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Mar. 9—All in all, the Wyoming Valley Conference fared quite well in the first round of the PIAA state basketball playoffs.
Only the Wilkes-Barre Area boys saw their season end. Six others continued on to the second round where five teams play Tuesday and one on Wednesday.
The road to the championships in Hershey remains long. Three more victories are needed to get there.
Tickets for all games are $9 and available at piaa.org by clicking on any of the links on the playoff brackets. Tickets are also available at the door for $10, but exact change is required.
Hazleton Area (25-2) vs. Parkland (20-6)
PIAA 6A Girls Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Martz Hall, Pottsville
Neither team had trouble getting past their first-round opponent. District 2 champion Hazleton Area routed D1 eighth seed Garnet Valley 71-34. D11 third seed Parkland hammered D12 runner-up Philadelphia Central 50-15.
Hazleton Area is attempting to make the quarterfinals for a second consecutive season and the fourth time overall. The Cougars showed how many weapons they have in the victory over Garnet Valley. WVC Division 1 scoring champ Kaitlyn Bindas had just 10 points, but Sophia Benyo scored 19 and Alexis Reimold had 11.
Parkland has made it to the second round four consecutive seasons, but to the quarterfinals once in that span. The Trojans average about 50 points per game with senior Isabella Hallal and junior Cheryllana Cunningham their top scorers. Senior Aneri McGalla is a 3-point shooter.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D1 champion Upper Dublin (25-2) and D1 sixth seed Perkiomen Valley (22-5).
Holy Redeemer (19-8) vs. Imhotep Charter (16-10)
PIAA 3A Girls Second Round
6 p.m. Tuesday
Bethlehem Liberty H.S.
District 2 runner-up Holy Redeemer advanced to the second round with a 61-55 victory over District 4 runner-up Loyalsock, the defending state champion. The Royals outscored the Lancers 35-27 in the final two quarters to move to the second round for the first time since 2024. Bella Boylan had 23 points and McKenzie Chimock scored 17.
A win would put the Royals in the quarterfinals for a seventh time.
District 12 champion Imhotep Charter defeated District 11 fourth seed Pine Grove 62-33. The Panthers made it to the state semifinals last season before losing to Loyalsock. Geren Hawthorne, a 5-foot-11 senior, is part of a good-sized lineup. Sophomore Taylor Lawton can also score.
The teams played in the second round in 2020 with Imhotep prevailing 47-39.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D3 second seed Pequea Valley (21-4) and D11 second seed Schuylkill Haven (23-5).
Wyoming Seminary (18-7) vs. Marian Catholic (15-11)
PIAA 2A Girls Second Round
6 p.m. Tuesday
Berwick Middle School
District 2 runner-up Wyoming Seminary defeated District 4 champion Muncy 32-27 in the first round. The Blue Knights squandered a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter in the district title game against Mountain View. They nearly blew a nine-point lead after three quarters against Muncy.
The scoring was top heavy with Ella Stambaugh netting 21 before fouling out with 2:39 remaining and Ellie Kersey adding nine. The Blue Knights have never advanced past the second round in their two previous state appearances in 1994 and 1999.
District 11 second seed Marian Catholic pounded District 12 runner-up Vaux 66-24 as junior Deanna Pugh scored 31 points, well over double her season average. Sophomore Addy Marek leads the team in scoring with about 16 per game.
The Fillies, who have a long state resume, will be seeking their third consecutive trip to the quarterfinals.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D3 champion York Catholic (22-4) and D5 champion Berlin Brothersvalley (22-5).
Crestwood (18-9) vs. Neumann-Goretti (21-5)
PIAA 5A Boys Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Allentown Allen H.S.
District 2 second seed Crestwood entered its first-round game with District 1 third seed Holy Ghost Prep an underdog and exited with a 60-58 victory. The Comets withstood a 28-point fourth quarter by Prep. Gio Barna had 19 points and Ayden Agapito added 15.
The Comets have played in the quarterfinals twice, in 2009 and 2021. The latter came during an abridged state tournament that took only district champions. So the quarterfinals were actually the first games played in 2021.
District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti is loaded. The Saints have won nine state championships, including last season. They are 64-5 in state playoffs games. They have size in 6-foot-6 senior Allassane N'Diaye, who averages about 16 points, and 6-5 junior Marquis Newson, who averages about 13. They have quickness in senior guards Deshawn Yates and Kody Colson, who also average in double figures.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between District 1 fifth seed Upper Moreland (18-9) and District 1 second seed Penncrest (22-4).
Dallas (24-4) vs. Carver E&S (21-6)
PIAA 4A Boys Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Bethlehem Liberty H.S.
After a bland second half in the District 2 title game against Abington Heights, Dallas looked like itself in a 57-48 victory over District 11 runner-up Northwestern Lehigh. The scoring was balanced once again with Pat Flanagan scoring 16, Tyce Mason netting 12, Joey Nocito scoring 11 and Kael Berry adding nine.
The Mountaineers are seeking their third trip to the quarterfinals, with the others coming in 1967 and 2022. An opportunity to get there in 2020 was nixed when the PIAA shut down the rest of the playoffs because of COVID-19.
Carver entered states as the fifth seed out of District 1. The Engineers then upset District 3 champion Berks Catholic, ending the Saints' 19-game winning streak.
Carver has decent size in 6-foot-4 Billy Henighan, who averages about 12 per game, and 6-3 senior Shain Rodriguez, whose main task is rebounding. The senior backcourt of Fareed Brown and Matt McField do the bulk of the scoring.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D7 champion Knoch (23-4) and D7 third seed Pittsburgh North Catholic (20-6).
Crestwood (24-3) vs. Marple Newtown (17-8)
PIAA 5A Girls Second Round
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Catasaqua H.S.
District 2 champion Crestwood had an uneven performance in a 51-38 win against District 3 fourth seed Cocalico. While the Comets led wire-to-wire, they could never put away Cocalico despite building double-digit leads at times. The main problem was 22 turnovers, some of which were unforced. Their passing at times was uncharacteristically sloppy.
Jackie Gallagher had 22 points and Keira Dougherty, one of 10 1,000-point scorers in the program's history, had 17. Gallagher and Charlie Hiller, both 6-foot, helped close down the inside on defense.
Crestwood made it to the state semifinals and has basically the same group back.
District 1 fourth seed Marple Newtown defeated District 12 second seed Freire Charter 55-36 in its opening round game. The program's only other state tournament came in 2022 when it failed to get past the second round.
Sort of like Crestwood's opening-round win, Marple Newtown's victory over Freire Charter wasn't as easy as the final score indicated. The Tigers led 33-25 going into the fourth quarter. Kirsten Milliken led the way with 23 points. Rowan Hilden had 13.
The winner plays in the quartrefinals Saturday against the winner of the game between District 3 fifth seed Lampeter-Strasburg (19-8) and District 1 fifth seed Mount St. Joseph (19-5).
Continue reading...
Only the Wilkes-Barre Area boys saw their season end. Six others continued on to the second round where five teams play Tuesday and one on Wednesday.
The road to the championships in Hershey remains long. Three more victories are needed to get there.
Tickets for all games are $9 and available at piaa.org by clicking on any of the links on the playoff brackets. Tickets are also available at the door for $10, but exact change is required.
Hazleton Area (25-2) vs. Parkland (20-6)
PIAA 6A Girls Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Martz Hall, Pottsville
Neither team had trouble getting past their first-round opponent. District 2 champion Hazleton Area routed D1 eighth seed Garnet Valley 71-34. D11 third seed Parkland hammered D12 runner-up Philadelphia Central 50-15.
Hazleton Area is attempting to make the quarterfinals for a second consecutive season and the fourth time overall. The Cougars showed how many weapons they have in the victory over Garnet Valley. WVC Division 1 scoring champ Kaitlyn Bindas had just 10 points, but Sophia Benyo scored 19 and Alexis Reimold had 11.
Parkland has made it to the second round four consecutive seasons, but to the quarterfinals once in that span. The Trojans average about 50 points per game with senior Isabella Hallal and junior Cheryllana Cunningham their top scorers. Senior Aneri McGalla is a 3-point shooter.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D1 champion Upper Dublin (25-2) and D1 sixth seed Perkiomen Valley (22-5).
Holy Redeemer (19-8) vs. Imhotep Charter (16-10)
PIAA 3A Girls Second Round
6 p.m. Tuesday
Bethlehem Liberty H.S.
District 2 runner-up Holy Redeemer advanced to the second round with a 61-55 victory over District 4 runner-up Loyalsock, the defending state champion. The Royals outscored the Lancers 35-27 in the final two quarters to move to the second round for the first time since 2024. Bella Boylan had 23 points and McKenzie Chimock scored 17.
A win would put the Royals in the quarterfinals for a seventh time.
District 12 champion Imhotep Charter defeated District 11 fourth seed Pine Grove 62-33. The Panthers made it to the state semifinals last season before losing to Loyalsock. Geren Hawthorne, a 5-foot-11 senior, is part of a good-sized lineup. Sophomore Taylor Lawton can also score.
The teams played in the second round in 2020 with Imhotep prevailing 47-39.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D3 second seed Pequea Valley (21-4) and D11 second seed Schuylkill Haven (23-5).
Wyoming Seminary (18-7) vs. Marian Catholic (15-11)
PIAA 2A Girls Second Round
6 p.m. Tuesday
Berwick Middle School
District 2 runner-up Wyoming Seminary defeated District 4 champion Muncy 32-27 in the first round. The Blue Knights squandered a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter in the district title game against Mountain View. They nearly blew a nine-point lead after three quarters against Muncy.
The scoring was top heavy with Ella Stambaugh netting 21 before fouling out with 2:39 remaining and Ellie Kersey adding nine. The Blue Knights have never advanced past the second round in their two previous state appearances in 1994 and 1999.
District 11 second seed Marian Catholic pounded District 12 runner-up Vaux 66-24 as junior Deanna Pugh scored 31 points, well over double her season average. Sophomore Addy Marek leads the team in scoring with about 16 per game.
The Fillies, who have a long state resume, will be seeking their third consecutive trip to the quarterfinals.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D3 champion York Catholic (22-4) and D5 champion Berlin Brothersvalley (22-5).
Crestwood (18-9) vs. Neumann-Goretti (21-5)
PIAA 5A Boys Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Allentown Allen H.S.
District 2 second seed Crestwood entered its first-round game with District 1 third seed Holy Ghost Prep an underdog and exited with a 60-58 victory. The Comets withstood a 28-point fourth quarter by Prep. Gio Barna had 19 points and Ayden Agapito added 15.
The Comets have played in the quarterfinals twice, in 2009 and 2021. The latter came during an abridged state tournament that took only district champions. So the quarterfinals were actually the first games played in 2021.
District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti is loaded. The Saints have won nine state championships, including last season. They are 64-5 in state playoffs games. They have size in 6-foot-6 senior Allassane N'Diaye, who averages about 16 points, and 6-5 junior Marquis Newson, who averages about 13. They have quickness in senior guards Deshawn Yates and Kody Colson, who also average in double figures.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between District 1 fifth seed Upper Moreland (18-9) and District 1 second seed Penncrest (22-4).
Dallas (24-4) vs. Carver E&S (21-6)
PIAA 4A Boys Second Round
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Bethlehem Liberty H.S.
After a bland second half in the District 2 title game against Abington Heights, Dallas looked like itself in a 57-48 victory over District 11 runner-up Northwestern Lehigh. The scoring was balanced once again with Pat Flanagan scoring 16, Tyce Mason netting 12, Joey Nocito scoring 11 and Kael Berry adding nine.
The Mountaineers are seeking their third trip to the quarterfinals, with the others coming in 1967 and 2022. An opportunity to get there in 2020 was nixed when the PIAA shut down the rest of the playoffs because of COVID-19.
Carver entered states as the fifth seed out of District 1. The Engineers then upset District 3 champion Berks Catholic, ending the Saints' 19-game winning streak.
Carver has decent size in 6-foot-4 Billy Henighan, who averages about 12 per game, and 6-3 senior Shain Rodriguez, whose main task is rebounding. The senior backcourt of Fareed Brown and Matt McField do the bulk of the scoring.
The winner plays in the quarterfinals Friday against the winner of the game between D7 champion Knoch (23-4) and D7 third seed Pittsburgh North Catholic (20-6).
Crestwood (24-3) vs. Marple Newtown (17-8)
PIAA 5A Girls Second Round
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Catasaqua H.S.
District 2 champion Crestwood had an uneven performance in a 51-38 win against District 3 fourth seed Cocalico. While the Comets led wire-to-wire, they could never put away Cocalico despite building double-digit leads at times. The main problem was 22 turnovers, some of which were unforced. Their passing at times was uncharacteristically sloppy.
Jackie Gallagher had 22 points and Keira Dougherty, one of 10 1,000-point scorers in the program's history, had 17. Gallagher and Charlie Hiller, both 6-foot, helped close down the inside on defense.
Crestwood made it to the state semifinals and has basically the same group back.
District 1 fourth seed Marple Newtown defeated District 12 second seed Freire Charter 55-36 in its opening round game. The program's only other state tournament came in 2022 when it failed to get past the second round.
Sort of like Crestwood's opening-round win, Marple Newtown's victory over Freire Charter wasn't as easy as the final score indicated. The Tigers led 33-25 going into the fourth quarter. Kirsten Milliken led the way with 23 points. Rowan Hilden had 13.
The winner plays in the quartrefinals Saturday against the winner of the game between District 3 fifth seed Lampeter-Strasburg (19-8) and District 1 fifth seed Mount St. Joseph (19-5).
Continue reading...
