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Mar. 5—The Wyoming Valley Conference entered the District 2 basketball championships with seven chances for titles.
Only the Crestwood girls and Hazleton Area girls succeeded. The other fell to a variety of misfortunes.
—The Dallas boys saw a potent offense abruptly go cold in the second half.
—The Crestwood boys were eventually overtaken by size and bulk.
—The Wilkes-Barre Area boys lost in overtime to a bracket buster.
—The Holy Redeemer girls lost on a last-second 3-pointer.
—The Wyoming Seminary girls couldn't hold on to a 10-point lead after three quarters.
The good news for the five runner-ups and two champions is the season continues with the PIAA state playoffs Friday and Saturday. This portion, though, has no wiggle room.
Tickets are available at piaa.org by clicking on the Hometown Ticketing link on any playoff bracket. Cost is $9 in advance or $10 the day of the game. Tickets will be available at the door.
Here's a look at the games involving WVC teams.
Dallas (23-4) at Northwestern Lehigh (21-6)
PIAA 4A Boys First Round
7 p.m. Friday
District 2 runner-up Dallas and District 11 runner-up Northwestern Lehigh enter under similar circumstances.
Dallas had its offense clicking in the second quarter of the district title game against Scranton Prep, scoring 28 points as every starter contributed to the attack. The Mountaineers followed with a two-point third quarter — part of a 14-point second half — in a 68-52 loss.
Northwestern Lehigh loss 33-22 in its district championship game. The 22 points represented the lowest total by the Tigers this season. They played 13 games where they scored over 60 points.
Both teams have balanced scoring. Dallas has four players — Kael Berry, Pat Flanagan, Tyce Mason and Joey Nocito — who were in the top-10 in scoring in WVC Division 1. Northwestern Lehigh's offensive composition is akin with seniors Mason Bollinger, Malachi Coleman and Cannon Fitch and junior Brady Krimmel all averaging in the same ballpark.
Dallas is back in the state playoffs for the first time since 2024. The Mountaineers have won their last five first-round games. Northwestern Lehigh lost 75-48 to Scranton Prep in the first round in 2025. The Tigers' only state win came in 1991.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 3 champion Berks Catholic (22-2) and District 12 fifth seed Carver E&S (20-6).
Crestwood (17-9) vs. Holy Ghost Prep (19-3)
PIAA 5A Boys First Round
7:15 p.m. Friday
Bensalem H.S.
District 2 runner-up Crestwood is back in the state playoffs for the first time since 2021 and the 12th time overall. The Comets lost 58-52 in overtime to Chester in their last state appearance when the state playoffs were district champions only because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crestwood lost 57-37 to Abington Heights in the district championship game. Freshman guard Miles Metz had 14 points, the only Comet in doubles figures. Abington Heights outscored Crestwood 34-18 after halftime.
Crestwood had trouble with Abington Heights' size and District 1 third seed Holy Ghost has a pair of 6-foot-5 players in senior Liam Duffy and sophomore Liam Condon. Senior Adam McDonald is a steady influence in the backcourt.
Prep entered the District 1 tournament as the top seed, but lost to sixth-seeded Upper Dublin 66-45 in the semifinals. The Firebirds defeated Springfield 59-46 in the third-place game.
The winner played Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti (20-5) and District 1 sixth seed Pottstown (17-8).
Wilkes-Barre Area (14-10) at Bethlehem Liberty (17-10)
PIAA 6A Boys First Round
2:30 p.m. Saturday
Two teams, two district championship overtime losses.
District 11 second seed Bethlehem Liberty lost to Parkland 51-44 in overtime in the district championship game. Jake Pukszyn scored 17 points and was the only Liberty player in double figures. Quin Lucas-Bishop, a 6-foot-7 senior, is a rim protector.
Liberty's last two trips to states in 2023 and 2024 ended in double overtime losses in the first round.
District 2 runner-up WBA is back in states for only the second time. The Wolfpack lost in their only state appearance in 2020.
David Jannuzzi and Mike Keating each had 13 points in the 51-48 overtime loss to Delaware Valley for the district title. The Wolfpack doesn't have a lot of size, but have used their quickness at times to overcome the issue.
The winner plays Wednesday against the winner of the game between District 1 champion Plymouth-Whitemarsh (22-4) and District 3 sixth seed Cedar Crest (18-8).
Garnet Valley (18-7) at Hazleton Area (24-2)
PIAA 6A Girls First Round
7 p.m. Friday
As expected, Hazleton Area rolled past Scranton 67-30 for its third consecutive District 2 championship. WVC Division 1 scoring champion Kaitlyn Bindas led the way with 24 points and Sophia Benyo had 12. The Cougars forced 24 turnovers. Forcing miscues are their forte, using a fullcourt pressure to create havoc.
Garnet Valley won the 6A state championship in 2019 and made it to the semifinals in 2023 and 2024. The Jaguars entered the District 1 playoffs as the eighth seed and exited in the same spot heading to states. The offense has struggled during a three-game losing streak, averaging 27.7 points. Junior Addison Adamski averages about 11 points and junior Kylie Adamski scores about 10 per game.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 12 second seed Central (18-8) and District 11 third seed Parkland (19-6).
Holy Redeemer (18-8) at Loyalsock (18-8)
PIAA 3A Girls First Round
7 p.m. Friday
Defending state champion Loyalsock lost 45-38 to Hughesville in the District 4 title game, the third time the Lancers have lost to Hughesville this season. They also lost 50-30 to Crestwood on Dec. 15.
Loyalsock also made a run to the 2024 state semifinals, but the team is quite different. The only holdovers are 6-foot-1 senior Alaina Dadzie and senior perimeter threat Jaekairah Harden, although a couple others saw time during last year's championship.
Holy Redeemer lost 37-35 to Dunmore in the District 2 championship game on a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left. The Royals are in the same spot as last season when they lost to Hughesville, which was the District 4 runner-up in 2025.
Redeemer has plenty of veterans in seniors Bella Boylan, Tessa Cegelka and Kearney Quinn and juniors McKenzie Chimock and Gillian Parsons. The Royals have also received quality minutes from their reserves.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 2 champion Imhotep (15-10) and District 11 fourth seed Pine Grove (14-11).
Wyoming Seminary (17-7) at Muncy (22-4)
PIAA Class 2A Girls First Round
7 p.m. Friday
District 2 runner-up Wyoming Seminary heads to the state playoffs for the first time since 1999 and only the second time in school history. The Blue Knights also played in the 1994 tournament.
Seminary had a 10-point lead over Mountain View entering the fourth quarter in the district championship game only to fall 47-43. Of course, Seminary wanted its first district title, but considering the program was in dire straits when coach CJ Kersey took over midway through the 2021-22 season making state is quite an accomplishment.
University of Richmond recruit Ella Stambaugh, a 1,000-point scorer, led Seminary with 18 points followed by Stella Ruiz with 11.
Muncy won its third consecutive District 4 championship with a 44-43 win over Southern Columbia. The Indians will be making their third consecutive state appearance. They lost 42-35 to D2 second seed Elk Lake in 2025. Ava Eyer has been the main offensive threat.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 12 second seed Vaux (12-7) and District 11 second seed Marian Catholic (14-11).
Cocalico (17-9) at Crestwood (23-3)
PIAA 5A Girls First Round
1 p.m. Saturday
Crestwood won its second consecutive District 2 Class 5A championship with a dominating 57-32 performance against North Pocono. Keira Dougherty had 18 points, including the 1,000th of her career. Jackie Gallagher had 17 and Charlie Hiller added 14.
The Comets advanced to the state semifinals last season. Gallagher, Hiller, Jordan Andrews and Cameron Vieney are all playoff tested from 2025. Dougherty would have been as well, but missed last season with an injury.
District 3 fourth seed Cocalico will be making its sixth state appearance and first since 2002. The Eagles lost 36-34 to Susquehannock in the D3 third-place game. Kira Lehman had 15 points, which is close to her season average. Corinne Fair averages about 10 per game. Cocalico doesn't have much height and that could be an issue vs. Crestwood.
The winner plays Wednesday against the winner of the game between District 12 second seed Freire Charter (5-19) and District 1 fourth seed Marple Newtown (17-8).
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Only the Crestwood girls and Hazleton Area girls succeeded. The other fell to a variety of misfortunes.
—The Dallas boys saw a potent offense abruptly go cold in the second half.
—The Crestwood boys were eventually overtaken by size and bulk.
—The Wilkes-Barre Area boys lost in overtime to a bracket buster.
—The Holy Redeemer girls lost on a last-second 3-pointer.
—The Wyoming Seminary girls couldn't hold on to a 10-point lead after three quarters.
The good news for the five runner-ups and two champions is the season continues with the PIAA state playoffs Friday and Saturday. This portion, though, has no wiggle room.
Tickets are available at piaa.org by clicking on the Hometown Ticketing link on any playoff bracket. Cost is $9 in advance or $10 the day of the game. Tickets will be available at the door.
Here's a look at the games involving WVC teams.
Dallas (23-4) at Northwestern Lehigh (21-6)
PIAA 4A Boys First Round
7 p.m. Friday
District 2 runner-up Dallas and District 11 runner-up Northwestern Lehigh enter under similar circumstances.
Dallas had its offense clicking in the second quarter of the district title game against Scranton Prep, scoring 28 points as every starter contributed to the attack. The Mountaineers followed with a two-point third quarter — part of a 14-point second half — in a 68-52 loss.
Northwestern Lehigh loss 33-22 in its district championship game. The 22 points represented the lowest total by the Tigers this season. They played 13 games where they scored over 60 points.
Both teams have balanced scoring. Dallas has four players — Kael Berry, Pat Flanagan, Tyce Mason and Joey Nocito — who were in the top-10 in scoring in WVC Division 1. Northwestern Lehigh's offensive composition is akin with seniors Mason Bollinger, Malachi Coleman and Cannon Fitch and junior Brady Krimmel all averaging in the same ballpark.
Dallas is back in the state playoffs for the first time since 2024. The Mountaineers have won their last five first-round games. Northwestern Lehigh lost 75-48 to Scranton Prep in the first round in 2025. The Tigers' only state win came in 1991.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 3 champion Berks Catholic (22-2) and District 12 fifth seed Carver E&S (20-6).
Crestwood (17-9) vs. Holy Ghost Prep (19-3)
PIAA 5A Boys First Round
7:15 p.m. Friday
Bensalem H.S.
District 2 runner-up Crestwood is back in the state playoffs for the first time since 2021 and the 12th time overall. The Comets lost 58-52 in overtime to Chester in their last state appearance when the state playoffs were district champions only because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crestwood lost 57-37 to Abington Heights in the district championship game. Freshman guard Miles Metz had 14 points, the only Comet in doubles figures. Abington Heights outscored Crestwood 34-18 after halftime.
Crestwood had trouble with Abington Heights' size and District 1 third seed Holy Ghost has a pair of 6-foot-5 players in senior Liam Duffy and sophomore Liam Condon. Senior Adam McDonald is a steady influence in the backcourt.
Prep entered the District 1 tournament as the top seed, but lost to sixth-seeded Upper Dublin 66-45 in the semifinals. The Firebirds defeated Springfield 59-46 in the third-place game.
The winner played Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti (20-5) and District 1 sixth seed Pottstown (17-8).
Wilkes-Barre Area (14-10) at Bethlehem Liberty (17-10)
PIAA 6A Boys First Round
2:30 p.m. Saturday
Two teams, two district championship overtime losses.
District 11 second seed Bethlehem Liberty lost to Parkland 51-44 in overtime in the district championship game. Jake Pukszyn scored 17 points and was the only Liberty player in double figures. Quin Lucas-Bishop, a 6-foot-7 senior, is a rim protector.
Liberty's last two trips to states in 2023 and 2024 ended in double overtime losses in the first round.
District 2 runner-up WBA is back in states for only the second time. The Wolfpack lost in their only state appearance in 2020.
David Jannuzzi and Mike Keating each had 13 points in the 51-48 overtime loss to Delaware Valley for the district title. The Wolfpack doesn't have a lot of size, but have used their quickness at times to overcome the issue.
The winner plays Wednesday against the winner of the game between District 1 champion Plymouth-Whitemarsh (22-4) and District 3 sixth seed Cedar Crest (18-8).
Garnet Valley (18-7) at Hazleton Area (24-2)
PIAA 6A Girls First Round
7 p.m. Friday
As expected, Hazleton Area rolled past Scranton 67-30 for its third consecutive District 2 championship. WVC Division 1 scoring champion Kaitlyn Bindas led the way with 24 points and Sophia Benyo had 12. The Cougars forced 24 turnovers. Forcing miscues are their forte, using a fullcourt pressure to create havoc.
Garnet Valley won the 6A state championship in 2019 and made it to the semifinals in 2023 and 2024. The Jaguars entered the District 1 playoffs as the eighth seed and exited in the same spot heading to states. The offense has struggled during a three-game losing streak, averaging 27.7 points. Junior Addison Adamski averages about 11 points and junior Kylie Adamski scores about 10 per game.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 12 second seed Central (18-8) and District 11 third seed Parkland (19-6).
Holy Redeemer (18-8) at Loyalsock (18-8)
PIAA 3A Girls First Round
7 p.m. Friday
Defending state champion Loyalsock lost 45-38 to Hughesville in the District 4 title game, the third time the Lancers have lost to Hughesville this season. They also lost 50-30 to Crestwood on Dec. 15.
Loyalsock also made a run to the 2024 state semifinals, but the team is quite different. The only holdovers are 6-foot-1 senior Alaina Dadzie and senior perimeter threat Jaekairah Harden, although a couple others saw time during last year's championship.
Holy Redeemer lost 37-35 to Dunmore in the District 2 championship game on a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left. The Royals are in the same spot as last season when they lost to Hughesville, which was the District 4 runner-up in 2025.
Redeemer has plenty of veterans in seniors Bella Boylan, Tessa Cegelka and Kearney Quinn and juniors McKenzie Chimock and Gillian Parsons. The Royals have also received quality minutes from their reserves.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 2 champion Imhotep (15-10) and District 11 fourth seed Pine Grove (14-11).
Wyoming Seminary (17-7) at Muncy (22-4)
PIAA Class 2A Girls First Round
7 p.m. Friday
District 2 runner-up Wyoming Seminary heads to the state playoffs for the first time since 1999 and only the second time in school history. The Blue Knights also played in the 1994 tournament.
Seminary had a 10-point lead over Mountain View entering the fourth quarter in the district championship game only to fall 47-43. Of course, Seminary wanted its first district title, but considering the program was in dire straits when coach CJ Kersey took over midway through the 2021-22 season making state is quite an accomplishment.
University of Richmond recruit Ella Stambaugh, a 1,000-point scorer, led Seminary with 18 points followed by Stella Ruiz with 11.
Muncy won its third consecutive District 4 championship with a 44-43 win over Southern Columbia. The Indians will be making their third consecutive state appearance. They lost 42-35 to D2 second seed Elk Lake in 2025. Ava Eyer has been the main offensive threat.
The winner plays Tuesday against the winner of the game between District 12 second seed Vaux (12-7) and District 11 second seed Marian Catholic (14-11).
Cocalico (17-9) at Crestwood (23-3)
PIAA 5A Girls First Round
1 p.m. Saturday
Crestwood won its second consecutive District 2 Class 5A championship with a dominating 57-32 performance against North Pocono. Keira Dougherty had 18 points, including the 1,000th of her career. Jackie Gallagher had 17 and Charlie Hiller added 14.
The Comets advanced to the state semifinals last season. Gallagher, Hiller, Jordan Andrews and Cameron Vieney are all playoff tested from 2025. Dougherty would have been as well, but missed last season with an injury.
District 3 fourth seed Cocalico will be making its sixth state appearance and first since 2002. The Eagles lost 36-34 to Susquehannock in the D3 third-place game. Kira Lehman had 15 points, which is close to her season average. Corinne Fair averages about 10 per game. Cocalico doesn't have much height and that could be an issue vs. Crestwood.
The winner plays Wednesday against the winner of the game between District 12 second seed Freire Charter (5-19) and District 1 fourth seed Marple Newtown (17-8).
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