The Intraborough Girls Basketball Championship Game between Dunmore and Holy Cross high schools was recently held at Holy Cross High School. The game, sponsored by the Dunmore Lions Club to help defray the cost of their College Scholarship program, is now in its 38th year.
The Dunmore Girls defeated the Holy Cross Girls by a score 73-42 and went on to an undefeated regular season.
The Lady Bucks shown kneeling from left are: Molly Zimmer, Sophia Mandarano, Moriah Murray, and Mia Blume.
Standing, same order: Coach Mike O’Malley, Brooke Frable, Anna Talutto, Alexis Chapman, Elisa Delfino, Katherine Hopkins, Victoria Toomey, Coach Ben O’Brien, Gianna Delfino, Nora Haggerty, DLC President Jim Aita, Julia Walsh, Lisa Tallo, Alexis Santariero, DLC Vice President Rich Green, and DLC Event Coordinator Michael Colangelo.
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Pictured are members of the Holy Cross Girls team, kneeling from left: Caroline Kranick, Haley Bestrycki, Kalley Kovaleski, Abby Sempa and Ginna Calciano.
Standing, same order: Coaches Katie Purcell and Ryan Geoffrey; Emily Ferguson, Lauren Hegedus, Cate McGovern, Julia Goetz, Coach Barry Fitzgerald, Erin McGee, Kaci Kranson, DLC President Jim Aita, Molly White, Abbey Lentowski, Krista Carachilo, Coach Bob McCormack, DLC Vice president Rich Green, and DLC Event Coordinator Michael Colangelo.
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.
A brilliant complete game 4-hit pitching effort by Ashley Walsh and clutch go-ahead hit by Jenna Bradley led the Holy Cross Lady Crusaders to a 3-1 win over Riverside to capture the District 2 Class 2A title Wednesday, May 31 at Penn State Worthington.
Walsh gave up one unearned run, walked two and struck out three in her seven innings of work.
Holy Cross (15-2), coached by Joe Ross, was up 1-0, but the Lady Vikings tied the game in the top of the sixth. Bradley, a freshman hitting .440, fouled off four straight pitches before smacking a long single to drive in the two go-ahead runs for Holy Cross.
Walsh then pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the 3-1 district title win. Walsh added three hits and scored one of the three Holy Cross runs.
The first run in the contest came in the bottom of the fourth when Holy Cross stalwart catcher Grace Perechinsky walked, took second on a Walsh base hit and scored when an errant throw deflected off the glove of Riverside pitcher Katelyn Weller.
Riverside tied the game in the sixth when Weller’s single was mishandled in the outfield allowing Kristen Lello to score from first.
Walsh’s third hit of the game started the winning rally with two outs in the sixth. Rose
Martillotti fouled off a couple 3-2 pitches before hitting a clutch single.
Shortly after, came Bradley’s big hit which proved to be the game winner.
Holy Cross senior Abby Anderson made a nice running catch in deep centerfield for the first out in the final inning.
Perechinsky went 3- for-3 with two doubles and Walsh drove in three runs to lead the Lady Crusaders to a 5-3 win over Wyoming Seminary in the District 2 Class 2A semifinals Friday, May 26 at St. Anthony’s Playground, Dunmore.
Lauren Torre and Martillotti each had two hits for the Lady Crusaders.
Bradley pitched a complete game striking out nine, walking one and allowing seven hits and one earned run in the win.
Senior standout Anderson had three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs in the No. 1 Lady Crusaders 12-2 win over Blue Ridge in the District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals Tuesday, May 23 at St. Anthony’s Playground, Dunmore.
Perechinsky had two hits, including a homer.
Bradley had two hits, including a triple, and three RBIs.
Martillotti had three hits, one run and one RBI.
Holy Cross scrappy shortstop Lindsey Leppo had two hits, two runs and one RBI.
Walsh pitched a five inning complete game, allowing two runs, six hits, one walk and striking out three.
Members of the district champion Lady Crusaders include Abby Anderson, Rose Martillotti, Lauren Torre, Ashley Walsh, Amanda Ross, Grace Perechinsky, Hannah Gilhooley, Gianna Calciano, Allison Pavlowski, Olivia Zehel, Kelsey Hartman, Ally McGee, Jenna Bradley, Lindsey Leppo, Gianna Sachetti and Olivia Krupski.
By Steve Svetovich