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Maddie Mrochko hit a key 3-point field goal in overtime Thursday and Kyra Antolick converted three foul shots in the extra session as the Hazleton Area girls basketball team rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Punxsutawney, 46-42 and capture the Punxsutawney Christmas Tournament championship.

Mrochko scored nine points in the second half to spark the Cougars’ rally and finished with a team-high 17 points and the tournament MVP award. Faith Grula added 11 points in the victory and Hazleton Area’s defense held Punxsutawney to single digits in three of the four quarters and without a field goal in overtime.

Crestwood 50, Berwick 46

Julia Makowski scored nine of her team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Comets’ late comeback after they trailed following the first three quarters.

Crestwood survived a 31-point night from Berwick’s Reese Mensinger, who converted four 3-point field goals.

Salem Christian 38, MMI Prep 15

Rachel Aston scored 18 points and Salem Christian got out to a 20-7 halftime lead in a victory over the Preppers.

Maddie Perchak and Bailey Slusser combined to score 10 points for Prep.

ICE HOCKEY

Casey Classic semifinals set

Wyoming Seminary and Back Mountain both went unbeaten over the first three days to reach the semifinal round of the Casey Classic.

Sem out-gunned Crestwood, 8-4 Thursday to finish 4-0 and at the top of the three-day standings with 18.25 points.

Meanwhile, Back Mountain moved to 3-0 by edging Wyoming Valley West, 7-6, to place second in the round-robin standings with 17.50 points.

Wyoming Area, which finished third with 13 points, breezed past Hazleton Area, 6-1 in Wednesday’s other action.

That set up Friday’s 4:15 semifinal battle between Back Mountain and Wyoming Area at the Toyota Sportsplex. Following that game, Wyoming Seminary will face Crestwood, which finished the first three days in fourth place with nine points, in a 6 p.m. semifinal.

BOYS SWIMMING

Dallas 117, Pocono Mountain West 52

Shane Szczecinski, Mikail Krochta, Ryan Spears and Tony Caravaggio were all triple winners in the Mountaineers’ victory.

All four made up the winning 400 freestyle relay team. Szczecinski won the 100 and 200 freestyles, while Krochta took the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. Spears was first in the 100 breaststroke and the 50 freestyle, while Caravaggio won the 500 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

GIRLS SWIMMING

Dallas 122, Pocono Mountain West 44

Abby Zolner and Melissa Leonard were four-time winners to pace the Mountaineers.

Both teamed up for victory on the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams. Zolner won the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke, while Leonard was first in the 200 and 500 freestyle races.

Hazleton Area 46, Punsutawney 42 (OT)

HAZLETON AREA (46) — Marissa Trivelpiece 1 2-2 4, Maddie Mrochko 6 1-4 17, Kyra Antolick 0 6-8 6, Brooke Buretski 0 0-0 0, Abby Valente 0 0-0 0, Katie Lipinski 1 0-0 2, Virginia Yurchak 2 1-2 6, Faith Grula 4 3-3 11, Diamond Troluck 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 13-19 46.

PUNXSUTAWNEY (42) — Mia Lingenfelter 1 0-0 3, Leah Miller 7 7-10 21, Elyse White 2 0-0 4, Kate Horner 2 1-6 5, Abby Gigliotti 0 0-0 0, Riley Presloid 2 0-0 4, Sarah Weaver 1 3-4 5. Totals 15 11-20 42.

Hazleton Area`11`7`12`10`6`—`46

Punxsutawney`6`19`8`7`2`—`42

Three-point goals — HAZ 5 (Mrochko 4, Yurchak); PUN 1 (Lingenfelter).

Crestwood 50, Berwick 46

CRESTWOOD (50) — Riley Magin 0 0-0 0, Kristen Andrews 0 2-2 2, Sara Hopkins 1 5-6 7, Bella Termini 0 0-0 0, Julia Makowski 9 2-4 24, Sarah Richards 1 3-4 5, Helena Jardine 5 1-2 11, Andrea Shipton 0 1-2 1. Totals 16 15-20 50.

BERWICK (46) — Reese Mensinger 10 7-7 31, Renny Murphy 0 0-0 0, Emily Novicki 0 0-0 0, Sierra Miedaner 0 0-0 0, Katie Starr 0 0-0 0, Megan Dalo 4 0-0 8, Mallory Pinterich 1 0-0 3, Roni Isenberg 1 2-4 4. Totals 16 9-11 46.

Berwick`12`7`19`8`—`46

Crestwood`5`13`17`15`—`50

Three-point goals — BER 5 (Mensinger 4, Pinterich); CRE 3 (Makowski 3).

Salem Christian 38, MMI Prep 15

MMI PREP (15) — Bailey Slusser 2 0-0 4, Kim Amentler 0 0-0 0, Julie Amentler 1 1-1 3, Maddie Perchak 2 0-0 6, Morgan Allen 1 0-3 4, Jess McClellan 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 1-4 15.

SALEM CHRISTIAN (38) — Anna Krage 3 2-5 8, Sarah Nagy 2 0-0 4, Ally Barnes 3 0-0 6, Amanda Wirth 1 0-0 2, Rachel Aston 9 0-0 18. Totals 18 2-5 38.

MMI Prep`4`3`0`8`—`15

Salem Christian`10`10`10`8`—`38

Three-point goals — MMI 2 (Perchak 2).

Hazleton Area’s Maddie Mrochko, left, scored 17 points and won the tournament MVP award while leading the Cougars to the Punxsutawney Tourney title. Faith Grula (middle) was named to the all tournament team and Marissa Trivelpiece (right) earned the Don Bishop hustle award.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_cougars-punx.jpg.optimal.jpgHazleton Area’s Maddie Mrochko, left, scored 17 points and won the tournament MVP award while leading the Cougars to the Punxsutawney Tourney title. Faith Grula (middle) was named to the all tournament team and Marissa Trivelpiece (right) earned the Don Bishop hustle award. Submitted photo

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