With the quick turnaround from Friday and Saturday to Tuesday and Wednesday second round games, we’re going to combine some recaps and previews this week. Let’s get started with recapping our area teams that won and their second round matchups. Scroll further down for recaps of those teams we had to say goodbye to for the season.
Tuesday, 3/10:
Emmaus(21-7 57.8ppg; 39ppg allowed) v Dallastown(25-4 50.5ppg; 34.9ppg allowed), 7:00 at Ephrata
The Green Hornets are coming off their first state playoff victory in nearly two decades. Behind the strong second half effort of senior Gabby DeVita and a 3-point shooting barrage by herself and Olive Whitney, Emmaus defeated Central Bucks East 65-58. It was dicey in the fourth quarter, as backcourt turnovers cut a 55-45 lead down to 55-53 in mere seconds, but Emmaus persevered, slowed the game down a bit, and pushed through. The team hit a season high 11 triples and despite being held to three points at the half and six points through her last six quarters, DeVita came alive to finish with 21. The Hornets had four players reach double figures, as the sophomore duo of Gracie Ervin(11) and Eva Glover(14) also stepped up on their home court in the win or go home scenario. Haley Moran and Payton Williams lived up to the hype for the Patriots, scoring 20 and 16 respectively, but Emmaus overcame 14 turnovers and put the game away late at the foul line.
Now Emmaus and Dallastown will meet on the neutral court at Ephrata High School in a single game to be played Tuesday night. The Wildcats enter with a 25-4 record and very strong defense. Two of their losses have come to Red Lion, a team that defeated both Parkland and Easton and will again face the Red Rovers. A 5’11” senior, Ava Jamison leads the Wildcats in scoring with 14.8ppg, followed closely by Denyla Handy’s 13.5. Natalie McLane averaged a little over two triples per game and ten points per contest. Dallastown fell to Wilson West Lawn in the district championship game, 42-37 in overtime, a fate Emmaus is familiar with back from their season opener. Dallastown is 3-1 in OT, including a triple overtime thriller against Susquehannock.
Parkland(20-6 50.1ppg; 30.9ppg allowed) v Hazleton(25-2 71.4ppg; 40.8ppg allowed), 7:30 at Martz Hall
Parkland had no trouble rolling past Central Philadelphia 50-15. Llana Cunningham put up seven points in the first quarter and ten as part of a 27-5 halftime lead. She was the only player to reach double digits on either side, finishing with 13 points. Aneri McGalla dropped in two treys and Morgan Volpe also hit once from range.
The Lady Trojans now face one of the state’s juggernauts in the Hazleton Cougars. Led by Kaitlyn Bindas and her 19 points per game, Hazleton is a team that makes great opponents look bad night in and night out. Hazleton has scored 70 or more points 15 times this season, including a 107-71 victory over Dallas. The Cougars took fellow DXI team Emmaus to task, 77-34 and picked apart Nazareth 55-22. The Cougars’ full court press will stifle many an offense and their up and down play will tire out others. Other key figures for Hazleton include Sophia Benyo, Alexis Reimold, and Mariah Marolo, all averaging at or near ten points per game. Parkland will need to play its best game of the season and not break under the constant pressure from the Cougars if they want to advance to the quarters.
Easton(26-3 54.7ppg; 32.4ppg allowed) v Red Lion(24-4 42.4ppg; 29.9ppg allowed), 6:00 at Geigle Complex
Easton needed overtime to avoid an early exit from the state tournament, besting Neshaminy 35-32. It was nip and tuck all the way. Melina Cole scored all five of the Rovers’ points in the first quarter. A couple of Natalie Amato triples helped Easton build a 16-10 halftime lead She hit again in the third and the Rovers held a 22-20 edge entering the final frame. Melina Cole hit from range again in the fourth, but Neshaminy hung tough and was able to force the extra session. Amato’s dagger 3-ball in OT gave her a 14 point night and four of the team’s seven treys, allowing the Rovers to advance. Melina Cole also ended her night in double figures with 11 points.
The Rovers now meet a previous opponent in Red Lion. Back in mid-December, the Lions defeated the Rovers 38-28. A key to that victory was that Red Lion went to the foul line 18 times and converted on 17 of them. Bekah Sedora was a perfect 8/8 at the stripe and her sister Julia was 4/4. Kendall Williams had four of the Lions’ nine field goals. Amato had 13 points in that contest, including two makes from distance. Bekah, a sophomore, and Julia, a senior, combine to average 27 points per game for the Lions offense. Holding them down will be paramount to an Easton winning formula. If the Rovers can got hot from the field or beyond the arc and get both Coles, Amato, and Brunetti involved in the scoring, they have a good chance on the neutral court of advancing.
Schuylkill Haven(23-5 46ppg; 36ppg allowed) v Pequea Valley(21-5 53.8ppg; 31.9ppg allowed), 7:30 at Geigle Complex
Audrey Hutchinson led her squad with 19 points as the Hurricanes blew through Philly Academy Charter 50-19. An all freshman roster with only six players on it, PAC was outmanned on the evening–Haven raced to a 19-5 lead and never looked back McKenna Runkle scored ten and Kylie Siket hit twice from deep as part of her eight point night.
Now, the Hurricanes meet a familiar opponent in Pequea Valley. Last, the Braves knocked the Hurricanes out of the state bracket 56-53 behind a 23 point performance from Katie Stoltzfus. She may be gone to graduation, but Janae Patterson remains, and she scored 18 in last year’s meeting and she averages 19ppg now. She is bolstered by Olive Martin(So) and Shelcye Burke(Sr), both averaging seven points per game. The story is similar this year for Pequea, as they were bounced early from their conference and district semifinals, but are also coming off a big 59-19 win over Mastery Charter. Now, for Haven, the core of Siket, Hutchinson and Runkle have their shot at revenge and advancing to the state quarterfinals.
Notre Dame Green Pond(23-6 44.7ppg; 32.8ppg allowed) v Hughesville(25-3 54.8ppg; 33.5ppg allowed), 7:30 at Berwick
The Crusaders are once again making a playoff run and looking to improve on last year’s second round out against Dunmore. NDGP used an 18-5 third quarter to put some separation between themselves and first round opponent West Catholic, on their way to a 58-41 victory. Ava Shonk, now in her senior season, put up 17 points and hit two 3-pointers. Brenna Hammerstone knocked down three shots from range as part of her 15 point performance. Sam Karwacki and Ella Schweitzer provided excellent support on both ends of the court and eight points each.
The second round opposition this year comes from District 4 in the Hughesville Spartans with a 25-3 record. Two of those three losses come to unbeaten 4A powerhouse Central Columbia and the other was a season opening one point lsos to another state playoff team in Dallas. Maddie Smith(Jr) leads Hughesville, averaging 17 points per contest. She is joined by Vivian Draper at 7ppg and a couple more shooters in Alyssa King and Kendall Ham. Anna Easton leads her squad in rebounding and blocks, while Smith leads the way in steals. Hughesville averages six steals per game and limits opponents’ opportunities, much like Green Pond. We’re expecting an even matchup with this one coming down to the final seconds or perhaps some late foul shots.
Executive Education(18-7 47.4ppg; 35.6ppg allowed) v Dunmore(23-3 51.8ppg; 30.6ppg allowed), 6:00 at Pleasant Valley
The Raptors of Executive Education took First Philadelphia Charter to task early and often, coming away with a 69-8 decisive win. Without Ashley Hunter-Ali(trasnfer) and Kendall Medina(season ending injury suffered a few weeks ago), the Raptors did not struggle. This time, Aiyana Riddick(Jr) took the lead in points scored, putting up 13 in the first half and 21 overall. Mariah Hargrove scored 12 and Nia Bush added nine. Savanna Henry put in eight.
Dunmore ended Notre Dame Green Pond’s season last year and now looks to be the extinction event for the Raptors. The Bucks are coming off a 36-33 victory over Mount Carmel, led by 14 points from Amanda Dempsey. Dempsey averages nearly 11 points per game, joined by Leena Conte(8ppg) and Jackie Brown(7.5ppg). Dunmore faced off with DXI power Easton, falling 52-40, back in late January. The Bucks place a lot of scorers on the court at any given time, as both Michelle Nidoh and Janaya Martin are also capable of going off. Dunmore also boasts one of the best defenses in this state playoff field and has held opponents to 30 points or less 12 times. This one should be a lot of fun and picking a winner would be very difficult. Expect a back and forth close game.
Marian Catholic(15-11 43.7ppg; 36.4ppg allowed) v Wyoming Seminary(18-7 46.8ppg; 32ppg allowed), 6:00 at Berwick
DeAnna Pugh exploded for 31 points in Marian’s 66-24 drubbing of Vaux Big Picture from Philadelphia. She was well above her 12ppg average, but that’s part of what makes the Fillies so good to this point. Despite the long road trip to Philadelphia, Marian got off to a 10-0 lead with help from Addy Marek(15.7ppg). By halftime, the Fillies had 54 points and were up by 37, enough to trigger the mercy rule for the second half.
Now the Fillies face Wyoming Seminary, a normally high-scoring team from District 2. The Blue Knights are coming off a 32-27 victory over District 4 opponent Muncy, in which a 21-10 run over the middle two frames gave them enough breathing room. Ella Stambaugh scored 21 of those 32 points, as she notched her average game output. Ellie Kersey contributed nine, two points above her average. This is another solid defense from the Northeast, holding opponents to 30 points or less 11 times. Seminary also has a nice 50-49 victory over Holy Redeemer on their resume. This one will come down to which defense can take away a scorer for the other team. If Marian can limit Stambaugh, we like their chances. If not, Pugh and Marek will need to be on their A-game.
Wednesday, 3/11
Central Catholic(15-12 45.8ppg; 42.8ppg allowed v Scranton Prep(21-5 53.1ppg; 34.7ppg allowed), 6:00 at Hazleton
The Vikettes are peaking at the right time. Following a slow start to the season, Morgan Seagreaves, Skyler Taylor, Shamiya Roberts and others are putting it all together when it counts. Despite illness ripping through the roster, the team overcame adversity and beat District 4’s Mifflinburg 60-43. Another hot start lifted Central to victory, as they went ahead 19-9 after one. The 12-point comeback victory over Northwestern Lehigh remains a turning point for head coach Kathy Davidowich’s team, as they have started strong in the three games since. Alyssa Hursh has also stepped up in a big way and put up 18 points against the Wildcats. Seagreaves scored 21 in the win.
Now the Vikettes will have their hands full with Scranton Prep. Chloe Mamera leads the charge with nearly 19ppg, followed by Eva Kaszuba with 8.4ppg. They are joined by another potential high scorer in Ava Fenton. Prep opened states by defeating Lancaster Catholic 52-27. They outscored LC 12-0 in the second quarter to build a 25-6 halftime lead. Kaszuba scored 16 and 15 more came from Mamera. The Cavaliers are no strangers to the EPC, either, having already dominated Liberty and Nazareth earlier this season. Central Catholic has had hot starts but can sometimes go into third quarter lulls. Against Scranton Prep, that won’t be an option.
Bethlehem Catholic(24-4 54.8ppg; 34ppg allowed) v Villa Maria Academy(16-10 41.9ppg; 36ppg allowed), 7:00 at Norristown
The Lady Golden Hawks of Bethlehem Catholic roll into the second round of states after blowing the doors off Bishop Shanahan 52-19. A defense that suffocated Shanahan in the first half, forcing 15 turnovers, helped the Hawks to a 22-2 first quarter lead and 37-8 halftime spread. Leah Ault led the way with 17 points and Becahi converted on nine triples for the game. Anyone on the court is capable of a big game for head coach Arnold Alleyne’s team, whether it’s Ault, Aliyah Brame, freshmen like Kam Gallis and Ayva Radande, or Brooklyn Lewis. The Hawks like to shoot from outside and are almost always successful at it. Easton was the only local team to solve the Hawks this year, and the second meeting should have probably gone to overtime at the PPL Center in the EPC title game. The Hawks boast victories over South Bronx Prep, The Hill School, Emmaus, Lancaster Catholic, and won their tenth straight district title last weekend. Fellow playoff contender Imhotep Charter defeated Bethlehem Catholic by three.
Villa Maria enters the second round with a potentially deceptive 16-10 record. Their non-conference schedule included the likes of Episcopal Academy, Archmere Academy, Germantown Academy, Scranton Prep(W 49-40), and more. In the ACAA where they compete, the team played against Mt. St. Joseph and Villa Joseph Marie, also still alive in their respective state brackets. Villa Maria Academy enters as the District 1 #2 seed, following a 35-30 loss to #8 seeded Radnor in the district tournament. They then defeated Archbishop Ryan 49-42. Sophia Tray leads VMA. The senior is a Loyola Maryland lacrosse commit and scoring leader for head coach Kathy McCartney. She is joined by Anna Vickers(Jr), Briella Romeo(Sr), and freshman Ashley Troy. Sophomore Becca Croft also brings an edge to the squad from Malvern.
RECAPS
Pine Grove hung tough with Imhotep Charter through the first half before ultimately falling to the Panthers 62-33. Hollynn Sampson led all scorers with 24 points and the Cardinals trailed by nine at the break. However, Imhotep outscored PGA 26-5 in the third quarter to take a firm grip on the contest. Taylor Linton hit four triples in the game for Imhotep and as a team, they notched seven. The Cardinals say goodbye to senior Callee Leffler, the only graduating from the current roster.
Four seniors saw their career come to an end a bit sooner than they had hoped, as Southern Columbia upended Williams Valley 38-37. The Tigers outsocred Williams Valley 14-2 in the fourth quarter, notching a free throw from Macie Swank in the final seconds to secure victory. Seniors Ella Kobularik, Mal Miller, Ireland Kasper, and Quin Smeltz saw awesome careers come to an end, as they found themselves in foul trouble. Late turnovers and missed shots allowed the Tigers to rally from down 35-24. The Vikings closed their season 18-7.
Palmerton played hard on the road against a tough opponent in Audenreid, falling 66-52. The Blue Bombers trailed 35-26 at halftime before Audenreid embarked on a 19-6 third quarter. Hailey Barry went out in dazzling fashion, leading her team with 20 points and hitting six times from beyond the arc. Her younger sister Avery showed off some of what is to come, scoring nine on three triples. Twelve makes from beyond the arc showed off excelent fight from the Bombers, who graduate six seniors: aforementioned Hailey Barry, Alisyn Green, Leah Rumfield, Grace Schneider, Emma Rex, and Courtney Connell, who had her final season cut short due to injury.
Southern Lehigh fell to Mt. St. Joseph 50-31 in the opening round of states. Eliana Marques was absent from the team due to a prior volleyball tournament commitment in Boston, her primary sport. In her absence, freshman Rowan Adams showed a promising future, leading the team with nine points. In good news for the Spartans, they will be able to run it back with all of the same players one more time next year, including Marques, Lydia Bartlett, Elena Druck, Adams, and Naphtali Smith.
Blue Mountain saw their very impressive postseason run come to an end in a 49-28 defeat at the hands of Valley View. Folliwng a play-in victory over Saucon Valley, the Eagles took advantage and raced all the way into the DXI 4A title game and state tournaments. The game against Valley View was knotted at 16-16 at the break, but View put things into high gear with the 33-12 second half showing. Hailey Place led the Eagles with nine points. Karley Koch added eight. Place, along with Kelly Canfield and Delaney Walborn will move on following graduation.
Similar to some other stories on this list, Bethlehem Christian hung tough with Phil-Mont Christian for the first half before PMC went on an 18-5 third quarter run to take a 38-24 win. Paige Kreidler led the Panthers with seven points. Careers come to a close for good friends Kreidler and Elyse Kachadourian, as well as Moriah DeBoer and Zaena Quarmout.
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