D-2 girls AA is a Dun deal; girls sites and matchups

BY MARTY MYERS, TIMES-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Unlike the 2 1/2 quarters it took to take command of its quarterfinal with Holy Cross, it took less than in five minutes of Thursday’s semifinal with Mid Valley to show just how explosive, and at times scary, Dunmore can be.
Racking up their 20th win in a row, Lauren Carra and company were humming offensively, defensively, and ... well, I guess that’s about all you can do in basketball.
It was 6-5 Mid Valley when the onslaught began. Tayler Pallotta for two from Carra. Carra steal and layup. Pallotta from Ashley Murray. Pallotta from Corinna Palko. Carra from Murray for a decue, then for a three. Pallotta from Murray and Carra from Murray’s steal. In seemingly the same amount of time it took to read that paragraph, it went from 6-5 to 22-8.
“Whenever you need a big play, whether it be defense, a big rebound or a big shot, Lauren is there,” Dunmore coach Ben O’Brien said. “She has a knack for making the big play when we need it. And she does it in so many different facets. She’s unbelievable.”
Her steal and layup midway through the first quarter was a play of sheer will.
“We focused on our defense tonight because the last time we played Mid Valley, we didn’t play well defensively," Carra said. "Usually when that happens, we don’t play well offensively. We did a good job.”
In oh-so-many aspects. Thirty-three for 63 from the floor, 27 assists on those 33 hoops, 27 steals and a 33-24 rebounding edge, including eight more on the offensive end.
Murray finished with nine assists, six in the first nine minutes.
“I noticed that immediately,” Mid Valley coach Bob Doughton said. “They play so well without the ball. That’s a good example for our young girls to look at. They find gaps in the defense, whether they have the ball or don’t have the ball. They’re very comfortable with each other and they do fantastic things.”
But can they make it four straight for seniors Carra, Pallotto, Janel Melnick and Joy Pelosi?
“I was very surprised,” Carra said when she heard Meyers had beaten Riverside and would be Saturday’s opponent at 2:30 at Carbondale Area High School. “I thought we were going to be playing Riverside. We did Meyers last year up at Carbondale, but I don’t know who they have back and I haven’t followed them closely enough to know what to expect.
“Let’s go play.”
Riverside and Mid Valley tangle at 1 at Carbondale for the third spot in the state tournament.

CLASS AAA
Abington Heights still has a chance to advance to the state tournament, but now needs a win over Coughlin on Saturday at 1 at Scranton High School to do so.
Holy Redeemer and Nanticoke will play for the title Saturday at 2 at Wilkes University.
CLASS AAAA
Scranton and Hazleton Area will square off for the championship following the Redeemer-Nanticoke game, Saturday at 4 at Wilkes.
CLASS A
Old Forge and Forest City play Saturday at 2:30 p.m. for the title, but the Foresters will be without leading scorer Cassie Erdmann. Coach Carl Urbas ruled Erdmann out with a sprained ankle suffered Wednesday in practice when she stepped on another player’s foot coming down with a rebound.

Mid Valley girls don't know how to quit

BY MARTY MYERS, TIMES-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Mid Valley and Dunmore didn’t figure to be a classic, but even out of Thursday’s 79-44 romp by three-time defending District 2 AA champ Dunmore, there was something interesting of note.
Lot to be said when the heavy underdog goes down by double-digits in the first quarter, undermanned by injuries and illness — and facing much better talent to boot, and doesn’t quit swinging.
This wasn’t a heavyweight fight. One punch by Mid Valley wasn’t going to suddenly end their semifinal. But you’ve got to respect the team who plays like that.
“I feel we’ve improved a lot,” said freshman guard Danielle Terranella, who never stopped attacking the bucket and finished with 22 points. “I know they’ve been having a hard time through the years. We have a new coach and he’s doing a great job. We put in hard work, every single one of us. Not just the varsity players, but the jayvee players help us get ready for the game.
“We didn’t give up. We knew our odds were not so good, but we came in and did whatever we could to win. We never gave up.”
Fiesty is a good way to describe this team, and vastly improved since the last time I saw them, at least from an effort standpoint. And there were moments when the offense was run to perfection. Not as lot of them, as evidenced by the 27 turnovers, but enough to think Mid Valley has turned a corner. Now, if it can just parade down the middle of the street. A win Saturday against Riverside in the third-place game would be tantamount to just that. Mid Valley hasn’t been to the state playoffs in 20 years.
“I’m very excited about it,” Terranella said. “I can’t wait to play that game. I know it’s not going to be easy but we’re going to prepare as much as we can to win that game.”
Riverside and Mid Valley split their games in the regular season, but one believer in what Mid Valley’s doing is Dunmore coach Ben O’Brien.
“They were obviously nicked up with injuries today, but I’ve really been impressed with how hard they play,” O’Brien said. “They really lay it on the line. Bob Doughton has done an outstanding job. If you look at that roster, if you think they’re difficult now, next year and the year after, they’re going to be probably the team to beat.”
Hang on. Let me check if O’Brien is a first-year coach, because he sure dropped the favorite tag on somebody like a veteran.

Riverside continues its Ride

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

Riverside's Chris Bergamino sank two clutch free throws with one second remaining to lift the Vikings to a 38-36 win over Mountain View.

Now it's on to the District 2 Class AA championship game for the 10th-seeded Vikings, who are now 14-11, having won three straight tournament games over higher seeded teams.

Corey Talerico, left, provided an offensive jolt for Riverside, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Riverside with its traditional defensive man-to-man pressure entered this tournament as a dark horse and has clinched a spot in the PIAA playoffs.

In the other Class AA game, Holy Cross continued to dominate the tournament with a 58-40 win over rival Dunmore. It was the fifth time the two teams met this year and the Crusaders have won four of the games.

Mark Bevacqua, right, is averaging 17.3 points per game in the playoffs -- six more than he averaged during the regular season for the Crusaders.

It's going to be a very tough battle inside between Bevacqua, a 6-7 junior, and Kevin Sochovka, a 6-3, 220-pound football standout who is headed to Princeton.

Holy Cross has beaten Riverside twice this season, 52-39 and 61-40.

CLASS AAA

Crestwood tops Abington Heights: Crestwood knocked off the No. 1 seed, 42-36. Abington Heights struggled mightily from the field and scored only 10 points in the first half. Abington Heights will have to regroup quickly. It will take on Pittston Area, which will be without 6-7 center Bernie Moska, who was ejected from the Patriots semifinal loss to Holy Redeemer after getting hit with two technical fouls, in the third-place game for a spot in the PIAA playoffs.

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE

CLASS AAAA

Final

Hazleton Area vs. Williamsport, Berwick Middle School, 7 p.m.

CLASS AAA

Championship game

Crestwood vs. Holy Redeemer, King's College, 7 p.m. 

Third-place game

Pittston Area vs. Abington Heights, Carbondale High School, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS AA

Championship game

Riverside vs. Holy Cross, Scranton High School, 7 p.m.

Third-place game

Mountain View vs. Dunmore, Carbondale High School, 6 p.m.

CLASS A

Championship game

Old Forge, and Gabe Wilson, right vs. Freeland MMI Prep, Pittston Area High School, 7 p.m.

Dunmore survives: D-2 girls quarters, semis, pairings and sites

BY MARTY MYERS, TIMES-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

All-Lackawanna in District 2 Class AA

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff writer

It was a banner day for the Lackawanna League in the Class AA boys basketball playoffs.

First, top-seeded Holy Cross continued to play with an intense defense and an up-tempo offense. The Crusaders received a good sign as Robert Weber began to shoot his way out of a funk. He drilled three 3-pointers in the first half and Mark Bevacqua was too strong in the middle in a 56-34 win over Meyers.

Then, Dunmore defeated Wyoming Seminary, 57-35, behind the 10-point effort from Michael Ehnot.

That sets up Holy Cross-Dunmore V on Wednesday ay 8 p.m., Carbondale High School.

That will be part of a doubleheader as Mountain View got a measure of revenge against Elk Lake, 43-40, one week after Elk Lake defeated it for the Lackawanna Division III title. Alex Paschuck scored a game-high 23 points, including 12 in the second quarter when the Eagles seized control of the game.

Riverside pulled its second upset of the tournament. The 10th-ranked Vikings upended No. 2 GAR, 50-46 in overtime. Gerry Reilly scored 15 points and Tommy Armillay added 10.

Riverside will play Mountain View in the first game at Carbondale, a 6 p.m. start.

CLASS AAA

Abington Heights advances: The Comets ran their winning streak to 22 straight as they head into their showdown with Crestwood on Wednesday at Scranton High School. Eric Hardaway scored 15, while Dan Smith, Cory Spangenberg, at right, and Ross Danzig all scored 11 in a 53-40 win over Dallas. Crestwood defeated Nanticoke, 52-39.

West Scranton heartbreak: Peter Alexis scored 20 points and Holy Redeemer held off West Scranton, 50-48. Tyler Hughes scored 20 points and Ethan Dunn added 15 for the Invaders, who finished 17-7. Holy Redeemer will play Pittston Area, which like Riverside, has pulled off two upsets to reach the semifinals.

CLASS A

Old Forge conquers: The Blue Devils fought off three seperate runs at them by Forest City to post a 53-38 win. Now Old Forge will seek its third straight District 2 Class A title when it faces top seed, Freeland MMI on Friday night. The site and time for the championship game has yet to be set. Old Forge has also clinched a berth in the state playoffs.

CLASS AAAA

Hazleton too tough: Scranton's young team gave the Cougars a battle in a 61-44 loss. Hazleton Area doubled up the Knights, 24-12, in the fourth to pull away and claim the District 2 Class AAAA championship -- their fifth in the last six years.

WEDNESDAY'S SCHEDULE

Class AAA

Crestwood vs. Abington Heights, Scranton High School, 7 p.m.

Pittston Area vs. Holy Redeemer, Wyoming Area High School, 7 p.m.

Class AA

Mountain View vs. Riverside, Carbondale High School, 6 p.m.

Dunmore vs. Holy Cross, Carbondale High School, 8 p.m.

District 2 hoops, girls playoff pairings/sites, results

CLASS AAAA

Quarterfinals
Friday’s game
Wyom. Val. West 61, Del. Valley 25
Saturday’s game
Wallenpaupack 53, Pittston Area 50
Tuesday’s semifinals
3-Valley West (15-9) vs. 2-Scranton (15-8), Carbondale Area H.S., 7:30
1-Hazleton Area (20-2) vs. 5-Wallenpaupack (9-14), Pittston Area, 7:30
Final Saturday

CLASS AAA

First round
Saturday’s games
North Pocono 49, Honesdale 42
Coughlin 39, West Scranton 33
Scranton Prep 44, Wyoming Area 25
Nanticoke 61, Tunkhannock 34
Valley View 55, Western Wayne 42
Berwick 44, Crestwood 33
Abington Heights 75, Dallas 63
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
1-Holy Redeemer (19-2) vs. 9-N.Pocono (13-10), Wyoming Area, 7
4-Scranton Prep (15-7) vs. 5-Coughlin (16-6), Scranton H.S., 6
3-Abington Heights (19-5) vs. 6-Berwick (16-6), Scranton H.S., 7:30
2-Nanticoke (17-4) vs. 7-Valley View (14-8), Wyoming Valley West, 7:30
Semifinals Thursday
Final, 3rd-place game Saturday

CLASS AA

Play-in
Blue Ridge over Lakeland, forfeit
First round
Dunmore 74, Blue Ridge 31
Holy Cross 48, Elk Lake 36
Montrose 38, Northwest 21
Mid Valley 52, Lake-Lehman 45
Wyoming Sem. 52, GAR 36
Riverside 53, Hanover Area 45
Meyers 39, Lackawanna Trail 20
Carbondale 65, Mountain View 58
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
1-Dunmore (21-1) vs. 8-Holy Cross (17-6), Valley View H.S., 7
5-Montrose (13-9) vs. 13-Mid Valley (13-10), Lackawanna Trail H.S., 7
6-Meyers (10-11) vs. 14-Carbondale (8-14), Wyoming Valley West, 6
2-Wyoming Sem. (10-10) vs. 10-Riverside (14-9), Pittston Area, 6
Semifinals Thursday
Final, 3rd-place game Saturday

District 2 Schedule-Sites-Times

BOYS BASKETBALL

CLASS AAAA

Monday's semifinals

4-Wyo. Valley West (9-14) vs. 1-Williamsport (19-3), Penn State Wilkes-Barre, 7 p.m

3-Scranton (13-10) vs. 2-Hazleton Area (20-4), Berwick High School, 7 p.m.

CLASS AAA

Monday's quarterfinals

9-Dallas (15-8) vs. 1-Abington Heights (21-1), Scranton Prep, 7 p.m.

5-Nanticoke (14-9) vs. 4-Crestwood (19-5), King's College, 6 p.m.

6-West Scranton (17-6) vs. 3-Holy Redeemer (17-6), Wyo. Valley West High School, 7 p.m.

10-Pittston Area (12-11) vs. 2-Coughlin (18-6), King's College, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS AA

Monday's quarterfinals

8-Meyers (9-13) vs. 1-Holy Cross (21-2), Scranton High School, 7:30 p.m.

5-Dunmore (18-6) vs. 4-Wyoming Seminary (10-10), Pittston Area High School, 7:30 p.m.

6-Mountain View (17-7) vs. 3-Elk Lake (22-3), Valley View High School, 7 p.m.

10-Riverside (12-11) vs. 2-GAR (19-4), Wyoming Area High School, 7 p.m.

CLASS A

Monday's semifinals

4-Susquehanna (9-13) vs. 1-Freeland MMI (11-8), Pittston Area High School, 6 p.m.

3-Forest City (9-13) vs. 2-Old Forge (12-10), Scranton High School, 6 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

CLASS AAAA

Tuesday's semifinals

3-Wyo. Valley West (15-9) vs. 2-Scranton (15-8), Carbondale High School, 7:30 p.m.

1-Hazleton Area (20-2) vs. 5-Wallenpaupack (9-14), Pittston Area High Schoo, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS AAA

Tuesday's quarterfinals

9-North Pocono (13-10) vs. 1-Holy Redeemer (19-2), Wyoming Area High School, 7 p.m.

5-Coughlin (16-6) vs. 4-Scranton Prep (15-7), Scranton High School, 6 p.m.

7-Valley View (14-8) vs. 2-Nanticoke (17-4), Wyoming Valley West High School, 7 p.m.

6-Berwick (16-6) vs. 3-Abington Heights (19-5), Scranton High School, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS AA

Tuesday's quarterfinals

8-Holy Cross (17-6) vs. 1-Dunmore (21-1), Valley View High School, 7 p.m.

13-Mid Valley (13-10) vs. 5-Montrose (13-9), Lackawanna Trail High School, 7 p.m.

10-Riverside (14-9) vs. 2-Wyoming Seminary (10-10), Pittston Area High School, 6 p.m.

14-Carbondale (8-14) vs. 6-Meyers (10-11), Wyoming Valley West High School, 6 p.m.

CLASS A

Tuesday's semifinal

3-Susquehanna (4-13) vs. 2-Old Forge (17-4), Carbondale High School, 6 p.m.

District 2 Boys Game Postponed

According to the District 2 Web site www.piaad2.com, tonight's Berwick at Western Wayne boys District 2 Class AAA play-in game has been postponed until THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH AT 6 P.M. @ WESTERN WAYNE.

And the Lakeland at West Side CTC boys basketball District 2 Class AA play-in has been postponed until THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH AT 6 P.M. @ WEST SIDE CTC.

Jervis takes over at Trail

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

Steve Jervis was named the new head football coach at Lackawanna Trail by a 7-0 vote of the school board.

Jervis replaces Robert Deremer, who coached for only one season at his alma mater. Last season, Lackawanna Trail finished 1-9, its first losing season since 1997.

From 1998 to 2007, Lackawanna Trail won seven District 2 Class A championships and played in nine title games under the guidance of Jeff Wasilchak, who is currently the coach at Lakeland.

Jervis, a Lafayette College graduate, previously coached at Tunkhannock, where he played and is currently a teacher.

NEXT UP: West Scranton conducted interviews for its vacant head coaching position on Tuesday.

A sad note as girls playoffs begin

BY MARTY MYERS, TIMES-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

It's District 2 playoff time, when we wipe the slate clean and every girl and her teammates can have hope, and optimism fills the air. But for North Pocono's basketball community, sadness will surround the team's first-round game against Honesdale.

Maureen Perih, the mother of Trojans post player Jill Perih, was killed in an automobile accident on Interstate 380 on Saturday night. Adding to the tragedy is the fact her father, Walter, died just 17 months ago in a motorcycle accident.

Before everyone gets revved up for the excitement of the playoffs, maybe we could take a step back and say a prayer for Perih and her sister, Meghan, and the rest of the family. Especially the extended family of the North Pocono basketball team. Our thoughts and prayers here at The Times-Tribune are with all of you.

Girls tourney tips off Thursday

The girls basketball tournament will tip off with two games Thursday and another on Friday, all in Class AA, before the majority of the teams toss it up on Saturday afternoon and evening.

Mid Valley will play at Lake-Lehman in a first-round game on Thursday because the District 2 Class AA wrestling championships are slated for L-L this weekend. Blue Ridge hosts Lakeland in a play-in game on Thursday. Montrose hosts Meyers Friday evening.

Here's the entire playoff glance:

H.S. BASKETBALL