Tag Archives: athletics

Holy Cross Lady Crusaders Win First District Championship

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By Steve Svetovich

Freshman Kaci Kranson scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds and senior Haley Bestrycki converted a key three-point play with 50 seconds left to lead the Holy Cross Lady Crusaders to its first District 2 Class AA title, 43-38, over Old Forge, Friday, March 1, at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Abbey Lentkowski added 11 points in the title win. Abby Sempa contributed seven points. Bestrycki converted on the three-point play shortly after Kranson hit two clutch free throws in the win.

The Lady Blue Devils (18-6) took a quick 9-2 lead and stayed ahead until late in the third quarter. Then the Lady Crusaders (17-8) started coming back strong under veteran coach Barry Fitzgerald.

Abby Née hit a three-pointer with 2:25 left in the third quarter giving the Lady Blue Devils a 23-19 lead. However, Lentkowski converted a give-and-go from Kranson for a three-point play.

Sempa and Kranson finished off the third quarter with back-to-back baseline three-pointers to cap a 9-0 run for a 28-25 advantage.

Then the Lady Blue Devils rallied to take the lead, 36-35, with 1:11 left in the contest.

However, the clutch Kranson hit two free throws to give the Lady Crusaders another lead.

Twenty seconds later, Bestrycki took a nifty pass from Sempa for an up-and-under scoop and 40-36 Holy Cross lead. Sempa’s free throw with 30 seconds left made it, 41-38.

The Lady Blue Devils missed four shots, but could not score on its next possession of the ball.  Lentkowski capped the title win by hitting two foul shots making the final score, 43-38. Olivia Ciullo led Old Forge with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Makayla Parker added 10 points.

The Lady Crusaders will now play Marian Catholic in the first round of the PIAA state playoffs Friday, March 8.

Holy Cross defeated Northwest, 50-25, in the District 2 Class AA semifinal Friday, February 22, at Dunmore High School.

The multi talented Kranson led the Lady Crusaders with 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals in the semifinal win.

Sempa added eight points in the win. Freshman Julia Goetz scored six points, hauled down six rebounds, had four steals and dished off two assists off the bench.  Kranson scored 19 of her points in the second half. Bestrycki led the Lady Crusaders with four assists.

Holy Cross put the game away with a game closing 14-0 run. Brenna Babcock led Northwest (14-10)  with 10 points.

Jill Korgeski Wins Fourth Consecutive Shot Put Title

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JILL KORGESKI

Senior Jill Korgeski, center, blew away the field to win her fourth consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship in the shot put while breaking her school record to highlight the second day of the action for the King’s College women’s indoor track and field team recently in Bethlehem.

The senior hit 14.13 meters (46’4.25″) on her fourth throw of the day to score 10 points and earn All-MAC First Team honors for the fourth consecutive year.  Jillian is a fourth year Physician Assistant Student and Dean’s List Student.

Jillian is currently seeded fifth for the National Championship to be held in Boston March 7, 8 and 9.

Moriah Murray Making Huge Impact as Freshman

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Co-Athlete Moriah MurrayBy Steve Svetovich

With all of the great basketball players in the area, who would ever think the leading scorer in Lackawanna League Girls’ Division III would be a freshman? But she is.

And she is also the leader in free throw percentage (.881) and 3-point shooting (2.8 per game).

Dunmore freshman Moriah Murray leads Lackawanna League Division III with an average of 16.9 points per game.

And it’s a sure bet the local basketball scene will be hearing her name for the next several years.

Daughter of Joseph Murray and Lynn Plotkin, Moriah said she has been playing basketball ever since she remembers learning to walk and run.

Only 15, the talented freshman said she has been playing in AAU travel basketball leagues “all of my life.”

With her team 15-0 (7-0 in the division) at press time, Moriah made an immediate impact on an already strong team under Dunmore veteran coach Ben O’Brien.

“Coach O’Brien taught me to just be myself,” said Moriah. “He told me to never be nervous. Just relax.”

Likewise, the Dunmore freshman guard said her parents teach her the same. “My parents always tell me to be myself and everything will be okay.”

Moriah, who often plays point guard, also averages about four assists per game. A pin point 3-point shooter, she takes pride in excelling at the foul line.

“That comes with practice,” she said.

Moriah currently plays AAU basketball for J.B. Hoops.

“AAU basketball has been a great experience for me,” she said. “But playing for Dunmore on the high school level is a whole different ball game.”

Versatile and hard working, Moriah also is a shortstop-pitcher as a softball player. She has a 91 academic average and is a member of the French Club at Dunmore High School. Her favorite academic subject is math.

Moriah said her freshman year at Dunmore could not be going any better. “I love Dunmore. It has been a great experience so far. I love playing basketball here. Dunmore is such a great community.”

Moriah talked about the success of the team. “We are successful because we trust each other. We have been playing with each other our whole lives. We played three-on-three, biddy basketball and AAU together. Our whole lives we have been together.”

The sharp shooting guard said she enjoys music and would like to see Travis Scott in concert.

Moriah said one of her goals is to play college basketball.

Her immediate goals? “That would be to keep getting better one game at a time. We just want to keep getting better and go as far as we can. We can really get it all together if we do that.”

And the simple reason for her own success as a starting freshman guard on the best girls’ basketball team in the area? 

“Practice a lot.”