Penn State Extension to Provide Free Water Testing

Posted on March 2, 2022 by The Dunmorean

Penn State Extension has received funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Health cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Health Capacity building initiative (Grant #1NUE1EH001414-01-00) and with support from the Penn State Master Well Owner Network to provide no-cost drinking water testing to a limited number of homeowners in Lackawanna County using private water wells, springs, or cisterns.

Each water supply will receive testing through a PA DEP state accredited water testing laboratory for coliform bacteria, E.coli bacteria, nitrate, manganese, arsenic, lead, copper, barium, and sodium. Registration will be limited to approximately 35 households. Each household must own or rent a primary residence (no camps) in Lackawanna County that uses a private well, spring or cistern for a drinking water supply. Registrants are required to attend a one-hour initial webinar on April 26, at 4 p.m. to learn about the testing program.

After attending the webinar, homeowners will be mailed a water testing kit. Optional follow-up webinars will be offered to provide interpretation of results and to answer questions. Registration and further information for this testing programs is available online at https://extension.psu.edu/private-water-supply-education-and-water-testing-in-lackawanna-county or by calling 1-877-345-0691.

For any questions about this no-cost testing program, contact Peter Wulfhorst at 570-296-3400 (phone) or ptw3@psu.edu (email).

Moriah Murray Scores 1,500th Career Point for Dunmore

Posted on March 2, 2022 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Dunmore senior Moriah Murray scored 14 points including the 1,500th of her career, in the Lady Bucks District 2 Class 4A semifinal win over Nanticoke, 69-9, Saturday, Feb. 26, at Dunmore. The 1,500th career point came with 58.3 seconds left in the first quarter.

Standout center Ciera Toomey scored 14 points for Dunmore. Senior guard Mia Bume scored 11 points. Sophia Talutto added 10 points.

Moriah hit on two 3-point shots in the dominant win.

Dunmore defeated Berwick, 53-16, in the Class 4A quarterfinal.

Daughter of Joseph Murray and Lynn Plotkin, Moriah is averaging 14.5 points per game for the Lady Bucks this season.

“The 1,500th career point felt great,” she said. “But I wasn’t really focusing on it. I don’t really think about points when I am playing. I just think about winning the game.”

The senior point guard talked about why the Lady Bucks were so successful against Nanticoke.

Overall, we played one of our best defensive games of the season. Our season ended last year when Nanticoke didn’t want to play us due to COVID. It cost us a chance at a championship. So we really wanted to beat them. And now we can go on to the district title game. We want the district title.”

Moriah talked about what it takes to excel at the point guard position in high school basketball.

“It takes a lot of practice and you need to know a lot of plays. You need to know your team on the floor. You need to control your team on offense.”

Moriah, a four-year starter on the Lady Bucks basketball team, is a member of TACT, SADD and the French Club. She played on the Dunmore softball team last year.

The talented senior will play basketball next season at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She is currently undecided about a major. She will play basketball with her good friend Kylie Lavelle who recently scored her 1,800th career point for Riverside. “We are real close,” Moriah said. “We played on travel teams together. I am really excited about playing with her next year.

“Playing college basketball has always been one of my major goals. I am just so excited about the opportunity.”

Confident and hard working, Moriah said her immediate goal is to help Dunmore win the district title and then go after a state championship this season.

Moriah was selected Lackawanna League first team all-star, All Region and All State three years in a row leading into her senior season. She was Lackawanna League Player of the Year and All Region Player of the Year as a freshman.

Moriah said her parents taught her to “never give up.”

She said Dunmore veteran basketball coach Ben O’Brien taught her a lot. “He taught me so many things about the game of basketball. The most important thing he taught me was that hard work pays off.”

Moriah said she loves to listen to music in her spare time and would like to see Roddy Rich, Rhianna, and Travis Scott in concert.

She has thoroughly enjoyed her Dunmore experience as the final months of her senior year approach.

“There is nowhere better than Dunmore,” she said. “Nothing could compare.

“It is a very close knit community. Dunmore is one big family, especially our basketball team. Our team is so close. We have been together since biddy basketball. We would not win without our great team chemistry. We are all best friends, both on and off the court.”

Kaci Kranson Leads Holy Cross into District Finals

Posted on March 2, 2022 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Holy Cross senior guard Kaci Kranson in her final home game scored 19 points to help the Lady Crusaders defeat Blue Ridge, 68-21, in the District 2 Class 2A semifinal Saturday, Feb. 26.

Kaci scored all of her 19 points in the first quarter before injuring her lower left leg after taking an outlet pass in the second quarter from Julia Getz. She took a jump step to avoid a Blue Ridge defender and hit the floor.

“The trainer said it is just a bruise and I will be fine,” the senior stalwart said.

Kaci said she will be more than ready to play in the District 2 Class 2A title game against Elk Lake at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, March 4.

Holy Cross had a commanding 51-11 halftime lead in the win over Blue Ridge.

Getz added 10 points in the win.

Daughter of Jill and Ryan Kranson, Kaci scored her 1,500th career point early last month against Riverside at home.

“It was special because it came on a night Kylie Lavelle scored her 1,500th point for Riverside. She and I go way back playing in different travel leagues together. So that was kinda nice.”

Both Kaci and Kylie have added to their career totals and both now have over 1,800 career points.

Kaci earlier this season broke the all-time Holy Cross career scoring record.

Well-spoken and articulate, Kaci has a 3.9 academic average at Holy Cross. She was president of her junior class last year.

A four-year starter on the basketball team, she played tennis two years and will play softball for a fourth season at Holy Cross. She is a centerfielder

The senior student-athlete is a member of the National Honor Society.

Kaci was a Lackawanna League first-team all-star three years for basketball entering her senior season. She was also first-team All Regional and first team All-State for basketball as a junior.

She was named Athlete of the Year for 2020-21 as a junior.

The hard working and driven senior talked about what it takes to excel as a guard in high school basketball.

“You need to be able to look up the floor and know who to pass to,” she said. “You need to see the floor well.”

Kaci said she was not surprised with her team’s success over Blue Ridge. “The team just came out strong playing great offense and defense. We played our best basketball in the first quarter. It was the best quarter we ever had as a team.”

Kaci has been accepted to 16 colleges but has not made a decision on where she will attend next year. Her plan is to major in physical therapy. “That’s been my long standing plan,” she said. “I want to become a physical therapist.”

Polite and humble, Kaci said she learned a lot from her parents. “They tell me to work hard in life and have confidence. Nothing is ever handed to you.”

She said Holy Cross veteran basketball coach Barry Fitzgerald has been a strong influence.

“He taught me a lot about the game. He taught me to believe in myself and showed confidence in me.”

Kaci enjoys listening to music and would like to see Sean Mendez in concert.

She and her teammates have strong expectations. “We will go game by game and go after another district title. Then we will take a run at the state title.”

As she enters her final months at Holy Cross, she will savor the moments. “It is going to be so sad to leave,” she said. “These were the four best years of my life. I love my classmates, teachers, the coaches and the principal and staff. I love the school.”