ILVGH Week 3: Before the Holidays

Before the holidays arrive, there was plenty of basketball played in the third full week of the season. Big accomplishments and big victories marked the week, so let’s dive right in.

Monday, 12/15:

• In a game you can see more about on our X feed(@LSVSports), Executive Education took the trip down to Faith Christian Academy in Quakertown. Mariah Hagrove led the Raptors with 12 and Nia Bush reached ten points. Ashley Hunter-Ali contributed eight more. The game was never close, as the Lions trailed 15-1 in the first quarter after Kendall Medina made a pair of shots. The Lions did not reach double digits on the scoreboard until midway through the third quarter.
• Kendra Morgan nearly outscored Bangor in Salisbur’s 43-28 win. Morgan finished with 24 points, with 13 of those coming in an 18-point fourth quarter that finally provided separation for the Falcons. Kayla Cole paced the Slaters with six points, as nine different Bangor players scored. Bangor led 12-9 after one and the game was tied at 15 by halftime.
• Early fire from long range led to a Northern Lehigh victory over Jim Thorpe. Teagan Simms, Leah Wentz and Jaylene Ramos combined for five triples in the first quarter, building an 18-5 lead that propelled the Bulldogs to a 39-27 victory on the road. Ariana Williams made her mark with a game-high 12 points. Olivia Snisky led the Olympians with 10 points,
• Notre Dame Green Pond scored an astounding 29 points in a first quarter rout of Moravian Academy. The 29-6 start moved the Crusaders towards their 69-20 win. Brenna Hammerstone hit four times from beyond the arc on her way to a 20 point effort. Ella Schweitzer scored 17 and Sam Karwacki added ten more. Sans Luna Lopez, Moravian was led by Nyomi Russell’s ten points.
• Pen Argyl made the most of their lone game for the week(a late-week contest with Bangor was postponed due to a power outage) by defeating Palisades 36-24. Freshman Leah Apostol knocked down eight field goals for a game-high 16 points. Gianna Martini added 11 points. The teams combined to go 5/19 from the free throw line, and Palisades missed nine of their 13 opportunities. The Green Knights held the Pirates to seven first half points and 12 after three quarters before they doubled their output in the fourth quarter.
• Lehighton remained unbeaten by defeating Palmerton 39-25. Marian Catholic transfer Olivia Serfass continues to shine for the Indians, scoring 12 to lead her team. The loss marked the first of the year for the Blue Bombers. This game was also the first of four in five days for head coach Jeremy Coleman’s team. A 10-2 fourth quarter cemented things for Lehighton, who kept Hailey Barry held to two points and Cate Morgan to six.

Tuesday, 12/16:

• Timely 3-point shooting, successful free throw shooting and balanced scoring were the keys for the Central Catholic Vikettes in a 50-33 win over Freedom. The victory marked two in a row for head coach Kathy Davidowich’s team who is still getting used to not having Milly Wolf in the lineup. Skylir Taylor scored 14, while both Morgan Seagreaves and Alyssa Hursh added nine. Hursh got her points on three triples. ACC was 8/11 on free throws.
• With no Kam Gallis available against Whitehall, fellow freshman Avaughna Gordon stepped in to join the stalwarts in a 49-21 victory. Aliyah Brame led all scorers with 14, trailed by 11 from Gordon. This one was all but over after the first eight minutes, in which the Lady Hawks shutout the Zephyrs 20-0. Ava Alatzas accounted for 11 points for Whitehall.
• Up in Carbon County, Blue Mountain got by Panther Valley 56-40. Callie Peel and Hailey Place combined for 36 points. The Blue Eagles were 15/19 at the charity stripe and nailed 19 2-point field goals. The win snapped a two-game losing streak.
• A two-headed monster of Adriana Borzo(24) and Teagan Strunk(34) combined for 58 of Stroudsburg’s 72 points in a 72-37 rout of East Stroudsburg North. Despite the high output, the Mounties only hit from beyond the arc four times, but poured in 31 total field goals. Stroudsburg looks to keep pace with Pocono Mountain West in the 6A standings, making those two the most likely teams to reach the postseason from the North.
• Sophomore Brianna Rasmussen showed off her talents for the Cavaliers of ES South, scoring 28 in a 40-33 win over PM East. The Cavs trailed 14-9 at halftime before breaking through for a 15-13 third quarter where Rasmussen scored 13 of her team’s 15. She then hit five field goals in the fourth for ten points as ES South pulled away for the win. Nylah Stewart notched 11 for the Cardinals in defeat.
• Easton had four players in double figures, as the Red Rovers rolled past Dieruff 63-30. Gabby Wismer led the way with 17 points, with 15 of those coming in a 32-point second half. Natalie Amato hit three treys as part of her 13-point night. Both Melina Cole and Elena Brunetti added ten each. A quick 20-7 start gave Easton some cushion and from there, they didn’t allow a single Husky to reach double digits. Justyce McChristian scored seven for Dieruff.
• In a game that we covered live, Emmaus powered past Liberty 72-40. Gabby DeVita, then 33 points away from the 1,000 mark for her career, dropped 18 in the first half and opened the third quarter with a layup for an even 20 before three fouls forced her to take a seat. This marked the third straight game in which the Green Hornets scored 70 or more. Emmaus knocked down ten triples and three other players reached double figures in Sierra Stevens, Gracie Ervin, and Olive Whitney. Ava Kopetskie scored 20 in the loss.
• In their second game in as many nights, the Blue Bombers suffocated Jim Thorpe to the tune of a 38-12 first half on their way to a 55-30 victory. Courtney Connell led the way with 14 points, scoring all of her points in the first half. Emma Rex added nine first half points.
• Northwestern Lehigh blitzed Moravian Academy for 36 points in the first quarter on their way to an 85-22 rout. The Tigers piled up ten treys and Natalie Conner paced her team with 25 points; Hannah Gober contributed 17. Twelve Tigers scored in the game. Defensively, Northwestern held Moravian scoreless in the fourth quarter and to two points in the second quarter.
• Eight 3-pointers went in for the Blue Eagles, as Nazareth wiped out Allen 69-16. Karly Leszcynski totaled 21 points and Alexa Davis added 17 points on seven made shots. Sarah Deily piled on 15 points. Arianna Rosario led the Canaries with 10 points. Nazareth’s dynamic defense didn’t allow more than six points in any quarter
• Parkland’s 15-2 second quarter advantage powered them past Northampton 54-24. Cheryllann Cunningham led the way with 14 points, Ten Lady Trojans found the scorebook. The win marked six in a row for the Trojans to open the season.
• A strong second half performance moved Pocono Mountain West past Pleasant Valley 55-21. The Panthers outscored the Bears 21-4 in the third quarter and 32-9 in the second half behind ten from Zyairrah Lanier and nine from Emily Campusano. The Panthers received 19 free throw opportunities and converted on 11 of them. PM West scored 21 times from the field and held the Bears to seven.
• Lauren Ligenza scored a double double with 19 points and 11 boards in Tamaqua’s close 43-39 loss at Pine Grove. The Cardinals won the fourth quarter 18-10. Callie Leffler(12), Lainey Fidler(14) and Hollynn Sampson(13) all hit the double figure mark in the victory. The loss snapped a four game winning streak for Tamaqua. The win moved Pine Grove to 4-2.

Wednesday, 12/17:

• Wilson Area halted a two game skid, defeating Bangor 49-22. Julaiana Bonham notched six points in the first half, as the Warriors built a 31-7 halftime spread. She finished with a game high 14 and pulled down 10 offensive rebounds(and 5 more defensively). Coach Meagan Eripret’s team keeps pace in a very strong 4A field with the win, battling for position with Central Catholic, Blue Mountain and Panther Valley.
• Blue Mountain, also in that ultra-competitive 4A field, fell in nonconference play at Northern Lebanon 39-32. Mila Fleagle scored 18, including 10 in the second half, but the Eagles came up just short. A heavy free throw disparity didn’t help, as Blue Mountain was 4 of 4 but Northern Lebanon was 13 for 15. Northern Lebanon also hit four triples to none for the Eagles. Blue Mountain has struggled at times to keep the offense going, not reaching the 40 point mark in any loss yet this season, but they do have a high up-side.
• Fatigue was not a factor for Palmerton, as they completed their three-game-in-three-day stretch with a 62-48 win over Catasauqua. Courtney Connell was lights out, burning the defense for 26 points. She was 8/9 at the free throw line and hit three times from beyond the arc. Cate Morgan poured in 16 more, as the Blue Bombers ran their record to 6-1 on the early season. Palmerton hit seven times from behind the 3-point line in the win. In defeat, Hailey Jenkins and Kaylin Stewart combined for 34.
• Lehighton moved to 6-0 with another strong performance, beating Palisades 45-18. Ryleigh Trotman and Leah Uyvari combined to outscore the Pirates with 12 points each. Standout Olivia Serfass added eight points. The Indians saw six triples fall for them , though they did struggle on free throws, going 3 for 10. Ella Young scored ten for the Pirates in the loss.
• In a bit of an early upset, Northern Lehigh defeated Salisbury 37-21, handing the Falcons their second loss on the year and holding them to a season low in points. Tegan Simms and Ariana Williams combined to score 27 of the 37 for the Bulldogs, while defensively, Nolehi held their opponent to seven points by halftime. Kendra Morgan was held to eight points on the night.
• In what was a back and forth affair for a while, Northwestern Lehigh emerged with a 57-39 victory over Saucon Valley. Natalie Conner could not be contained, as she popped off for 25 points, 20 of which came in a 42-29 first half. The future remains bright for the Panthers, though, as fellow freshmen Grace Donahue and Sierra Skoda combined for 29 points on 12 made field goals.

Thursday, 12/18:

• The front loaded schedule for Central Catholic saw them play their tenth game of the year at Parkland Thursday night. Cheryllann Cunngingham was the big story, knocking down five treys on her way to a 19 point night. Four of those triples fell in the first half to help pad a big lead early. Balanced scoring was paramount for the Trojans, as Savannah Gonzalez added 11 and both Arielle Brown and Isabella Hallal contributed eight each. In defeat, Morgan Seagreaves had her highest total of the year to date, scoring 18.
• The plethora of talent at Bethlehem Catholic was far too much for East Stroudsburg South Thursday night. This time, it was Leah Ault with a 20 point performance in the 50-14 win. The Golden Hawks are 7-0 and will next be in action Monday night against Northampton at home.
• The Freedom Patriots got a much-needed win over East Stroudsburg North, 67-25. Sophomore Morgan Pavolko(11 points) joined upperclassmen Sage Carter, Gabriella Sena and Sara Kokolus in double figures, with the latter three all scoring 13. The Patriots shot 48% from the field and marked their best offensive performance of the season so far.
• Easton poured it on in a 78-27 defeat of the Cardinals from Pocono Mountain East. Nine treys fell for the Red Rovers, scored between seven different players. Gabby Wismer led all scorers with 16, followed by 12 each from Melina Cole and Eva Jordan and 10 each from Elena Brunetti and Nat Amato. The win marked the fifth time already that Easton has surpassed the 60-point mark. The Cardinals had success from range, hitting seven 3-point buckets, but trailed 50-8 by halftime as shots rained down from the team in red.
• In a game we covered on X, Emmaus dropped Dieruff 63-44. Gabby DeVita made her mark on Emmaus basketball history, becoming the 12th Hornet ever to reach the 1,000 point mark. Her three-pointer with :57 left in the first half secured the 13 points she needed and the crowd immediately erupted into cheers for her. She was all smiles in the postgame, as her team went on to win decisively. Olive Whitney marked a season high 16 point effort, as her game continues to expand and grow. Standout sophomore Gracie Ervin scored ten points. Dieruff struggled from the charity stripe, hitting only 13 of 33 free throws. Senior Jayla Rosario led her squad with 19 points.
• Liberty kept pace with the top of the 6A field, knocking off Pocono Mountain West 68-31. Ava Kopetskie did Ava Kopetskie things, finishing with a 25 point night that included five of her team’s TWELVE 3-pointers. Laney Foster continus to shine, scoring 15 and knocking down three treys. Jodi Bowen led the Panthers with 12.
• Alexa Davis’ 19 points led the Nazareth charge in a 61-7 drubbing of Pleasant Valley. The Bears were held scoreless in the second and fourth quarters, while four more Blue Eagles scored at least seven points(Leszyynski, Spengler, Bender, and Samsel).
• Northampton picked up a 45-33 victory over Stroudsburg, sparked by 10 points from Kelly Reenock and seven each from freshman Evangelina Gougoustamos and Emilia Hirschman. A 14-5 fourth quarter finally separated the two teams; two buckets by Gougoustamos, Reenock and Ro Echevarria were key. The Kids did not hit any 3-pointers on the game. Stroudsburg shot itself in the foot at the free throw line, going 5 for 19. Adriana Borzio led the Mounties with 14 in the loss.
• Panther Valley broke out of a two game losing skid by defeating Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg 58-14. Morgan Orsulak pounded out 23 points on ten 2-point field goals along with a few free throws. The Panthers took a 43-7 halftime lead and never looked back. Panther Valley looks to keep pace in the 4A field, currently sitting in the #9 slot.

Friday, 12/19:

• North Schuylkill stayed unbeaten by defeating rival Blue Mountain 49-34. Monica Selgrade had a 17 point effort, knocking down seven shots from the field. The Spartans outscored the Eagles 28-13 over the middle two stanzas to pull away with the victory. Callie Peel scored 13 for Blue Mountain. The Spartans and Lehighton Indians are the two unbeatens atop DXI 4A and two of only four in the entire district who remain unblemished.
• Notre Dame Green Pond continued its winning ways, stretching their streak to four in a row with a 38-27 defeat of Catasauqua. The Rough Riders were held scoreless in the first quarter, allowing the Crusaders to build a 9-0 lead. Ava Shonk led all scorers with 13 points. Brenna Hammerstone contributed eight on the game and Brianna Beani scored seven in the second half. All but six points for the Roughs were scored by Kaylin Stewart and Hailey Jenkins.
• In the battle of ESASD, the Cavaliers snuck past the Timberwolves 43-40. South won the first quarter 10-0 but North was still able to climb back into the game down the stretch. The teams combined to go 16/39 on free throws, as the Timberwolves missed 12 that could have changed the outcome of the game. Mariah Johnson paced South with 12 points. Jillyanne-Grace Alvarez scored 22 for North.
• In a battle of the most recent additions to the Colonial League, Lehighton pounced on Jim Thorpe 49-25. Olivia Serfass scored 17 and Ryleigh Trotman was the next highest scorer with ten for the Indians. Freshman Olivia Snisky led the Olympians with 15 points. The Indians out scored Jim Thorpe 19-2 in the first quarter to cement a permanent lead. The victory moved Lehighton to 7-0 and kept them atop the DXI 4A standings.
• Tamaqua returned to its winning ways by pounding Minersville 53-26. Millie Black scored a double double with 23 points and 16 rebounds. Lauren Ligenza had 9 rebounds and 6 assists. The loss kept the Battlin’ Miners winless on the season.
• Looking at the Salisbury/Moravian Academy final score that saw the Falcons win 43-9, you’d think it was a blowout the whole way. However, this one was just 6-3 after a quarter before Salisbury pulled away with 20 in the second quarter. The teams combined to go 3-for-17 from the free throw line, but Salisbury heated up from the field. Roxana Cardenas scored 13, while both Tessa Kemmerer and Kendra Morgan added eight.
• Northern Lehigh won its third in a row, 41-19 over Palisades. At the break, the Bulldogs built a 31-4 lead behind four treys from Tegan Simms. Her 12 points led all scorers.
• Palmerton ended its stretch of four games in five nights with a 48-31 victory over Saucon Valley. With starting point guard Cate Morgan out due to illness, freshman Avery Barry stepped up in a big way, leading the Bombers with 15 points. They lived up to their name, dropping eight 3-pointers on the Panthers and racing out to a 17-4 lead. Grace Donahue was outstanding for Saucon again, scoring 13 to go with 10 from Sierra Skoda. Maggie Gorman added the other eight points.
• Schuylkill Haven is not a team we cover often, but they will be a bigtime threat in the 3A field once again. Four Hurricanes scored in double figures in a 59-30 win over Panther Valley. Kylie Siket and McKenna Runkle each had 16 points. Siket scored four times from beyond the arc. Runkle hit seven times from inside. Ava Terefencko dropped in 13 and Audrey Hutchinson tacked on ten more.
• Sophomore Nia Bush banged home ten first quarter points to go with 13 on the game from Kendall Medina as the Executive Education Raptors ran by Pottsgrove 52-34. The Raptors have now won four in a row and will enter the Easton Rotary tournament after facing unbeaten Mahanoy Area on Tuesday night.

Saturday, 12/20:

• Central Catholic needed all four quarters to come back and defeat Whitehall 47-39. The Zephyrs led 14-7 after one and 22-15 at halftime. Corynn Troxell scored 13, while Abigail Kneller added nine and eight more came from Jaylene Wilson. But the Vikettes persisted. Skylir Taylor and Shamiya Roberts combined for 20 points and Seagreaves added eight in the comeback victory. Central Catholic has now won four of its last five entering their holiday tournament next week.
• Gabby Wismer and Alexa Davis had 12 points apiece for Easton and Nazareth respectfully. It would be the Red Rovers, though, who emerged with a 43-25 victory over the Blue Eagles. A 17-2 first quarter was paramount to allowing Easton to cruise. The win extends Easton’s streak to three heading into their Rotary tournament over the holidays.
• In a game covered in depth on our X feed(@LSVSports), Emmaus used a strong defensive second half to push past rival Parkland 51-45. The game was tied at 25 entering the break and the Trojans had hit five treys. However, the Green Hornets made some adjustments and extended their defense out allowing just one 3-ball in the second half and just eight points in the third quarter. Gabby DeVita threw down 19 points and sophomore Gracie Ervin contributed 12. Eva Glover added eight. Emmaus sits atop the District XI 6A standings and will next be in action against Executive Education in the Easton Rotary tournament.
• Head coach Jarrett Carnes’ Liberty Hurricanes got the upper hand over crosstown rival Freedom 58-44. Kopetskie earned 16 trips to the free throw stripe in the second half and converted 12 chances as part of her 27 point night. Laney Foster scored eight and Addie Smith did the same. The game was knotted at 17 after a quarter, but Liberty saw five different players combine to score 22 second quarter points to begin pulling away. The Hurricanes will have their hands full Monday night when they host nonconference opponent Cardinal O’Hara.
• In another battle of city rivals, Dieruff vanquished Allen 44-22. The Huskies bit down early, rolling to a 32-2 halftime spread. Jayla Rosario scored 15 of her 17 points in the first half, hitting three times from deep. Aniya Holder had a similar outing, scoring ten of her 12 in the first two quarters to help build the insurmountable lead. Ari Rosario scored 14 for the Canaries in defeat.
• Despite 18 points, including four triples, from Tegan Simms, Northern Lehigh fell behind in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing to Tamaqua 45-32. Millie Black scored a double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Ceanna Gormley had 11 rebounds.The Raiders were 11/27 from the free throw stripe, while the Bulldogs only managed six opportunities.
• Brenna Hammerstone scored five times from behind the 3-point line for her game-high 15 points as Notre Dame Green Pond moved past Saucon Valley 50-34. Four more players reached at least seven points. Overall, the Crusaders nailed nine triples to secure victory. They have won five in a row and now prepare for the Central Catholic Christmas tournament on the 29th.
• Southern Lehigh demolished Notre Dame East Stroudsburg 64-2. Samantha Fontanez scored 15, while 14 more came from Elena Druck. The Spartans held NDES scoreless from the field. The victory moved the Spartans to 2-5 on the season.
• Stroudsburg picked up a 46-17 win over Pleasant Valley. Tegan Strunk poured in 21 points and Adriana Borzio contributed 14. Drawing fouls was a big strength for the Mounties, as they earned 26 trips to the free throw line, converting 17 times. The Bears were 5-of-8.