Click here to subscribe today or Login.
YATESVILLE – Crestwood and host Pittston Area could not be separated throughout their Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 girls basketball opener Thursday night.
The teams remained within one shot of each other with neither able to extend the lead beyond three points until the game’s final four seconds.
Andrea Shipton finally ended the suspense, hitting both free throws with 3.7 seconds left to help the Lady Comets escape with a tense, 39-35 victory.
“I just know we wanted to start the season off strong,” said Crestwood’s Julia Makowski, who scored 11 of her game-high 18 points in the second half.
Makowski and Shipton got help in settling a game that featured seven first-half ties and eight second-half lead changes.
Riley Magin, called on off the bench more for her defensive prowess, scored her only points to force the final lead change.
Magin drained a 3-pointer from the left corner for a 37-35 lead with 45 seconds left.
“When she hit that 3 in the corner, that was key,” Pittston Area coach Kathy Healey said.
Makowski also grabbed seven rebounds and Sara Hopkins added 10 points while running the offense for Crestwood, which improved to 4-1 overall.
The Lady Comets overcame a 15-point, eight-rebound effort by Sarah Hodick that helped Pittston Area to a 31-22 advantage on the boards. They did so by forcing 26 turnovers and committing just 14.
“It was tight the whole game,” Crestwood coach Ed Stepanski. “It was three points, two points, tied. I knew coming in here, it was going to be a barn-burner.
“We were prepared for it. The girls really came through. We struggled to score a little bit, but we moved the ball well and screened for our guards and it ended up working.”
Hodick and Alexa Noone split Pittston Area’s scoring, as they had done for all but two points in the previous two games, to end the first quarter with a 10-9 lead.
Magin’s defensive work drew Noone’s second and third fouls and helped keep Crestwood within a point at 18-17 at halftime.
Makowski heated up to hit four straight free throws and a 3-pointer in the first 5:30 of the third quarter.
Pittston Area’s Emily O’Brien made consecutive shots to keep the game tight and Mary Silinskie turned a teammate’s hurried airball into a buzzer-beating putback for a 26-26 tie going into the fourth.
Noone opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and hit a 19-footer with 2:20 left for Pittston Area’s final points and its last lead, 35-34. She finished with 10 points.
Hodick twice hustled back on the fastbreak to swat away passes in the lane and protect the lead.
Forced into a half-court set, Crestwood found Magin open in the left corner to finally go ahead to stay.
“We have four returning starters and this year our expectations are a little higher, but there are no easy games,” Stepanski said.
There certainly wasn’t one with the Lady Patriots, who fell to 2-3 overall. They got eight rebounds from Andrea Ruby and four assists from Silinskie.
Dallas 68, Valley West 66
Lauren Charlton scored 28 points and the Mountaineers built a 14-point first-quarter lead, then rallied in overtime to down last year’s WVC Division 1 champion Spartans in a WVC season opener.
Hanna Johnson finished with 11 points in the victory.
Nicole Boutanos scored 22 points for Valley West, which recovered from an early 27-13 deficit to tie the score 57-57 at the end of regulation. The Spartans also got 14 points from Grace Giza and 10 from Toni Amato.
Lake-Lehman 64, Meyers 34
Savannah Purdy poured in 22 points and the Black Knights built a 15-point halftime lead to win their WVC season opener.
Corinna Scoblick added 12 points in the victory, while Madison Borum tossed in 10.
Sarah Bottger tossed in 11 points for Meyers.
Nanticoke Area 68, Wyoming Sem 30
Alyssa Lewis scored all eight of her points in the first quarter as the three-time defending WVC Division 2 champion Trojanettes stormed to a 20-6 lead and rolled to victory.
Lisa Radziak scored a game-high 14 points for Nanticoke Area and Jil Baron aded 11 in the victory.
Alex Wesneski led Sem with 12 points.
Berwick 55, Hanover Area 46
Reese Mensinger scored 18 points, including seven in the third quarter when the Bulldogs gained some breathing room after taking a 23-21 lead into halftime.
Megan Dalo finished with 13 points in the victory and Renny Murphy scored six of her 11 in the final quarter to help seal victory for the Bulldogs.
Victoria Benning led Hanover Area with 15 points and Geneses Rodriguez finished with 13 for the Hawkeyes.
Holy Redeemer 66, GAR 27
Sam Yencha tossed in 17 ponits and three other Royals scored in double figures as Redeemer cruised to a league-opening win.
Julia Andrejko added 14 points in the victory, while Sarah Kuderka added 13 and Lauren Wasiakowski went for 11.
Khira Cook led GAR with 11 points.
Wyoming Area 61, Northwest 40
Sarah Holweg connected on four 3-point field goals, on her way to a game-high 26 points to lead the Warriors.
Addison Orzel added 14 points in the victory.
Trista Babcock topped Northwest with 10 points.
Crestwood 39, Pittston Area 35
CRESTWOOD (39) — Sara Hopkins 4 0-0 10, Bella Termini 1 0-1 2, Julia Makowski 4 9-13 18, Sarah Richards 0 0-0 0, Andrea Shipton 1 2-2 4, Riley Magin 1 0-0 3, Helena Jardine 0 2-2 2, Brianna Wickiser 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 13-18 39.
PITTSTON AREA (35) — Mary Silinskie 1 2-2 4, Emily O’Brien 2 0-0 4, Leah Hodick 4 7-9 15, Alexa Noone 4 0-0 10, Andrea Ruby 1 0-0 2, Lily Savoy 0 0-1 0, Portia Weidlich 0 0-0 0, Kayleigh Walker 0 0-0 0, Nicole Zambetti 0 0-0 0, Emma Coles 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 9-12 35.
Crestwood`9`8`9`13`—`39
Pittston Area`10`8`8`9`—`35
Three-point goals — CRE 3 (Hopkins 2, Magin); PA 2 (Noone 2).
Dallas 68, Valley West 66 (OT)
DALLAS (68) — Morgan MacNeely 3 1-1 8, Haley Harbrack 0 0-0 0, Hanna Johnson 4 3-4 11, Olivia Johnson 3 0-0 9, Gianna Centrella 3 0-5 8, Kendra Saba 1 0-0 2, Lauren Charlton 11 3-3 28, Samantha Kern 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 7-13 68.
VALLEY WEST (66) — Aubry Boyd 0 0-0 0, Nicole Boutanos 8 6-9 22, Alima Tikhtova 0 0-0 0, Katlyn Rincavage 1 4-4 6, Karaline Stelma 0 0-0 0, Lindsey Gruver 2 1-2 7, Toni Amato 2 4-4 10, Jessica Shaver 0 0-0 0, Grace Giza 6 2-2 14, Kylee Laudenslager 0 0-0 0, Megan Brody 0 0-0 0, Kara Mackiewicz 0 0-0 0, Andi Blaski 3 0-0 7. Totals 22 17-21 66.
Dallas`27`11`5`14`11`—`68
Valley West`13`19`9`16`9`—`66
Three-point goals — VIS x (Name x, Name x); HOM x (Name x).
Lake-Lehman 64, Meyers 34
MEYERS (34) — Bella Gray 0 0-2 0, Erin Morris 1 0-0 3, Stephanie Sutton 1 0-0 2, Amanda Gray 0 1-2 1, Ashley Bruno 0 0-0 0, Bella Skaff 3 0-0 7, Bailey Smallcomb 0 1-2 1, Selena Soto 0 0-0 0, Allycia Harris 3 1-4 7, Alexis Semanek 0 0-0 0, Panayia Ballard 1 0-0 2, Sarah Bottger 4 3-4 11. Totals 13 6-14 34.
LAKE-LEHMAN (64) — Halle Jones 0 0-0 0, Madison Bedaric 0 0-0 0, Lexi Concklin 0 0-0 0, Hannah Kline 0 0-0 0, Carlyn Blight 2 1-1 6, Sarah Salus 1 4-4 6, Jess Salus 0 0-0 0, Jessica Spencer 1 0-0 2, Corinna Scoblick 4 4-6 12, Jodie Salansky 1 0-0 2, Courtney Henninger 0 0-0 0, Savannah Purdy 8 3-4 22, Hunter Kline 2 0-0 4, Autumn Savitski 0 0-0 0, Madison Borum 5 0-1 10. Totals 24 12-16 64.
Meyers`9`8`9`8`—`34
Lake-Lehman`15`17`17`15`—`64
Three-point goals — MEY 2 (Morris, Skaff); LL 4 (Purdy 3, Blight).
Nanticoke Area 68, Wyoming Sem 30
WYOMING SEM (30) — Emily Matthews 1 0-4 2, Mia Raineri 0 0-0 0, Olivia Meuser 1 0-0 2, Julia Gabriel 0 0-2 0, Alex Wesneski 5 2-3 12, Paige Parsons 2 0-0 4, Ally Vezendy 2 0-0 4, Kate Getz 1 0-0 2, Grace Parsons 0 0-0 0, Mia Magnotta 1 1-2 3, Julia Iskra 0 0-0 0, Maai Ke Reitsma 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 4-11 30.
NANTICOKE AREA (68) — Alyssa Lewis 3 2-4 8, Amiah Lukowski 1 3-4 5, Lillian Galazin 0 0-0 0, Maddy Grilz 3 0-0 7, Lisa Radziak 4 3-4 14, Lily Kratz 1 0-0 2, Emily Hauer 0 4-6 4, Rielly Miller 0 0-0 0, Katie Butczynski 1 1-2 3, Jil Baron 3 5-5 11, Lauren Casey 3 2-3 8, Bella Czeck 2 2-5 6. Totals 21 22-33 68.
Wyoming Sem`6`6`3`15`—`30
Nanticoke Area`20`25`8`15`—`68
Three-point goals — NAN 4 (Radziak 3, Grilz).
Berwick 55, Hanover Area 46
HANOVER AREA (46) — Victoria Benning 6 3-9 15, Genesis Rodriguez 6 1-2 13, Sarah Tuzinski 1 0-1 4, Madison Hooper 0 0-0 0, Sara Whitsell 3 0-0 7, Emilee Bobos 0 0-0 0, Lauren Blazaskie 1 0-0 2, Tanisha Atherton 1 0-0 3. Totals 19 6-14 46.
BERWICK (55) — Reese Mensinger 7 2-2 18, Renny Murphy 3 3-5 11, Emily Novicki 0 1-2 1, Sierra Miedaner 0 0-0 0, Katie Starr 1 2-2 4, Megan Dalo 4 5-11 13, Mallory Pinterich 0 0-0 0, Roni Isenberg 3 2-2 8. Totals 18 15-24 55.
Hanover Area`8`13`11`14`—`46
Berwick`5`18`14`18`—`55
Three-point goals — HAN 2 (Whitesell, Atherton); BER 4 (Mensinger 2, Murphy 2).
Holy Redeemer 66, GAR 27
GAR (27) — Alana Germano 0 0-0 0, Olivia Prato 2 1-2 6, Kanyce Terry 0 0-0 0, Lyann Pena 0 0-2 0, Jada Redditt 3 1-3 8, Hannah Cook 0 0-0 0, Emily Engle 1 0-0 2, Khira Cook 4 1-2 11. Totals 6 2-7 27.
HOLY REDEEMER (66) — Sarah Kuderka 5 0-0 13, Aleisha Pekarovsky 0 0-0 0, Julia Andrejko 6 1-1 14, Capaci 1 0-2 2, Lauren Wasiakowski 4 2-2 11, Alyssa Gushka 0 1-2 1, Jordan Cicon 0 0-0 0, Cameron Marcinkowski 3 2-2 8. Totals 19 6-9 66.
GAR`6`7`5`9`—`27
Holy Redeemer`26`17`18`5`—`66
Three-point goals — GAR 4 (K. Cook 2, Prato, Redditt); HR 5 (Kuderka 3, Andrejko,Wasiakowski).
Wyoming Area 61, Northwest 40
NORTHWEST (40) — Reagan Harrison 4 0-0 9, Brenna Babcock 2 3-4 7, Trista Babcock 5 0-1 10, Jordan Harrison 1 2-2 4, Danielle Bowman 0 0-0 0, Saxton 1 0-0 2, Edwards 2 0-0 4, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Taylor 0 0-0 0, McLendon 0 0-0 0, Crawford 1 0-0 2, Hufford 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 5-7 40.
WYOMING AREA (61) — Ellie Glatz 1 0-0 2, Jalen Rhodes 1 0-0 2, Nicole Silinskie 2 0-0 4, Aleah Kranson 2 2-2 6, Sarah Holweg 10 2-6 26, Cassidy Orzel 3 0-2 6, Jessica Davis 0 0-0 0, Lauren Kelly 0 0-0 0, Addison Orzel 5 4-7 14, Kristi Skok 0 1-2 1, Brandi Sorokin 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 9-19 61.
Northwest`9`6`14`11`—`40
Wyoming Area`12`15`20`14`—`61
Three-point goals — NW 1 (R. Harrison); WA 4 (Holweg 4).
