000 career point in a 68-21 win over Hanover. The loss to Williamsport was by a score of 81-61 and brought back vivid memories of how the infamous, patented Millionaire defense can wear down an opponent. Crestwood only trailed by two points at halftime (36-34), but could not keep up with the Williamsport speed and lightning quick guards. Jadiah Lynch paced the Cherry and White with 18 points (one of 4 players in double figures) while Adam Fazzini registered 15 and Mike Abramcheck added 16 for the Comets. The win marked the start of a great week for Port. They used a 19-0 explosion to break open a close 54-48 game after three quarters against Holy Redeemer and trounce the Royals, 79-56. In that loss for HR, Zach Redding scored 16 and Pete Alexis netted 23. Williamsport placed 4 players in double figures (Twine 12, Lynch 13, Ruane 15, Jordan 14). Finally, at the Bucknell Showcase Saturday afternoon, Williamsport got by defending AAA champion Steel-High, 93-61 as the teams combined to shoot an unthinkable 57 of 81 free throw opportunities. Enough said on that, other than mentioning that Jadiah Lynch was high scorer with 26 points.
Pittston edged Nanticoke 53-46 as Matt Zera scored 18 for the Patriots and Sean Bieski netted 31 for the Trojans. Holy Redeemer got back on the winning track with a 63-46 win over Meyers as Pete Alexis notched 25 points (Naquan Spicer had 22 for the Mohawks). Wyoming Area got a combined 36 points from Bernard Edmonds and Chris Murphy in a 50-42 win over Meyers and then also rolled over Susquehanna, 73-48 (Jeff Williams had 28 points for the Sabers in the loss). Dallas got by Nanticoke 46-34, but suffered their first loss of the season to GAR, 46-39. Coughlin got a 3-game total of 50 points from Joe Caffrey in wins over North Pocono, Lake-Lehman, and Northwest. Holy Cross made an amazing comeback (trailing Holy Redeemer by 8 with near two minutes remaining), to send the game into overtime on a Louis Cipriano basket in the closing seconds. The Crusaders went on to a 54-45 win before the large, vocal crowd that was more reminiscent of interdistrict, postseason play. West Scranton ran their undefeated record to 5-0 with a 41-35 win over Old Forge. Mid Valley gained a last second victory over Montrose, 55-53. Mike Ehnot scored 19 points for Dunmore in the Bucks 68-40 win over Forest City. Ethan Calafut scored 23 points for Lakeland in their 61-58 win over Forest City (Jesse Walsh netted 27 for the Foresters).
Tyler Breznitsky (MMI Prep) scored 23 points in a rare win over nearby longtime rival Weatherly, 56-44. The game brought back memories of some of the storied games played between the Preppers and the Wreckers. Corey Prince (St. Michaels) scored 19 points in their 40-30 win over St. Rose Academy. Adam Hurst led West Side Tech with 29 points inn their 57-50 upset win over Mid Valley. Blaise Ross scored 20 points and helped Blue Ridge rally from an 11-point deficit after three quarters to defeat Honesdale, 52-49. Jeff Madrak scored an impressive 3-game total of 80 points in wins over Athens, Northeast Bradford, and Lake-Lehman.
UPCOMING DISTRICT 2 BOYS HOLIDAY TOURNEY ACTION
Lynett 58th Memorial (Lackawanna College on 12-26, 12-28)
(Scranton vs. Holy Cross, Dunmore vs. Scranton Prep)
Crossin 27th Tourney (Wyoming Valley West on 12-29, 12-30)
(Lake-Lehman vs. WVW, Wyalusing vs. Princeton Day Academy)
McGrane 43rd Tourney (Wyoming Valley CYC on 12-26, 12-29)
(Hanover vs. Holy Redeemer, Pittston vs. Wilkes-Barre GAR)
Cougar Classic (Hazleton on 12-29, 12-30)
(Hazleton vs. Harley-Allendale (NY), Abington vs. Pleasant Valley)
Coughlin Holiday (Wilkes-Barre Coughlin on 12-27, 12-29)
(Abington Heights vs. W-B Meyers, Nanticoke vs. W-B Coughlin
Forest City 36th Rotary (Forest City on 12-23, 12-26)
(Forest City, Mountain View, Western Wayne, St. Rose Academy)
Pete Turonis 37th (Carbondale on 12-26, 12-29)
(Carbondale, Lakeland, Mid Valley, Valley View)
James Akens 39th (North Pocono on 12-27, 12-30)
(Lackawanna Trail, North Pocono, Pocono Mountain East)
Honesdale 49th Jaycees (Honesdale on 12-27, 12-29)
(Honesdale, Wallenpaupack, Western Wayne, St. Michaels)
Taylor Lions 23rd (Riverside on 12-27, 12-30)
(Tunkhannock vs. West Scranton, MMI Prep vs. Riverside)
Wyoming Area Holiday (Wyoming Area on 12-27, 12-29)
(Dallas vs. Old Forge, Wyoming Area vs. St. Michaels)
Delaware Valley 32nd Rotary (Delaware Valley on 12-27, 12-29)
Munley Tourney (Crestwood on 12-29, 12-30)
Crestwood vs. Northwest, Hope Charter vs. Egg Harbor (NJ)
River Tourney (Selinsgrove on 12-29, 12-30)
Berwick, Selinsgrove, Shikellamy, Bethlehem Catholic
Susquehanna County (Elk Lake on 12-27, 12-30)
(Blue Ridge, Montrose, Susquehanna, Elk Lake)
Thomas Feeney Memorial (West Side Tech on 12-27, 12-30)
West Side Tech vs. St. Rose, Weatherly vs. CMVT
Williamsport Holiday (Williamsport on 12-29, 12-30)
DISTRICT 2 BOYS BASKETBALL STANDINGS
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1
Crestwood (0-0 first half, 5-1 overall)
Pittston (0-0, 4-2)
Tunkhannock (0-0, 3-2)
Hazleton Area (0-0, 3-2)
Wyoming Valley West (0-0, 1-5)
DIVISION 2
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (0-0 first half, 6-1 overall)
Dallas (0-0, 6-1)
Wyoming Area (0-0, 4-2)
Holy Redeemer (0-0, 4-3)
Berwick (0-0, 0-5)
DIVISION 3
Wilkes-Barre GAR (0-0 first half, 4-2 overall)
Nanticoke (0-0, 3-4)
Lake-Lehman (0-0, 2-4)
Wilkes-Barre Meyers (0-0, 1-6)
Hanover (0-0, 0-6)
DIVISION 4
MMI Prep (0-0 first half, 3-1 overall)
St. Michaels (0-0, 1-0)
Northwest (0-0, 3-4)
West Side Tech (0-0, 1-3)
Wyoming Seminary (0-0, 1-5)
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE
DIVISION 1
West Scranton (0-0 first half, 5-0 overall)
Scranton Prep (0-0, 5-1)
Abington Heights (0-0, 4-1)
North Pocono (0-0, 4-2)
Wallenpaupack (0-0, 4-2)
Honesdale (0-0, 2-3)
Scranton (0-0, 2-4)
Delaware Valley (0-0, 0-3)
DIVISION 2
Holy Cross (0-0 first half, 4-0 overall)
Old Forge (0-0, 4-2)
Mid Valley (0-0, 4-2)
Dunmore (0-0, 2-3)
Riverside (0-0, 2-4)
Lakeland (0-0, 1-4)
Valley View (0-0, 1-5)
Carbondale (0-0, 0-6)
DIVISION 3
Elk Lake (0-0 first half, 5-0 overall)
Blue Ridge (0-0, 3-0)
Susquehanna (0-0, 4-1)
Montrose (0-0, 2-1)
Lackawanna Trail (0-0, 2-3)
Mountain View (0-0, 1-2)
Forest City (0-0, 1-4)
Western Wayne (0-0, 0-3)
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE BOYS PREVIEW
Division 1 is lacking something which has been a part of most previous seasons, a decided favorite. Gone are some of the loaded squads which both Crestwood and Hazleton featured the past two seasons. But, in its place is one of the more interesting and anticipated big school division races fans have seen in years. Crestwood, the defending champion, gets the slight nod mostly due to having all-everything player of the year Adam Fazzini (6-5, senior, 17 ppg last year), a superb ball player who can take a perimeter trey or post up. The Comets also feature a talented guard in 5-10 senior Josh Popowycz. Mark Atherton loses a seasoned inside defensive player, but he will be looking for Eric Bogumil (6-4 senior) and Mike Harowicz (6-3 senior) to fill in that gap. They also have depth off the bench for a change. For Crestwood to succeed, they will need everyone to contribute. Close on the heels of the Comets will be their neighbors to the south, Hazleton Area. The Cougars are finding themselves in a bit of an odd situation this season. No superstar marquee players as they had the past two seasons. Suddenly, Cougar-land seemed to be in unchartered waters with only one returning starter back, Danny Maguschak (6-4 senior wing). No chance? No problem. Mike Joseph is poised to hit the league schedule with a nicely balanced lineup with both strong perimeter and inside presence. Chris Laputka (5-9 junior) will run the offense with Adam Davis (6-0 junior), Paris Cleveland (6-2 junior), and Derek Hammel (6-8 senior) rounding out their lineup. The Cougars have a deep bench and a very strong non-league schedule to help them prepare for league play. Also in the mix will be Pittston. The Patriots feature an experience roster with team leaders Matt Zera (5-11 senior), Carl Stravinski (6-4 senior), and Dan Irvin (6-4 senior) leading the way. The three combined to average over 33 ppg last season. Not to be overlooked or out of the division picture, Wyoming Valley West will provide strong competition. They have senior experience and are paced by Jack Crossin (5-10 senior) and Ali Muhammed (6-2 senior). The Spartans play exceptional defense and have one of the more underrated head coaches in Chris Sload. Rounding out the division will be Tunkhannock. The Tigers will look to build on last year, but it is going to be difficult in this division.
Holy Redeemer comes into the season as a decided favorite in Division 2, but that is not to say that they will not be tested throughout the league season. The Royals have a young lineup and did graduate a majority of their scoring from last year, but returning they do have a great outside-inside combo in Greg Sam (5-9 senior) and 6-11 center Pete Alexis. Mark Belenski has some experience at getting the absolute most out of this type of situation and has a couple state championships to prove it. Wilkes-Barre Coughlin was hit hard by graduation, but do have Alex Grill, Joe Caffrey, and Jordan Flaherty back. The Crusaders always play a great brand of team basketball. Dallas returns two starters in 6-5 senior Henry Messinger and 6-0 senior Jack Ellis, but the Mountaineers have some holes to fill in their lineup. Wyoming Area, with strong center 6-6 senior Bernard Edmonds, can certainly challenge for a higher position in the division. Berwick needs to replace virtually all of the scoring from last year and will look to improve for first year head coach Justin Beiter.
In Division 3, Wilkes-Barr GAR appears to have the best team balance and athleticism to make a run at the division. The Grenadiers also got the return of 6-3 senior Ryan Womack who returned to the squad after leaving last January. They are led by PJ Brown (6-1 senior), Adam Wayman (6-1 senior) and Mike Polakoski (6-0 sophomore). Nanticoke, who lost most of their starters from their highly successful team last year, does return Sean Bieski (6-2 senior) and will give their best effort night in and out. Ken Bartuska has his Trojans playing with a winning attitude, but it may not be enough to keep up with GAR. Hanover Area brings an interesting lineup into the season, led by Rich Colorusso (6-2 senior) and Rob Kokinda (6-5 senior). The Hawks may develop into a competitive team capable of a few upsets as the season goes on. Lake-Lehman returns Mike Eckman and will look to improve over last year. Wilkes-Barre Meyers was hit hard by graduation losses and may have a tough time winning division games.
OK, so the Northeast Beat is going on a bit of a hunch with this pick. In Division 4, MMI Prep gets the slight nod over Wyoming Seminary and Northwest. The Preppers come into this season with a group of seniors who have learned from their previous mistakes and hungry to end their careers on a winning note. They feature a high scoring guard in Tyler Breznitsky (21 ppg last year, 1,000+ scorer) and smooth forward Justin Yakukowski. Joe Flanagan has a deep bench and needs his players to finish games strong and rebound consistently. Also, to get that winning attitude that has eluded their program for quite some time. Wyoming Seminary is a mere shadow of the powerful lineup that the Knights had last season, but having 6-0 junior Evan Byers back does help CJ Kersey build a nucleus. Northwest has 5-11 senior Billy Winter (12 ppg last year), but will have to scrap for the division championship. West Side Tech and St. Michaels will try and improve on last season.
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE BOYS PREVIEW
Division 1 is loaded with contenders. It is very difficult to predict position 1 through 5 because they are all very solid teams capable of competing on an even level night in and night out. Abington Heights gets selected as top pick based mostly on their potential of developing the most dangerous inside-outside combination in the division. Cory Spangenberg (6-0 senior) is the sole returning starter, but will get help from Ross Danzig (6-3 junior) and Ryan Vassil (5-11 junior) around the perimeter. Inside, the Comets have height in Eric Hardaway (6-5 senior) and Nathan Basalyga (6-7 junior). Ken Bianchi loves this kind of challenge, taking an inexperienced group of talent and turning it into a division champion. But, to do it this year, given the balance in the division, might be one of his toughest challenges. Scranton had an inexperienced squad, but has tons of athleticism. The Knights return starters Faby Desir (6-0 senior) and Garry Melville (6-0 senior). Interestingly, Tony Battaglia will also have to rely on scoring from 5-9 sophomore Bilal Floyd and impressive 6-4 freshman Terry Turner. No doubt that Scranton will look forward to being a powerhouse in years to come with that lineup. North Pocono returns four starters and will also be making a strong bid for the division championship. Eric Steinmetz (6-1 senior) and Joe Bonacci (5-9 senior) lead the way for the Trojans. West Scranton also finds themselves right in the middle of title talk, mostly due to a group of athletes who play very well together on the floor. Jack Lyons has three solid starters returning (Gabe Gigallon, Alex Lee, and Tyler Hughes) and will get strong play from Ethan Dunn (5-10 junior), Tom Horan (6-3 junior), and Tim Langan (6-3 sophomore). The Invaders will be a fun team to watch this year and will be capable of pulling off an upset on any night. Scranton Prep, who graduated their entire starting lineup, does return playmakers Tim Lavelle (5-10 senior), Pat Mineo (6-0 senior), and Andrew Jackowitz (6-0 senior). The Cavaliers always run a great program, have a terrific hoops tradition, and feature strong coaching. Wallenpaupack does not bring back any starters but is always competitive. George Werthmuller gets the most out of the Buckhorn roster. Delaware Valley looks to make an impact within this balanced division, but does have the potential to improve. Honesdale returns 6-1 senior Sean Curran, but the Hornets have a challenge ahead this season.
Holy Cross is the hands down favorite to take home Division 2 honors this season. It’s not that the rest of the division is down, because that is not the case. There are several very solid teams which will have fine seasons ahead. The Crusaders have a powerful lineup that will seek to use a division title as a stepping stone toward postseason success. They are led by versatile big man Mark Bevacqua (6-6 junior), guard Louis Cipriano (5-7 junior), feisty defender JJ Gaughan (5-10 junior), Bret Podhyski (6-1 junior), and Ron Weber (6-0 senior) back from knee injury suffered last year. Al Callejas must be careful that his relatively young team continues to excel and not get complacent against any opponent. They also have a terrific exhibition schedule. Dunmore, a bit roster depleted due to football season, should be strong with four starters back, including high-scorer Pat Ross (5-10 junior). The Bucks also have Matt Maldonato (6-2 senior), Mike Ehnot (5-8 junior), and Brian Copeland (6-4 junior). Valley View lost some of their scoring punch from last year, but the Cougars can still light up the scoreboard behind John Strauss (5-10 senior) and Kyle Colachino (6-1 senior), plus an always strong group of younger players. Riverside returns four starters and Mike Morgan always play an intense, rugged style of basketball. Old Forge returns 5-8 senior Mike Rava, but will need some time to develop their lineup. The good news for Blue Devil fans is that they have the familiar face and coaching experience of Al Semenza on the bench. Mid Valley, Lakeland, and Carbondale (who moves up from Division 3) will all look to improve and focus on getting better each day.
Elk Lake gets a slight edge over several other contenders for Division 3 top honors. The Warrior have seniors Jeff Madrak and Mike Greenwood leading the way. Mountain View brings a tall lineup and returns four starters paced by Alex Pashchuk (6-3 senior), Dave Corbin (6-3 senior), guard Peter Hartman (6-0 junior), and Jon McBride (6-2 junior). Montrose returns four starters and should be very competitive. Forest City features 6-7 senior Jesse Walsh, Kyle Shollock (6-4 senior), and Ian White (6-1 senior). Blue Ridge may be the most athletic team in the division and looks to be right in the title chase also. Lackawanna Trail only returns one starter, sharpshooter Chris Loman, but lacks any other experience. Susquehanna and Western Wayne (who moves down from Division 2) do not return any starters and will look to continue to work hard and develop their potential.
GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL
THIS WEEKS DISTRICT 2 GIRLS TOP 10
- Hazleton (5-0) 4A
- Holy Redeemer (4-2) 3A
- Dunmore (4-1) 2A
- Abington Heights (2-2) 3A
- Scranton (3-3) 4A
- Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (5-1) 3A
- Lake-Lehman (6-0) 2A
- Old Forge (5-0) 1A
- Berwick (5-1) 3A
- North Pocono (2-1) 3A.
OTHERS TO WATCH
Holy Cross (4-0), Mid Valley (6-0), Nanticoke (3-1), Scranton Prep (2-2), Tunkhannock (5-2), Valley View (5-1), Wallenpaupack (4-2), Wyoming Valley West (3-2)
UPCOMING DISTRICT 2 TOP GIRLS GAMES
MONDAY, 12/22
Pittston at Crestwood (WVC Division 1)
Wyoming Valley West at Hazleton (WVC Division 1)
Holy Redeemer at Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (WVC Division 2)
Abington Heights at Scranton (Lackawanna Division 1)
Wallenpaupack at North Pocono (Lackawanna Division 1)
Valley View at Old Forge (Lackawanna Division 2)
Riverside at Dunmore (Lackawanna Division 2)
Williamsport at Midd-West
LLHOOPS NORTHEAST BEAT GIRLS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Terika Turner (6-0 senior) led Scranton to three impressive victories last week. Terika scored 17 points and pulled down 11 boards in a 70-55 win over Wyoming Valley West. She then scored 24 points in a 50-39 win over Riverside. Turner then contributed 14 points in a strong 53-38 win over Valley View Saturday afternoon.
Danielle Terranella (5-7 freshmen) helped keep Mid Valley undefeated (6-0). Danielle scored 19 points in a 56-39 win over Elk Lake. She added 20 more in a 61-58 win over Mountain View. Finally, the impressive frosh contributed 18 points (along with teammate Allison Walsh who scored 22) to defeat Hanover, 61-53.
GIRLS EXHIBITION ACTION, HIGHLIGHTS, AND RECAPS
Hazleton got a solid performance and is really benefitting from the return of Kayla Mantush and Brianna Dudeck (following preseason injuries) in their 55-41 defeat over State College. Though the Little Lions (2-4) may not have one of their stronger teams, this was another big exhibition win for the Lady Cougars. Alyssa Flanagan scored 18 and Christine Sereta added 16 in the win. Pittston got 26 points from Lauren Smicherko in a 67-51 win over Northwest. Liz Borgia returned to the Scranton lineup from a leg injury and the Lady Knights put together a 3-game winning streak with wins over WVW (Turner 17, Corbett 19, Baldacci 19) Riverside (Turner 24), and Valley View. Scranton Prep continues to play very well and got a 71-70 win over Wyoming Valley West as the two teams combined for 21 treys. Celia Rader had 31 points (7 treys) for the Classics and Amy Aguilar had 22 points for the Lady Spartans.
Holy Redeemer got a pair of big wins last week. First, they rolled over Scranton Prep 56-30 as the Lady Royals took a commanding 24-4 lead after the first period (Monica Wignot scored 16). Holy Redeemer then jumped all over Abington Heights (up 29-8 at halftime) and defeated the Lady Comets 51-26. However, the dropped a 55-42 loss to Allentown Central Catholic as Wignot scored 16 (HR trailed 29-27 at halftime). Kenyotta Richardson (GAR) scored 25 points in a loss to Coughlin. Mid Valley is off to a 6-0 start with strong wins over Elk Lake, Hanover, and Mountain View. Jess Segilia scored 20 points for Riverside in their 49-32 win over Wallenpaupack. Old Forge held Lackawanna Trail scoreless in the second period on their way to a 43-31 win. Holy Cross got 17 points and 12 rebounds from Julie Kosin in their 58-45 historic win over Montrose as head coach Barry Fitzgerald won career game number 400 (combined wins at Bishop Hannan and Holy Cross). Lauren Carra scored 23 points and teammate Tayler Pallotta netted 18 as Dunmore defeated West Scranton 55-40.
Selena Adamshick scored a 3-game total of 65 points in wins over Mountain View (50-47, rallied from 5 down at halftime), Towanda (59-48), and Dallas (67-64) in OT. Dallas got 26 points from Jessica Flaherty and held a 48-42 lead after three periods before the Black Knights once again rallied for the victory. Hanover notched a mild upset as Raisha Piper and Emily Hoolick combined for 32 points in a 53-51 win over Wyoming Area (Allie Scalzo scored 19 for the Warriors).
Lauren Skudalski (Wyoming Seminary) scored 19 points in a 49-47 win over Tunkhannock. Christy Glidden scored 21 points for Susquehanna in a 63-13 win over St. Rose Academy. Lackawanna Trail got their first league win as Katie Ross scored 20 points in a 65-49 win over Susquehanna (Glidden scored 25 for the Lady Sabers). Montrose defeated Mountain View, 54-49, for their first league win. Williamsport dropped a pair of games last week (their third in a row) as the Lady Millionaires lost to undefeated Shamokin, 49-35 and also to Milton, 67-51 (to fall to 2-3 on the season).
UPCOMING DISTRICT 2 GIRLS HOLIDAY TOURNEY ACTION
Lynett 6th Memorial (Lackawanna College on 12-26, 12-27)
(Scranton Prep vs. Abington Heights, Dunmore vs. Scranton)
Punxsutawney Tournament (Punxsutawney on 12-29, 12-30)
(Hazleton vs. Marion Center, Punxsutawney vs. William Tennent)
Lou Camoni 3rd (Valley View on 12-27, 12-30)
(Carbondale, Lakeland, Mid Valley, Valley View)
North Pocono 3rd (North Pocono on 12-26, 12-29)
(Holy Cross vs. Pocono Mt. East, WVW, North Pocono)
Honesdale 24th Jaycees (Honesdale on 12-27, 12-29)
(Honesdale, Wallenpaupack, Western Wayne, Forest City)
Taylor Lions 23rd (Riverside on 12-26, 12-29)
(Nanticoke vs. West Scranton, Montrose vs. Riverside)
Joyce Veterans 10th (Pittston on 12-27, 12-29)
(Wilkes-Barre Meyers vs. Old Forge, Wyoming Area vs. Pittston)
Delaware Valley 18th Rotary (Delaware Valley on 12-29, 12-30)
Munley Tourney 37th (Crestwood on 12-26, 12-27)
Lake-Lehman vs. Wilkes-Barre Coughlin, Hanover vs. Crestwood)
Judy Knorr Holiday (Berwick on 12-29, 12-30)
Indian valley vs. St. Pius X, Bloomsburg vs. Berwick
Susquehanna County (Blue Ridge on 12-26, 12-29)
(Blue Ridge, Elk Lake, Susquehanna, Mt. View)
Thomas Feeney Memorial (West Side Tech on 12-27, 12-29)
West Side Tech vs. St. Rose, Weatherly vs. Lackawanna Trail
Montoursville Tourney (Montoursville on 12-26, 12-27)
(Williamsport, Montoursville, Loyalsock, Hughesville)
Big Spring Tourney (Big Spring on 1/2, 1/3)
(Holy Redeemer vs. Mechaniscsburg, Newport vs. Big Spring)
Cardinal Classic (Pine Grove on 12/26, 12/27)
(Dallas vs. Pine Grove, Atholton (Md) vs. Blue Mountain
Wyalusing Tourney (Wyalusing on 12-27, 12-29)
(Elkland vs. Wyalusing, Northeast Bradford vs. Tunkhannock)
Benton Tourney (Benton on 12-26, 12-27) Northwest
DISTRICT 2 GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE
DIVISION 1
Hazleton Area (0-0 first half, 5-0 overall)
Tunkhannock (0-0, 5-2)
Wyoming Valley West (0-0, 3-2)
Crestwood (0-0, 3-3)
Pittston (0-0, 3-3)
DIVISION 2
Wilkes-Barre Coughlin (0-0 first half, 5-1 overall)
Berwick (0-0, 5-1)
Holy Redeemer (0-0, 4-2)
Wyoming Area (0-0, 4-2)
Dallas (0-0, 1-4)
DIVISION 3
Lake-Lehman (0-0 first half, 6-0 overall)
Nanticoke (0-0, 3-1)
Hanover (0-0, 2-4)
Wilkes-Barre Meyers (0-0, 2-5)
Wilkes-Barre GAR (0-0, 0-7)
DIVISION 4
Wyoming Seminary (0-0 first half, 2-5 overall)
MMI Prep (0-0, 2-6)
West Side Tech (0-0, 0-2)
Northwest (0-0, 0-6)
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE
DIVISION 1
North Pocono (0-0, 2-1 overall)
Wallenpaupack (0-0, 4-2)
Scranton (0-0, 3-3)
Abington Heights (0-0, 2-2)
Scranton Prep (0-0, 2-2)
West Scranton (0-0, 2-3)
Honesdale (0-0, 2-4)
Delaware Valley (0-0, 1-3)
DIVISION 2
Mid Valley (0-0 first half, 6-0 overall)
Old Forge (0-0, 5-0)
Holy Cross (0-0, 4-0)
Valley View (0-0, 5-1)
Dunmore (0-0, 4-1)
Carbondale (0-0, 3-2)
Riverside (0-0, 3-3)
Lakeland (0-0, 1-4)
DIVISION 3
Montrose (1-0first half, 3-2 overall)
Lackawanna Trail (1-0, 3-4)
Blue Ridge (0-0, 2-2)
Forest City (0-0, 1-1)
Elk Lake (0-0, 1-3)
Western Wayne (0-0, 0-5)
Susquehanna (0-1, 2-4)
Mountain View (0-1, 1-5)
WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE GIRLS PREVIEW
Hazleton Area is the favorite to claim Division 1. This is a team which has a deep lineup, lots of experience and is hungry for a lot more than a division championship. Senior point guard Alyssa Flanagan is back, her fourth year as a starter. Preseason medical issues will prevent starting guard Brianna Dudeck and forward Kayla Mantush from competing until after the holidays, but the Lady Cougars can weather that storm. Senior forward Maddy Ludwig returns to the lineup after missing all of last year with a knee injury and steadily-improving forward Christa Sereta will help Joe Gavio’s squad compete toward winning their seventh straight WVC championship. Wyoming Valley West has a youthful lineup, but their success hinges right on the shoulders of 6-1 junior center Sami Himlin. Pittston Area returns junior Lauren Smicherko, but lacks any other varsity experience. Crestwood is a young team and is led by super sophomore Chelsea Cornelius (6-0 guard) and Carissa Gegaris (5-5 junior guard, 11 ppg last year). The Lady Comets have some good size and can score all over the floor, but they top reserves are all freshmen. Tunkhannock will be looking to improve on last year, but will have a talented junior in Tiffany Rule leading the way for the Lady Tigers.
Holy Redeemer is the pick in Division 2. The Lady Royals return a core group of players from a team which advanced deep into state play last year. Four starters return, paced by versatile 6-2 junior playmaker Monica Wignot who makes plays from anywhere on the court. Holy Redeemer gets solid guard play from seniors Alyssa Sabalesky, Megan Kazmerski, and Laura Wingert. Christina Flaherty, a talented scorer transferred from Hanover and will be an immediate impact player for Rich Nemetz. Wilkes-Barre Coughlin returns four starters from a strong team last year, including junior center Kacee Rava, guards Jordan Britt and Ally Banks, and smooth forward Lauren McGinley. Berwick has arguably the best pure athlete in the division in 5-9 senior Katlin Michaels, but also has Cynthia Hallowich transfer Courtney Shields, and Lillian Farmer to lead the way for the Lady Dawgs. Berwick can definitely pull off a few upsets along the division race this year. Wyoming Area has Allie Scalzo but may find the going tough this season. Dallas got hit hard by graduation and will need to begin a rebuilding process.
Lake-Lehman is the favorite in Division 3, but will be challenged by Nanticoke. Lake-Lehman has one of the top players in the entire conference in 5-10 sophomore Selana Adamshick. She led the WVC is scoring last year and is as good a defender as a scoring threat. The Black Knights also have perimeter scorer junior Gaby Olshemski as wells as a top rebounder, junior Ellen Matza. Challenging Lake-Lehman will be Nanticoke, a team which loves to play defense from start to finish. The Trojanettes have 5-1 junior Jen Harnischfeger who plays all over the floor. Morgan Thomas is a top 3-point scorer. Kelsey Yohey is a strong rebounder and freshmen Sami Gow has been contributing early. This is a program with a tremendous winning tradition and attitude. This year’s edition is looking to put their mark with a championship run. Wilkes-Barre Meyers return all five starters, including senior Christa Tutella (14 ppg last year). The Mohawks were a bit of a surprise team last year, so don’t be shocked to see them compete with the frontrunners on any given night. Hanover lost a key cog in their team with the transfer of Christina Flaherty to Holy Redeemer, but does have some impact players such as Shari Bugonowicz to provide leadership. Wilkes-Barre GAR is looking to get settled under first year coach Chris Parker and improve as the season goes on.
Wyoming Seminary will battle for the Division 4 title with Northwest. Seminary features 6-0 senior Allie Berry, a strong post player. Northwest does not have much height, but does have solid, quick guards. They are led by seniors Jess Engle and Sara Stepanski. MMI Prep only has eight players on their roster, but does have senior forward Morgan Thomas, forward Gabby Joseph, and junior guard Laine Titus. West Side Tech has top scorer Melissa Wallace (junior, 14 ppg last year), but needs to establish some other scoring options.
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE GIRLS PREVIEW
Abington Heights gets the tossup pick for Division 1 honors. They will battle Scranton for the top position. Abington Heights, minus the 22 ppg that Becky Burke brought to the court each night, still has a strong lineup. The Lady Comets feature Division 1 recruit Jamie Halloran (6-1 senior), Liz Kilzy (5-8 senior), and Dakin Hewlett (5-5 senior). The biggest challenge which Vince Bucciarelli faces is whether to stick with his experienced senior players or work some of his talented younger players into the lineup. Scranton, without Layla Bailey (torn ACL) and Liz Borgia (leg injury), has been adjusting to their new coaching style and lineup. Terika Turner (6-0 senior) leads the way for the Lady Knights along with Lashelle Miller (5-5 junior) and Kayla Gatto (5-6 junior). Scranton Prep will also be in the division race behind the play of Celia Rader (5-4 senior), Meghan McDonald (5-8 junior) and Sarah Walsh (5-2 senior). The Classics are always a perennial contender. Wallenpaupack returns four starters and is paced by seniors Jess Bonney, Gina Palazzi, and Jaine Slutter. North Pocono returns three starters and looks to improve on last year’s successful season. Honesdale, Delaware Valley, and West Scranton all are seeking to work hard and get some wins.
Dunmore has enough talent returning to be considered a favorite to capture Division 2. Seniors Lauren Carra (5-10) and Tayler Pallotta (5-11) lead the way for the Lady Bucks. But look for the rest of the division to be a lot closer to Dunmore this season. Valley View gets the pick in a tossup for second place. The Lady Cougars return four starters, including Rebecca Keegan, Abbey Rodway, Emily Pambianco, and Allie Stine. Holy Cross will also be hot on the heels of the division lead behind the talented returning duo of Kaya Sileo and Julie Kostin. Old Forge, returns four starters (Sarah Fife, Kim Kaville, Aleca Semenza, Chrissy Belko), but does not have much height. Riverside returns three starters and is always competitive. Mid Valley, off to a terrific start, features a young lineup and will look to build a strong foundation for the future. Carbondale returns Brittany Mang (5-5 junior) and Cassie Cantanzano (5-5 junior), but needs to fills some gaps in their lineup. Lakeland returns three starters and will look for improvement as the season progresses.
Montrose is the pick in Division 3 in what is projected to be an extremely balanced division race. The Meteors return three starters, Autumn Ely (5-6 senior), Chelsea Lunger (5-7 senior), and Julie Koloski (5-6 senior). Forest City returns five starters. Mountain View brings back four starters, including 6-2 Kayla Kazmierski. Susquehanna also return four starters and should be right in the mix. Western Wayne moves down from Division 2 and could make some noise and bounce back from their winless league season last year. Lackawanna Trail is another team capable of pulling off an upset on any given night. Seeing a pattern here? Even Blue Ridge, who returns four starters, can make a division run if they remain healthy. Elk Lake is also looking forward to being competitive.
That’s it for this edition of the NEP Beat. See you next time!
Question or Comments, email us at LLHoops.NEP-Beat@att.net
Jon K.
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