(Disclaimer): This event is not affiliated with or endorsed by any school district, the PIAA, or District 2. It is an independent public event organized and operated by Jeric Yurkanin and Agape Freedom Sports Media participants.

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AUTISM AWARENESS GIRLS SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL GAME

Our 2nd Annual Slow-Pitch Girls Game is set for:

📅 Saturday, August 8, 2026
🌧 Rain Date: Sunday, August 9, 2026

Location; Jessup Youth Sports Association Field

Address: 1 Moosic Lake Rd, Jessup, PA 18434

🎯 ELIGIBILITY:

Any girl softball player in grades 9–12 who competed for a District 2 softball program during the 2026 season is eligible to participate. If interested please reach out!

—-———GAME FORMAT—————- • 3 Games

•. 6 innings or 1-hour time limit (whichever comes first)

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COACHING STAFF: 

• (Agape Freedom East Head Coach): TBD • (Will select 3 Assistant Coaches)

• (Agape Freedom West Head Coach): Jeric Yurkanin

• Assistants: (Will select 3 Assistant Coaches)

EVENT SCHEDULE:

8:30 AM – Gates Open

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9:30 AM – Game 1

10:30AM- 11:00AM – Break

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11:00 AM – Game 2

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM – Break

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12:30 PM – Game 3

📸 Team Pictures – Immediately Following Game 3

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🍔 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM – Lunch Break

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😊🌈 3:30 PM – AUTISM AWARENESS MOMENT

A powerful message. Real stories. Real purpose.
A reminder that this day is about more than the scoreboard.

3:45 PM – Autism Awareness First Pitch:

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🥎🏆 4:00 PM – CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

• 7 Innings
• No Time Limit

🔥 FEATURE MATCHUP

Agape Freedom Sports Final 2026 Top 2 Ranked Teams – #1 vs #2

THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SOFTBALL:

A day of competition, community, and purpose—
raising awareness and making an impact together.

Basic Rules:

🥎 AGAPE FREEDOM – SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL RULES (6–12 ARC)

• Pitchers must deliver the ball with a 6 to 12-foot arc

• Games are 6 innings or 1 hour, whichever comes first

• The championship game is 7 innings with no time limit

• Teams will field 10 defensive players, including 4 outfielders

• Teams may bat the entire lineup

• Teams may bat up to 12 players, including 2 designated hitters (DHs)

• Walks are allowed

• No bunting

• Three strikes = out

• Foul ball on third strike = out

• No courtesy foul

• No leading off or stealing

• Runners must remain on base until the ball is hit

• No tagging at home; home is a force play only

• 1 courtesy runner per inning

• Courtesy runner must be the last recorded out

Here’s a slightly more official version too:

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

At St. Anthony’s Park up on the hill in Dunmore, it is never an easy place to play softball.

The wind was doing its thing all afternoon, with a cold breeze cutting through the field as the temperature sat in the low 50s. Every now and then, the sun tried to peek through the clouds, but it still had that kind of weather where you knew players were going to have to grind through it.

And that fit this game perfectly.

Holy Cross, dressed in its white and pink uniforms, came in doing what Holy Cross does best — playing winning softball. You expect nothing less from that program. The Lady Crusaders know how to hit, know how to defend, and know how to carry themselves like one of the most respected programs in the area. Last season, they captured the District 2 Class A championship, and under head coach Joe Ross, the standard stays high.

Ross knows how to lead and build a winning culture. His players follow him and listen, not because they have to, but because they want to. That matters in sports. Honestly, that matters anywhere.

But on this day at St. Anthony’s Field, it was time for what some call a battle of the holy wars.

Holy Cross squared off with Holy Redeemer, another respected softball program with a history of its own, including a 2015 Class 2A state championship.

This is how the holy war unfolded.

The game started off slow.

In the top of the first, Holy Cross pitcher Ava Schmidt and the Crusaders’ defense went right to work. The Lady Royals were retired in order and never reached base.

Holy Cross broke through in the bottom of the first. Ava Schmidt, wearing No. 99, worked a walk. Jules Galella struck out, but Schmidt later came around to score on a passed ball to give the Lady Crusaders a 1-0 lead. Peyton Graboske then ripped a double, continuing to put pressure on the defense, before Holy Redeemer got out of the inning.

In the top of the second, the Lady Royals went three up, three down again.

In the bottom half, Holy Cross kept pressing. McKinley Griffiths singled on a hard-hit ball to left, and Emily Fitzpatrick followed with a single to center. Kierra Bauman grounded out, and Ava Schmidt flied out, but the Crusaders were continuing to make solid contact and build momentum.

The top of the third brought more of the same for Holy Redeemer. The Royals still could not get anything going. No base runners. No hits. Holy Cross had them locked in.

Then came the bottom of the third, when the Crusaders’ bats truly came alive.

Lila Kolcharno reached on a single, and Jules Galella followed by putting the ball in play and reaching on a fielder’s choice, with Kolcharno forced out at second. Peyton Graboske, who would end up having a big day at the plate, lined a single to center. After Claire Herling popped out to third, McKinley Griffiths delivered a fly-ball double to center that brought home Galella and courtesy runner Kirstyn Zigray, stretching the lead to 3-0.

“At the plate, I was seeing the ball pretty well. The pitcher was throwing pretty low and inside, so I adjusted my body to be able to hit from where she was pitching. My teammates told me she had a quick windup and a slower release, so I really focused on when she released the ball instead of her windup. I think our patience at the plate really helped things get started. We waited for one good pitch that we could drive, and I think that’s what helped my teammates and me at the plate,” said Holy Cross freshman McKinley Griffiths.

“McKinley has been an amazing addition to our team this year. On defense, she covers a lot of ground in the outfield, and on offense, she is a hard out. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s pretty obvious that she puts 100% effort into everything she does,” said catcher Peyton Graboske.

Then Maya DeSantis brought even more life to the Holy Cross dugout, launching a home run over center field to make it 5-0. Just like that, the Crusaders had taken full control.

“Yes, we started to get better at-bats the second time through the order. We started to get better at-bats. We have a tendency to overanalyze, which causes us to press offensively. Our mindset needs to be controlled aggression. We have to recognize hitters’ counts and attack the ball,” said Holy Cross head coach Joe Ross.

He added, “Once we get some positive results, we can be a very good offensive team. Our lineup has depth with a combination of speed and power. When we run the bases hard, we apply more pressure on the defense.”

Holy Redeemer finally showed some life in the top of the fourth.

Zoe Pecuch drew a walk, and Katie Genovese also reached on a walk. Isabella Boylan popped out to second, but Ava Thomas put the ball in play and reached on an error by the third baseman. That allowed both Pecuch and Genovese to score, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Covington Lehman followed with a line-drive single to right, but Holy Cross got the next two outs and limited the damage.

If there was any thought of a Royals comeback, the Crusaders erased it quickly in the bottom of the fourth.

Kierra Bauman struck out to begin the inning, but then the floodgates opened. Ava Schmidt was hit by a pitch, and Lila Kolcharno followed with a line-drive single to center that brought Schmidt home for a 6-2 lead. Peyton Graboske stayed hot and doubled on a line drive, scoring Kolcharno to make it 7-2.

“Today, I was working on my bat path and making sure I wasn’t coming around the ball. I adjusted after my first at-bat, and my swing improved after that,” said Peyton Graboske.

Claire Herling then walked, and Galella later scored on a passed ball for an 8-2 lead. Griffiths walked. Maya DeSantis walked. Herling stole home. Fitzpatrick walked. Bauman singled on a ground ball to short, scoring Griffiths for 10-2. Schmidt walked, bringing home DeSantis for 11-2. Kolcharno singled again, scoring Fitzpatrick for 12-2. Galella walked, and Bauman scored to make it 13-2. Graboske walked, another run came in, and M. Roberts was hit by a pitch, bringing home Kolcharno for a 15-2 advantage.

“McKinley has quickly adjusted to playing varsity softball. She swings the bat very well and has power. Her instincts as a baserunner are next level. She runs hard and has a very high softball IQ. Defensively, she is excellent. She has an opportunity to be an elite player as she gains more confidence and experience,” said head coach Joe Ross.

It was a relentless inning. Holy Cross did not just take control — they buried the game with it.

In the top of the fifth, Holy Redeemer tried to keep fighting. Hailey Pius struck out, Clare Grandzol singled, and Zoe Pecuch followed with a single to right. Katie Genovese grounded into a fielder’s choice, and Booth popped out to end it.

“On the mound, I was focusing on throwing strikes and getting ahead of the batter. My rise ball was working pretty well, and I had a lot of control with my fastball. I was able to control the pace of the game by getting ahead early and getting quick outs so we could go into the dugout and hit,” said Holy Cross pitcher Ava Schmidt.

She added, “It’s very important for me to get on base and put pressure on the defense on the basepaths. That pressure builds confidence and energy that I take with me when I pitch. My approach at the plate today was trying to be patient and wait for my pitch. I had a good eye today and got on base to eventually score some runs.”

And with that, the holy war belonged to Holy Cross.

“A win like this is important this early because it’s a chance for us to grow and develop habits as a group. It helps the team grow stronger and helps the communication get louder,” said McKinley Griffiths.

On a chilly, windy afternoon in Dunmore, the Lady Crusaders looked every bit like one of the area’s top teams, using dominant pitching, timely hitting, and a huge fourth inning to roll past Holy Redeemer, 15-2. The final numbers backed up everything the game itself showed. Holy Cross piled up 15 runs on 12 hits, drew eight walks, and kept constant pressure on the bases with its aggressive approach. Maya DeSantis helped set the tone with a 2-for-2 day, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a home run to center. Lila Kolcharno stayed locked in from start to finish, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. McKinley Griffiths added two hits, two runs scored, a double, and two RBIs, while Peyton Graboske finished with two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Ava Schmidt controlled the pace from the circle and on the basepaths, scoring twice, drawing two walks, and helping Holy Cross stay in command from the opening inning. For Holy Redeemer, Zoe Pecuch battled her way on base, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored, while Clare Grandzol and Covington Lehman each added a hit. The Royals showed their best push in the fourth when Pecuch and Katie Genovese worked walks and Ava Thomas helped bring home two runs, but Holy Cross answered with overwhelming force.

In the end, this was not just another win for the Lady Crusaders. It was a statement. On a field where the wind can rattle you, the cold can wear on you, and momentum can shift fast, Holy Cross never blinked. They played like a team with purpose, depth, and the kind of championship edge that turns big games into loud reminders of exactly who they are.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

None of this coverage, storytelling, travel, or spotlighting of local athletes would be possible without the people and businesses who believe in what we’re building. A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors — Andy’s Pizza, Tasty Freeze, and Lewis Brothers — for standing behind our mission and supporting local high-school sports.

We also want to sincerely thank every donor, parent, supporter, and fan who has contributed, shared our work, or helped keep this coverage going. Your support allows us to show up at fields, tell the stories that deserve to be told, and give these athletes the spotlight they’ve earned.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Throop — What looked on paper like it might be a routine Mid Valley win over Lakeland turned into anything but that for much of the afternoon.

For the first 4 1/2 innings, this was no easy Mid Valley Spartanettes victory.

Lakeland came in as the clear underdog, but the Lady Chiefs played with heart, discipline, and the kind of defensive focus that made one of the area’s top teams uncomfortable. From the field to the dugout, Lakeland brought energy. The Lady Chiefs’ bench was alive all game long, rocking with support for one another, bringing juice, and showing the kind of togetherness every coach wants to see.

And honestly, it was one of the best 4 1/2-inning stretches Lakeland has played all season.

Against one of the top teams in the Lackawanna Conference. Against a Mid Valley team that reached the 3A state semifinals last year. Against one of the area’s best pitchers, Ava Hazleton.

Lakeland gave Mid Valley problems.

They gave them fits. They gave them worry. They gave them real tension.

You could see it building. You could see the anxiousness and frustration on Hazleton’s face. You could see that this was not the kind of game Mid Valley expected. Lakeland had turned what many thought would be a comfortable afternoon for the Spartanettes into a real battle.

But that is softball.

It is not always about who looks better on paper. It is about who shows up that day. Who is more locked in. Who is more motivated. Who makes the routine plays. Who gets the key hits, finds the gaps, and makes fewer mistakes.

For 4 1/2 innings, Lakeland did so many of those things well. The Lady Chiefs defended hard, competed hard, and made one of the area’s premier teams work for everything.

Then came the bottom of the fifth.

And sometimes, that is all it takes.

Lakeland had one rough inning, and against a team like Mid Valley, one bad inning can change everything. It happens even to good teams. You can play clean, disciplined softball for most of the game, but one inning of mistakes, one stretch where the ball starts getting thrown around, one moment where things snowball — that can cost you.

Mid Valley took full advantage, erupting for 10 runs in the inning and turning a tight game into a much different final picture.

But the score should not erase what Lakeland showed for most of the day.

Because if not for that one inning, the Lady Chiefs may have had a real shot to pull off one of the bigger upsets of the young season.

There was also a key moment in that fifth inning that added even more frustration for Lakeland. After a Mid Valley double, two Spartanettes players were advancing home while the ball was thrown from third base back to second. Lakeland’s shortstop appeared to tag the runner at second on a play that could have been a huge out and maybe slowed the inning down. Instead, there was confusion. Lakeland’s head coach and assistant immediately looked to both umpires for an answer, but both seemed unsure, nodding and looking confused as their attention had been pulled toward the runners advancing to third and home. The umpires did not see what was happening at second base. They were focused on home and third.

It was one of those moments that felt big.

The Lakeland dugout was not happy, and neither were the coaches. I was in awe as well, because Mid Valley looked clearly out at second during a huge inning.

A moment that could have shifted momentum. A moment that might have given Lakeland some life. A moment that instead added to the chaos of an inning that got away.

Still, when Lakeland looks back at this one, the Lady Chiefs should keep their heads up.

They should be proud.

This is how things went down.

Lakeland came out swinging in the top of the first. Mick Eremo singled to left, Olivia Lach worked a walk, and Olivia Cunningham doubled to right to bring home the first run. Kamri Naniewicz followed with a single to shortstop that scored Lach and moved Cunningham to third. Then Abby Ross ripped a line-drive double to left, bringing home both Cunningham and Naniewicz as Lakeland suddenly grabbed a 4-0 lead. The inning kept going. Kendall Sewitsky, Alexis Tolerico, and Tori Wormuth all drew walks, Ross came home, and Lakeland stretched the lead to 6-0 before Mid Valley could finally escape the inning.

But Mid Valley answered immediately in the bottom of the first. Abby Mackey singled to center, Angela Laskowski doubled to right, and Parker Bennett knocked both runners in to cut the lead to 6-2. Later in the inning, an error on a throw allowed Bennett and Adrian Davey to score, and just like that Mid Valley was right back in it at 6-4.

Lakeland pushed again in the second. Lach singled to left, Abby Ross added another hit, and Zoey Gregory doubled to center to bring in two more runs. That made it 8-4 Lakeland, and at that point the Lady Chiefs were not just hanging around — they were dictating the pace of the game.

The Lakeland defense then did its part. The Chiefs held Mid Valley scoreless in the second, worked through traffic in the third, and still carried the lead into the fourth. Mid Valley scratched one back in the bottom of the fourth when Ava Hazleton singled, Abby Mackey added a hit, and Angela Laskowski drove in Addison Frein to make it 8-5. Even then, Lakeland still had control.

Then came the fifth.

Mid Valley’s bats came alive all at once. Avery Tinney singled. Marley Morano reached. Natalie Hricenak got aboard. Then Hazleton delivered the moment that changed everything, tripling to right field and driving in three runs to tie the game at 8-8. Frein followed with a single that scored Hazleton and gave Mid Valley its first lead of the afternoon at 9-8. From there, the Spartanettes just kept coming. Laskowski doubled in more runs, Bennett reached on an error that brought home another, Tinney added a triple, and Morano capped it off as Mid Valley put up 10 runs in a game-turning inning to take a 15-8 lead.

That one inning decided the scoreboard, but it did not erase how hard Lakeland competed.

Mid Valley’s offense showed exactly why the Spartanettes are considered one of the toughest lineups in the area. They finished with 19 hits and 15 runs, and once the lineup got rolling, it came in waves. Laskowski was a force, going 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs and two doubles. Hazleton helped her own cause with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, then settled in inside the circle and struck out 11 over 5.2 innings. Tinney drove in 3 runs, Mackey collected 3 hits, and the Spartanettes showed the kind of depth that makes them dangerous from top to bottom.

But this game was not one-sided for most of the day. Lakeland came out ready to compete and refused to roll over. The Lady Chiefs collected 11 hits and scored 8 runs, keeping pressure on Mid Valley for much of the afternoon. Abby Ross led the charge with 3 hits and 2 RBIs, while Eremo and Cunningham helped spark that explosive first inning. Gregory battled through six innings in the circle against one of the most dangerous offenses in the conference, and for much of the game Lakeland made Mid Valley earn every bit of it.

“Coming into the game, we knew we had nothing to lose. The girls took control at the plate, coming out big in the first inning, which built the momentum going forward. Getting ahead fired them up and allowed them to have confidence in themselves that they are capable of competing with any team,” said Lakeland head coach Dana Diskin.

She added, “This group of kids is determined. We try to emphasize the focus on the little things rather than the overall outcome. When they perform to their ability, and play as a team for each other, anything is possible.”

Mid Valley came back and won, and in the end the Spartanettes once again proved why they are one of the best teams in District 2. They stayed patient, waited for their opening, and when it arrived, they hit like a powerhouse.

But Lakeland walked off that field with something too.

Not the win. But proof.

Proof they can compete. Proof they can push a heavyweight. Proof they can stand in the dugout across from one of the area’s best and make them feel pressure.

The scoreboard will say Mid Valley 15, Lakeland 8.

But if you were there, you saw something bigger than that.

You saw a Lakeland team that did not back down, did not flinch, and for most of the afternoon made one of the area’s top programs feel every single inning of the fight.

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None of this coverage, storytelling, travel, or spotlighting of local athletes would be possible without the people and businesses who believe in what we’re building. A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors — Andy’s Pizza, Tasty Freeze, and Lewis Brothers — for standing behind our mission and supporting local high-school sports.

We also want to sincerely thank every donor, parent, supporter, and fan who has contributed, shared our work, or helped keep this coverage going. Your support allows us to show up at fields, tell the stories that deserve to be told, and give these athletes the spotlight they’ve earned.

From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for being part of this journey. We’re just getting started.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Long before Valley View ace Abbi Call ever picked up a softball — before she learned to walk, talk, or even throw — the foundation was already there.

The Call family roots run deep in this valley.

Deep enough to hit coal.

This is a family shaped by hard work, sacrifice, and survival. Some worked the Archbald coal mines — where nothing came easy and everything came with risk. One chapter of that history still echoes loudly: Abbi’s grandfather’s brother, a coal miner and part co-owner of a mine, lost his life in a mining accident at just 21 years old.

In this valley, providing for your family was never a slogan.

It was the job.

It was the burden.

It was the price.

Nothing was handed out. You worked. You endured. You found a way.

And that mindset didn’t disappear with time — it carried forward.

Because when you trace the Call family story, the pattern is unmistakable: grit, resilience, commitment. Success wasn’t guaranteed here. Survival wasn’t guaranteed. You got your hands dirty. You showed up when it was hard. You pushed forward anyway.

That same DNA showed up years later on Friday nights at Valley View.

Abbi’s father, Ryan Call, was a lineman for the Cougars in the mid-1990s. He wasn’t the biggest guy on the field — about 5’10”, 210 pounds — but size never defined him.

Effort did.

Toughness did.

That Call work ethic showed up every snap: hands in the dirt, sometimes dirt in the mouth, knocked down but never staying down.

Ryan didn’t play like his measurements.

He played like he was 6’7”, 335 — clearing lanes, battling in the trenches, making holes for Sean Fisher, doing the unglamorous work that makes everyone else shine.

That was the Call way.

Life didn’t hand the family anything freely. Progress had to be earned. Every inch mattered.

And eventually, that same edge — the competitiveness, the drive, the refusal to quit — found its way to the circle.

Abbi Call didn’t inherit talent alone.

She inherited expectation.

Now, she stands among the best pitchers ever to come out of Valley View — heading into the 2026 high school softball season ranked among the Top 40 seniors in the country.

But her story didn’t skip the struggle.

“Softball is 90 percent failure and 10 percent reaction,” Abbi said. “If you don’t get up and try again and have self-confidence, you’ll never reach your true potential. I struggled with self-doubt and confidence, but seeing all the people supporting me made me realize that when I put my jersey on, I’m playing for the people who want to see me succeed.”

For Abbi Call, the jersey isn’t just a uniform.

It’s history.

It’s pressure.

It’s purpose.

It’s the fight.

It’s refusing to stop swinging — even when you’ve been hit in the mouth by the game.

Because that “never quit” gene?

It didn’t start with her.

Her great-grandfather, Edward Zelinski, was a boxer — the kind of fighter who didn’t blink, didn’t flinch, didn’t fold. He became a force in the local amateur boxing circuit and won the Pennsylvania Welterweight Golden Gloves Championship at just 17 years old in 1947.

A fighter.

Dropped? Get back up.

Hit hard? Keep coming.

No defeat living in him.

And the toughness didn’t stop there.

Abbi’s mother, Danielle Call, was a standout high school softball player at West Scranton in the early 1990s — the kind of hitter who didn’t poke singles.

She hammered home runs.

Her grandfather, Richard, was known as a very good slow-pitch softball player in his adult years — steady, skilled, competitive.

So yeah… it’s in there.

Talent.

Hard work.

Grit.

And a certain kind of silence — the kind that doesn’t talk about it.

It just shows you.

Abbi’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed.

Last season, she finished second on the team in batting average at .515 — just behind former teammate Kalli Karwowski, now a Penn State freshman. She scored 26 runs, drove in 27 RBIs, and blasted 10 home runs.

This season is different.

It’s her last year in high school.

Her final chance to make noise before heading south — before pulling on orange, purple, and white and throwing for the Clemson Tigers.

Abbi was a key piece in Valley View’s 4A state championship run last season and is one of the main reasons the Cougars are favored to make another deep playoff push this year.

Clemson is lucky to be getting a player like Abbi.

And I’ll admit it — I’m just as thrilled as anyone. I bleed orange, purple, and white.

“Playing for the cougars really showed me who I have behind my back. It has gave me many friendships that are almost like family. We strive to be better for eachother and push eachother no matter what,” said Abbi Call.

She never forgets the people who stood with her through every high and every low.

“My family and friends. They never failed to be there for me. My friends always supported me and never questioned my ability to accomplish anything I said I was going to… they sat back and watched me do it,” said Call.

She continued:

“One lesson that I have learned throughout my life is that there will be many lows, but it’s about who shows up in the rain when they have the chance to stay dry. That’s what really matters. Look around and appreciate who you have around you before it’s too late.”

As she looks ahead to Clemson, Abbi already knows her purpose extends beyond the field.

“I’m passionate about weightlifting and helping other athletes work through their struggles. I plan to study psychology to help athletes like myself understand the struggles of the game.”

When Abbi Call walks off the field for the last time at Valley View High School, she will leave behind more than stats.

She will leave a legacy.

A standard.

A work ethic.

A belief that Division I dreams are real in this valley.

With head coach Mia Wascura at the helm, Valley View has become a place where elite players are developed — a program Division I schools will keep watching in the years ahead.

But Abbi’s story?

It was written long before she ever toed the rubber.

It began generations ago — in coal dust, in boxing rings, on Friday nights, in backyards, and in quiet determination.

Now she’s added her own chapter.

The door is open.

Clemson awaits.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

DUNMORE – Old Forge came into this one as what many would call the underdog against a giant in Holy Cross — a heavily favored team and one of the area’s true powerhouses over the last few years.

And on paper, it was easy to understand why.

Holy Cross opened the season by steamrolling through its first four wins, beating Lackawanna Trail 17-1, Scranton 11-1, Lakeland 15-1, and Riverside 17-0. Their only loss came against a much bigger Abington Heights squad, a 5A program and one of the top teams in the area, in a 10-3 game. And Abington is no ordinary team either, with a Division I commit in the circle and the kind of talent that can test anybody.

So yes, Holy Cross came in looking like the favorite.

But Old Forge and head coach Pat Revello did not walk into this game carrying fear.

That is simply not who they are.

They are the kind of team that embraces these moments — lining up against top competition, testing themselves, and stepping right into the fire no matter what logo is sitting in the other dugout. For a Class A school, Old Forge continues to show it is one of the toughest small-school teams in the area — a team fully capable of hanging with programs across 1A, 2A, and 3A.

Even their losses tell part of the story.

Two of Old Forge’s losses, in what is now a 2-3 start, came against two teams that were in my top-five countdown: Mid Valley and now Holy Cross. There is no shame in that. None. Not in early April, and not in a district like this one.

Because what people sometimes forget is this: District 2 softball is no easy place to survive.

And the Lackawanna Conference is certainly no walk in the park.

This area has produced a long line of Division I talent over the last decade, and lately it feels like that number just keeps growing. Valley View alone had four Division I players last year, lost two to graduation, and still has three Division I recruits on this year’s roster. Add in programs like North Pocono, Abington Heights, and Dunmore, and you start to understand just how deep and competitive this conference really is.

In my opinion, this may be one of the toughest districts in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Around here, you do not get many easy nights. You are either outscoring teams, or you are watching strong, higher-classification programs overwhelm good lower-classification teams. There are not always a lot of close games in this landscape.

Which is exactly why Old Forge’s effort stood out.

They made Holy Cross earn it.

They made them work for it.

They made them scrap for every single inch.

And from the first pitch, you could feel it.

There was juice in the air. There was pressure in every at-bat. There was that feeling that this was not going to be one of those quiet early-season games people forget a week later.

This one had life.

Top 1st — Old Forge wastes no time setting the tone.

Joselyn DeStefano draws a walk to open things up, immediately putting pressure on Holy Cross. Ava Arnold goes down on strikes, and Kate O’Hearn follows with a groundout to the pitcher. Two quick outs.

But Old Forge does not blink.

Abigail Lenceski battles and reaches on a dropped third strike, and in that split second, chaos turns into opportunity. DeStefano is already flying down the line. She crosses the plate standing.

Just like that, the underdog strikes first.

Juliette DeStefano grounds out to first to end the inning, but the message is already sent.

Old Forge did not come here to sit back and hope.

They came to swing.

Old Forge 1, Holy Cross 0.

Bottom 1st — and here comes Holy Cross.

You could feel the energy shift almost instantly.

Lila Kolcharno opens with a single, and suddenly the dugout is alive. Ava Schmidt follows and rips a double down the left-field line. Runners move. Pressure builds. The sound gets louder. The game speeds up.

“Even when I’m not throwing my best, I know I just need to take a deep breath and focus on one pitch at a time. Not every inning is going to go my way, but my mindset is to keep battling and trust my team so we can stay in the game,” said Holy Cross pitcher Ava Schmidt.

Then Jules Galella sends a ball into left field, and Schmidt comes home.

Tie game.

And then came the swing everybody in the park felt.

Peyton Graboske stepped in and absolutely launched one over the fence. No doubt. No question. The kind of swing that changes the temperature of a game in one violent crack of the bat.

The crowd erupts.

Holy Cross erupts.

And just like that, everything flips.

“I had two runners on, so I was just trying to make solid contact to drive those runs in. I sat back and waited for my pitch,” said Holy Cross’s Peyton Graboske.

McKinley Griffiths works a walk, Maya DeSantis adds a single, and the inning keeps breathing before Keira Bauman strikes out to end it.

But the damage is done.

In one inning, Holy Cross goes from trailing to surging.

Holy Cross 4, Old Forge 1.

Top 2nd — and Old Forge answers like a team with no quit in it.

Julia Marianelli strikes out for the first out.

Ariana Davitt lines a single into center.

Addison Rafalko strikes out.

Two outs.

This is where some teams start to sag. This is where some dugouts get quiet.

Not this one.

Kamryn Notari draws a walk, and just like that, there is traffic on the bases and belief building again.

Then Joselyn DeStefano steps in and delivers again — a sharp double into left that brings two runs home. Davitt scores. Courtesy runner Jenny Solfanelli is flying right behind her.

Just like that, the gap shrinks to one.

4-3.

Arnold follows with a walk. O’Hearn puts the ball in play and reaches on an error, and suddenly the inning cracks wide open. DeStefano scores. Arnold scores. The dugout explodes, the noise rises, and momentum comes storming right back into the Old Forge side.

In the blink of an eye, the underdog has flipped the game.

Old Forge 5, Holy Cross 4.

And now everybody in the park knows this is real.

Bottom 2nd — and Holy Cross answers right back.

Ava Schmidt stays hot, lacing another double to left.

Kolcharno lines out. One away.

Galella strikes out. Two away.

But with two outs, Peyton Graboske comes through again — this time with a clutch single to left that brings Schmidt home.

Tie game.

5-5.

“I knew she was going to try to get me on changeups, so I sat back on those and adjusted for the fastball,” Graboske said.

She added, “I tried to stay disciplined and look for a pitch I knew I could drive.”

“Peyton is an absolute wrecking machine. She is maturing as a hitter. She takes what the pitcher gives her and barrels everything. She battles every at-bat. It’s a pleasure to watch her hit,” said Holy Cross head coach Joe Ross.

And from there, this game stopped being a sprint and turned into a war.

The next four innings were tight, tense, and full of pressure. Every pitch felt important. Every out felt heavier. Gloves flashed. Pitchers settled in. The game slowed down and somehow felt faster at the same time, because every single moment carried weight.

Nobody was giving anything away.

“During a tight game, I knew I had to hit my spots and not leave the ball over the plate. They were good hitters, so I needed to trust my defense to make the plays behind me,” Schmidt said.

Top 7 — Old Forge gets one more shot.

One last chance.

One last chance to steal one on the road against one of the area’s best.

But Holy Cross shuts the door.

Three outs. No runs.

And now it all comes down to the bottom half.

Bottom 7 — two outs, everything on the line.

Maya DeSantis steps in and singles.

Emily Fitzpatrick follows with another single.

Now the pressure is everywhere.

You can feel it in the dugout. You can feel it in the crowd. You can feel it in every set of eyes locked on the infield.

Keira Bauman puts the ball in play — a grounder to the infield — and then, in an instant, it turns into chaos. An error at second.

And DeSantis is already moving.

She is flying home.

She touches the plate.

Game over.

Holy Cross walks it off, 6-5, in a game that felt like it could snap either direction all night.

“A win like this fuels us for the upcoming games and shows that in close situations — whether we’re tied or trailing — we can come back. It brings us together and shows we can compete in tough moments,” Schmidt said.

Final: Holy Cross 6, Old Forge 5.

“I’m proud of the way my team competed. We talk all the time about playing the game and competing. We did that today,” said Holy Cross head coach Joe Ross.

And even in defeat, Old Forge made one thing very clear:

They are not just hanging with the best.

They are built to punch with them.

“Old Forge is an experienced, talented team. Kamryn Notari did a great job pitching, and they swing it well,” Ross added.

“We showed a whole bunch of toughness today. Being down 4-1, they could’ve gone through the motions the rest of the way, but they didn’t. We were down big against Mid Valley and fought back, too. This team is showing resiliency. Notari showed she can pitch with the best of them. A bad inning here, a bad inning there — erase a few of those, and we’re undefeated,” said Old Forge head coach Pat Revello.

Revello added, “I don’t feel we’re underrated at all. But we opened our league with two of the elite teams in the area — both on the road. We’ve played six games and haven’t had a home game yet. We made some good plays, but we also made some errors that cost us in big ways. Overall, I’m happy with the spirit and fight of this team. Am I happy with our record? Not at all.”

And that may be the biggest takeaway of all.

Holy Cross got the win.

But Old Forge left the field proving something.

This was not a moral victory. This was not one of those games where a losing team simply “played hard.”

No — this was Old Forge walking into a hostile spot against one of the area’s heavyweights and showing it belongs in that kind of fight.

Holy Cross finished with 6 runs on 13 hits, led by Peyton Graboske, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI. Ava Schmidt added a huge day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with 2 runs and a pair of doubles, while Jules Galella also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Emily Fitzpatrick and Maya DeSantis each collected two hits, and DeSantis scored the game-winning run. As a team, Holy Cross kept the pressure on all game long, piling up 13 hits and forcing Old Forge to keep answering.

Old Forge answered with 5 runs on 9 hits and more than enough toughness to make Holy Cross feel every bit of this one. Joselyn DeStefano went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and a double, helping drive the Blue Devils’ biggest early push. Juliette DeStefano led the way with three hits, while Ariana Davitt added two hits and scored a run. The Blue Devils finished with 9 hits and made sure this never became comfortable for the Crusaders.

In the circle, Ava Schmidt went the distance for Holy Cross, working through 7 innings while allowing 5 runs on 9 hits in a gritty complete-game effort. Kamryn Notari gave Old Forge 6.2 innings, struck out five, and kept battling against a dangerous Holy Cross lineup that finished with 13 hits.

This was not just a game.

It was a statement.

Holy Cross showed why it remains one of the area’s elite, finding a way to win when the pressure got loud and the margin got razor-thin. But just as powerful was the message Old Forge sent. This is a team that does not back down, does not fold, and does not care who is standing across from it.

They belong in these games.

And if this is what early April softball looks like in District 2, then buckle up.

Because the rest of this season is going to be must-watch. 🥎🔥

————————

Special thanks to Andy’s Pizza, Tasty Freeze, Lewis Brothers, and everyone who has supported and donated this softball season— your support makes this coverage possible.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

The Riverside Vikings came into this one hungry.

You could feel it before the first pitch.

This is a team that has been grinding over the last few weeks, trying to fight its way through a tough stretch after dropping three straight games. There has been no quit in this group — only a team continuing to show up, continuing to work, and continuing to battle through adversity.

And a big part of that fight has been sophomore Shelby Lewis.

She is the kind of player who can bring fire to a team. She can hit. She can lead. She can compete. And when needed, she can step into the circle and give everything she has for her team.

This season has not been easy for Riverside. It has been a rough road so far, especially after the Vikings lost their starting pitcher and number one arm to an offseason basketball injury. That kind of loss can shake a team. It can change everything. It can force players into roles they did not expect to carry this early.

That is where Lewis stepped in.

She was asked to help fill that role, and she has been doing everything she can to help her team win games, stay competitive, and keep fighting. And at the end of the day, it is not always just about wins and losses. Sometimes it is about leadership. Sometimes it is about toughness. Sometimes success is found in giving everything you have, hard work and not giving up even when the road is not easy.

One of the greatest coaches in NCAA basketball history, Hall of Famer John Wooden, once said, “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”

He taught that success is not just about winning. It is about preparation. It is about effort. It is about knowing you emptied the tank and gave your best.

And honestly, I will take his word for it.

My theory is this too: success is also winning the games you are supposed to win. That is part of having a successful season. But there is also another side to it. Success can be found in leadership. Success can be found in growth. Success can be found in the way a player responds when more is put on her shoulders than anyone expected.

And Riverside, along with pitcher and leader Shelby Lewis, has shown signs of that success this season.

I know it.

I can see it.

I have heard the conversations. I have heard what fans have said. I have heard what parents have said too. Sure, some people may have different expectations. That comes with sports. That comes with competition. Everybody sees the game a little differently.

But me? I will gladly lean toward the words of a man who won 10 national championships in 12 years.

Because sometimes success is not just found on the scoreboard.

Sometimes it is found in the fight.

And from the way this one started… you could tell Riverside was ready to come out swinging.

In the top of the first, the Lady Vikings wasted no time putting pressure on Honesdale. Emily Chilek worked a walk to get things started, and Raigan Monahan followed with a single while also reaching on an error, allowing Chilek to move all the way to third. Kate Reynolds popped out, but Riverside kept the pressure on. Mikayla Smith drew a walk, and Chilek came home on a passed ball to put the Vikings on the board first.

Then everything sped up.

Cassidy Merrifield was hit by a pitch, and Monahan scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Riverside. Mackenzie Keller struck out, but then came another big swing in the inning from Shelby Lewis. The sophomore sent a ground ball into center field and drove in both Smith and Merrifield, stretching the lead to 4-0 and giving Riverside exactly the kind of fast start it needed.

“I was just trying to stay relaxed and look for a good pitch to hit. My teammates were getting on base in front of me, so my main focus was just putting the ball in play and helping the team score. I tried not to do too much and just trust the work I’ve been putting in,” said Shelby Lewis.

Honesdale answered in the bottom of the first when Kaydence Frampton homered, trimming the score to 4-1. But that would be all the Lady Hornets could get, and Riverside walked out of the inning still holding firm control.

The second inning turned into more of a battle. Honesdale’s defense stepped up in the top half and held Riverside scoreless, trying to keep the game within reach. In the bottom of the inning, the Lady Hornets showed signs of life. Molly Diehl struck out, Mia Drake struck out, but Maddie Decker singled and Abbey Stiles followed with a single of her own. For a moment, it felt like Honesdale was building something.

But Shelby Lewis shut it down.

Another strikeout. Runners left on.

In the top of the third, Riverside found another answer. Cassidy Merrifield reached, Keller struck out, and then Lewis delivered again. This time, she ripped a double to left field and knocked in Merrifield to make it 5-1. Lewis tried to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out at third — a great effort, an aggressive play, and a perfect example of how she competes.

And in the bottom of the third, Lewis went right back to work in the circle. Diehl and Frampton both struck out against the Riverside sophomore, while Abbey Beatty managed a double to keep Honesdale alive for a moment. But Lily Head flew out, and once again the Lady Hornets were turned away.

Then came the fourth inning… and that was when everything opened up.

Tierra Schiavo struck out to begin the inning, but then Chilek walked and Monahan walked, setting the table for Kate Reynolds. And Reynolds delivered in a big way, ripping a line-drive double to left-center that brought both Chilek and Monahan home.

7-1 Riverside.

And you could feel it — the dugout, the energy, the momentum — it all shifted.

“I knew this upcoming game would be a key win coming off of a Holy Cross loss. I knew high balls were being called the entire game, so I had to adjust my approach. I was looking for anything in the zone that I could take to the outfield for some RBIs. In moments I knew runs were needed, I slowed my swing down and let my mechanics do the work to send the ball to the gap,” said Riverside’s Kate Reynolds.

But the Vikings were not done.

Smith walked. Merrifield walked. Keller walked.

Pressure.

A run scores — 8-1.

Lewis reached on an error — two more runs score.

10-1.

Caitie Beecham grounded out — another run crosses.

11-1.

It felt like everything was happening at once. Walks. Contact. Pressure. Mistakes forced. Runs piling up. Riverside was not just scoring — they were overwhelming.

Honesdale was held scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, managing only a single by Decker. Riverside stayed in control.

The top of the fifth was quiet, but Honesdale showed some fight in the bottom half. Autumn Razny doubled, Molly Diehl singled to bring her home, and Frampton followed with a double that scored another.

11-3.

A little life.

But Riverside had more.

In the top of the sixth, the Vikings found another gear and never let up. Keller walked. Lewis was hit by a pitch. Schiavo reached on an error. Then Chilek lifted a sacrifice fly, bringing Lewis home.

12-3.

Monahan followed with a double — 13-3.

Reynolds doubled again — two more runs.

15-3.

The dugout was alive. The bats stayed hot.

Smith singled. Merrifield grounded out, but another run scored.

Then more traffic. More pressure.

Walk. Walk. Walk.

Run.

18-3.

Schiavo was hit by a pitch — another run scores.

19-3.

“All nine were hitting all game, just at different times. In those two innings, everything just clicked together. Keeping the dugout with positive energy during the cold was a key factor. Everyone was cheering and being loud, which motivated everyone to be the best they could for the team,” said Kate Reynolds.

Reynolds added: “After the game vs. Holy Cross, I feel as if some confidence was lost. As the innings vs. Honesdale played out, confidence was built back up. Reflecting on the loss of three starting seniors and our starting pitcher from last year, the team knew we had to step it up this year. I am overjoyed with the outcome of this year’s team, especially being new starters and underclassmen. I have a feeling some big wins will be in our future!”

By that point, the game had turned into a wave Riverside just kept riding. Hit after hit. Walk after walk. Runner after runner crossing the plate.

Relentless.

In the bottom of the sixth, Honesdale managed two hits, but Riverside did not allow anything else. Three outs later, it was over.

“I think this win shows the kind of team Riverside is. We were able to contribute both at the plate and in the circle, and that really helped us today. Everyone played their role and supported each other, and I think it shows how hard we’ve been working. Moving forward, we just want to keep building off this and try to keep that same energy every game,” said Shelby Lewis.

She continued: “The energy was really high. Everyone in the dugout was cheering and staying locked into every at-bat. When we started putting runs together, it kind of gave us momentum, and you could feel everyone feeding off the energy from each other.”

And when you look at the box score, the stars showed up all over the lineup for Riverside. Shelby Lewis led the charge in every sense, finishing 2-for-3 with 5 RBIs while also controlling the game in the circle, setting the tone from start to finish. Kate Reynolds delivered a huge day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs and multiple extra-base hits, coming through in big moments when Riverside needed to break the game open. Raigan Monahan added to the pressure with a run-scoring hit and multiple runs scored, while Mikayla Smith and Cassidy Merrifield kept traffic moving all game long, combining for 6 runs scored and constantly putting Honesdale on their heels. Mackenzie Keller reached base and scored three times, showing patience at the plate, and Caitie Beecham and Tierra Schiavo both contributed RBIs to keep the momentum rolling. It was not just one player — it was a complete team effort, a lineup that stayed relentless from top to bottom, and a performance that showed exactly what Riverside is capable of when everything starts clicking together.

And maybe that is what made this one feel bigger than just another mark in the win column.

Yes, Riverside needed a win.

Yes, they needed to stop the skid.

But more than that, they needed to feel something again.

To feel the reward of showing up. Fighting. Believing.

That is what this game looked like.

It looked like a team refusing to stay down.

It looked like a leader stepping up.

And it looked like Riverside — for one night — reminding everybody what it looks like when fight finally turns into results.

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Special thanks to our sponsors — Andy’s Pizza, Tasty Freeze, and Lewis Brothers — along with everyone who has contributed and donated to help make our softball season coverage and podcast shows possible. Your support means everything.

🧠 AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH — MY STORY

Written by: Jeric Yurkanin

March 13th, 2026…
I found out I was diagnosed with autism — Level 1.

And honestly…
my whole life suddenly made sense.

I was raised in evangelical Christianity.
Fear of hell. End-times. Sin.
What most people would call “normal” American Christianity.

I didn’t question it.
I trusted it.

Then at 25… I went ALL IN.

Not halfway.
Not casually.

Fully committed. Obsessed.
I loved it. I believed it.

But here’s what I didn’t understand at the time:

Autistic minds don’t do “gray.”

We see things clearly.
Literally.
Black and white.

So when I read the Bible…
I didn’t see metaphor.

I saw truth.

Absolute. Unchanging. Final.

And that intensity?

It can be powerful…
but it can also be dangerous.

Because when you take everything literally —
without understanding history, context, or change —
you can start believing things that don’t hold up.

So I did what my brain naturally does…

I went deeper.

I researched.
I studied.
I questioned everything.

And slowly…

the cracks started to show.
• “God never changes”… but everything around Him did
• Churches changed
• Teachings changed
• Politics changed

Depending on where you went…
God looked different.

That didn’t sit right with me.

So I kept asking:

If faith healers are real… why aren’t they in hospitals?
Why does so much money stay in churches instead of helping people?
Why doesn’t behavior match what’s preached?

By 2023…

After years of wrestling with it…

I walked away from institutional Christianity.

And that wasn’t easy.

If you knew me — you know how real my faith was.

Now let me be clear:

I’m not saying God doesn’t exist.
I’m not saying there’s no afterlife.

I’m saying…

I don’t know.

And I’m okay with that.

What I DO believe:

Be kind.
Be compassionate.
Be a good human.

That matters more than anything.

But here’s the part I want people to understand…

Autism didn’t just make things harder.

It gave me strengths.

It made me:
• Focused
• Committed
• Honest
• Unafraid to ask hard questions

And even my time in that faith?

It wasn’t wasted.

It taught me discipline.
Passion.
Purpose.

And here’s where this connects to sports…

That same mindset?

That intensity… that focus…

That’s what makes athletes on the spectrum different.

And sometimes…

that difference becomes their greatest strength.

So this Autism Awareness Month…

It’s not just about awareness.

It’s about understanding.

It’s about recognizing that
different doesn’t mean less.

Sometimes…

it means wired for something special.

This is my story.

Not everyone’s.

But it’s real.

And for the first time in my life…

it’s honest.

💙

AutismAwarenessMonth #DifferentNotLess #AgapeFreedomSports #BeKind #TruthMatters

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

After taking a tough 21-1 loss to Montrose last week, the Raiders did not just need another game on the schedule — they needed a response. They needed a chance to remind themselves, and everyone watching, who they really are.

And that is exactly what they gave.

Blue Ridge dug deep and found a way to pull one out, showing the kind of toughness that does not always show up on the scoreboard after a bad loss, but shows up in how a team answers it. Because sometimes the biggest statement a team can make is not when everything is going right. Sometimes it is what happens after things fall apart.

There is an old saying: it is not about how many times you get knocked down, it is about how many times you get back up.

A team can get hit hard. A team can struggle. A team can have a day where nothing seems to go right. But what matters most is the response. What matters is whether you stay down or rise again.

That is what made this win feel important.

It was not just a win in the standings. It felt like a reminder of resilience. A reminder of fight. A reminder that one ugly loss does not define a team unless you let it.

Thomas Edison is often remembered for failing thousands of times before finally helping create the incandescent light bulb. The people around him did not just see failure — they saw relentless persistence. They saw someone who refused to quit, someone who treated every setback like a lesson instead of a finish line.

That is what this felt like for Blue Ridge.

This was not about pretending last week did not happen. It was about learning from it, growing from it, and refusing to let it become the whole story. The Raiders showed that setbacks do not have to break you. Sometimes they wake you up.

And on this day, Blue Ridge answered the challenge.

They got back up. They kept fighting. And they came away with a much-needed win that felt bigger than just one game.

Lackawanna Trail came out in the top of the first with intent, energy, and confidence. You could feel it right away — aggressive baserunning, pressure at the plate, putting balls in play, and forcing things to happen. A run scored. Then another. A misplay extended the inning. A passed ball brought one home. Another hit dropped. Before you could even settle in, before Blue Ridge could catch its breath, it was 5-0. Just like that.

And for a moment, you could feel it.

That quiet tension. That uneasy feeling creeping in. That “here we go again” kind of start where everything feels just a little too familiar.

But this time, something shifted.

Because Blue Ridge did not stay there.

They did not let that inning define them.

They answered.

And it did not happen all at once — it built. Slowly. Then suddenly.

In the bottom of the first, Abby Piechocki doubled to get Blue Ridge going. Hailey Carpenetti then popped out, but the Raiders kept applying pressure. Hailey Champang hit a ground ball and reached on an error, allowing Piechocki to score and cut the deficit to 5-1. Moments later, Harper Gallagher hit a ground ball and reached on another error, bringing Champang home to make it 5-2 Lackawanna Trail.

Blue Ridge then came back out and held Lackawanna Trail scoreless in the top of the second, giving the Raiders a chance to keep building momentum.

In the bottom of the second, Blewett walks. then first crack appeared, Trista Laude stepped in and lined a single to center. Blewett scored. It was 5-3 A spark. Then Natalie Bailey reached, keeping the inning alive and forcing Lackawanna Trail to keep playing defense. You could feel the pressure start to turn. Then came execution, as Payton Rutter laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving runners into scoring position and doing the little things that change softball games.

And then came the swing that woke everything up.

Abby Piechocki drove a line shot into left field, and two runs scored. Just like that, it was 5-5. Tie game. In one moment, everything changed. The dugout came alive. Voices got louder. Energy flipped. The field did not feel the same anymore.

“Abby is a solid contact hitter who is capable of taking the ball to both sides of the field. She is the perfect definition of taking it where it is pitched. As a freshman, she has always had such a smooth, timed swing. She is as comfortable with two strikes as she is with one, and she is one I want at the plate when we need something to happen.” Stated Blue Ridge Head Coach Henry Glover

But Blue Ridge was not done.

Not even close.

Hailey Carpenetti stepped in next and delivered a clutch double to left field. Piechocki scored. Suddenly, Blue Ridge had turned a five-run hole into a 6-5 lead. In a matter of minutes, the entire softball game turned.

That was the moment.

That was the response.

And from there, Blue Ridge did not let go.

They kept coming.

In the third, the Raiders turned pressure into production again. Natalie Bailey came through with a huge double to center, driving in two more runs, and you could feel Lackawanna Trail starting to chase the game instead of control it. The inning had that chaotic, fast-paced feel — balls in play, runners moving, throws coming in hot — but Blue Ridge stayed aggressive. Stayed confident. Stayed in attack mode. Payton Rutter followed with an RBI single to center, and then another run came across when Carpenetti put the ball in play and an error allowed yet another Raider to score.

The scoreboard kept moving.

The momentum kept building.

And Blue Ridge kept pushing.

In the fourth, it did not slow down. Trista Laude stayed locked in, lining another RBI single. Natalie Bailey followed again with another hit and another run. Every at-bat felt like pressure. Every pitch felt like it mattered. It was not just offense — it was controlled aggression, confidence, and belief.

Meanwhile, in the circle, Carpenetti settled in after that first inning and flipped the script there too. Strikeout. Another one. Big moments, big pitches. She got Kacie Antolick swinging. Froze Averie Higgins looking. Worked through traffic without letting it break her. What started shaky turned into control, command, and composure.

That is how softball games turn.

That is how teams respond.

And then came the swing that made sure there would be no doubt.

In the sixth inning, Blue Ridge was already in control, but still hungry, still attacking. Carpenetti stepped in again — and this time, she sent one deep to center field for a two-run home run. No question. No hesitation. Just a clean, confident swing that pushed the lead to 15-8 and felt like the final word.

“In my at bat, I was going in with a hunter mentality. I knew I needed to put the ball in play to score the runner who was on. It did not matter where it was placed — a barreled ball is what my team needed in the moment,” said Hailey Carpenetti.

She continued: “I try my best to carry my momentum back and forth from the mound to the plate, keeping a competitive mentality no matter the situation — using success as fuel to continue the fire, as well as failure to light the fire of a constant competitor.”

“Hailey lives in the moment. She thrives on the big stage because of her composure. Whether we are up, down, or in a battle, her even demeanor keeps her in control of the game,” said Blue Ridge Head Coach Henry Glover.

That was not just another run.

That was a statement.

That was a response you could feel.

From there, Blue Ridge finished it off, closing it out the way it had played the entire middle of the softball game — steady, confident, and in control.

Because this was not just a win.

This was a response.

This was resilience.

This was a team that got knocked down early, took the punch, felt the moment, and decided it was not going to end that way.

From a 5-0 deficit to a 15-8 win, Blue Ridge did not just bounce back — it took control of the softball game piece by piece. A hit here. A bunt there. A clutch swing. A shutdown inning. It all added up. It all built into something bigger.

They got back up.

They kept fighting.

And on this day, inning by inning, swing by swing, pitch by pitch, they reminded everyone exactly who they are.

Blue Ridge finished with 15 runs on 18 hits, showing just how complete the response was after that early five-run hole. Abby Piechocki led the charge with a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Trista Laude also had four hits and drove in two, while Hailey Carpenetti delivered one of the biggest all-around performances of the afternoon, finishing with two hits, including a double and a two-run home run, while driving in three. Natalie Bailey added two hits, including a key double, and knocked in three more runs, while Payton Rutter chipped in an RBI and helped set the tone with the small-ball execution that helped change the game’s momentum.

“We were down early in the game, and the energy in the dugout was down. I knew I needed to produce for my girls. Our energy started to shift when the bats lit up. One of my favorite sayings, ‘pass the bat,’ really came alive during today’s game. Once the momentum started, it was going to be hard to stop it,” said Hailey Carpenetti.

Blewett scored three runs and reached base consistently with three walks, while Blue Ridge as a team showed patience too, drawing six free passes. The extra-base hits kept coming, with doubles from Piechocki, Carpenetti, and Bailey, and Carpenetti’s home run serving as the exclamation point. Blue Ridge also stayed aggressive on the bases, getting stolen bases from Hailey Champang and Blewett.

“Once they start getting hot, it definitely changes the aura of the game behind them. We have them bat close in the order for that reason. A few have possibilities of a lot at that point. Players always feed off the vibe. They do a good job of keeping that vibe high,” said Henry Glover.

Lackawanna Trail finished with eight runs on six hits and was sparked early by Shelby Malamud, who scored three times, collected two hits, and tripled. Payton Laytos added a hit, two runs scored, and an RBI, while the Lions also drew six walks and created pressure with aggressive baserunning. But after the opening inning, Blue Ridge settled in and flipped the entire feel of the game, turning early trouble into a statement win that felt about far more than just one result in the standings.

And maybe that is the part that will last the longest.

Not the final score. Not even the comeback itself.

But the reminder.

That this team does not break when things go wrong.

That this team responds.

That this team believes.

Because long after the scoreboard resets and the next game comes around, this one will still echo — as proof of who Blue Ridge is when it is tested, and who it becomes when it answers.

————————

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

After an hour trip up to Binghamton from Jessup, Pennsylvania near Scranton Pennsylvania area, to cover the Binghamton Bearcats taking on Albany, the drive itself felt like part of the story.

About halfway there, the highway turned rough — bumpy, full of potholes, and not exactly the kind of ride that makes you feel relaxed heading into game time. But once I arrived, all of that quickly faded into the background.

Because this was a beautiful day for softball.

The sun was out. The weather felt just right. And for a Friday early afternoon game, there was a pretty solid crowd in attendance. Even better, there were some locals in the stands from Archbald, Pennsylvania, and the Valley View Cougars area, there to support a player from their hometown — a cool reminder of just how far the love of softball can travel.

And honestly… who could blame them?

Who doesn’t love softball?

From the very first pitch, you could feel the tension in the air.

Albany came out aggressive in the top of the first and immediately applied pressure, putting two runners on base and making it clear they did not make the trip to Binghamton just to ease into the afternoon. For a moment, you could feel the energy shift — that early-game feeling where one big hit can change everything before fans have even had time to settle into their seats.

But Binghamton never looked rattled.

The Bearcats stayed composed, locked in defensively, and came up with a huge double play that slammed the door on the threat and kept Albany off the scoreboard.

Just like that, the crowd had a reason to get louder. And the Binghamton dugout got louder too — clapping, shouting, and feeding off the energy. They had every reason to.

And just like that, the tone of the afternoon began to take shape.

In the top of the second, that pressure only got heavier.

Albany kept coming.

The Great Danes loaded the bases and put Binghamton in another dangerous spot — the kind of inning where one clean swing can open everything up. But once again, the Bearcats’ defense answered the moment.

Not once, but twice, Binghamton cut down Albany at the plate.

First, Deanna Grahek was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice — a huge defensive stand. Then, moments later, Kasey Conn was also cut down trying to score. When Sara Anderson reached on another fielder’s choice, Binghamton finished the job by getting Julia Pike out at second.

Bases loaded. Traffic everywhere.

Nothing to show for it.

Top of the second — Albany’s Vanessa Meyers reached on a fielder’s choice, Kasey Conn stole second, Kaitlyn Parisi singled, and both Julia Pike and Sara Anderson reached on fielder’s choices — but Binghamton recorded two massive outs at home and another at second to escape the inning tied 0-0.

And then… the game flipped.

Bottom of the second — Lauren Payne singled to right-center. Emilia Podeszwa came in to pinch run. Emma Lawson reached on a fielder’s choice.

Then came the moment.

Elisa Allen stepped to the plate — and didn’t miss.

She crushed a ball to left-center, sending it over the wall. The Binghamton faithful jumped to their feet. Clapping. Cheering. One fan yelled, “The party’s just getting started… LET’S GO!”

You could feel the energy.

That swing gave the Bearcats a 2-0 lead — and the dugout came alive.

“I was looking to make something happen. I knew everyone had my back, and I wanted to create a spark,” said Binghamton junior catcher Elisa Allen. “We talked about scoring every inning, making something happen, and it worked.”

In the top half, Binghamton’s defense stayed sharp, holding Albany scoreless once again.

“All we talk about is knocking it down and making a good play,” Allen added. “We all have a lot of trust in each other, and everyone on our team is really talented. Big things happen in big situations.”

Bottom of the third — and the Bearcats kept swinging.

After a flyout to right, Rebecca Minnichbach launched one to center field — another home run. 3-0 Binghamton.

Rachel Carey worked a walk. Darien McDonough followed with a single. Maddy Dodig added another hit, and Carey came around to score.

4-0.

The bats were hot. The energy kept building.

It felt like a Good Friday — and for Binghamton, it was.

Top of the fourth — Albany finally broke through.

Kasey Conn walked. Vanessa Meyers doubled. Then Sara Anderson delivered, lining a single to right field that brought home two runs.

Just like that, it was 4-2.

Albany had life.

But Binghamton answered right back.

Bottom of the fourth — Megan Wolf dropped a single down the right field line that hugged the chalk. Akira Kopec reached on an error. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position.

Then Rachel Carey came through, lining a two-RBI single down the left field line.

Back to a four-run lead.

6-2.

Top of the fifth — Albany kept fighting.

Mary Kate Murray blasted a home run to left near the scoreboard. 6-3.

Taylor Quinn followed with a triple to right — a diving attempt in the outfield just missed, the ball popping out of the glove.

But Binghamton held the line.

Bottom of the fifth — and once again, Elisa Allen delivered.

Another swing. Another home run — this time to right field.

She was locked in.

7-3.

As the game moved into the sixth inning, Binghamton was in control — but they weren’t done.

In the top half, Olivia Kennedy stepped into the circle and did exactly what you want from a late-inning pitcher protecting a lead — she stayed calm.

A groundout. A single. Another groundout. Routine play to first.

No damage.

Then came the bottom half — and that’s where the Bearcats put it away.

Akira Kopec worked a walk. Rebecca Minnichbach followed with a single.

The pressure was on.

After a pop-up for the first out, Darien McDonough delivered — ripping an RBI double to center field. Kopec scored.

Then Maddy Dodig added a sacrifice fly.

Just like that, it was 9-3.

Not flashy.

Just winning softball.

By the time the seventh inning arrived, the feeling in the park had shifted. Albany needed something — anything.

But Binghamton was already in control.

A strikeout looking opened the inning. A walk gave a brief flicker of hope, but it didn’t last. A groundout to first. Then another routine play to second.

Ballgame.

Afterward, Rebecca Minnichbach reflected on the win and what it could carry into tomorrow.

“This win was amazing — we’re pumped now,” Minnichbach said. “It’s supposed to be beautiful weather for our doubleheader, and we’re excited.”

Clean.

Efficient.

Controlled.

No comeback. No late drama.

Just a statement finish.

From the circle to the plate, Binghamton closed it out the right way — turning early tension into complete control and walking off the field with a convincing 9-3 win.

And when you step back and look at it, this one was won in two places — the defense and the bats.

Binghamton’s defense set the tone early, shutting down multiple Albany scoring threats and refusing to let the Great Danes break through when it mattered most. And at the plate, the Bearcats made those big at-bats count all afternoon.

Binghamton finished with 9 runs on 12 hits, while Albany scored 3 runs on 9 hits. Elisa Allen delivered a huge day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and two home runs. Rebecca Minnichbach also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a home run, while Darien McDonough stayed hot with a 3-for-4 performance and an RBI. Rachel Carey added 2 RBIs, and Maddy Dodig drove in 2 more to help power the Bearcats offense.

In the circle, Savanna McHale picked up the win after throwing 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits with 3 walks. Olivia Kennedy closed it out over the final 2 innings, allowing just 1 hit and no runs while helping seal the win.

Albany was led by Sara Anderson, who drove in 2 runs, while Mary Kate Murray added a solo homer. Vanessa Meyers and Deanna Grahek each had doubles, and Taylor Quinn added a triple for the Great Danes.

But in the end, Binghamton’s timely hitting, early defensive stops, and complete team effort were simply too much.

That combination?

That’s how you win games like this.

Tomorrow they have a doubleheader vs Albany, 12pm and 2pm. 

———————-

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Mid Valley Spartanettes lost the majority of their infield starters from last season — a team that made a run all the way to the state semifinals.

It was a real concern around the program.

You could feel it.

I remember standing along the fence during warmups before last year’s league championship game, talking with one of the seniors’ moms. Even in that moment — with everything still right in front of them — her mind drifted ahead. She mentioned how worried she was about the following season, knowing just how much Mid Valley was about to lose in the infield.

And honestly… I understood it.

That’s a natural thought.

But I remember my response clear as day — focus on this year.

Because that’s always been my mindset.

And beyond that… good programs don’t panic. Good coaches don’t rebuild.

They reload.

And when you talk about that kind of consistency, that kind of culture, you’re talking about a coach like Michael Piercy — one of the top softball minds in District 2.

Fast forward to today.

After another strong win, the Spartanettes sit at 5-1 on the season. And this hasn’t been a soft start — they’ve already been tested against quality teams.

But what stood out most wasn’t just the win.

It was the answer.

All those questions from the offseason… they’ve already been answered.

The youth. The new starters. The next group.

They’re ready.

“The last couple years, everybody seems to say it’s going to be a rebuilding year for us, and we keep proving them wrong. Coach Piercy sets high goals and expectations, so coming onto the team, everybody knows how they need to play to be a part of such a successful team. Our local youth programs also play a huge part in building our players, allowing us to play and learn from a very young age. As it’s my fourth and final year on this team, I’ve gotten the chance to play with so many amazing athletes and young women, but I think the most important part is that whether or not everyone is friends, at softball we all come together to work as a team and cheer each other on. Both the coaches and the girls play a huge role in that,” said Mid Valley’s Abby Mackey.

And nowhere is that more evident than in the infield — the very area that once felt like the biggest question mark.

That freshman shortstop? Angela Laskowski.

She hasn’t just stepped in… she’s taken over.

She leads the team in batting average, hits, and runs scored, and she’s already launched two home runs this season. For a freshman, in that spot, in this program… that’s not just impressive.

That’s program-defining.

And she’s not alone.

Sophomores Avery Tinney and Ariana Davey — both first-year starters — have stepped right into the fire and delivered. Tinney is tied for second on the team with a .500 average, while Davey continues to produce right behind her.

That’s not rebuilding.

That’s reloading.

That’s culture.

That’s coaching.

That’s what Michael Piercy does best.

“I like how well Coach prepares us for games and big-game situations. He makes sure to work with the team so we can become as strong as we are,” said Ava Hazleton.

“One of our main focuses as a team is the importance of the moment. You can only control what is happening at the time, so if you win enough small plays or outs, eventually you win the game. In our dugout, we have a sign that we need to hit every time we enter — it says ‘I’m in.’ I think that this is a huge part of our team’s success because when we hit that sign and walk onto the field, we’re committing ourselves to the team. No one person is winning any of our games for us — it’s a group effort. If we didn’t work together and encourage each other, we wouldn’t be successful,” Mackey added.

Now let’s take you to today — Mid Valley vs. Old Forge.

You could feel it early.

This was one of those games where both teams came out sharp, locked in, and ready.

Top of the first, Ava Hazleton set the tone right away.

Three up, three down.

Clean. Efficient. Confident.

Old Forge answered in the bottom half with the same kind of energy. Scoreless. Tight. The kind of start that made it feel like this one might take a little while to crack open.

And it did.

In the bottom of the second, Mid Valley struck first.

Avery Tinney ripped a double to right, and Natalie Hricenak followed with one of her own to center, driving Tinney in. Just like that, the Spartanettes had a 1-0 lead, and you could feel the energy begin to shift.

By the third, Mid Valley started stacking pressure.

Angela Laskowski lined a single to center. Parker Bennett followed with a single to left. Then Ariana Davey stepped in and delivered, knocking a single to center that brought Laskowski home for a 2-0 lead.

“My first at-bat really gave me feedback on what I needed to do in my next at-bats during the game. I made adjustments based on what she was throwing.” Said Angela Laskowski

She added: “We prepare to face skilled pitchers every day in practice. That preparation gives us the confidence to hit smart and aggressive.”

“It’s very important for me and the top of the lineup because we strive to set a standard for the game. Our whole team is playing as one right now. We all feed off each others energy and we try to be consistent through the lineup.” Said Angela Laskowski

Moments later, Tinney put the ball in play, Bennett crossed the plate, and the lead grew to 3-0.

Mid Valley still wasn’t done.

Another run came home on a groundout, pushing the lead to 4-0 as the Spartanettes kept building — calm, steady, and in control.

But Old Forge didn’t go away.

In the fourth, the Blue Devils answered.

Kate O’Hearn doubled. Lilianna Lenceski worked a walk. Juliette DeStefano came through with an RBI hit. Then another hit followed. Then another.

Just like that, the Mid Valley lead was cut to 4-3.

You could feel the tension creep right back into the game.

Momentum was starting to lean.

That’s when good teams respond.

And in the fifth, Mid Valley responded in a big way.

Hazleton reached. Tinney got on. Marley Morano dropped down a bunt single.

Bases loaded.

Then came the moment.

Natalie Hricenak stepped in — and didn’t miss.

A blast to center.

Gone.

A grand slam that exploded off the bat, blew the game back open, and sent a jolt through the entire field.

Just like that, it was 8-3.

“Natalie brings a lot of experience from last season and has proven that she’s a legitimate threat at the plate. She has a naturally happy demeanor and doesn’t let previous mistakes affect her next at-bat. Her grand slam was a game changer. I couldn’t be prouder of her,” said Mid Valley head coach Michael Piercy.

Momentum?

Back. Fully.

From there, Mid Valley tightened its grip.

The Spartanettes added another run in the sixth to make it 9-3. The defense stayed sharp. The energy stayed high. And the pressure stayed on Old Forge.

“It’s very important to me, especially being a third-year starter, to make key hits and plays. Pitch selection and attacking the ball early in the count that I think I can get ahold of really helps me. Getting on base and creating havoc is how we win games,” said Mid Valley third baseman Parker Bennett.

She added, “Old Forge came out super aggressive, and we had to match that energy. Being loud and cheering everyone on really helped us collect the important hits we needed to win this game today.”

To its credit, Old Forge made one last push in the seventh.

A walk. A double. A couple of runs scored.

For a moment, it made things interesting.

But not interesting enough.

Because this Mid Valley team didn’t flinch.

And when it was all said and done, the Spartanettes had piled up 14 hits in a complete offensive performance from top to bottom.

Angela Laskowski led the way with three hits, continuing to prove that the moment is not too big for her — not even close. Avery Tinney added two hits and scored twice, while Marley Morano drove in two and made her presence felt throughout the game.

“Angela is doing a tremendous job so far this season. She loves to play softball and works as hard as anybody. She’s doing a great job of being a terrific teammate and following our expectations. I couldn’t be prouder of her effort and attitude during the first month of the season. We think that if she keeps this up, she has the potential to do some great things,” Piercy said.

“We all knew when Angela was coming up from eighth grade that she was going to have an important role on the team. In the field, she has made many phenomenal plays this year. At the plate, she makes super hard contact and finds holes in the defense,” Bennett said.

“Angela is a great player. She works hard both on and off the field and makes others want to be better in the process. Her success at the plate has contributed greatly to our team so far this season,” Mackey added.

And of course, there was Hricenak.

Two hits. Five RBIs.

And one swing that changed everything.

That grand slam didn’t just add four runs to the scoreboard.

It broke the game open.

And sent a message.

In the circle, Ava Hazleton delivered when it mattered most. She struck out nine, stayed composed, and kept control of the game. Even when Old Forge made that late push, she never let it slip away.

“My curveball and inside drop were definitely working best for me today,” said Mid Valley pitcher Ava Hazleton.

She added, “I finished the game strong by having a positive attitude and a positive mindset.”

Old Forge showed fight. They put pressure on late, made Mid Valley work, and showed they’re a team that is not going to go away quietly this season.

But this one belonged to the Spartanettes.

From the first pitch to the final out, they showed exactly what they’re becoming.

“After the first time around the lineup, we made some adjustments and had some good at-bats. It was good to see our girls make adjustments to their approach based on the pitcher’s tendencies. We stayed poised when Old Forge had runners on base and made some big plays when we needed them,” Piercy said.

Not a team trying to figure things out.

Not a team rebuilding.

A team that already knows who it is.

Final score: Mid Valley 9, Old Forge 5.

And if there were any doubts about this group coming into the season…

They’ve been answered.

Loud and clear.

Because at Mid Valley, reloading isn’t just a mindset.

It’s a standard.

And right now, that standard looks just as strong as ever.

———————————

BY: JERIC YURKANIN

(Update 4/2/26, 8:00 a.m. — About seven hours after the article was published, the game was officially called, making Abington Heights the winner by a 10-3 final score.)

———————-

On a strange, almost eerie afternoon at St. Anthony’s Field, the weather felt like it was in charge from the very beginning.

A little rain moved through early, leaving the Holy Cross field wet and forcing a delay until 5 p.m. as coaches spread rapid dry and tried to rescue the surface. Eventually, the game did start.

But even then, it never really felt normal.

The sky stayed dark and heavy. Clouds hung over the field all afternoon, and with each inning, it felt like the atmosphere kept getting more tense. You could feel it in the air. This was one of those games where everything felt unsettled.

And by the time the sixth inning rolled around, that strange feeling had only grown stronger.

For a while, though, this was a battle.

Abington Heights came to the plate first, and Holy Cross pitcher Ava Schmidt worked around an early walk to Eva Kane. After that, she settled in nicely, recording two pop outs and a strikeout to keep the Lady Comets off the board.

Holy Cross had its first real spark in the bottom of the first when Lila Kolcharno and Ava Schmidt both singled, but Abington’s defense stood tall and got out of the inning without damage.

In the top of the second, Abington went quietly with a quick three up, three down inning.

But in the bottom half, Holy Cross could not get much going either. Abington’s defense stayed sharp, allowed just one hit, and once again slammed the door.

Then came the top of the third, and Abington’s bats started to wake up.

Avery Venesky drilled a single to center field. Avery Brister followed with a single of her own, moving Venesky up to second. Then came one of the first big swings of the afternoon. Adrianna Condrad hammered the ball to left field and drove in both Venesky and Brister, giving Abington Heights a 2-0 lead.

“My first thought in the box was to make contact to move the runners, and I think that definitely helped in those RBI situations where it was just timely hitting, plus my teammates also smoking the ball today and giving us the best chance to win,” said Abington Heights’ Adrianna Condrad.

But Holy Cross did not blink.

In the bottom of the third, the Lady Crusaders answered right back. Ava Schmidt worked a walk, and Jules Galella followed with a single to put Schmidt on second. Then Peyton Graboske delivered a huge moment, ripping a double to center field that brought both Schmidt and Galella home. Just like that, the game was tied 2-2, and you could feel the energy rise again from the Holy Cross side.

Abington, though, was far from finished.

In the top of the fourth, Isabella DeRiggi doubled to center field to get things started. Riley McColligan then drew a walk, and Ella Long reached on a fielder’s choice as DeRiggi was retired while trying to advance. That brought Venesky back up, and she came through in a big way, blasting a triple to right field that scored McColligan and Long to put Abington back in front, 4-2.

“As I was rounding second base and heading to third, all I was able to hear were the cheers and screams from my teammates and coaches in the dugout. I knew that having a big hit like that not only helped my team score more runs, but it made the energy explode in the dugout and is honestly what made that hit so much more special in that moment,” said Abington Heights outfielder Avery Venesky.

She added, “We were trying to keep the momentum going from our Valley View game yesterday, and when I stepped into the box today, I knew that I just had to put the ball in play and help my team out. Going into the game, I knew that Holy Cross had a great pitcher, so I just went up to the plate looking to put the ball into play and to get on base any way that I could.”

Holy Cross could not answer in the bottom of the fourth as Abington’s defense kept control, thanks to Condrad in the circle.

“I think being a pitcher and a hitter helps me see some of the movement and other things. I’m seeing off of the pitcher we’re facing and relaying it back to our team to help put us in the best spot to hit,” stated Adrianna Condrad.

The Lady Comets added another run in the top of the fifth to go up 5-2, but once again Holy Cross showed some fight. In the bottom half, the Lady Crusaders scratched across a run of their own to cut the deficit to 5-3 and keep themselves hanging around.

Then came the top of the sixth.

And that is when everything started to swing heavily in Abington’s favor.

Venesky singled to get things going. Eva Kane followed with a bunt, and then Brister came up with another huge hit, a double that knocked in both Venesky and Kane to make it 7-3. Condrad followed with a single and later moved to second on an error. Another run came in as Brister crossed the plate, stretching the lead to 8-3.

Abington still was not done.

Brianna Bustos drew a walk, and DeRiggi singled to right field, allowing Bustos to move to third. Courtesy runner Brigid O’Malley then came around to score, making it 9-3. Sofia Adamsky followed with a single that brought Bustos home, and suddenly the Lady Comets had blown the game open at 10-3.

“I think as a team, our big thing is that we don’t let up regardless of the situation. We ended up putting in a few pinch hitters, and also for our starting lineup, it was third or fourth at-bats for some girls, so I think they were able to time the pitcher better and make solid contact!” said Adrianna Condrad.

Avery Venesky responded, “Overall, as a team, we go into every game just wanting to put the ball into play, and we look to get on base any way possible. Especially against Holy Cross, we knew that we had to be aggressive and come out swinging at anything close, and that is exactly what we did. Every girl, from our leadoff batter to our last hitter in the lineup, is aggressive at the plate and confident in themselves when they are out there playing, and I think that really showed in our performance today.”

Avery Brister had a big day, collecting three hits, scoring three runs, and driving in two RBIs.

Adrianna Condrad had two hits and three RBIs, while striking out eight batters and allowing just four hits in four innings.

Avery Venesky had three hits, scored two runs, and drove in two RBIs.

And then, almost as if the sky had been warning everyone all afternoon, the game hit its breaking point.

By the bottom of the sixth, St. Anthony’s Field had gone dark. Not cloudy-dark. Not gloomy-dark. Really dark. With no lights, there was no way to keep going. What had already been a strange, weather-filled afternoon turned into a suspended game, delayed and postponed before it could be finished.

So for now, Holy Cross’s undefeated record remains untouched.

At least temporarily.

For a day, a few days, or maybe even longer, it still hangs there.

But when—or if—this game resumes, Abington Heights will step back onto that field with the same edge, the same fire, and a 10-3 grip on a game that already felt like it was slipping away from Holy Cross long before the final out could be recorded.

Because this one didn’t end.

It paused.

Frozen in a moment where momentum had already chosen its side.

The sky went dark… but the story didn’t.

And when or if game resumes—whenever that may be—so will the tension, the noise, the pressure of a game that never got its ending.

Holy Cross is still undefeated.

But it doesn’t feel untouched.

Not anymore.

Because waiting on the other side… is an Abington Heights team that already proved something on that field.

Now they just have to finish it.

 

———————————

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Lakeland came into this season with something to prove.

After finishing 6-14 a year ago, the Lady Chiefs knew that record did not tell the full story. Too many of those losses were close. Too many games felt like they were right there, only to slip away. A season like that can either shake a team’s confidence or light something inside of them.

For Lakeland, it clearly lit a fire.

The Lady Chiefs had already shown flashes of what they could be. They picked up a dramatic walk-off win over Blue Ridge, then followed it up by mercy-ruling Forest City 15-0. But on Friday, they found themselves on the other side of it, getting mercy-ruled by Holy Cross.

And you could feel what that did.

The frustration. The hunger. The edge.

There was some blood boiling, and Lakeland looked like a team that showed up Tuesday ready to take it out on somebody.

On a beautiful day for softball, the Lady Chiefs made the trip to Honesdale and wasted little time taking control.

This was not a day where Lakeland came to hang around, test the waters, or slowly figure out what kind of team it could be.

The Lady Chiefs came to take ownership of the game.

Right from the start, Lakeland let its bats do some talking — but just as importantly, its patience at the plate spoke just as loudly. The Lady Chiefs may have finished with only seven hits, but they turned the afternoon into a long one for Honesdale by drawing 19 walks and applying constant pressure from inning to inning.

And honestly, that matters.

Not every win has to look pretty on paper. You cannot score if you do not get on base, and Lakeland found way after way to do exactly that. Whether it came from a hit, a disciplined at-bat, or a free pass, the Lady Chiefs kept the line moving, kept runners on base, and kept themselves in control.

It may not have been flashy in every inning, but it was effective.

And for a Lakeland team trying to turn last year’s close losses into confident wins this spring, that is exactly the kind of performance that matters.

From the very first at-bat, Lakeland looked locked in.

Leading off for the Lady Chiefs, Mick Eremo set the tone by ripping a single toward shortstop and reaching safely. Zoey Gregory followed by working a walk, and just like that, Lakeland had traffic on the bases early.

Then came Olivia Lach.

Lach sent a ball into left field that brought Gregory home, although Eremo had been thrown out trying to steal third before the play finished developing. Even so, the Lady Chiefs were on the board first, grabbing a 1-0 lead and putting Honesdale on its heels almost immediately.

“I was looking for a good pitch to hit while also making sure I stayed disciplined in the box,” said Lakeland’s Olivia Lach.

She added, “Capitalizing on runs early in the game is very important for our team, but also locking down on defense is what wins us these games. Our approach at the plate today was to see pitches and be patient in the box. Working the count and being disciplined helped us do that.”

Lakeland was only getting started.

Lach later came around to score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. Abby Ross drew a walk. Alix Roberts followed with another walk. Tori Wormuth then delivered a single that brought Ross across the plate for a 3-0 lead. A groundout by Kendell Sewitsky still produced a run as Roberts crossed home, stretching the lead to 4-0, and before the inning could finally end, Wormuth scored on another wild pitch.

Just like that, Lakeland had hung a five-spot in the opening inning.

And in the bottom half, the Lady Chiefs’ defense made sure the momentum stayed exactly where it was. Lakeland retired Honesdale in order, shutting down any chance of an early answer and sending a message that this would be a long afternoon for the home team.

The second inning felt a lot like the first.

Eremo worked a walk. Gregory followed with another walk. Lach put the ball in play and, even on a groundout, Lakeland still found a way to score as Eremo came home to make it 6-0. Gregory also scored in the inning, pushing the lead to 7-0, while Ross, Roberts, and Sewitsky all reached via walk as Lakeland continued to wear down Honesdale pitch by pitch.

Once again, Lakeland’s defense answered with another shutdown inning in the bottom half, recording another three-up, three-down frame and keeping complete control of the game.

By the third inning, the Lady Chiefs were no longer just in control.

They were pouring it on.

Eremo opened the inning with a double, Gregory reached again with a walk, and Lach stayed hot with a single that brought Eremo home for an 8-0 advantage. Roberts then lined a single into left field, allowing Gregory to score and making it 9-0. Wormuth followed with a walk, Lach crossed the plate to push it to 10-0, and Ross later came around on a wild pitch to make it 11-0.

“I had a lot of confidence in myself and the team behind me when I was at bat,” said Lakeland’s Mick Eremo. “When I’m on base and hear everyone cheering in the dugout, it gives me confidence to run the bases and try to score.”

She continued, “Our pitcher and I both have a lot of trust in our teammates on the field to make the outs when the ball is hit, and I think that’s why everything comes together so well.”

Lakeland still was not done.

Tolerico grounded out, but even that brought home another run as Roberts scored to extend the lead to 12-0.

By that point, every inning felt like pressure. Every at-bat felt like trouble for Honesdale. Lakeland was not just stringing together offense — the Lady Chiefs were forcing mistakes, taking their free bases, capitalizing on opportunities, and never letting the game slow down.

“When there are runners on base, my mindset is just to stay in the box and make contact with the ball any way I can to advance the runners,” said Lakeland’s Alexis Tolerico.

She added, “It’s important to stay aggressive and not let up because it gives the team a cushion, taking some pressure off our shoulders, especially in the field. I think the team as a whole not only made good contact with the ball but got on base any chance we got, which helped us stay ahead.”

Honesdale managed to scratch across one run in the third inning, but there was never any real shift in momentum. Lakeland kept control the rest of the way, eventually finishing off a dominant 17-1 victory in a game that ended after five innings.

“Coming in to today’s game, we were missing two of our main starters. Our girls did a fantastic job by stepping up, staying focused and setting the tone early offensively.  This was so important because it definitely took the pressure off of them defensively. “ Said Lakelands Head Coach, Dana Diskin

She added: “This year our focus was to have better “at bats” and bat approaches.  Looking for our pitch to hit, and if that doesn’t come, gracefully taking a walk.  Anyway to get on base, to eventually score as many runs as we can. Our pitching and fielding was spot on today.  We needed this for our confidence coming off of a tough loss from holy cross.  As long as our defense minimizes the errors, we should have a great competitive season.”

For the Lady Chiefs, this was more than just a win.

It was a response.

A response to last year’s frustrating close losses. A response to Friday’s tough defeat against Holy Cross. And maybe most importantly, it was a reminder of what Lakeland can look like when it plays aggressive, disciplined softball and puts constant pressure on an opponent from the first pitch to the last.

Tuesday in Honesdale, the Lady Chiefs didn’t just win.

They made a statement.

——————————————-

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Valley View’s Lady Cougars made the trip down to Wilkes-Barre on Monday afternoon for a showdown with Holy Redeemer, last season’s District 2 Class 2A champions.

But this one felt a whole lot different than the Cougars’ season opener.

The sun was out. Temperatures sat in the mid-60s. For one of the first times this season, it actually felt like spring softball had finally arrived.

And Valley View looked ready for it.

After surviving a sloppy opener against Pittston Area last week — a game where the Cougars struggled defensively, had shaky moments in the circle, and let things get a lot tighter than they probably should have — Valley View came into this one looking like a team with something to prove.

Yes, they escaped with a dramatic walk-off win, thanks to shortstop Cora Castellani’s two-run double.

But even in victory, the Cougars knew that was not their cleanest brand of softball.

It was messy. It was uneven. At times, it was ugly.

Still, it was also the first game of the season. A few players had only wrapped up basketball about two weeks earlier, and sometimes early-season rust shows up before rhythm does.

This time, though, Valley View looked much more like Valley View.

The defense was sharper. The energy was steadier. The pitching was in command.

And against Holy Redeemer, the Lady Cougars came out with purpose from the very first inning.

You could feel it early.

The bats were alive.

The dugout had energy.

The momentum was real.

In the top of the first, Ella Swingle worked a walk against Holy Redeemer pitcher Ava Thomas to get things started. After Castellani popped out, Abbi Call stepped in and wasted no time making noise, hammering a ball to left field for an RBI double that brought Swingle home and gave Valley View a 1-0 lead.

Courtesy runner Carissa Jenner came on for Call, and the Cougars kept right on pressing.

Sophomore catcher Maggie Hallett, one of Valley View’s other dangerous bats, smoked a single to left field, and suddenly you could feel the Cougars feeding off the moment. Jenner later raced home to make it 2-0, and the inning kept snowballing from there.

“Maggie has a big impact on the team. She plays one of the hardest positions on the field and does very well. She is a great player, and I can’t wait to see what she does in the future,” said Abbi Call.

“Today my mentality was just see ball, hit ball. Hearing the cheering from the dugout really helped me out at the plate because I knew all my teammates had my back. My catching was good because I have trust in my pitchers, and I always know that my coach will make the right decision in the end. Having my teammates there for me is always going to boost my game and make me the best player I can be,” said Valley View catcher Maggie Hallett.

She added: “I stayed locked in by watching the game and every at-bat. I’d watch a pitcher and time her up, and that was what caused me to get some of the hits I had today. When I’m catching, I just focus on playing catch with my pitcher and making the best decisions I can on the field.”

Zoie Krupovich then delivered a hit to center field, and courtesy runner Lilly Smith — in for Hallett — used her speed to fly around and score, stretching the lead to 3-0.

Valley View was rolling.

Ashlan Palickar followed with a single to reach base. MadyMinnelli was retired on strikes, but the inning still had more left in it. Liv Lemoncelli came through with a single that brought home two more runs, and just like that, the Lady Cougars had blown the game open early with a 5-0 lead.

From there, Valley View took complete control.

Holy Redeemer was held scoreless through the first four innings as the Cougars’ defense settled in and the pitching kept everything quiet.

Then came the fifth.

Ella Swingle crushed a ball to center field and turned it into a triple, and not long after, Castellani lifted a sacrifice fly to bring her home and make it 6-0 Valley View.

And even with the lead already in hand, the Cougars never let up.

In the fifth and sixth innings, Valley View’s defense and pitching continued to lock things down, keeping Holy Redeemer off the board and never allowing any real momentum to build.

Then in the top of the seventh, Valley View added one more.

Abbi Call singled, and Maggie Hallett dropped down a bunt that led to a catcher’s error, allowing Call to come home with the final run of the afternoon.

That made it 7-0.

“Our hitting was a lot better today. We showed up wanting to win, and we are ready to come out tomorrow against Abington,” said Abbi Call.

“Everyone adjusted at the plate and put the ball into play. Everyone in the lineup helped one another, and we came together as a team. There was a lot of communication this game, and everyone trusted one another to make the play and back our pitchers up,” said Valley View senior third baseman Ella Swingle.

She continued: “Everyone worked together as a team and won the game together. People fed off the first hit to the last.”

And fittingly, the Lady Cougars finished it the same way they had controlled it most of the day — with clean defense and strong pitching.

Abbi Call pitched five innings and was perfect through those five, allowing no hits and just two walks. She was just as strong at the plate, finishing with three hits, one RBI, and one run scored.

“I knew I had to come back. Failure makes me want to push harder to succeed. I worked in the cages the last few days, breaking down my mechanics and focusing on the small things,” said Abbi Call.

“Abbi Call had a wonderful day. She has this laser focus that is incredible to witness. Reasons like that are why she is a next-level player,” said Valley View head coach Mia Wascura.

Holy Redeemer was turned away again in the bottom of the seventh, and Valley View walked off the field with a complete, convincing shutout victory.

If last week was about surviving, this one was about responding.

“Our team came out big and set the tone early for sure. These kids know everybody is going to have their best games against them. Our approach at the plate has stayed the same. We are always looking for our pitch to hit and making adjustments within the at-bat,” said head coach Mia Wascura.

She added: “We really repped a ton defensively this past week. We are ironing out all of the kinks. The pitchers know that our defense has their back, so they are pitching with continued confidence every game.”

This looked more like the Valley View team people expected to see.

Sharper.

Cleaner.

More confident.

“The confidence that we had in this game was definitely much better than what we had going into the last game. I think we played more as a team today, and the team chemistry looked much better. There were fewer errors and more communication, which led to greater plays being made,” said Maggie Hallett.

She continued: “Everybody was talking before each play, and we’d cheer each other on, and that led to a greater amount of energy in the dugout and confidence in one another. Nobody was really sitting down — we were all up cheering the entire game. Every time somebody got a hit, we’d be up, and that carried into the next at-bats. If someone made an error or struck out, we were there to pick them up. That led to the win we achieved today.”

And now, after a 7-0 performance, the Lady Cougars head into an even bigger test Tuesday with a showdown against a very strong Abington Heights team that can hit, pitch, and defend with just about anybody.

—————————-

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Down at John Derenick Park, home of the Riverside Lady Vikings, only a handful of fans had made their way in early on this chilly Sunday afternoon.

But as game time got closer… they came.

Cars pulled up. Doors slammed. Jackets zipped tight.

Fans walked in with hands tucked in pockets, breath visible in the air—settling into one of those early-spring softball days where winter still hasn’t fully let go.

Riverside came in looking for a response after Thursday’s loss to Pittston Area. A reset. A chance to protect home field and find some early rhythm.

Western Wayne, though… they didn’t come in searching.

They came in ready.

Fresh off a strong win over Holy Redeemer, the Lady Wildcats carried confidence—and more importantly, connection.

Freshman Rheagan Wargo had already made an impact, working a walk and scoring a run in that previous game. Hannah DeStefano added two hits and two runs. Adysen Wargo chipped in with two hits and an RBI.

And on Sunday…

That same energy showed up again.

There was something deeper behind it too.

Sisters. Teammates. Trust.

A bond you could feel from the dugout to the field.

And by the end of the afternoon… it told the story.

Shelby Lewis got the start in the circle for Riverside—and she came out sharp.

On the very first play of the game, Adysen Wargo grounded out to third, the throw across just in time. Khloe Mistishin followed with a ball to center that was handled cleanly, and Sophia Ochlan grounded out from second to first.

Three up. Three down.

Exactly the kind of start Riverside needed.

In the bottom half, the Lady Vikings looked ready to answer.

Emily Chilek went down on strikes to start the inning, but Raigan Monahan worked a walk. Then Kate Reynolds followed with one of her own.

Traffic on the bases.

A moment building.

You could feel it.

But it never broke through.

Mikayla Smith struck out. Cassidy Merrifield followed the same path.

And just like that… the chance was gone.

Western Wayne didn’t miss theirs.

In the top of the second, Hannah DeStefano stepped in and ripped a double—one of those swings that cuts through the cold air and wakes everyone up.

Then Rheagan Wargo came through.

A hit to left… DeStefano scores.

1-0 Lady Wildcats.

“I was just going up there with confidence in myself and hoping I hit the ball hard,” said Wargo. “When we’re on offense, we just have to communicate and make sure we’re all confident when we go to the plate.”

She added,

“In key moments, you just have to stay calm and remember your team is strong and can handle anything.”

From there, the game tightened.

Adysen Wargo and the Lady Wildcats defense locked in during the second.

The third inning? Clean on both sides.

No runs. No room to breathe. Just tension building pitch by pitch.

Then came the fourth.

Riverside finally found a way to crack through.

Shelby Lewis reached on an error. Caitie Beecham dropped down a bunt single. Pressure building.

Then Tierra Schiavo put the ball in play—and another miscue allowed Lewis to cross the plate.

Tie game.

1-1.

For a moment… it felt like everything might shift.

The dugout came alive. The crowd leaned in.

Riverside had answered.

But great teams don’t stay quiet for long.

And Western Wayne answered right back.

Adysen Wargo reached on an outfield error. Khloe Mistishin followed, getting on base and turning up the pressure again.

Then Sophia Ochlan delivered.

A single. A run scores.

2-1 Lady Wildcats.

And still… they weren’t done.

Hannah DeStefano stepped in once more and lifted a sacrifice fly to the outfield. Mistishin tagged and scored.

3-1.

Just like that… Western Wayne had taken control again.

“Every at-bat, I’m looking for that middle-away pitch,” said DeStefano. “First pitch, that’s exactly what she gave me, so I knew I had to take advantage of it.”

“Riverside is a good team, so I came in just looking to produce as much as I could for my team. My mindset every game is to play for the girl next to me and do everything for my team. That makes it easier to be successful on both sides of the ball.”

That inning proved to be the difference.

Riverside had chances the rest of the way. Runners on. Opportunities waiting.

Moments where one swing could’ve flipped everything.

But it never came.

And every time Riverside looked for that spark… Western Wayne shut the door.

At the center of it all was Adysen Wargo.

A complete performance in the circle.

She gave up just one run on six hits, worked through five walks—but overpowered hitters with 11 strikeouts.

“My rise ball was my go-to pitch today,” Wargo said. “I watched their swings before the game and saw they had a loop, so I wanted to keep the ball above their hands.”

“As I went through the lineup the second and third time, I mixed in some changeups and drop curves—but I stayed with the rise ball because they weren’t hitting it.”

And mentally?

She never left the moment.

“I’m always locked in and aware of what’s going on. We have a young team, and I’ve been pitching since I was a freshman, so I know what works and what doesn’t. I try to control what I can and trust myself and my defense.” Said Wargo

And that bond?

It’s real.

“It’s great playing alongside my sister,” Rheagan Wargo said. “We’ve been playing together for a long time—and even wrestling together. It’s brought us closer. We push each other and motivate each other, on and off the field.”

“Adysen is just a true athlete through and through,” added DeStefano. “She’s tough on both sides of the ball and knows exactly what needs to be done—and gets it done every time. She’s a threat on offense and defense and a great teammate all around.”

“Adysen threw really well in key moments, especially when Riverside had runners on base. Our defense stepped up too. Offensively, we just didn’t take advantage of our opportunities—we had chances to get that big hit and open the game up a bit. But it’s early in the season, and we’ll get it together.” Western Wayne Head Coach, Joe Romanowski said.

And over along the sideline…

Their mom stood bundled up—sweatshirt, coat, blanket wrapped tight against the cold.

Watching.

Cheering.

Living every pitch.

A proud moment… not just for the players on the field, but for the family behind them.

Because this wasn’t just about softball.

It was about connection.

On a cold afternoon at John Derenick Park…

When the wind cut through the field and every inning felt just a little longer…

Western Wayne didn’t just play the game.

They stayed composed.

They stayed connected.

And when it mattered most… they stayed in control.

A big road win.

Powered by pitching.

Fueled by timely hitting.

And built on something deeper than stats—

A team that plays together…

Was Like family.

——————-——

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

On a Saturday when, once again, most of the area’s softball games were wiped out by Mother Nature, Abington Heights finally got its chance.

For the second Saturday in a row, winter reached down and disrupted the schedule, refusing to loosen its grip. From December through February in northeastern Pennsylvania, snow covered the ground for what felt like forever, and even now, spring still seems like it is fighting to fully arrive.

But no postponement was coming for the Lady Comets.

In Clarks Summit, Abington Heights loaded up and made the trip down Interstate 84, then 380, then Route 33, heading toward Emmaus for what would finally become its regular-season opener.

And what an opener it turned out to be.

This was not one of those soft, sunny spring softball afternoons. By the time the game pushed into extra innings around 2 p.m., temperatures were sitting in the low 40s. It was cold. The kind of cold where coaches stayed wrapped in sweatshirts and coats, where hands sting a little more, where every inning feels longer, and where toughness starts to matter just as much as talent.

But if there was one thing Abington Heights showed on Saturday, it was this:

These Lady Comets love softball.

They love to compete.

They love being together.

And they love having each other’s backs.

You could feel it as the innings kept piling up.

In extra innings, the Abington Heights dugout never faded. Every hitter who stepped to the plate had a full team behind her. Every at-bat was met with belief. Every moment was met with energy. This was not a team just hoping to get the game over with and head home out of the cold.

No.

They wanted to win first.

They wanted to finish the job. They wanted to keep fighting for each other. And that is exactly what they did.

Because games like this are never won by one player alone. It takes a full team. It takes belief. It takes grit. It takes players willing to keep grinding inning after inning when the cold settles in and fatigue starts talking.

That is what Abington Heights did Saturday.

It took 11 innings.

It took toughness.

It took patience.

And it took a full-team effort.

When it was all over, the Lady Comets walked away with a hard-earned 7-4 victory.

Leading the charge was Adrianna Conrad, who delivered both in the circle and at the plate. She was the winning pitcher and the team’s top hitter on the day, putting together the kind of performance that can shape an opener and set a tone for the season.

But if you ask Conrad, she will not make it about herself.

Because she knows what days like this really take.

She knows it takes defenders behind her. She knows it takes hitters before and after her in the lineup. She knows it takes teammates staying engaged in the dugout and coaches helping guide the moment. She is humble, quick to credit others, and quick to point toward the team around her.

That is what good athletes do.

That is what leaders do.

By the time Conrad’s day was finished, she had thrown 186 pitches and recorded a career-high 17 strikeouts before Brianna Bustos came on in the bottom of the 11th to close the door.

And even there, the story stayed the same.

Bustos finished the job with two strikeouts, while the final out came on a pop-up to second base, sealing the win and closing out a long, cold, hard-fought afternoon.

And Conrad was quick to credit her teammate for stepping in and helping bring it home.

Because that is what this game was all about.

Not just surviving the cold.

Not just lasting 11 innings.

Not just finally playing the first regular-season game of the year.

This was about teammates believing in each other, fighting for each other, and refusing to let the moment slip away.

So let’s hit the rewind button.

Because games like this deserve to be felt all over again.

From the first pitch to the final out.

Top 1st — feeling each other out.

Emmaus came out sharp on defense, holding Abington Heights scoreless despite some early traffic.

Eva Kane struck out.

Avary Brister grounded out.

Then a spark.

Adrianna Conrad ripped a single.

Isabella DeRiggi followed with a single to right, pushing Conrad to third.

You could feel something building early.

But Emmaus slammed the door.

Riley McColligan struck out. Three outs.

Bottom 1st — Emmaus strikes first.

Sydney Bennett stepped up and sent one deep to center for a triple.

Moments later, Abigail Derr lifted a sacrifice fly.

Bennett tagged. Scored.

Just like that, Emmaus led 1-0.

Top 2nd — nothing easy.

Abington Heights could not break through, managing just a Brianna Bustos single.

Cold bats. Cold air.

Bottom 2nd — defense responds.

Haleigh Gigliotti worked a walk.

But the Lady Comets answered with a double play.

Momentum shift.

A strikeout followed.

Three outs.

Top 3rd — here comes Abington.

You can only hold this lineup down for so long.

Eva Kane started it with a double to left.

Avary Brister followed with another double.

Kane scored.

1-1.

Then Adrianna Conrad stepped in again.

Single.

Brister scored.

2-1, Abington Heights.

Just like that, the dugout came alive.

Bottom 3rd — Emmaus answers.

Back-and-forth.

Emmaus tied it at 2-2.

Top 4th — quick inning.

Three up. Three down.

Bottom 4th — Emmaus takes it back.

Another run.

3-2, Emmaus.

Top 5th — chaos and execution.

Avary Brister singled to center.

Then things got aggressive.

A wild pitch.

She took second.

Adrianna Conrad put the ball in play.

Brister never stopped.

She broke for home.

Safe.

Tie game again.

3-3.

From there, the game turned into a battle.

Not just against each other.

But against time, fatigue, and the cold.

Innings 6 through 9 — nothing.

Zeros across the board.

Pitchers locked in.

Defenses sharp.

Every pitch mattered more.

Every swing carried more weight.

“Having the game extend more and more was a little more nerve-racking, but at the same time it made the game very interesting and kept everyone on their toes. I definitely think my teammates really kept me locked in pitch after pitch, knowing that they were behind me and making amazing plays,” said Abington Heights pitcher Adrianna Conrad.

She continued: “You definitely need to feel in control or have the confidence to know that you are going to find those runs or the outs somewhere else if it’s not happening right now in those extra innings and high-pressure situations. I definitely know in the circle it’s very easy to lose momentum after a hit, but also as a pitcher you have to know that’s part of the game and that you have the defense behind you to back you up and it’s not all on you. I know me and a lot of the other girls really kept our momentum up in the dugout to help us stay focused throughout those innings.”

Top 10 — extra innings begin.

Runner placed on second.

Tension everywhere.

Conrad put the ball in play for an out, but Brister advanced to third.

Then Isabella DeRiggi stepped in.

Ground ball.

Fielder’s choice.

Brister crossed the plate.

4-3, Abington Heights.

Bottom 10 — Emmaus refuses to fold.

They answered.

Tie game.

4-4.

You could feel it.

This one was not done yet.

Top 11 — the breakthrough.

Judith Riff started on second.

Brianna Bustos walked.

Avary Venesky walked.

Bases filling. Pressure building.

Then came the break.

A wild pitch.

Riff broke.

Scored.

5-4.

Then Eva Kane grounded out.

But Bustos scored.

6-4.

Then Brister grounded out.

But Venesky came home.

7-4.

Three runs.

No quit.

Full execution.

Bottom 11 — finish the job.

Brianna Bustos stepped into the circle.

Two strikeouts.

Then the final moment.

A pop-up to second base.

Caught.

Ballgame.

“I think today helped to show what we can produce from start to finish and not let up. I think this helped give us a really good idea of our approach as we face Valley View this week,” stated Conrad.

Conrad shared more: “I think everyone really showed up in that last inning, especially when we started to get some of our dual-roster and JV girls back in our dugout. You could definitely feel the momentum shift, and I think everyone really focused in. And a great job to our center fielder for coming in for relief in the last inning — she held them amazingly, and it’s great to know we have a great staff for any given game and situation.”

Three hours of softball.

Cold air.

Extra innings.

Full fight.

And when that final pop-up settled into a glove at second base, it was more than just the last out of a game.

It was the release of three hours of tension.

It was the reward for 11 innings of grit.

It was the sound of a team refusing to break.

On a day filled with cold air, long innings, tired legs, and pressure that kept building pitch after pitch, Abington Heights never blinked. The Lady Comets kept fighting, kept believing, and kept answering every challenge the game threw at them.

That is what made this opener feel different.

This was not just about starting the season with a win.

This was about toughness.

About trust.

About teammates pulling each other through the hard moments.

About a dugout that never went quiet and a team that never stopped believing the next big moment would belong to them.

And in the end, it did.

So while winter may still be hanging around, Abington Heights gave a reminder Saturday that softball season has officially arrived.

And if this opener was any sign of what is ahead, the Lady Comets are not just stepping into the season.

They are charging into it.

——————————————

THE ROOTS OF ROYAL BLUE — THE DELUCA LINEAGE THAT BUILT SOPHIA

When you dig into the DeLuca family tree, you don’t just find relatives —

you find generations of grit.

There’s no shortage of talent here.

It doesn’t fade.

It doesn’t skip.

It doesn’t weaken with time.

It grows.

It expands.

It gets handed down the line like a sacred family heirloom.

Because in this one branch of the DeLuca line?

Talent doesn’t just run in the blood —

it runs royal blue.

Wins never defined them.

Losses never broke them.

Records were never the point.

What mattered was pride, heart, and a competitiveness that refused to die.

Sophia DeLuca isn’t standing alone out there between the white lines.

She’s carrying a legacy — a heavy one, a beautiful one — and she wears it the way every DeLuca before her has:

With fire.

With loyalty.

With blue-and-white in her DNA.

THE MAN WHO STARTED IT — ROB DELUCA SR.

The story doesn’t start with Sophia.

It doesn’t even start with her father.

It starts with her grandfather — Rob DeLuca Sr.

A man who lived and bled West Scranton through and through.

In a city of 77,000 to 105,000…

In a neighborhood with estimate 1,000 to 1,400 high schoolers during his time …

Rob Sr. never cared about the size of the crowd.

He cared about loyalty.

He cared about people.

He cared about the Invaders.

He showed up — year after year — through the good seasons, the rebuilding seasons, and the tough ones when most families quietly disappeared.

But not Rob.

He was a worker.

A grinder.

A man talented in more ways than most ever knew.

He coached Invader Little League baseball.

He helped on the sidelines with West Side Junior Football.

He even played in a band once upon a time.

A full life.

A proud life.

A DeLuca life.

And if he were alive today?

He’d be in the bleachers every week — guaranteed.

Clapping until his hands hurt after every gap shot Sophia drills…

Fist-pumping after every strikeout she earns…

Roaring after every home run she launches.

And for Jake?

He’d be stomping those metal bleachers after every touchdown his grandson fired across the goal line.

Because the DeLucas don’t show up halfway.

They don’t sit quietly in the back.

They don’t cheer politely.

They bleed their colors.

They show up.

They stay loyal.

A FAMILY OF ATHLETES — AND COMPETITORS

Rob Sr.’s son — Sophia’s father — carried the torch next, starring on the baseball field for West Scranton.

And now her brother, Jake, is the next in line:

A junior.

A starting quarterback.

A leader.

A competitor cut straight from that same DeLuca cloth.

This family doesn’t just produce athletes.

They produce competitors.

Leaders.

Kids built for bright lights and pressure moments.

Sophia also has a younger brother, Ben, who played on West Scranton’s junior high league championship football team this past fall. With talents like his coming up through the program, the future of West Scranton football looks bright. Another DeLuca is already climbing the ranks and making his mark in the West Scranton Invader’s history.

AND SOPHIA?

She’s the next chapter.

The next spark.

The next DeLuca built for big moments and bigger stages.

Her freshman season wasn’t just a beginning —

it was a warning shot.

A message to Lackawanna League softball that another DeLuca has arrived.

And she didn’t just “adjust to varsity.”

She competed.

She delivered.

She announced herself.

“That was definitely one of my favorite memories from last season. I train really hard for softball, so seeing all of that work pay off was incredibly rewarding. The biggest thing for me was adjusting to varsity speed. Going from junior high to varsity is a huge jump, so I had to stay on my toes and be ready to fix my mechanics on the very next play. I’d say my fielding improved the most. Before freshman year, I had never played third base — last season was my first time ever playing there.”

— Sophia DeLuca

She continued:

“My biggest challenge was adjusting to the overall speed of the game. But the more reps I got, the more comfortable I became with each at-bat. Pitching isn’t even one of my main positions, but when my team needed me in the circle, I knew I had to step up. No matter the situation, I wasn’t going to give up on them.”

THE FRESHMAN WHO ARRIVED

Here’s what Sophia DeLuca did in Year One — a freshman with varsity pressure on her shoulders:

✨ Pitching

19 strikeouts — Top 10 in Lackawanna I 2 varsity wins — rare for a freshman arm Logged meaningful innings against veteran hitters

✨ Hitting

1 HR 11 RBIs 7 runs scored .264 batting average .371 on-base percentage 1 stolen base

She finished Top 30 in multiple league offensive categories and held her own in one of the toughest conferences in District 2.

Freshmen aren’t supposed to do that.

Freshmen aren’t supposed to carry pressure like that.

Freshmen aren’t supposed to step into varsity ball and immediately contribute.

But DeLucas?

They don’t follow the script.

They write their own.

She is expected to do big things for West Scranton. There’s pressure — but in the DeLuca DNA, they laugh at pressure and succeed anyway.

Her bat is only going to get better as she builds off last year’s experience. Now that she’s been through a full varsity season, she enters this year with more confidence and a sharper softball IQ — especially in those quick, situational moments that decide innings.

Sophia is a natural athlete with the kind of dedication you can’t teach. During the season she’s all-in — fully engaged, fully committed, and always putting the team first. Her leadership comes through action, not volume. She leads by example, and teammates naturally follow because of the standard she sets.

“Sophia’s bat is only going to get better as she builds off last year’s experience. Now that she’s been through a full varsity season, she’s stepping into this year with more confidence and a stronger softball IQ, especially in those quick, situational-awareness moments that decide innings. She’s a natural athlete with the kind of dedication you can’t teach. During the season she’s all-in — fully engaged, fully committed, and always putting the team first. Her leadership shows up through action, not volume. She leads by example, not by telling people what to do, and teammates naturally follow her because of the standard she sets. She’s a key piece of our program — not because she wants the spotlight, but because her presence elevates everyone around her. Every player has a role in our success, and hers is one of the most important.”

— Former West Scranton Head Coach Olivia Golay, who coached Sophia last season before recently resigning from her position due to other obligations.

And what makes her even more valuable is her mindset.

She doesn’t panic when the game speeds up.

She absorbs information fast.

She adjusts fast.

She brings a calm presence that settles everyone around her.

That’s rare in a young athlete.

Her growth curve is still climbing. She hasn’t even hit her ceiling — not physically, not mentally, not as a leader. Coaches see it in practice. Teammates feel it on the field. Opponents notice the moment she steps into the box.

As she steps into this next season, she isn’t just returning as a player — she’s returning as a tone-setter. The kind of athlete who makes a team tougher, smarter, and more confident just by how she carries herself.

Her journey is becoming one of the centerpieces of this program’s future.

If last year was the spark, this year has every sign of being the breakout.

But whatever the future holds, she’s ready.

Sports are part physical, part skill, part discipline — but mostly mental. And Sophia has all of it.

“Softball can be 100% more mental than physical. At times, it’s hard for me to get out of my head. When that happens, I like to pray.”

— Sophia DeLuca

Faith and patience matter in sports. Sophia has both.

A SUPPORT SYSTEM BUILT ON LOVE

Behind every great athlete is a support system — and hers starts with her father.

“My dad has been the biggest impact on my softball journey. He’s always the one who helps me focus on the positives. He’s been there whether it’s doing countless reps of hitting buckets upon buckets, playing catch, or just telling me ‘good luck.’”

— Sophia DeLuca

Her teammates see it too — the leadership, the energy, the positivity.

“I would say Sophia dedicates herself 100% to the team. She’s always picking people up when they’re down, and she finds a way to make off-season practices fun. She brings great energy, and it rubs off on everyone.”

“Sophia handled pressure extremely well, especially for a freshman. She never let anything bring her down and always kept a positive mindset. She earned the respect of our whole team really quickly because she’s always smiling, always laughing, and never carries a negative attitude — whether it’s a game or a practice.”

—Said West Scranton, Junior – Sydney Williams

Another teammate added:

“What stands out about Sophia is how consistently she shows up with a positive attitude and a real dedication to getting better. She’s the kind of teammate who works hard even when no one is watching, and that effort sets the tone for everyone around her. She brings good, uplifting energy every single day — and that motivates the rest of us.

Sophia makes a huge impact both on and off the field. In the dugout, she’s always cheering, keeping the energy high, and staying locked in no matter what the scoreboard says. On the field, she leads by example — competing hard, staying composed, and stepping up in big moments. Her hustle and attitude elevate everyone around her, and she’s the kind of player you can always count on when the team needs her.

— Senior Mia Tallo

Opponents see it too.

“Sophia is an excellent all-around player. This season she really stepped up and took control of the mound. She handles pressure extremely well. Not only does she pitch at a high level, but she’s also a dangerous hitter. She makes consistent contact in the biggest moments, and she always comes through when her team needs her most.

Sophia’s all-around excellence makes her a tough player to face. No matter where she is on the field, she carries herself with confidence and never lets her team down. She’s earned respect from coaches and players all across the area, and I can’t wait to see the success she has in the years ahead.”*

— Kate Reynolds, Riverside — one of the state’s top prospects.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

Sophia is carved from the same steel as the generations before her —

but she’s forging a path that’s uniquely hers.

She has the swing.

She has the arm.

She has the instincts.

She has the courage.

But most importantly?

She has the story.

A story rooted in royal blue.

A story lifted by the family that came before her.

A story still being written — every inning, every at-bat, every season.

And if her freshman year was just the prologue?

Just wait for the next chapters.

They’re going to be special.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

On a day when pouring rain washed out much of the high school softball slate, Mid Valley never blinked.

While fields around the area were soaked and games were postponed, the Spartanettes had the luxury of a turf field — and they made the most of it.

As fans filtered in along the fence line and music echoed across the complex just 15 minutes before first pitch, there was a certain energy building in Throop. Pittston Area arrived ready, its shortstop even sporting a face cover in the damp, chilly conditions. But once the game started, it didn’t take long to see the story unfolding.

Mid Valley’s youth was ready for the moment.

The opening inning brought an early test. The first ball put in play smacked off Mid Valley pitcher Ava Hazleton’s leg and for a split second, everything froze. But Hazleton quickly gathered herself, scooped up the ball, and fired to first for the out. From there, the Spartanettes settled in. Freshman Angela Laskowski secured the next out on a pop-up, and Hazleton closed the frame by striking out Pittston Area’s Samantha Herbert.

Three up, three down.

Mid Valley threatened in the bottom of the first. Laskowski was hit by a pitch, then aggressively swiped second and moved into scoring position after the ball was dropped at the bag. Abby Mackey followed with a walk, putting two runners on. But Pittston Area worked out of trouble as Herbert recorded back-to-back strikeouts and Natalie Hricenak lifted a ball to left to end the inning.

Scoreless after one — but Mid Valley was already applying pressure.

In the bottom of the second, the Spartanettes broke through. Sophomore Ariana Davey reached on an error, and after Avery Tinney was retired, Davey moved up to second. Marley Morano then put the ball in play, reached on another Pittston Area miscue, and Davey raced home with the game’s first run.

Mid Valley had a 1-0 lead — and Hazleton was just getting started in the circle.

Pittston Area again went quietly, and in the bottom of the third, Mid Valley added more. Laskowski ripped a double on a ground ball to left, and Parker Bennett followed with a bunt that helped bring her home. Just like that, the Spartanettes had doubled their lead.

Then came the loudest swing of the afternoon.

Leading off the bottom of the fourth, Sophomore Avery Tinney turned on a pitch and launched it over the fence in right field, sending a jolt through the Mid Valley crowd and extending the lead to 3-0.

“I had two strikes on me, and I was just looking to make solid contact,” said Tinney. “Once I saw the pitch coming in, I knew I was swinging no matter what.”

That blast was more than just an insurance run. It was another sign that Mid Valley’s younger players are not just filling spots — they are making an impact.

“Any day you have five to six players on the field who have never played a varsity game, there are going to be some growing pains,” said Mid Valley head coach Michael Piercy. “We’ll keep developing as the year goes on, but they’re just really talented kids. The more experience they get, the better we’ll be, and we are really excited about this season. I think we can hang in there with anybody.”

That confidence showed all game long.

By the fifth inning, Hazleton was still dealing and Mid Valley’s offense kept manufacturing runs. Mackey singled to center, Bennett followed with another hit, and Hazleton dropped down a bunt that rolled perfectly up the third-base line to load the bases. Hricenak then lifted a sacrifice fly to left, plating Mackey and stretching the Spartanettes’ advantage to 4-0.

For much of the afternoon, Hazleton flirted with perfection.

That bid ended in the sixth when Pittston Area’s Isabella Roman recorded a single to the outfield. Another hit came in the seventh, but that was all Pittston Area could manage against the Mid Valley ace, who finished with nine strikeouts, two walks, and just two hits allowed in a complete-game shutout.

“Ava pitches her heart out all the time,” said Mid Valley freshman shortstop Angela Laskowski. “She sets the tone, and with our defense backing her up, we have consistent hitting. Even when we get down, like last game, we can always trust each other.”

Piercy believes that trust — mixed with returning experience and rising young talent — is what gives this team a chance to be dangerous all season.

“We always have expectations to win a district title and go to the state playoffs,” Piercy said. “That’s something we always talk about. We have some key kids back this year who have some state playoff experience. We have a pitcher who, when she’s on, is as tough as anyone. We feel that’s always going to be our expectation: win a district title and win the state.”

And he made it clear this win carried extra value against a respected opponent.

“Pittston Area is a really good team. Their coach does a great job, and you know they’re always going to be tough,” Piercy said. “It was great to see the way the game unfolded. We played Tunkhannock the other day, and it was a real offensive game. They hit really well, and Ava made some corrections. She located the ball really well today and spun the ball, and that’s the kid we’re used to seeing. So I was proud of her coming back after a day off and looking like she did today.”

Pittston Area made one final push in the top of the seventh when Julian Haas doubled to left field, briefly giving the Patriots some life. But Hazleton and the Spartanette defense slammed the door shut from there, recording the final outs to preserve the 4-0 victory.

Parker Bennett led Mid Valley with two hits, going 2-for-3, but this one belonged to the entire Spartanettes lineup — especially the underclassmen and new starters who stepped into the spotlight and answered the call.

On a day when rain ruled the schedule across the region, Mid Valley simply ruled the field.

——————————

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

— Junior standout, team-first competitor, and emerging emotional anchor is the kind of player every coach wants and every teammate trusts

There’s an old phrase that has echoed through dugouts, locker rooms, and postgame celebrations for generations: leaders aren’t made — they’re born.

It’s the kind of quote that can feel overused until you watch a player who makes it ring true.

At first glance, leadership in softball is often mistaken for talent. A strong arm gets attention. Speed turns heads. A high batting average fills stat sheets and highlights. But the deeper truth of the game has always lived somewhere beyond numbers.

Coaches can teach mechanics. They can sharpen swings, clean up footwork, and refine timing. They can spend hours drilling situations and polishing technique. What they cannot teach is heart. They cannot teach poise when the pressure rises. They cannot manufacture the kind of steady, unselfish presence that settles a dugout and lifts an entire team.

That kind of leadership is rare.

And at Wallenpaupack, it shows up in junior standout Madison Haynes.

Haynes is the kind of player whose impact reaches far beyond the box score. Yes, her production matters. Yes, her skill set makes her one of the more intriguing players in the region. But what separates her is something harder to measure — the way teammates seem to settle when she is on the field, the way her presence quietly raises the standard, and the way she makes the game feel calmer, steadier, and more under control for everyone around her.

In many ways, when Madison was born in January 2009, the Lady Buckhorns did not simply gain a future athlete. They gained a future leader. A tone-setter. A culture-builder. A difference-maker.

This season, Haynes is expected to be one of Wallenpaupack’s emotional anchors, the kind of player who can shift the feel of a game simply by stepping onto the dirt. She is the kind of athlete teammates trust, coaches lean on, and opponents respect. And if the opening chapters of her journey are any indication, the rest of the state may soon know her name as well.

Every strong leader remembers what it felt like before the confidence arrived. For Haynes, that memory still sits close.

“I know what it feels like to be the nervous freshman,” she said.

That perspective now shapes the way she carries herself. No longer the young player looking for reassurance, Haynes is stepping into the next phase of her growth — becoming the one who gives it.

“This year, I hope to be a positive role model for the underclassmen,” Haynes said. “I want to help guide them and show them that if they work hard, it will pay off. I want to be the positive example for younger players.”

That mindset matters, especially in a conference where pressure comes quickly and younger players are asked to grow up fast. Freshmen do not get much time to ease into varsity softball in this region. Haynes understands that because she lived it. Now, she embraces the responsibility of helping younger players walk the same road she once had to navigate herself.

That is often what real leadership looks like. Not loud. Not forced. Not performative. Just steady, mature, and rooted in empathy.

One of the clearest signs of a player’s value is the respect they earn from the other dugout, and Valley View Division I commit Ella Swingle had no hesitation when asked about Haynes.

“Madison is a great athlete,” Swingle said. “A consistent hitter who will always sacrifice herself for the run. She’s a great all-around player, and it’s fun playing against her.”

Swingle added, “She bunts a lot — whether it’s a sacrifice or for a hit. A total team player.”

Those words mean something. When high-level players recognize not just talent but sacrifice, unselfishness, and overall value, it says plenty. It reinforces what Wallenpaupack already knows — Haynes is not chasing glory for herself. She is playing for the team, for the moment, and for the result that matters most.

That is exactly the kind of player college coaches love.

Haynes’ game begins with intelligence. As a slapper, she does far more than simply put the ball in play. She reads defenses, studies positioning, and makes decisions in real time based on what the field gives her.

“As a slapper, I read the defense and decide what’s best for that at-bat,” Haynes said. “If the corners are back, I’ll bunt. If they’re in, I might power slap or swing away.”

That is what makes her so effective. She is not just reacting. She is diagnosing, processing, and choosing. While some players rely almost entirely on athleticism, Haynes blends instinct with strategy. She plays with awareness, feel, and purpose.

And when the pressure rises, her mental routine remains simple.

“I take a deep breath, calm my nerves, and remind myself not to overthink — just play my game.”

That ability to slow the moment down is often what separates solid players from impactful ones. In a sport that can speed up in an instant, mental steadiness becomes one of the most valuable tools a player can have.

Her growth at the plate has reflected that same steady climb. Haynes hit .380 as a freshman and followed it with a .395 sophomore season, showing both consistency and progress. Now, entering another key season, she has her sights set even higher.

“I want to bat around .500 this season,” she said.

That is not empty talk. That is a player speaking with intention.

Still, if Haynes has made her biggest leap anywhere, it may be in the mental side of the game.

“My mental game is what’s improved most,” she said. “Freshman year I was nervous and unsure. Now I know what I’m capable of and what I bring.”

That kind of growth is often where the shift happens. It is where good players begin to turn into elite ones. Once belief catches up with ability, everything starts to look different.

Playing for Mojo, one of the top travel softball programs in the country, helped deepen that belief.

“Playing for Mojo is something I’ll forever be grateful for,” Haynes said. “If I can compete with the best in the country, I can do anything.”

That is not borrowed confidence. That is earned confidence. It is built through reps, experience, and proven performance against elite competition. Players carry themselves differently once they know they belong on big stages, and Haynes looks like a player who understands exactly that.

For all her individual development, though, her answers continue to return to the team.

“If we work hard in preseason, set goals, and be the best teammates possible, we’ll make it far,” she said.

It is a simple answer, but a revealing one. Leadership, vision, accountability, and team-first thinking are all packed inside it.

Even her favorite memory points in that direction. Rather than a personal stat line or one singular highlight, Haynes pointed to a preseason trip to Maryland, a memory shaped by bonding, chemistry, and team growth. That says a lot about the way she sees the sport. Her priorities are not difficult to identify. Compete hard. Grow together. Put the team first.

Off the field, Haynes carries a personality that balances edge with maturity. Her pregame playlist includes Alice in Chains and Limp Bizkit, an intensity-filled soundtrack for a player whose game carries both grit and rhythm. There is toughness in the way she competes, but also calm beneath it.

She also understands something many athletes take years to learn — long-term success requires balance.

“If I want to play at the next level, I have to balance schoolwork,” she said. “I get assignments early and communicate with teachers.”

That maturity shows up in her long-term goals as well. Haynes hopes to play college softball and eventually earn a master’s degree in business, the kind of answer that reflects discipline, preparation, and a bigger-picture mindset.

Like many young players, she has drawn inspiration from those who came before her. Softball icon Jennie Finch helped shape her perspective on leadership and success.

“She taught me success isn’t about stats — it’s about handling pressure and uplifting teammates.”

Her favorite athlete is Bri Ellis, someone she admires for authenticity and leadership, and her favorite college team is Penn State. When asked about the rise of women’s sports, Haynes sees both the progress and the excitement surrounding it.

“It’s exciting to see women’s sports getting more recognition,” she said.

She is part of that momentum.

Her own journey began at age 9, traveling to fields, making memories with friends, and falling in love with the game. But a major turning point came around ages 11 and 12, when she transitioned from hitting right-handed to slapping. That change was not random. It came through work, study, repetition, and commitment. Then came Mojo, where exposure and elite-level competition pushed her game even further.

None of it happened by accident.

And behind that journey stands one of the biggest reasons she has come this far — her dad.

“He sacrifices everything — weekends, time off work, travel,” Haynes said. “He’s always picking me up after a rough game and reminding me I can achieve my goals.”

That kind of support becomes part of the foundation. It matters on the long rides, after the hard losses, and in the moments when confidence needs to be rebuilt. Great players are often surrounded by people who keep them grounded while pushing them forward, and Haynes clearly recognizes who has helped shape her path.

Even with softball becoming such a major part of her life, she also understands it should not be everything. When she is not playing or training, she enjoys shopping, spending time with friends, and simply being a teenager. That balance matters. It protects joy, perspective, and longevity.

What makes Madison Haynes special is not just talent. It is the way she raises the standard for everyone around her. She is respected. She is steady. She is intelligent. She is unselfish. She is the kind of athlete who makes a program better simply by the way she carries herself.

Maybe that is why the old quote feels fitting after all.

Some leaders really do seem born for it.

But what makes Haynes stand out even more is that she is not just relying on natural leadership qualities. She is choosing to live them out every day — in the way she competes, the way she speaks, the way she supports others, and the way she carries the weight of responsibility with quiet confidence.

That is the difference between a good high school athlete and the kind of player who someday captains a college program.

Wallenpaupack has something rare in Madison Haynes. Something steady. Something special. Something every coach is searching for.

And for Haynes, this still feels like only the beginning.

———————————-

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Lackawanna College’s bats didn’t just wake up Tuesday afternoon — they took over the game. What felt like a tight, back-and-forth battle early quickly turned into something loud, relentless, and completely one-sided. In one inning, everything changed. Lackawanna erupted for 11 runs in the fourth and rolled past Wake Tech, 13–2, turning a competitive matchup into a statement win that echoed far beyond the final score.

Wake Tech struck first, capitalizing on an early error to grab a 1–0 lead in the opening inning, but Lackawanna never looked shaken. Instead, they responded with poise in the second. Mekenzie Dineen sparked the offense with a double to left to drive in a run, and Ayahna Fleisher followed with an RBI single to push the Falcons ahead 2–1. Wake Tech answered back to tie the game at 2–2 in the third, but even then, it felt like Lackawanna was building toward something bigger — like the lineup was one moment away from breaking through.

That moment came in the fourth, and when it did, it came all at once. Lackawanna didn’t just rally — they overwhelmed. The inning started with baserunners and quickly snowballed into complete chaos for Wake Tech. Haleigh Mazol and Dineen helped set the table, Fleisher kept the pressure rolling, and Riverside graduate Kyleah Edwards delivered a clutch RBI single to keep the line moving. Then came the knockout blows. Laniah Tasker stepped up and took control of the inning with multiple run-producing hits, while Gracie Sokol ripped a three-run single that blew the game wide open. An error added to the damage, Edwards forced more pressure with a key sequence, and Tasker continued to deliver, pushing the inning further out of reach. By the time the dust settled, Lackawanna had scored 11 runs in the frame and turned a 2–2 game into a 13–2 runaway.

Tasker was the headline performer, finishing with four RBIs on two hits and delivering in the biggest moments when the game was hanging in the balance. Fleisher set the tone all afternoon from the top of the order, going 3-for-4 and constantly applying pressure. Edwards added two hits and two RBIs, Mazol scored three times while collecting two hits, and Dineen quietly put together a strong day with two hits, three runs scored, and an RBI. Sokol drove in multiple runs, and Mid Valley graduate Mackenzie Adolfson showed patience at the plate with two walks as Lackawanna’s lineup combined for 14 hits and six walks in a complete offensive performance.

What made it even more impressive was how balanced it all felt. This wasn’t one player carrying the load — it was a lineup passing the torch, stacking quality at-bats, and building an inning together until it became unstoppable. By the end of the fourth, there was no doubt who controlled the game.

In the circle, Mia Scalese delivered exactly what Lackawanna needed, working five innings and allowing two runs, only one earned, while navigating through traffic with composure. She didn’t need to overpower hitters — she simply kept the game steady long enough for the offense to explode, and once it did, she took care of the rest. Defensively, Lackawanna backed her up with clean, timely plays, including a double play that helped shut down any chance of momentum shifting back.

Wake Tech had early opportunities and put together some solid at-bats, but the fourth inning proved to be too much to overcome. Once Lackawanna grabbed control, every at-bat seemed to add more pressure, more runs, and more separation.

By the final out, this wasn’t just a win — it was a message. In one inning, Lackawanna turned tension into dominance and showed exactly what they’re capable of when the lineup starts clicking. It was fast, it was relentless, and it was the kind of performance that can bury an opponent in a hurry

———————————-

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

From the opening tip, it was clear the University of Scranton Royals had one goal in mind — control the pace, dictate the rhythm, and put Concordia–Moorhead on their heels early.

And that is exactly what happened.

Playing with confidence and sharp execution on both ends of the floor, Scranton delivered an impressive performance Saturday night inside the John Long Center, storming to a 38–21 halftime lead and never looking back on the way to a convincing 67–42 victory over Concordia–Moorhead.

The Royals didn’t just take the lead early — they owned the game from start to finish.

By the time the final horn sounded, Scranton had controlled nearly every aspect of the matchup, combining defensive pressure, efficient offense, and balanced scoring to secure the win.

But the foundation of the victory was built during a dominant first half.

And according to Royals guard Kaci Kranson, that mentality didn’t start on Saturday night. It started months ago.

“Coming off last year’s Elite Eight loss to Stout, we knew this season we wanted to make it farther into the Final Four,” Kranson said. “So we all just had the mindset of being aggressive, staying composed, and working together collectively.”

That mindset showed immediately.

Scranton came out aggressive, closing passing lanes, contesting shots, and forcing Concordia into uncomfortable offensive possessions. The Royals’ defensive pressure immediately began to pay dividends.

Concordia struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting just 34.8 percent from the field (8-of-23) during the first half. Meanwhile, Scranton’s defense generated seven steals and forced eight turnovers, creating extra possessions that the Royals quickly turned into points.

What made the performance even more impressive was Scranton’s discipline with the basketball.

While Concordia struggled with ball control, Scranton played nearly flawless offensive basketball, committing only one turnover in the entire first half. That level of composure allowed the Royals to consistently set up their offense and keep the pressure on.

And when Scranton found its offensive rhythm, the results came quickly.

The Royals shot an efficient 48.5 percent from the floor (16-of-33) in the opening half, consistently finding high-percentage shots both inside and in transition.

One of the driving forces behind the offensive attack was Katie Gorski, who made her presence felt around the basket early and often. Gorski attacked the rim with confidence, finishing strong in traffic and helping Scranton establish control in the paint.

By halftime, the Royals had built a commanding 24–10 advantage in points in the paint — a clear sign of their physical presence inside.

But Scranton’s offense wasn’t built around one player.

The Royals moved the basketball extremely well, recording 10 assists on their 16 made field goals, showcasing the kind of unselfish team play that has defined their season.

“That is something that is very important especially in NCAA games,” Kranson said. “Every team we will face is the best of the best, so with everyone contributing it just helps the team’s success as a whole. Every member of our team works hard every day in practice which helps when it comes to the games.”

Jenna Sloan helped orchestrate the offense with strong decision-making and timely passing, while Meghan Lamanna provided another offensive spark by attacking off the dribble and finishing through contact.

Defensively, Lamanna also contributed with a key steal that helped ignite one of Scranton’s scoring runs.

Those runs proved critical as the Royals gradually expanded their lead.

After building an early advantage, Scranton began to create separation midway through the half with a series of defensive stops and transition baskets. The Royals pushed the lead into double digits and never allowed Concordia to mount a serious comeback attempt.

At one point, Scranton extended the margin to 20 points, their largest lead of the half.

Concordia did manage a few offensive highlights of their own.

Maya Metcalf knocked down a three-pointer and later attacked the rim for a basket that briefly trimmed the deficit. But each time Concordia tried to gain momentum, the Royals quickly answered with another defensive stop or scoring play.

Scranton also held a 6–0 edge in fast-break points, another sign of how effectively the Royals turned defense into offense.

On the glass, the rebounding battle remained competitive, but Scranton’s ability to secure key rebounds prevented Concordia from generating second-chance opportunities.

Royals Sophia Tatutto said that controlling the defensive boards was one of the team’s biggest priorities coming into the game.

“Defensive rebounding was huge for us tonight,” Tatutto explained. “We knew coming in that if we limited their second-chance opportunities it would really help us control the pace of the game.”

Tatutto noted that the emphasis on finishing defensive possessions was something the team focused on collectively.

“Everyone was focused on boxing out and finishing possessions, and I think that made a big difference in allowing us to get stops and then push the ball the other way.”

The Royals also maintained strong discipline defensively, avoiding foul trouble while continuing to contest shots and pressure ball handlers.

By halftime, the numbers told the story of a team firmly in control.

Scranton led in shooting percentage, assists, steals, fast-break points, and points in the paint — all signs of a team executing its game plan nearly perfectly.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic remained the turnover column.

Scranton’s one turnover compared to Concordia’s eight highlighted just how clean and efficient the Royals played throughout the opening twenty minutes.

When the teams headed to the locker room, the scoreboard reflected what the crowd had watched unfold on the court.

Scranton 38, Concordia–Moorhead 21.

But if Concordia hoped to mount a comeback in the second half, Scranton quickly erased any doubt.

The Royals opened the third quarter with the same energy and focus that fueled their first-half success.

“We knew that this team was going to come out strong in the second half,” Kranson said. “So we just reminded ourselves to stay composed coming out of the locker room.”

Scranton continued to pressure Concordia defensively while keeping the offense balanced and patient.

Midway through the third quarter, Kranson delivered one of the biggest momentum plays of the night, knocking down a three-pointer off an assist from Meghan Lamanna to stretch the Royals’ lead even further.

Moments later, Jenna Sloan added another key basket in the paint, continuing Scranton’s dominance inside.

Concordia fought to stay within striking distance behind the efforts of Metcalf and Kaia Gack, but every time the visitors found a scoring opportunity, Scranton responded.

The Royals maintained their offensive efficiency while continuing to create turnovers and push the pace.

By the end of the third quarter, Scranton had extended its advantage to 51–35, firmly in control with just one quarter remaining.

The fourth quarter became more about finishing the job.

Scranton continued to attack offensively, with Lamanna scoring in the paint early in the period after a steal sparked another transition opportunity.

Kranson added points from the free-throw line, while Sloan knocked down a clutch three-pointer that pushed the Royals’ lead beyond twenty.

The Royals’ defense never relented.

Scranton continued to disrupt Concordia’s offense, forcing tough shots and limiting second chances while controlling the tempo of the game.

By the time the final minutes ticked away, the outcome was no longer in doubt.

Scranton closed the night with a 67–42 victory, completing a dominant performance from start to finish.

The Royals finished the game shooting 47.4 percent from the field, while holding Concordia to just 34.2 percent shooting.

Scranton also controlled the paint, scoring 36 points inside while forcing 20 Concordia turnovers that turned into 21 points off turnovers.

The balanced scoring effort was another key factor.

Kranson led the Royals with 15 points, while Gorski added 13, Lamanna finished with 11, and both Sloan and Elizabeth Bennett contributed 7 points each.

For Concordia–Moorhead, Metcalf led the team with 17 points while Alexa Snesrud added eight.

But throughout the night, Scranton’s defensive intensity and offensive efficiency proved too much to overcome.

Inside the locker room after the game, the emotions of the moment were impossible to ignore.

Tatutto reflected on what the victory meant for a team that has spent months grinding toward this stage of the season.

“Honestly, it was just an emotional moment,” Tatutto said. “When I walked into the locker room and looked around at everyone, it really hit me how much work we’ve all put in since the beginning of the season. Early mornings, tough practices, staying connected as a team — it all led to this moment. I just felt really proud of this group and grateful to be part of it.”

That connection inside the locker room has been a defining characteristic of this year’s Royals team.

“It means everything,” Tatutto added. “We have a locker room where everyone genuinely wants the best for each other, and I think that shows on the court. When someone makes a big play, the whole bench is up celebrating. That kind of trust and energy makes the game more fun and helps us play more confidently because we know we have each other’s backs.”

For Kranson, the victory represented more than just a spot in the next round — it represented the payoff of months of work.

“This is a night that I will never forget,” Kranson said. “We as a team have worked so hard for this moment and I’m just so incredibly proud of all of my teammates.”

She also pointed to something that has fueled the Royals all season long — the energy inside the John Long Center and the support of the Scranton community.

From the opening tip, it was clear the University of Scranton Royals had one goal in mind — control the pace, dictate the rhythm, and put Concordia–Moorhead on their heels early.

And that is exactly what happened.

Playing with confidence and sharp execution on both ends of the floor, Scranton delivered an impressive performance Saturday night inside the John Long Center, storming to a 38–21 halftime lead and never looking back on the way to a convincing 67–42 victory over Concordia–Moorhead.

The Royals didn’t just take the lead early — they owned the game from start to finish.

By the time the final horn sounded, Scranton had controlled nearly every aspect of the matchup, combining defensive pressure, efficient offense, and balanced scoring to secure the win.

But the foundation of the victory was built during a dominant first half.

And according to Royals guard Kaci Kranson, that mentality didn’t start on Saturday night. It started months ago.

“Coming off last year’s Elite Eight loss to Stout, we knew this season we wanted to make it farther into the Final Four,” Kranson said. “So we all just had the mindset of being aggressive, staying composed, and working together collectively.”

That mindset showed immediately.

Scranton came out aggressive, closing passing lanes, contesting shots, and forcing Concordia into uncomfortable offensive possessions. The Royals’ defensive pressure immediately began to pay dividends.

Concordia struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting just 34.8 percent from the field (8-of-23) during the first half. Meanwhile, Scranton’s defense generated seven steals and forced eight turnovers, creating extra possessions that the Royals quickly turned into points.

What made the performance even more impressive was Scranton’s discipline with the basketball.

While Concordia struggled with ball control, Scranton played nearly flawless offensive basketball, committing only one turnover in the entire first half. That level of composure allowed the Royals to consistently set up their offense and keep the pressure on.

And when Scranton found its offensive rhythm, the results came quickly.

The Royals shot an efficient 48.5 percent from the floor (16-of-33) in the opening half, consistently finding high-percentage shots both inside and in transition.

One of the driving forces behind the offensive attack was Katie Gorski, who made her presence felt around the basket early and often. Gorski attacked the rim with confidence, finishing strong in traffic and helping Scranton establish control in the paint.

By halftime, the Royals had built a commanding 24–10 advantage in points in the paint — a clear sign of their physical presence inside.

But Scranton’s offense wasn’t built around one player.

The Royals moved the basketball extremely well, recording 10 assists on their 16 made field goals, showcasing the kind of unselfish team play that has defined their season.

“That is something that is very important especially in NCAA games,” Kranson said. “Every team we will face is the best of the best, so with everyone contributing it just helps the team’s success as a whole. Every member of our team works hard every day in practice which helps when it comes to the games.”

Jenna Sloan helped orchestrate the offense with strong decision-making and timely passing, while Meghan Lamanna provided another offensive spark by attacking off the dribble and finishing through contact.

Defensively, Lamanna also contributed with a key steal that helped ignite one of Scranton’s scoring runs.

Those runs proved critical as the Royals gradually expanded their lead.

After building an early advantage, Scranton began to create separation midway through the half with a series of defensive stops and transition baskets. The Royals pushed the lead into double digits and never allowed Concordia to mount a serious comeback attempt.

At one point, Scranton extended the margin to 20 points, their largest lead of the half.

Concordia did manage a few offensive highlights of their own.

Maya Metcalf knocked down a three-pointer and later attacked the rim for a basket that briefly trimmed the deficit. But each time Concordia tried to gain momentum, the Royals quickly answered with another defensive stop or scoring play.

Scranton also held a 6–0 edge in fast-break points, another sign of how effectively the Royals turned defense into offense.

On the glass, the rebounding battle remained competitive, but Scranton’s ability to secure key rebounds prevented Concordia from generating second-chance opportunities.

Royals forward Sophia Tatutto said that controlling the defensive boards was one of the team’s biggest priorities coming into the game.

“Defensive rebounding was huge for us tonight,” Tatutto explained. “We knew coming in that if we limited their second-chance opportunities it would really help us control the pace of the game.”

Tatutto noted that the emphasis on finishing defensive possessions was something the team focused on collectively.

“Everyone was focused on boxing out and finishing possessions, and I think that made a big difference in allowing us to get stops and then push the ball the other way.”

The Royals also maintained strong discipline defensively, avoiding foul trouble while continuing to contest shots and pressure ball handlers.

By halftime, the numbers told the story of a team firmly in control.

Scranton led in shooting percentage, assists, steals, fast-break points, and points in the paint — all signs of a team executing its game plan nearly perfectly.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic remained the turnover column.

Scranton’s one turnover compared to Concordia’s eight highlighted just how clean and efficient the Royals played throughout the opening twenty minutes.

When the teams headed to the locker room, the scoreboard reflected what the crowd had watched unfold on the court.

Scranton 38, Concordia–Moorhead 21.

But if Concordia hoped to mount a comeback in the second half, Scranton quickly erased any doubt.

The Royals opened the third quarter with the same energy and focus that fueled their first-half success.

“We knew that this team was going to come out strong in the second half,” Kranson said. “So we just reminded ourselves to stay composed coming out of the locker room.”

Scranton continued to pressure Concordia defensively while keeping the offense balanced and patient.

Midway through the third quarter, Kranson delivered one of the biggest momentum plays of the night, knocking down a three-pointer off an assist from Meghan Lamanna to stretch the Royals’ lead even further.

Moments later, Jenna Sloan added another key basket in the paint, continuing Scranton’s dominance inside.

Concordia fought to stay within striking distance behind the efforts of Metcalf and Kaia Gack, but every time the visitors found a scoring opportunity, Scranton responded.

The Royals maintained their offensive efficiency while continuing to create turnovers and push the pace.

By the end of the third quarter, Scranton had extended its advantage to 51–35, firmly in control with just one quarter remaining.

The fourth quarter became more about finishing the job.

Scranton continued to attack offensively, with Lamanna scoring in the paint early in the period after a steal sparked another transition opportunity.

Kranson added points from the free-throw line, while Sloan knocked down a clutch three-pointer that pushed the Royals’ lead beyond twenty.

The Royals’ defense never relented.

Scranton continued to disrupt Concordia’s offense, forcing tough shots and limiting second chances while controlling the tempo of the game.

By the time the final minutes ticked away, the outcome was no longer in doubt.

Scranton closed the night with a 67–42 victory, completing a dominant performance from start to finish.

The Royals finished the game shooting 47.4 percent from the field, while holding Concordia to just 34.2 percent shooting.

Scranton also controlled the paint, scoring 36 points inside while forcing 20 Concordia turnovers that turned into 21 points off turnovers.

The balanced scoring effort was another key factor.

Kranson led the Royals with 15 points, while Gorski added 13, Lamanna finished with 11, and both Sloan and Elizabeth Bennett contributed 7 points each.

For Concordia–Moorhead, Metcalf led the team with 17 points while Alexa Snesrud added eight.

But throughout the night, Scranton’s defensive intensity and offensive efficiency proved too much to overcome.

Inside the locker room after the game, the emotions of the moment were impossible to ignore.

Tatutto reflected on what the victory meant for a team that has spent months grinding toward this stage of the season.

“Honestly, it was just an emotional moment,” Tatutto said. “When I walked into the locker room and looked around at everyone, it really hit me how much work we’ve all put in since the beginning of the season. Early mornings, tough practices, staying connected as a team — it all led to this moment. I just felt really proud of this group and grateful to be part of it.”

That connection inside the locker room has been a defining characteristic of this year’s Royals team.

“It means everything,” Tatutto added. “We have a locker room where everyone genuinely wants the best for each other, and I think that shows on the court. When someone makes a big play, the whole bench is up celebrating. That kind of trust and energy makes the game more fun and helps us play more confidently because we know we have each other’s backs.”

For Kranson, the victory represented more than just a spot in the next round — it represented the payoff of months of work.

“This is a night that I will never forget,” Kranson said. “We as a team have worked so hard for this moment and I’m just so incredibly proud of all of my teammates.”

She also pointed to something that has fueled the Royals all season long — the energy inside the John Long Center and the support of the Scranton community.

“Having the community support has been very instrumental in our wins this season,” she added. “The Scranton community is like no other. Throughout the whole season, they have supported us through each and every game.”

And on this night, that community witnessed something special.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Royals controlled the pace, executed their game plan, and delivered a complete team performance.

And when the dust settled inside the John Long Center, the message was clear.

The Royals didn’t just win.

They dominated.

————————-—————

.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

The early afternoon sun hung high over the diamond at the Community College of Baltimore County on Tuesday, casting long shadows across the infield as the Lackawanna College Falcons stepped onto the field with something to prove. College softball seasons move fast. Games stack on top of each other. Momentum can swing in a matter of innings, sometimes even a single pitch. The teams that learn how to respond when things don’t start their way are often the teams still playing meaningful games when the season reaches its most important moments.

What unfolded over seven innings on this afternoon was exactly that kind of response.

After falling behind early, Lackawanna regrouped, leaned on the depth of its lineup, and erupted offensively to defeat Catonsville 14–6 in a game that showcased patience, resilience, and an offense capable of producing from top to bottom.

From the very first pitch of the afternoon, there was a sense this game might not follow a straight line.

Both teams came out swinging. Both dugouts carried an early energy. Players leaned on the fence, calling out encouragement to teammates while coaches watched closely as the tone of the game began to unfold. For Lackawanna, the plan was simple and familiar — put the ball in play, pressure the defense, stay aggressive on the bases, and trust that the lineup would eventually break through.

The Falcons wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.

In the top of the first inning, Lackawanna showed the kind of disciplined at-bats that often set the tone for an offense. The Falcons worked counts, forced Catonsville pitchers to throw strikes, and slowly began to build traffic on the bases. When runners reached scoring position, Lackawanna found a way to capitalize.

Riverside graduate Riley Knott stepped into the batter’s box and delivered a sacrifice fly that brought home the first run of the afternoon. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t a towering home run or a dramatic extra-base hit. But it was exactly the kind of smart situational softball that winning teams rely on.

Moments later, another run crossed the plate as the Falcons continued to apply pressure, giving Lackawanna a quick 2–0 lead and forcing Catonsville to immediately respond.

But if the first inning belonged to Lackawanna, the bottom half served as a reminder of just how quickly softball can shift.

Catonsville answered — and the response came loud.

With runners on base, a Catonsville hitter connected on a sharp line drive that shot into the outfield. The ball skipped past the outfield defense and rolled toward the fence. By the time the Falcons retrieved it and relayed it back toward the infield, runners were already flying around the bases.

The play turned into an inside-the-park home run, and in an instant the momentum flipped.

What had been a 2–0 Lackawanna lead suddenly became a 3–2 Catonsville advantage in the span of a single swing.

The inning wasn’t finished.

Catonsville continued to apply pressure and took advantage of a defensive miscue that allowed another run to cross the plate. Just like that, the Falcons found themselves trailing 4–2 after one inning of play.

For many teams, giving up four runs immediately after building an early lead can shake confidence. Dugouts sometimes go quiet. Players begin pressing at the plate.

But the reaction inside the Lackawanna dugout told a different story.

There was no panic.

Players stayed engaged. Coaches continued talking through each at-bat. The focus immediately shifted forward — the next inning, the next pitch, the next opportunity.

In the top of the second inning, Lackawanna responded the way experienced lineups often do. Instead of trying to do too much, the Falcons stuck to their approach.

Put the ball in play.

Force the defense to make plays.

Make them earn every out.

A ball hit into the infield forced Catonsville to make a defensive play under pressure. The throw sailed off its mark, and two runners came around to score. Just like that, the Falcons had erased the deficit and tied the game at four runs apiece.

Energy returned instantly to the Falcons’ dugout.

But the back-and-forth nature of the game continued.

Catonsville answered again in the bottom half of the inning, stringing together a pair of hits that brought two runners home and pushed the lead back in their favor. After two innings, the scoreboard read 6–4 Catonsville.

Through the first two frames, both teams had shown flashes of offensive power.

But from that point forward, the tone of the game began to change.

The Falcons settled in defensively.

The pitching staff began finding a rhythm.

And the offense continued chipping away.

The third inning quietly became one of the most important moments of the game.

Lackawanna trimmed the lead to a single run thanks to aggressive base running and timely hitting. With runners moving around the bases, Madison Piriolli stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch single that brought home a run and cut the deficit to 6–5.

The run meant more than just a number on the scoreboard.

It shifted the energy.

Suddenly the Falcons were within striking distance again. The pressure slowly began to creep toward the Catonsville dugout.

From that point forward, the Falcons took control.

Catonsville, which had scored six runs in the first two innings, was held scoreless the rest of the afternoon.

The pitching staff tightened its command.

The defense began making clean plays behind them.

Ground balls turned into routine outs.

Fly balls were tracked down in the outfield.

And the Falcons slowly began building momentum inning by inning.

Meanwhile, the Lackawanna offense continued applying pressure.

One of the most impressive performances of the afternoon came from catcher Mackenzie Adolfson, who delivered one of the most complete offensive performances of her young season.

The freshman stepped into the batter’s box five times and collected four hits, consistently driving the ball into open space. Adolfson delivered a single in the second inning, reached again later in the game, added another base hit, and capped off the afternoon with a double.

Each time she reached base, the Falcons’ offense seemed to build momentum.

Her ability to extend innings and create opportunities became a key spark for the lineup.

As the game moved into the middle innings, the Falcons’ offense began to show its depth.

Leadoff hitter Alyssa Fleisher reached base and scored twice, helping set the tone at the top of the lineup.

Madison Scalese crossed the plate twice while contributing an RBI.

Laniah Tasker delivered three hits and consistently drove the ball into the outfield, forcing Catonsville’s defense to work through the entire lineup.

Then came the inning that ultimately changed everything.

The fifth.

Entering the inning, the Falcons still held only a narrow lead.

But what followed was a relentless offensive surge.

The inning began with runners reaching base and quickly turned into a rally that Catonsville struggled to stop.

Ayanna Fleisher delivered a clutch hit that drove in a run and pushed the Lackawanna lead to 7–6.

The momentum continued building.

Hit after hit.

Runner after runner.

Then Grace Sokol stepped to the plate and delivered one of the biggest swings of the afternoon.

The first baseman lined a ball into the outfield that brought three runners home, igniting the Falcons’ dugout and stretching the lead even further.

In a matter of minutes, the game had completely flipped.

What had once been a tight contest was now firmly in Lackawanna’s control.

Riley Knott added another RBI hit later in the inning, and by the time the final out was recorded the Falcons had scored six runs in the frame.

From there, Lackawanna simply needed to protect the lead.

The Falcons continued adding insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Mekenzie Dineen delivered a key RBI single that pushed the score to 13–6, and the Falcons added another run shortly after to reach the final total of 14.

By the end of the afternoon, the box score told the story of a complete offensive performance.

Lackawanna finished with 16 hits and 12 RBIs while consistently placing runners on base throughout the game.

Adolfson led the way with four hits and three runs scored.

Piriolli added two hits and three runs.

Dineen collected two hits and drove in two runs.

Tasker’s three-hit performance helped anchor the heart of the lineup.

“What was working for me at the plate was staying ready to do whatever I could to either get something started or bring my teammates home. I was looking for my pitch to drive.” Stated Lackawanna Lady Falcons Catcher, MacKenzie Adolfson.

She continued: “It feels good because I know my team has my back, and I know if I pass the bat, the next person in line will do the same. I can’t wait to see what this team can do this season.”

What made the performance particularly impressive was the way the Falcons built rallies together.

Rather than relying on one big swing from a single player, the lineup worked collectively — passing the bat, extending innings, and forcing Catonsville to navigate through nine dangerous hitters.

Equally important was the way the Falcons responded after the early innings.

Allowing six runs in the first two frames could have turned the game into a difficult climb.

Instead, the Falcons stayed composed.

They tightened defensively.

They settled into their pitching rhythm.

And the offense slowly took control.

Over the final five innings, Catonsville did not score again.

When the final out was recorded, the scoreboard read 14–6 in favor of Lackawanna.

What began as a back-and-forth battle had turned into a statement performance.

For the Falcons, the win carried more than just a mark in the standings.

It carried momentum.

It carried confidence.

And it served as a reminder of what this team can do when the entire lineup begins to click.

They showed they could absorb an early punch and keep competing.

They showed they could string together quality at-bats from the first spot in the order to the last.

And perhaps most importantly, they showed they could turn a close game into a decisive win simply by continuing to play their style of softball.

As the Falcons packed their equipment and boarded the bus after the game, they carried more than just a victory.

They carried the belief that this lineup can produce.

That the defense can settle down when needed.

That this team can respond when momentum swings the other direction.

In a season filled with long road trips, tight games, and unpredictable moments, performances like this often become the turning points teams remember.

The kind of game where the offense finds its rhythm.

The kind of game where a freshman catcher delivers four hits and ignites rallies.

The kind of game where the lineup refuses to slow down until the final out is recorded.

And on this Tuesday afternoon in Maryland, it was the Lackawanna Falcons who walked off the field knowing they had delivered exactly that kind of performance.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

The early morning air in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina carried a different feeling for the Keystone Giants on Monday. The sun slowly climbed over the coastal ballfields as the breeze coming off the Atlantic rolled across the complex. It was cool, calm, and quiet — the kind of morning that feels like a reset.

Inside the Keystone dugout, however, there was a different energy.

This game meant something.

College softball seasons move quickly, and the Giants had already felt the sting of a loss the day before against Penn State Altoona. Early-season tournaments can move at a relentless pace, and teams rarely have time to sit with frustration. For Keystone, the opportunity to respond was sitting right in front of them.

And when the dust settled five innings later, that response came in emphatic fashion.

What unfolded was not just a bounce-back performance, but a moment that highlighted two familiar names for softball fans back home in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Riverside graduate Clara Sandly and Mid Valley graduate Krista Cortazar — both freshmen now wearing Keystone blue — stepped into the spotlight and helped power the Giants to a commanding 10–1 victory over Immaculata.

The story of this game did not begin with a towering home run or a diving catch in the outfield.

It began with something simpler.

Something every team understands after a loss.

Reset.

Refocus.

Reload.

Coaches often talk about the importance of forgetting the previous game and moving forward. Keystone needed exactly that kind of response after falling to Penn State Altoona on Sunday. Early-season tournaments challenge teams physically and mentally. Travel schedules, unfamiliar fields, and quick turnarounds between games test a roster’s depth and resilience.

Monday morning became about putting the previous day behind them.

What made the response even more impressive was that it was led by two players just beginning their college softball journeys.

Clara Sandly and Krista Cortazar arrived at Keystone this season after standout careers at Riverside and Mid Valley, two programs deeply rooted in the softball culture of Lackawanna County. Both players were known for their ability to produce when the moment demanded it during their high school careers.

Fans across District 2 watched them deliver clutch hits, control games at the plate, and energize their teams with confidence.

Now, only a few games into their college careers, those same traits were on display again — this time on a collegiate field nearly six hundred miles away from home.

The game opened quietly, as many early innings do.

Keystone’s first trip through the lineup produced a couple of baserunners, but no runs crossed the plate. The Giants appeared to be feeling out the pitching, adjusting to the rhythm and pace of the game.

Meanwhile, in the circle, Keystone pitcher Aimee Lyons began establishing her presence early.

Lyons worked efficiently through the bottom of the first inning, attacking the strike zone and setting the tone defensively. It was the type of calm, steady start a team appreciates when it is looking to regain confidence.

The turning point arrived quickly in the second inning.

And like many big rallies, it began with pressure on the basepaths.

Isabella Benitez worked a walk to open the frame and immediately began creating chaos. She stole second base and then advanced again, forcing the Immaculata defense to stay alert with every pitch.

Moments later, West Scranton Graduate, Freshmen, Bianca Markovitch drew another walk.

Suddenly Keystone had runners moving and the defense scrambling to keep up.

The Giants’ dugout began to stir.

Jordan Chabrech struck out, but the inning continued to build momentum when Aimee Lyons reached base on an error. Markovitch raced home on the play, giving Keystone its first run of the morning.

It was a modest lead, but it felt important.

The Giants had broken through.

Shalimar Lopez Ramirez stepped up next and worked a walk, placing more runners on base and extending the pressure on the defense.

Then came Briana Aponte.

Aponte lined a single into center field, loading the bases and bringing the Keystone bench to life. The moment was building.

Emily Schultz stepped into the batter’s box and delivered another key hit, driving a ball into left field that allowed another run to score.

The Giants had doubled their lead.

But the rally was only beginning.

When Krista Cortazar approached the plate, the moment felt familiar to anyone who had watched her play at Mid Valley. During her high school career, Cortazar had built a reputation for delivering in situations just like this one.

Runners on base.

Momentum building.

A chance to change the game.

The freshman never looked overwhelmed by the moment or by the level of competition.

Instead, she did what she had done many times before.

Cortazar drove a pitch into right field, bringing two runners across the plate and sending the Keystone dugout into celebration. The swing was smooth, confident, and perfectly timed, pushing the Giants’ lead even further.

“My approach was to just do what I know I can do and have the confidence that I can hit the ball. I did exactly that and was able to hit the runners in.” Said Keystones Freshman Krista Cortazar.

She continued: “A lot of my teammates have made me realize that I got put here for a reason. If I did not show up everyday and put that work in, I wouldn’t be able to play like I do now. The biggest adjustment has just been balancing all my classes for college and juggling two sports. Other than that I still have the same confidence and love for the sport.”

But the inning was far from finished.

Moments later another familiar name from the NEPA softball community stepped into the spotlight.

Clara Sandly.

The Riverside graduate who had terrorized opposing pitchers during her high school career approached the batter’s box with the same calm focus she had shown for years. Sandly built a reputation as a hitter who thrives in clutch situations, and with runners on base the opportunity was there again.

She delivered.

Sandly sent a swing into the outfield that drove in two more runs and pushed Keystone’s advantage even further.

What began as a modest rally had turned into a full offensive explosion.

By the time the inning ended, Keystone had scored eight runs.

Eight runs on five hits, combined with aggressive base running and defensive mistakes by Immaculata, had completely shifted the game.

The Giants’ dugout was alive.

Players fed off one another’s energy as the momentum continued to grow.

For Sandly and Cortazar, the moment felt like a continuation of the type of softball they played throughout their high school careers.

Big moments.

Big hits.

Big contributions.

While the offense grabbed the headlines, Keystone’s success would not have been complete without the steady performance of Aimee Lyons in the circle.

Lyons pitched with confidence throughout the game, mixing pitches and keeping Immaculata hitters off balance. She attacked the strike zone and trusted her defense, striking out six batters over five innings while allowing just one hit.

It was the kind of outing that gives an offense freedom to stay aggressive.

The Giants added to their lead in the fourth inning, and once again the rally featured the names Sandly and Cortazar.

Emily Schultz reached base to begin the inning, followed by another hit that moved runners into scoring position. Cortazar continued her strong performance with another base hit, keeping the lineup moving and setting the stage for another key moment.

When Sandly stepped to the plate again, the opportunity was there.

She delivered once more.

Sandly drove a ball deep into the outfield gap for a two-run double. The ball rolled toward the fence as runners circled the bases, and Sandly slid safely into second with a smile that reflected the momentum Keystone had built.

For Sandly, the game became a showcase of her ability to produce runs.

She finished with two hits and four RBIs, numbers that highlighted just how impactful her performance had been. Cortazar added two hits and two RBIs of her own, proving that Keystone’s lineup had quickly found production from its freshman class.

Together, the two Northeastern Pennsylvania products combined for four hits and six RBIs.

“Honestly, I was just trying to stay calm and stick to what I’ve been working on in practice. My first game I was antsy at the plate and kept popping the ball up, so I focused on slowing things down and being better with my pitch selection. Once I settled in and saw the ball better, I was able to barrel it up and just do my job with runners on.” Said Keystone College, Clara Sandly.

She continued:” You could really feel the energy shift in the dugout once we started stringing hits together. Everyone was feeding off each other’s at-bats, and it felt like the momentum just kept building.”

Immaculata managed to push across a run in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a walk and aggressive base running that eventually led to a run scoring on an error. But the Giants never lost control.

Lyons regrouped.

The defense handled the final plays cleanly.

Keystone closed out the game with confidence.

When the final out settled into a glove, the scoreboard told the story.

Keystone 10.

Immaculata 1.

But for fans watching from back home in Lackawanna County, the game carried deeper meaning.

Two familiar players who built their reputations on local high school fields had taken another step forward in their softball journeys.

Riverside’s Clara Sandly and Mid Valley’s Krista Cortazar showed that their success was not limited to District 2.

Their talent had traveled with them to Keystone College.

“The upperclassmen have helped a lot with staying composed and trusting the process. Their experience and softball IQ really lead the team, and they remind us to trust our preparation and just play the game we’ve been playing our whole lives, Said Sandly.

Monday morning’s victory in Myrtle Beach may be just one game in a long season, but it offered something memorable.

It showed how quickly a team can respond after a loss.

It highlighted the impact of young players who refuse to wait for their moment.

And it reminded everyone watching that sometimes the most exciting stories in sports begin with familiar names and new opportunities.

Clara Sandly and Krista Cortazar began their Keystone careers the same way they finished their high school ones — producing runs, delivering hits, and helping their team win.

For Keystone, it was exactly the response the Giants needed.

And for fans back home in Riverside and Mid Valley, it was another reminder that two local athletes are just getting started on the next chapter of their softball journeys.

————————-———

Written by: Jeric Yurkanin

In big games all season long, the University of Scranton women’s basketball team has shown exactly who they are — and what kind of team they can become when the moment demands it.

The proof came long before the postseason lights ever turned on.

Back in November, during a preseason scrimmage that most programs schedule simply as a tune-up, Scranton delivered a result that sent a quiet shock through the college basketball world. The Royals walked into a matchup against Division I powerhouse University of Pittsburgh and walked out with a 69–63 victory. Games like that usually exist for Division III programs to gain experience against higher competition. They’re rarely expected to win.

But that night didn’t follow the script.

For Pittsburgh, it was a scrimmage that didn’t go according to plan. For Scranton — and for a proud Northeastern Pennsylvania basketball community — it became one of the most eye-opening wins in program history, putting the Royals on the national radar before the season had even begun.

And with that moment came expectations.

High ones.

Scranton entered the year carrying the weight — and pride — of one of the most respected Division III programs in the country. Since 1982, the Royals have made 38 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, a remarkable mark of consistency that few programs anywhere in the nation can match. Around college basketball, Scranton has long been synonymous with discipline, defense, and a brand of basketball built on fundamentals and team culture.

So when March arrived inside the John Long Center, the atmosphere felt familiar. They remain undefeated this year. 

But also different.

March has a way of sharpening everything.

The lights inside the arena glowed a little brighter. The crowd buzzed with anticipation. Every possession carried the kind of weight that only postseason basketball can bring.

And from the opening tip, it was clear the Royals were ready for the moment.

The opponent, Otterbein University, struck first and briefly grabbed the early edge. But Scranton never looked rattled. There was no panic, no rush, no sense of urgency that sometimes creeps into teams when the stakes rise.

Instead, the Royals looked calm.

Confident.

Connected.

The ball moved around the perimeter with purpose, hands touching it until a seam opened in the defense. And when that opening appeared, senior guard Kaci Kranson stepped directly into the moment.

Kranson, a proud Holy Cross graduate from Northeastern Pennsylvania, has spent her career building a reputation as one of Scranton’s most steady and dependable leaders. She understands tempo, understands timing, and understands when a game needs a spark.

Early in the first quarter, she provided exactly that.

Kranson rose from beyond the arc and buried a three-pointer that ignited both the bench and the purple-and-white crowd inside the John Long Center. It wasn’t just three points on the scoreboard — it was a statement.

The Royals had arrived.

Moments later, another outside shot splashed through the net, and suddenly the momentum had shifted entirely. Scranton began to settle into the rhythm that has defined their basketball identity for decades.

Kranson wasn’t simply scoring.

She was orchestrating.

Directing traffic. Reading defensive rotations. Finding teammates in rhythm and stepping back when the offense needed someone else to take the spotlight. Her fingerprints were on nearly every possession — whether attacking the lane, swinging the ball to an open shooter, or resetting the offense when the defense tightened.

Otterbein fought hard early. Their offense attacked the rim aggressively, and for several minutes the game carried the energy of a back-and-forth battle.

But slowly, Scranton’s identity began to take over.

Defense.

Pressure.

Discipline.

The Royals tightened their rotations and began closing passing lanes, forcing Otterbein into difficult possessions. What started as a competitive opening stretch gradually began tilting toward Scranton.

And when the Royals find rhythm, they become incredibly difficult to stop.

Freshman guard Sophia Talutto, a Dunmore graduate who has quickly begun carving out her role in the rotation, showed exactly why the coaching staff believes her future in the program is so bright.

Talutto plays with a quiet confidence.

She’s not loud. She doesn’t demand attention.

But when the ball finds her hands, something happens.

One possession in particular captured the moment perfectly. Talutto caught the ball on the wing, took one quick step toward the basket, and rose for a smooth mid-range jumper that dropped through the net with effortless touch.

Pure.

The kind of shot that signals a player fully comfortable under the lights.

Later, she stepped behind the three-point line and drilled another shot that stretched Scranton’s lead and forced Otterbein to adjust defensively.

By the end of the first quarter, the Royals had built a 21–15 lead, moving the ball efficiently and controlling the tempo of the game.

The second quarter is where Scranton truly began to separate.

“I think the biggest adjustment in the second half was our defensive intensity and how we started communicating more as a team. Once we got a few stops in a row, it really helped build momentum and allowed us to push the pace on offense.” Said University of Scrantons, Sophia Talutto.

She continued: “It felt really good to contribute offensively and help the team extend the lead. My teammates were finding me in great spots, and I was just trying to stay confident and take the shots when they were there.”

“Defensively, we were really locked in on our game plan and did a good job helping each other and contesting shots.Holding them to 43 points just shows how connected we were and how much effort everyone gave on that end of the floor.”

The defense tightened even further.

Rebounds were secured.

Loose balls were won.

Every possession began leaning toward the purple jerseys.

Sophomore forward Katie Gorski provided a spark inside the paint, using her physical presence to finish through contact and earn trips to the free-throw line. Each basket chipped away at Otterbein’s confidence while fueling Scranton’s momentum.

Meanwhile, Kaeli Romanowski quietly assembled one of the most efficient performances of the night. She attacked the boards, battled for position, and when she stepped to the free-throw line she was automatic, calmly knocking down every attempt.

By halftime, Scranton had stretched the lead to 39–25.

Control belonged to the Royals.

But in basketball, leads can evaporate quickly if focus slips.

Scranton never allowed that to happen.

The third quarter became the defining stretch of the night.

It began with relentless defensive pressure that forced Otterbein into rushed possessions. Scranton contested every shot and forced the Cardinals to speed up their offense, something they clearly didn’t want to do.

On the offensive end, the Royals attacked relentlessly.

Kranson continued weaving through defenders and finding open teammates. Talutto drove aggressively to the rim and finished smoothly. Gorski powered inside again, absorbing contact and converting free throws.

Possession by possession, the lead grew.

What once looked like a competitive matchup slowly transformed into a showcase of Scranton basketball — balanced scoring, disciplined defense, and relentless effort.

By the end of the third quarter, the scoreboard read 64–37.

And inside the arena, the tension had shifted.

The Royals weren’t just winning.

They were dominating.

The fourth quarter felt more like a celebration of what had become a complete performance. Scranton’s defense held Otterbein to just a single field goal in the final period, suffocating every offensive attempt and controlling the glass.

Rebound after rebound belonged to the Royals.

Loose balls found purple jerseys.

Meanwhile, the offense kept flowing.

Talutto added another jumper.

Kranson continued attacking and distributing.

Romanowski controlled the boards.

Elizabeth Bennett knocked down clutch free throws.

Meghan Lamanna added key minutes and smooth ball movement.

When the final buzzer echoed through the John Long Center, the scoreboard told the full story.

Scranton 82.

Otterbein 43.

A complete performance.

Kranson finished with 17 points, leading the Royals with the poise and leadership that have defined her senior season. The Holy Cross graduate once again proved why she has been such an important piece of the program — blending scoring, playmaking, and defense all night long.

Talutto added 14 points, continuing to show that her transition from Dunmore standout to college contributor is happening quickly.

Gorski also scored 14 points, while Romanowski added 11 points and seven rebounds. Bennett chipped in 12 points, and Lamanna added seven points and three assists.

But the box score only tells part of the story.

What truly defined the night was the balance.

Six players scoring.

Crisp ball movement leading to open shots.

Defensive pressure forcing mistakes.

The kind of team basketball that has long been the foundation of Scranton’s success.

For Kranson, the moment carried special meaning.

Every senior understands that March brings a different level of urgency. Each game could be the final chapter of a college career built through years of early practices, late nights, and sacrifices most fans never see.

Kranson has been one of the steady leaders of this program — and on this night she delivered again.

Talutto’s performance added another storyline: the rise of a freshman beginning to find her rhythm on the college stage. Dunmore fans who watched her dominate at the high school level will recognize the same calm shooting stroke and confidence now translating to Division III basketball.

Together, the veteran leader and the emerging freshman formed a powerful combination that helped fuel Scranton’s dominant performance.

For the Royals, the victory served as another reminder of what makes this program special.

Depth.

Discipline.

Defense.

And a culture that expects excellence every time they step on the court.

As the crowd slowly filtered out of the John Long Center and the players gathered near the bench exchanging smiles, handshakes, and hugs, one message felt unmistakably clear.

Scranton basketball is playing its best when the games matter most.

And with March only just beginning, the Royals look every bit like a team ready to keep writing their story.

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin

Across the diamonds of college softball, there are afternoons where everything clicks — where the pitching is sharp, the bats come alive, and momentum builds inning after inning until the outcome feels inevitable. Friday in Binghamton was one of those afternoons. Under cloudy early-season skies and with the 2026 season still finding its rhythm, the Binghamton Bearcats delivered one of their most complete performances of the year, rolling past Niagara in a dominant 12–0 victory. But for fans across Northeastern Pennsylvania, the story went deeper than the scoreboard. In the circle for Binghamton stood a familiar name — a freshman pitcher who only months earlier was competing on the fields of District 2. Valley View graduate Taylor Cawley stepped into the spotlight and delivered a performance that felt like the continuation of a story local softball followers know well.

Cawley, the former Valley View Cougar standout, earned the win with a commanding five-inning shutout performance that helped push Binghamton past Niagara in convincing fashion. She allowed just two hits, walked one batter, struck out four, and never allowed Niagara to find any real offensive momentum. For a freshman pitcher adjusting to the speed and pressure of NCAA Division I softball, the outing showed poise and maturity well beyond her class standing. The Bearcats entered the afternoon searching for momentum early in the season, holding a 3-12 record and still looking to find consistency against a challenging schedule. Against Niagara, they found exactly what they needed — steady pitching, disciplined offense, and a defensive performance that never allowed the Purple Eagles to settle into the game.

The opening moments of the game provided a small test for Cawley, and how she responded revealed a great deal about her mindset in the circle. Niagara’s Carmella Phelan led off the game with a single to right field and quickly stole second base, putting the Purple Eagles in scoring position before Binghamton had recorded an out. Early pressure like that can sometimes rattle young pitchers, especially freshmen pitching in college games for the first time in their careers. But Cawley showed none of that uncertainty. She stayed composed, worked through the situation, and trusted the defense behind her. Donnalea Barnett struck out swinging, Hailey Cennname grounded out to third base, and Jolyn Gibbons lined out to left field to end the inning. What could have been an early spark for Niagara instead became a quiet reminder that Cawley was ready for the moment.

Moments later, Binghamton’s offense made sure that confidence in the circle had immediate support on the scoreboard. The Bearcats came to the plate in the bottom of the first inning determined to establish control of the game early, and they did exactly that. Rachel Carey flied out to left field to begin the inning, but the next sequence of at-bats ignited a rally that would quickly tilt the game in Binghamton’s favor. Darien McDonough stepped to the plate and ripped a triple to center field, instantly placing the Bearcats ninety feet from the game’s first run. Maddy Dodig followed with a walk, placing runners at first and third and forcing Niagara’s defense to navigate immediate pressure.

Elisa Allen delivered the breakthrough. The Binghamton catcher lined a single into center field, scoring McDonough and giving the Bearcats a 1-0 lead. The inning continued to unravel for Niagara as Allen advanced to second on a wild pitch and Dodig moved to third. Lauren Payne drew a walk, loading the bases, and Megan Wolf added another run with an RBI walk that pushed the lead to 2-0. Then came one of the biggest hits of the inning. Rebecca Minnichbach stepped into the batter’s box and drove a two-run double into the outfield, bringing home two more runs and stretching Binghamton’s advantage to 4-0 before the inning finally came to an end.

For a pitcher like Cawley, that early cushion meant everything. Softball pitchers often talk about the difference between working with pressure and pitching with freedom. When a team gives its pitcher an early lead, the dynamic changes. The pitcher can attack the strike zone, challenge hitters, and trust that one mistake will not define the entire game. That was exactly the situation Cawley found herself in as the game moved into the second inning. Niagara tried to respond immediately when Kelli Plumaker opened the inning with a walk, but the Bearcats defense turned a perfectly executed double play to erase the baserunner. Ella Sheehan was later hit by a pitch, but Cawley quickly regained control and struck out Ella Moore swinging to end the inning.

The Bearcats added another run in the bottom of the second, steadily building their advantage. Rachel Carey singled to center field, and a pinch runner entered to add speed on the bases. McDonough worked a walk to put two runners aboard, and although Maddy Dodig flied out to center field, Binghamton continued to pressure Niagara’s defense. Elisa Allen reached base on an error by the shortstop, advancing the runners further. Lauren Payne then lifted a sacrifice fly that allowed the runner to tag and score, pushing the Bearcats’ lead to 5-0. The run may have looked small compared to the four-run first inning, but it reinforced the steady offensive approach Binghamton maintained all afternoon.

Meanwhile, Cawley continued to settle into a rhythm that Niagara could not disrupt. In the top of the third inning, Sophia Chemotti recorded a single for the Purple Eagles, but the rally ended almost as quickly as it began. Carmella Phelan grounded out, Barnett grounded out to third, and Cennname grounded out as well. Three outs later, the inning was over and Niagara still had not pushed a run across the plate.

Then came the inning that completely broke the game open.

In the bottom of the third inning, Binghamton unleashed an offensive surge that turned a comfortable lead into a runaway. The Bearcats took advantage of several Niagara defensive errors, aggressive baserunning, and timely hitting to produce a six-run inning. Sami Levine reached base on an error to start the rally. Rebecca Minnichbach later reached on another defensive miscue, and Akira Kopec was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rachel Carey followed with an RBI single that drove in another run. Moments later, McDonough reached base on an error that allowed yet another run to score. Walks, wild pitches, and defensive struggles for Niagara allowed the inning to snowball. By the time the frame finally ended, six runs had crossed the plate and the Bearcats had stretched their lead to 11-0.

From that moment forward, the outcome felt sealed. The only question remaining was how quickly the run rule would come into play.

Cawley returned to the circle in the fourth inning with complete command of the game. She needed only three batters to retire the side. Jolyn Gibbons flied out to right field. Plumaker struck out swinging. Marrero lined out to second base. It was a quick inning that reflected the rhythm Cawley had developed throughout the game. Her tempo remained steady, her pitches stayed low in the zone, and Niagara struggled to produce solid contact.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Binghamton added the final run that would cap the afternoon’s scoring. Rachel Carey stepped to the plate and delivered a powerful swing, sending a home run to center field that pushed the Bearcats’ lead to 12-0. It was Carey’s third run scored of the game and her second RBI, highlighting one of the most productive individual performances of the afternoon.

The fifth inning became a formality, but Cawley approached it with the same focus she showed in the first. Ella Sheehan struck out looking to begin the inning. Adriana Hills grounded out to shortstop for the second out. Then Sophia Chemotti grounded out to third base, ending the game and securing the run-rule victory for Binghamton.

For Cawley, the final stat line told the story of a pitcher in complete control. Five innings pitched. Two hits allowed. Zero runs. One walk. Four strikeouts. It was a composed and efficient outing that highlighted why Binghamton coaches believed she could compete at the Division I level.

For fans back home in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the performance carried an extra layer of pride. Cawley built her reputation as a pitcher at Valley View High School, where she developed into one of District 2’s most dependable competitors in the circle. Valley View softball has long been one of the region’s strongest programs, producing players capable of competing beyond the high school level. Watching Cawley step into a college uniform and deliver a shutout win against a Division I opponent felt like the continuation of that tradition.

The Bearcats’ offensive production supported her performance throughout the game. Binghamton finished with twelve runs on seven hits and drew six walks while capitalizing on Niagara’s five defensive errors. Rachel Carey led the offense with three runs scored, two RBIs, and a home run. Rebecca Minnichbach contributed two RBIs including a key double in the first inning. Elisa Allen added two RBIs and scored twice. Megan Wolf, Lauren Payne, and several others provided timely at-bats that kept the pressure on Niagara’s pitching staff.

Niagara struggled to find consistency in any phase of the game. The Purple Eagles recorded just two hits and committed five errors defensively, which extended multiple innings and allowed Binghamton to build momentum. Early season games can be challenging for teams still finding rhythm, especially when facing opponents who capitalize on mistakes. That was the case Friday afternoon, as Binghamton took advantage of every opportunity.

For the Bearcats, the victory represented more than just a single win in the standings. Early in the season, teams are often searching for confidence and identity. A dominant performance like this one provides both. The combination of strong pitching, patient hitting, and clean defense created a complete performance that coaches hope can become a template moving forward.

And for one freshman pitcher from Valley View, the afternoon became another step in a journey that began on the high school diamonds of District 2.

Taylor Cawley walked off the field with a win in her pocket, a shutout on the stat sheet, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing she can compete at the highest level of college softball.

For Binghamton, it was a 12-0 victory.

For Northeastern Pennsylvania softball fans, it was something even more exciting — watching one of their own continue to rise.

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Special thanks to our Spring 2026 sponsors: Andy’s Pizza in Peckville and Tasty Freeze in Eynon.

A big thank you to our sponsors for helping make Agape Freedom Sports and NEPA Chronicles possible. Your support helps us continue covering local high school and college softball across Northeastern Pennsylvania and shining a spotlight on the athletes, teams, and stories that matter most in our community. We truly appreciate your belief in local sports coverage.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Lackawanna College came out hot and swinging today against Salem Community College (NJ) — and they did it on one of those miserable softball days where you’re basically playing the weather as much as the opponent. Dark skies. Steady damp rain popping in and out. A wet field. Not exactly “perfect conditions.” But the Falcons weren’t interested in excuses. They were interested in runs.

After a 1–2 start, they were due to snap back. The year opened with a 0–7 loss to Louisburg, then a 4–12 loss to Gaston on February 28 — but later that same day they responded with an 11–6 win over Wake Tech, and you could feel the bats starting to wake up.

And today? They didn’t just wake up. They caught fire.

The tone was set in the top of the 2nd. Mid Valley alum Mackenzie Adolfson stayed calm and worked a walk. Two batters later, with one out, Riverside alum Kyleah Edwards jumped on one and ripped a fly-ball double to center, bringing Adolfson home for the first run of the game.

Then Ayahna Fleisher basically kicked the door in.

She hammered a shot to center field, clearing the bases and driving in Edwards and Madison Pirolli to make it 3–0 in a hurry. Holy Cross alum Mia Scalese struck out to end the inning, but the message was already loud and clear: Lackawanna wasn’t playing around.

Salem managed just one hit in the bottom of the 2nd — a fly-ball double to center — and that was basically it. The Falcons were locked in defensively and slammed the door with three outs.

Then came the top of the 3rd… and that’s where the game got flipped upside down.

Laniah Tasker drew a walk — and spoiler: she walked three times on the day. Gracie Sokol worked a walk too. Then Adolfson stepped up and smoked a double to bring Tasker home for 4–0, and that spark turned into a full-blown explosion.

Haleigh Mazol followed with a ground-ball single that brought in Sokol and Adolfson to make it 6–0. After an out, Edwards walked, Mackenzie Dineen walked, and Fleisher kept the line moving with a grounder that plated Mazol and Edwards for 8–0.

Then Scalese ripped a double to drive in another run — 9–0. Tasker walked again. Fleisher stole home — 10–0. Adolfson took another walk that forced in Scalese — 11–0.

And then Mazol unloaded.

A home run to center that cleared the bases, and before you could even catch your breath it was 15–0 — all in the 3rd inning. Edwards later singled, Dineen grounded out, and the inning finally ended… but Salem had already been buried.

“Honestly, today’s games were tougher than the scores show. The rain and field conditions made it hard for pitchers to grip and throw the ball, and tough for fielders to make plays. For me, being selective at the plate and attacking the strikes I did get helped me have success. I try to stay confident, loose, and grounded in every at-bat — that’s what allows me to perform. “Said Lackawanna Colleges, Haleigh Mazol

She continued: “Our coaches hold us to a high standard and expect a lot from us, and because of that, we expect a lot from ourselves. We give everything we have every time we step on the field and play to the best of our ability. We support each other on and off the dirt — we’ve always got each other’s backs. Our dugout is electric, and that energy gets us through adversity. We’re all excited for this season, and I can’t wait to see what we do this year.”

Bottom of the 3rd? Three quick outs. The Lackawanna defense made it look easy.

And the Falcons still weren’t done.

Top of the 4th, they kept piling it on. Fleisher was hit by a pitch, Mackenzie Revere came in and drew a walk, Tasker walked again, and Sokol doubled to bring in a run for 16–0.

Adolfson — a true freshman who looked way beyond her years at the plate — stayed patient and drew yet another walk. Mazol got hit by a pitch and Tasker scored. Then Caitlynn Schereck came in, hit a ground ball, and reached on a shortstop error as Adolfson and Sokol crossed to make it 19–0.

And Lackawanna finished the job the way they started it — relentless — rolling to a 21–0 win in five innings. Rain, cold, darkness… none of it mattered.

The Falcons’ bats were wide awake, and Salem felt every swing.

Mazol finished 2-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 7 RBIs. Catcher Mackenzie Adolfson went 2-for-2, drew three walks, drove in two, and crossed the plate a team-high five times. Edwards went 2-for-2 with a walk and scored twice.

And the day didn’t end there — Lackawanna capped the doubleheader by holding off Salem CC 7–6 in Game 2.

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WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN | AGAPE FREEDOM MEDIA

Archbald — On paper, Saturday’s District 2 Class 4A semifinal between Valley View and Nanticoke looked like a mirror staring back at itself.

Two complete teams.

Two programs built on defense first.

Two offenses averaging around 52 points per game.

Two defenses holding opponents in the early-to-mid 30s.

Valley View entered at 19-5. Nanticoke stood at 16-4. This wasn’t going to be a track meet.

It was going to be a fight.

And hanging over the entire matchup was one headline circled in red: Nanticoke senior Kate Reed — owner of around 77 three-pointers this season — the kind of shooter who can flip a scoreboard in two minutes if you blink.

From the opening tip, it felt exactly how it looked on paper — physical, back-and-forth, possession-by-possession basketball.

Valley View struck first.

Sophomore Ashlyn Palickar scored inside. Cora Castellani drilled a three. Just like that, 5-0 Cougars.

But Nanticoke answered with a punch of their own — nine unanswered points. Senior Nevaeh Baran fueled that surge, and with 4:19 left in the first quarter, it was Nanticoke 9, Valley View 5.

The gym tightened.

Mady Minelli and Castellani responded, tying the game at 9 with 3:57 left. It was tied again at 11 with 3:24 remaining. Then Nanticoke’s Natalee Atkins caught fire, knocking down two straight baskets to give the Lady Trojans a 15-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Valley View walked to the bench knowing something had to shift.

And it did.

Freshman Ali Mauro came off the bench in the second quarter and changed the entire tempo of the game. She scored in the paint. Then again. Then buried a three. Suddenly it was 16-15 Valley View — and the energy flipped.

“We knew coming into the game we needed be strong with the ball, first quarter we came out a little weak, we weren’t doing our jobs then 2nd quarter we came out and knew what we need to do better and we adjusted, rebound the ball better, and move the ball we knew then we can run them into transition that’s exactly what we did and pulled out the win.” said Valley View junior Sadie Cardoni.

“We started quick offensively defensively we got caught flat footed we changed a couple of our matchups and adjusted our help defense which luckily worked.” said Valley View head coach Robbie Martin.

He continued: “After the 1st quarter I thought we did a much better job moving and reversing the ball. Had better dribble penetration and looks into are bigs which helped us locate our perimeter shooters who knocked them down.”

Mauro didn’t just provide a spark — she exploded.

The freshman finished with a career-high 20 points, including 11 in the second quarter alone. With foul trouble creeping in for others, she answered the call in the biggest game of her young career and helped push Valley View to a commanding 32-20 halftime lead.

“Ali, she been working hard all season long, especially being a freshman coming off the bench, it’s very hard come into a semifinal game as a freshman and play way she did and I’m very proud of her.” said Sadie Cardoni.

“Putting a freshman in that situation isn’t easy.  With foul trouble early Ali stepped in and didn’t play like a freshman.  She has a ton of talent a strong work ethic and ice water running through her veins.  She’s progressed all year long and showed everyone today is a varsity caliber player. Cora, Ashlyn and Ava also had big games offensively which gave us great balance.  Sadie and Ava did a great job on the glass limiting their 2nd chance opportunities and their offensive rebounding gave us extra possessions.” said Martin.

The Cougars never gave the momentum back.

By the end of the third quarter, it was 46-30 Valley View. The defense kept swarming. Passing lanes disappeared. Loose balls were ripped away. Transition buckets piled up.

Final: 74-45 Cougars.

Castellani finished with 15 points and 5 assists.

Palickar added 13.

Ava Gazoo delivered 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Cardoni contributed 7 points and 7 boards.

For Nanticoke, Natalee Atkins led the way with 15 points.

But the stat that may have mattered most?

Kate Reed — the 77-three-pointer senior — was held to zero.

Shut out.

Castellani followed her possession after possession, contest after contest, never giving an inch of air space.

“Cora, she did amazing today, she has the energy that compared to nobody else, she always ready to go and she seem to never get tired, it’s great have someone on the team like her and play with her.” said Sadie Cardoni.

“We knew Kate Reed was an above avg scorer who has crazy range.  As always Cora is assigned our opponents best offensive threat.  With all Cora’s offensive ability what I believe gets over looked is her individual defense.  She relentless.  Has a never going to beat me mentality.  Cora’s the real deal.  She watches a ton of film and prepares for who she is guarding.  She works just as hard off the floor as she does on it.  She’s always prepared.” said Martin.

Nanticoke is a very good basketball team. Disciplined. Tough. Balanced.

But Saturday belonged to the Cougars.

The defensive intensity. The second-quarter adjustments. The freshman spark. The glue defense on the perimeter. It all added up.

And now Valley View is headed back — for the second straight year — to Mohegan Sun Arena for the District 2 Class 4A Championship.

Waiting for them?

A familiar foe: Scranton Prep.

The two split the regular season. Valley View snapped a 27-year drought with a 45-43 win on January 8th. Prep answered with a 66-52 win on February 3rd. Last year, Prep took the district title over the Cougars.

This year?

Different team. Different moment. Same stage.

Both squads defend. Both can score. Both know each other well.

Who’s better?

That’s why the games are played.

One thing is certain — Valley View made the right adjustments Saturday. Strong coaching. Balanced scoring. Five starters locked in. Bench players stepping up when called.

Next stop: Mohegan Sun. Thursday night.

And the Cougars are coming.

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WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Some kids are born into a sport.

Some kids get assigned one — like it’s stitched into the family last name, sewn into the bloodline, locked into a legacy they didn’t choose but are expected to carry.

And sometimes that legacy comes with baggage.

Pressure.

Expectations.

A spotlight you didn’t ask for.

The kind of weight that can sit on your shoulders long before you ever step on a varsity floor. By high school, that pressure can turn into burnout — and the sport you once loved becomes the sport you’re quietly counting the days to escape.

But for Wilkes-Barre Area senior star David Jannuzzi Jr., that hasn’t been the story.

He’s humble. Quiet-spoken. A man of few words who doesn’t carry himself like he’s owed anything. He doesn’t chase headlines. He doesn’t flex stats. When he talks, it’s about teammates — how he can make them better, how some nights he’ll have it rolling, and other nights he’ll need the guys around him to carry a stretch.

That mindset stood out to me — especially because around here, the Jannuzzi name carries real weight.

I first heard the backstory Thanksgiving weekend 2024 while covering a Wilkes-Barre Wolfpack game — a tight 65–63 win. Before tip-off, a parent walked over and started talking hoops, casually pointing out who could really play. Then she mentioned David Jannuzzi Jr. Without missing a beat, she smiled and pointed toward the seats — “his dad is right there by the team.”

The way she said it?

It wasn’t casual. It was nostalgic. Like she was remembering something bigger than just stats. She smiled the kind of smile that lingers. Went on and on about his dad’s game. Almost like she was remembering a legend in real time.

That’s when it hit me.

This isn’t just a last name people recognize.

Around here, it’s a name people remember.

Because when people see “Jannuzzi” stitched across a jersey, it doesn’t just sound familiar — it comes attached to a résumé.

Long before David Jr. put his own stamp on games, his dad — Dave Jannuzzi — was building a résumé that turned into local basketball folklore.

At Meyers High School, Dave wasn’t just a basketball player — he played basketball and tennis — but on the hardwood, the story exploded. He finished top 10 in more than 35 categories at Wilkes, essentially rewriting the record books. As a freshman, he was named Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year. Then he became Freedom Conference MVP as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

And it didn’t stop there.

At Wilkes University, the accolades stacked: All-American honors. Conference championships. Deep postseason runs. A Division III Final Four runner-up season — the kind of accomplishment that echoes through a community for decades. Then he took his game overseas and into the semi-pro ranks — playing in Italy, lighting up the EBA, winning league honors, even setting a 67-point scoring record during a stretch where he averaged nearly 30 points per game. Years later, he was still competing — becoming a co-owner/player for the Wyoming Valley Clutch and pouring back into youth basketball in this valley.

So yeah…

The name carries weight.

But David Jr. isn’t trying to recreate his dad’s story.

He isn’t hiding from it.

He isn’t living in its shadow.

He’s building his own.

One possession.

One game.

One season at a time.

“I really don’t feel any pressure because of my name. I believe I have created my own pathway and established my name,” said Wilkes-Barre Area senior David Jannuzzi Jr.

Last year, he crossed the 1,000-career-point milestone as a junior — something that doesn’t happen by accident. It doesn’t happen without early mornings, empty gyms, repetition when no one’s watching. And when he stepped to the line for that free throw?

He knew exactly where he was looking.

“I mostly remember seeing Coach Lavan and us sharing a smile right before I hit the free throw for my 1,000. When I hit it I looked right for my dad because we both knew the amount of work that took and he was the person who created the desire I had for it.”

His father will never forget that moment either.

But long before the 1,000th point, there was another moment — one that told him everything. Second grade. CYC championship game. His son hit a game-winning three.

“Even at that age you could see he wanted the ball in that moment,” said David Jannuzzi Sr.

And for a dad who has lived the game, the milestones mean something deeper.

“Each of the milestones, especially the 1000 point and league title happing on the same night was a special moment. It showcased exactly the type of teammate and player he is. Playing his best in the biggest moments. But, I’m most proud of the human being he has become. Is lives, breathes trying to be the best at everything he does, but he does it trying to bring everyone along with him. Hes has always been we before me. He just wants to win with his guys. Straight A STEM student that never put himself in bad spots. And truly wants the best for all his family, teammates and friends. Truly a great human being.”

Being a dad and a coach isn’t easy either.

“Very difficult being a dad coach. But I tried to treat him like everyone else. Most important lessons I tried to instill was be a great teammate 1st, do whatever the team needs to win and work for the level you want to play at.”

When David Jr. transitioned from AAU to varsity as a freshman, the adjustment wasn’t physical.

It was mental.

“The biggest adjustment came with the mental side of basketball. There was a level of film and IQ that was next level especially from the opposing coaches and the way they game planned against me.”

And behind every highlight clip is a reality most fans never see.

“Fans don’t see the early mornings and the late nights. All the times I’ve done something that I didn’t want to do just because I know my goal. All the blood and tears that have gone into it and the things I’ve sacrificed.”

Last season, the Wilkes-Barre Wolfpack captured the Wyoming Conference division title.

“It showed to every doubter that I could be the leader of a championship team and was something we wanted so desperately as a team to win. Just all of our hard work paying off.”

At 5-foot-9, he doesn’t fit the prototype.

But he fits the moment.

“I definitely have to play with a chip on my shoulder but being short comes with advantages. I’m lower to the ground making it easier to get around people and split through guys because they can’t get as low as me, along with using pace and IQ.”

And yes, the comparisons still come.

“I realized when I was younger and people would also ask me if I wanted to be as good as my dad. I always said I wanted to be better. Ik people will compare me and him and it doesn’t affect me, if anything it shows me that I’ve come a long way to be considered as great as him, but always have much more work to do to surpass him.”

Right now, he sits around 1,400 career points.

But he’s not finished.

Wilkes-Barre Area enters the PIAA District 2 Class 6A playoffs as the No. 1 seed, sitting on a bye and preparing for next Monday’s matchup against the winner of Scranton and Hazleton.

And the goal?

It’s bigger than numbers.

“Our biggest goal for this year is to win a district championship and to win a state game which has never been done by Wilkes- Barre before. People should know that we have a desire to win and that is our only goal.”

Some legacies are inherited.

Others are built.

David Jannuzzi Jr. isn’t trying to carry a name.

He’s carving one.

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WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Penn State didn’t lose this one quietly. It slipped away in a rush — the kind of game that lives in your chest long after the final out, because it never stopped feeling winnable.

On a warm February afternoon in Houston, the Nittany Lions traded punches with an unbeaten Incarnate Word squad and showed flashes of what this team can become. Power. Patience. Pressure. And then, in the cruel honesty of softball, one late inning flipped the script. Incarnate Word walked it off in the seventh, 5–4, after Penn State had spent most of the day controlling the tone.

The Lions announced themselves early. In the second inning, Natalie Lieto roped a double down the left-field line, setting the table with authority. One pitch later, Allison Oneacre turned a routine at-bat into a statement — a towering blast to straightaway center that cut through the Texas air and put Penn State on the board with a two-run homer. No hesitation. No cheap contact. Just thunder.

That swing mattered because it revealed the identity Penn State is shaping: aggressive when it counts, patient when it has to be, and dangerous from top to bottom. Oneacre would prove that point again in the third.

After Incarnate Word scratched across a run to even things, Penn State answered immediately. Kirsten Finarelli, the Lake-Lehman graduate and Penn State freshman first baseman, worked a disciplined at-bat, part of a quiet theme all afternoon — freshmen refusing to look like freshmen. Lieto reached again, and once more Oneacre made them pay. This time the ball disappeared over the left-field fence, another two-run shot, another surge of momentum, another reminder that mistakes don’t survive long against this lineup. Four RBIs. Two swings. No wasted motion.

From there, the game settled into a tense rhythm. Penn State threatened but couldn’t land the knockout blow. Walks piled up. Runners moved. Sacrifice bunts did their job. But Incarnate Word bent without breaking, surviving multiple innings where one clean hit could have widened the gap.

In the circle, Penn State stitched the afternoon together with depth and grit. McKenna Young set the tone early, working efficiently and attacking hitters. Mackenzie Duncan bridged the middle innings, navigating traffic and keeping the Cardinals from fully settling in. Abigail Britton took the ball later, and while the box score will never tell the whole story, she battled through pressure-packed moments that demanded precision, not panic.

Softball, though, is ruthless with margins. Penn State carried a 4–1 lead into the late innings, and even as Incarnate Word chipped away, nothing felt inevitable. Until it did.

The seventh inning arrived with the kind of tension that hums under your skin. A leadoff single. A sudden spark. Then the swing that flipped the field — a two-run home run that erased the lead and changed the energy instantly. The Cardinals weren’t done. Another home run followed. A double. A sacrifice fly. Four runs crossed before Penn State could reset, and just like that, the game was over.

It’s the type of inning that leaves no time to breathe, no time to regroup. One moment you’re managing outs. The next, you’re shaking hands.

And yet, buried inside the disappointment were moments that mattered — moments that hint at where this season could go.

Valley View graduate Kalli Karwowski stepped onto the field for her first regular-season action as a Penn State freshman, entering as a pinch runner late. It didn’t change the outcome, but it mattered all the same. First appearances always do. They’re the quiet beginnings that turn into chapters later, and for Karwowski, it marked the start of her college journey at the highest level.

Finarelli’s presence at first base told a similar story. Poised. Steady. Unrattled. Freshmen aren’t supposed to look comfortable this early, especially against an unbeaten opponent on a neutral field hundreds of miles from home. But Penn State’s newcomers didn’t blink — they competed, contributed, and belonged.

That’s what made this loss sting a little deeper. The pieces were there. The swings were there. The moments lined up. Penn State out-hit Incarnate Word in key stretches, worked seven walks, and showed the kind of situational awareness that wins games when February turns into April.

But February is for lessons, not records.

This one taught a few. Finish innings. Slam doors when they open. Understand that no lead is safe, not for a pitch, not for a breath. It also reinforced something important — this team can play with anyone. Power travels. Discipline travels. Depth travels.

Penn State left Houston with a loss on paper, but not with doubts about who they are. If anything, the Nittany Lions left knowing they’re close — close enough that games like this hurt, because they’re supposed to.

And that’s exactly where a dangerous team wants to be this early in the season.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

The box score will say Bradley 9, Binghamton 3, but that final line barely hints at how this game actually breathed, twisted, and tilted over seven innings in Auburn, Alabama.

For four innings, it was a grind. A chess match. One of those games where every at-bat feels like it’s being played on a knife’s edge, where momentum doesn’t swing so much as it creeps, inch by inch, waiting for someone brave enough to grab it.

Bradley came in searching for traction early in the season. Binghamton came in young, still learning how to survive at the Division I level, still learning that good pitches don’t always get hit, and that one bad bounce can unravel an entire inning if you let it.

The first three innings passed quietly on the scoreboard, but not without tension. Bradley put runners on early in the first, stringing together singles and a walk, but Binghamton managed to bend without breaking. That pattern — pressure, escape, reset — repeated itself. The Bearcats scratched first blood in the third, manufacturing a run with a double and a well-timed RBI knock that finally cracked the stalemate. For a moment, it felt like Binghamton might be finding its footing.

That moment didn’t last long.

By the fourth inning, Bradley began doing what veteran teams do best: forcing the issue and letting the defense make mistakes. The Braves didn’t need a barrage of home runs to seize control — though power would show up later — they needed patience, contact, and pressure. A triple into the gap. A single punched through the middle. An error that should have ended the inning but instead kept the door wide open.

And once that door opened, Bradley kicked it off the hinges.

The fifth inning told the story of the game. Bradley sent hitters to the plate with confidence and intent, not chasing, not rushing, but relentlessly putting balls in play. A two-run homer flipped the scoreboard and the energy in one swing. Another ball left the infield on a line. Then another runner reached on an error. Then another advanced on a misplay. The inning kept stretching, kept breathing, kept demanding outs that Binghamton just couldn’t cleanly secure.

By the time the dust settled, Bradley had hung four runs in the frame, and the game’s tone had shifted from cautious to commanding.

Still, Binghamton didn’t fold. The Bearcats answered with a solo home run of their own — a reminder that young teams can still bite — and for a brief stretch, there was life again. The dugout responded. The energy ticked upward. The crowd stirred.

But Bradley never gave momentum back.

The sixth inning became the separation point — not because of fireworks, but because of composure. Hit batters. Walks. Fielding miscues. Sacrifice flies. Ground balls that turned into runs because someone was hustling and someone else was late. It wasn’t pretty baseball, but it was effective, and sometimes that’s all that matters.

Bradley scored four more runs without recording a hit in the inning. Let that sink in.

That’s pressure baseball. That’s understanding how to weaponize patience. That’s knowing that if you keep making the other team field the ball, eventually something cracks.

In the circle, Abby Rusher was everything Bradley needed her to be. Calm. Efficient. Unbothered. She scattered four hits across seven innings, struck out seven, and never let Binghamton’s brief sparks turn into sustained fire. Even when the Bearcats connected — even when the ball left the yard — she reset immediately, attacking the zone and trusting her defense to make the routine plays.

That steadiness mattered. Especially for a young Binghamton lineup still learning how to build innings instead of chasing them.

The final inning provided one last reminder of that youth. A pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the seventh gave the Bearcats their third run — a swing that mattered, even if the outcome didn’t change. Because for young players, those moments carry forward. They’re seeds planted for later in the season, for later years.

And it’s impossible to talk about Binghamton’s youth without mentioning Taylor Cawley.

The Valley View graduate and freshman Bearcat didn’t see action in this game, but her presence still looms large — especially for those back home watching this program closely. Early college seasons are rarely linear. Some days you’re in the lineup. Some days you’re learning from the dugout. Some days the most important work happens between innings, between games, between moments when the spotlight isn’t yours yet.

Cawley’s journey is just beginning, and games like this — wins, losses, messy innings, teaching moments — are all part of the foundation. For a freshman class learning the speed, depth, and unforgiving nature of Division I softball, there are no shortcuts. Only reps. Only patience. Only growth.

Bradley finished with seven hits and nine runs, but the stat that told the truest story was the five errors charged to Binghamton. Not because the Bearcats lacked effort — they didn’t — but because college softball punishes hesitation. The ball moves faster. The runners move smarter. The margin for “almost” disappears.

This game wasn’t decided by one swing. It was decided by dozens of small moments stacking on top of each other until the weight became too much to hold back.

For Bradley, it was a needed win — proof that execution can beat flash, and that patience can be just as lethal as power.

For Binghamton, it was another chapter in a season that’s still being written — one filled with lessons that don’t show up neatly in the box score but matter just as much in the long run.

And for those watching from Northeastern Pennsylvania, especially Valley View, it was another reminder that the leap from high school dominance to Division I survival is real, demanding, and unforgiving — but also full of opportunity.

Some days you play.

Some days you watch.

Some days you learn.

All of it counts.

And February games in Auburn have a way of shaping what April and May can eventually become. A turn around.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Illinois and Binghamton didn’t walk onto Jane B. Moore Field Friday morning like two teams expecting an 11–5 finish. It was 8:57 a.m. in Auburn, Alabama. The air sat at 52 degrees. The sun was bright but still low. That early-game feel was there — quiet dugouts, pitchers setting a tone, hitters taking their first real reads of the day. For two innings, it played like a chess match. Clean outs. Strikeouts. A little tension building underneath the surface, like everyone knew the game was about to speed up… they just didn’t know when.

Illinois struck first, and once it happened, everything changed fast.

The top of the third inning is where the game’s first major turn arrived, and it didn’t come with one dramatic moment — it came with pressure stacked on top of pressure. Ava Moore opened with a single up the middle. Alaina Miller followed with another hit. Skylar Brennan punched a base knock through the left side, and suddenly Binghamton was looking at bases loaded and no outs. That’s the nightmare situation in softball, because once you’re forced into defensive survival mode that early, you start living on thin margins — one ball that finds grass, one throw that sails, one routine play that turns into an extra base.

Ady Kiddy didn’t waste the opportunity. She drove a double into the right-center gap that brought two runs home and lit up Illinois’ dugout. It wasn’t just the runs — it was the message. Illinois wasn’t going to sit around and wait for openings. They were going to create them, force them, and if you gave them an inch, they’d take the entire inning. The inning kept moving. Walks. Contact. Extra outs created by mistakes. The pressure became heavier because the inning refused to end, and by the time Binghamton finally escaped, Illinois had pushed four runs across and seized the early grip of the game.

But the Bearcats didn’t look like a team ready to fold. If anything, they looked like a team that had been punched and immediately decided they were going to swing back.

In the bottom of the third, Em Podeszwa delivered that response with one swing that instantly shifted the emotional temperature. A solo home run to center field — loud, clean, the kind that makes everyone on both sides pause for a second. And just like that, Binghamton was on the board. Not long after, Akira Kopec doubled to left, another jolt that said Illinois might be ahead, but they weren’t safe. Illinois starter Karley Yergler kept the damage limited, but the inning did what it needed to do for Binghamton: it woke them up, reminded them who they were, and made the game feel less like it was slipping away and more like it was setting up for a fight.

Illinois added to the lead in the fourth, scratching across a run on a Brennan RBI double to make it 5–1, and for a moment it looked like they might steady the game back into their control. But the bottom half of the inning was where the Bearcats made the loudest push of the morning. Rache Carey singled. Laure Payne doubled. Elisa Allen ripped an RBI double to bring in a run. The tempo changed again. Binghamton’s dugout got louder. The energy returned. And then Maddy Dodig stepped up and turned a tight game into a real one. Her two-run home run to left-center cut the deficit to 5–4 and sent a wave through the stadium — that specific kind of wave where a team down early suddenly believes again and the team ahead feels the pressure hit their shoulders.

That inning mattered because it transformed the game’s identity. What started as an Illinois advantage suddenly became a one-run game with momentum leaning Binghamton’s way. Illinois went to the bullpen, trying to calm the storm, and in the middle of all of it, there was another storyline unfolding that hit close to home for Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Binghamton freshman pitcher Taylor Crawley, a Valley View graduate, entered the game in relief. That’s not a small thing. That’s a local kid stepping into a Division I game on a national stage, facing a lineup that doesn’t give away at-bats and doesn’t let you breathe. This wasn’t a soft landing. This was a true test — long counts, traffic, pressure, the kind of inning where every pitch feels like it has weight. Crawley battled. And while the stat line won’t fully capture the intensity of what that moment demands from a freshman, the experience will. Those innings are valuable in a way people don’t always appreciate in February. They’re the innings that make you better. They’re the moments where you learn what the game feels like when the pace is relentless and there’s no space to hesitate.

And then the game turned again — for good — in the top of the fifth.

It didn’t start with a highlight. It started with the kind of thing that breaks teams if it snowballs: a throwing error. And once Illinois saw the door crack open, they didn’t just walk through it — they kicked it off the hinges. Keirys Click laid down a bunt single. More traffic. More pressure. Another mistake. Illinois did what good teams do in those moments: they kept the inning alive, forced Binghamton to keep making plays, and made every miscue feel twice as expensive. Moore delivered an RBI single. Runs scored on fielder’s choices. More unearned runs crossed as the inning expanded and Binghamton couldn’t find an exit.

That inning was the difference. Five runs came home in the fifth, all unearned, and the game went from a one-run battle to a 10–4 Illinois lead that felt like a wall.

Still, Binghamton didn’t quit. And that matters, because plenty of teams would. In the bottom of the fifth, Kopec singled and later scored when Carey came through again with an RBI single up the middle. It cut the margin to 10–5 and gave the Bearcats another small breath of life. They had 11 hits on the day. They had power. They had moments where Illinois was forced to react. They showed that when they execute, they can score in bursts and make big swings.

But the problem was the gap between “moments” and “full innings.” Against a team like Illinois, you can’t afford to donate outs, and you definitely can’t afford to donate innings. Five errors is the kind of number that turns a competitive game into one you spend the rest of the day regretting, because it doesn’t just impact runs — it extends at-bats, exhausts pitchers, and drains the dugout emotionally. Illinois didn’t need perfect baseball to win. They needed steady pressure and the ability to capitalize when Binghamton made it available. They did exactly that.

Illinois’ bullpen settled the game down after the chaos. Christina Crawford worked clean middle innings, and Abby Sabalaskey closed it out with control, making sure Binghamton never got the big inning it needed to truly threaten again. Illinois added one final run in the seventh, and the rest of the day became about finishing the job.

The final line showed Illinois 11 runs on 12 hits, Binghamton 5 runs on 11 hits — and that alone tells you this wasn’t a game where one team couldn’t hit. It was a game decided by execution, by defensive details, by which team could protect itself when the inning started to bend. Illinois bent in the fourth. Binghamton nearly took it. But the fifth inning snapped the game back in Illinois’ favor, and it never returned.

For Illinois, it was a win built on patience and pressure — the kind of win that matters in February because it proves you can absorb a punch, adjust, and still take control. For Binghamton, it’s a frustrating loss because the fight was real and the bats showed life, but the mistakes were too loud to survive. Yet even in that frustration, there were positives that matter for the long season ahead: the power from Podeszwa and Dodig, the continued production from Carey and Kopec, and valuable growth moments for a young staff that includes a freshman like Taylor Crawley learning in real time what Division I softball demands.

And for people back home in NEPA, seeing a Valley View graduate toe the rubber in a Division I game like that isn’t just a footnote. It’s a reminder. Those local reps matter. Those innings matter. February doesn’t define a season — but it shapes it. And Friday morning in Auburn, this game shaped both teams in very different ways.

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin

Penn State didn’t ease into the season — they kicked the door in.

The Nittany Lions opened opening weekend with a doubleheader sweep, grinding out a 7–4 extra-inning win over Missouri and then coming right back to blank Boston College 7–0. Two games. Two wins. And a whole lot of early-season confidence.

And for NEPA fans? The headline writes itself.

Lake-Lehman graduate and Penn State true freshman Kirsten Finarelli (#41) didn’t just “make her debut” — she made a statement.

Game 1 vs. Missouri (7–4, 10 innings)

Tie game. Extra innings. Pressure moment.

Finarelli comes up in the 10th and delivers the go-ahead RBI single that cracked the game open. She finished 3-for-5, scored three runs, and looked like she’d been playing Big Ten softball for years.

Game 2 vs. Boston College (7–0)

No cooldown. No rookie nerves.

Finarelli stays hot, going 3-for-4 and sending a solo home run to right field — the kind of swing that turns heads fast. Another RBI. Another big moment. Another “remember that name.”

Penn State showed balance all day — timely power, quality at-bats, and pitching that took control — but seeing a NEPA kid step onto the D1 stage and produce immediately made it even better.

NEPA note: Valley View graduate and Penn State true freshman Kalli Karwowski was sidelined this weekend. She expected to be in lineup in the future!

Bottom line: Penn State is 2–0, and #41 came ready.

By: Jeric Yurkanin

Saturday at Valley View High School was one of those feel-good, heart-full events you don’t forget — Coaches vs. Cancer: Faculty vs. the Valley View Girls Basketball team — and it was all for something bigger than the scoreboard. The money raised is going to the Cure for Cancer Foundation, and let’s be honest… every one of us knows a name, a face, a family, a friend who’s been touched by cancer. That disease doesn’t “visit” quietly — it storms in, takes up space, and changes everything.

I know that personally.

I lost two of the closest people to me: my mom, Gail “Smith” Yurkanin, in 2018 at 69 — a proud Archbald girl — and her older brother, my uncle Thomas “Jerry” Smith, in 2022 at 83. Uncle Jerry had a million stories about growing up in Archbald and all the chapters that came after, and I could listen to him talk for hours. I’m a 2002 Lakeland grad, so I didn’t get to run the Valley streets as a kid the way some people did — but my parents did. My dad’s a Blakely Bears guy, and those hometown roots always meant something in our family.

So yeah… this wasn’t just fun. It meant something.

And here’s what made it even cooler: a bunch of the faculty out there weren’t just “teachers playing a charity game.” Some of them were legit Valley View athletes back in the day — and they still had it.

One of the standouts was longtime Cougar faculty member Jason Munley (Physical Education teacher), who showed up like he thought this was the Olympics. Jason started off a little quiet — like he was just warming up and letting the moment breathe — but by the third and fourth quarter, he flipped the switch.

He was making bank.

Rebounds? ✔️

Free throws? ✔️

Finishing at the rim? ✔️

Big buckets at the perfect time? Oh yeah. ✔️✔️

And the funniest part? Jason never even played basketball in high school… but you wouldn’t know it watching him. The form was clean, the confidence was there, and once he got that hot hand going, it was like, “Alright… who told Munley he’s not allowed to hoop?”

Most people know Jason as a gym teacher now, but he was a serious baseball talent. He played at Lackawanna College, then Marywood in the early 1990s — the kind of player who had pro teams paying attention. He even had a tryout with the San Francisco Giants, and teams like the Detroit Tigers showed interest during his college days. He eventually took that path into education… but clearly, the competitive fire never went anywhere.

Another awesome moment was seeing Valley View Principal Larry Pegula back on the court. Larry’s senior season as a Valley View basketball all-star was cut short in 1990–1991, just four games in, when he tore a cruciate ligament and missed the rest of the year. But he still kept hooping — and later continued his career at the University of Scranton.

On Saturday, he looked like he could’ve stepped out of the early 90s, laced up, and gone right back to work — smooth release, a couple buckets, and a big smile the whole time. I even caught him for a few minutes on the bench, and he said it straight up: he was just having fun out there.

Then there was Corey Castellani, a key Valley View administrator and an all-state football linebacker for the Cougars in the late 80s/early 90s — and a 1,000-yard rusher in a season, too. He went on to play linebacker at Bucknell, where he had a strong career until a neck injury cut it short his junior year. In a game against Dartmouth in October 1992, he had 13 tackles — the kind of stat line that tells you exactly what kind of player he was. He ended up student-coaching the rest of his college career, and later came back home in the early 2000s to serve Valley View as the Business Manager. And just as important as anything he did on the floor — you could tell Corey was genuinely enjoying being part of it and helping support a great cause.

And Mike Barrett, the elementary principal, was out there too — still in good shape, knocking down some nice shots and showing he’s still got that athlete gear. Mike was also a standout football player for Valley View back in the early-to-mid 90s, and you could see that competitive DNA pop up the second the ball went up.

And then there was Mia Collarini Wascura — another Valley View name that carries weight. Mia played on Saturday and is now back home again, working at Valley View as a school counselor and serving as the Cougars’ softball coach, returning in the early 2020s to the place where so much of her athletic story began. Her journey is the perfect example of a local athlete who never stopped representing where she came from. A standout at Valley View in multiple sports, she kept showing up in the headlines — from all-star recognition to big-game moments — and she carried that same edge, leadership, and “team-first” presence long after her playing days in the maroon and white.

That competitive fire translated into a historic coaching run at The University of Scranton, where she became the winningest softball coach in program history. After taking over the program prior to the 2012 season, Collarini Wascura piled up 172 victories in eight seasons, compiling a 172–120 (.589) record, earning four Landmark Conference playoff appearances, and guiding the Royals to five 20-win seasons — including back-to-back 30+ win seasons, the only such stretch in program history.

Her signature moment came in 2019, when Scranton made a tournament run for the ages as the No. 4 seed and captured the program’s first Landmark Conference title, punctuated by a 7–2 win over Susquehanna in the championship game. The Royals knocked off nationally-ranked Moravian twice in two days and won three games on the final day, then advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983. And back at Valley View, she’s still building — in 2025, she guided the Cougars to their third state title in school history, and she’s not done yet. Valley View is still loaded with talent heading into this spring, and you get the sense the standard isn’t changing anytime soon.

What made Mia’s presence even more meaningful is that she was playing with love in her heart, too — she shared that two of her grandparents on her father’s side passed away from cancer, and she took the floor Saturday in their memory. In a game built around purpose, that kind of personal connection reminded everyone in the gym why this day matters so much.

That’s what made Saturday so perfect: laughs, competition, community… and purpose. For a few hours, it wasn’t just Faculty vs. Players — it was all of us vs. cancer, showing up together, remembering the ones we’ve lost, and fighting for the ones still battling.

And at the end of the day, that’s what it was really about: having fun and raising money for a great cause. It wasn’t about wins — even if the faculty did sneak out a 69–66 victory. It was about community, memories, and showing up together for the fight. 💙🏀🎗️

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By: Jeric Yurkanin | Agape Freedom Sports LLC

If you’re from the Mid Valley area and your last name is Cortazar—and you’ve got that Cortazar DNA—you almost feel obligated to play sports the minute you’re born.

It’s not really a decision. It’s a family tradition you don’t sign up for… you just inherit it. Before you can even tie your shoes, you’re already hearing the stories—the ones that get told at cookouts, in gyms, in bleachers, and at family gatherings like they’re part of the family Bible.

And Lakeland Chiefs senior Cole Tonkin grew up on those stories.

“I fell in love once I touched my first basketball. I played ever since I was a kid playing everyday outside. I realized I was a good player this year because I put in so much work and effort to be the best player I could be, but I’m not done getting better yet,” said Tonkin.

The stories came from everywhere.

They came from his grandfather, Jamie Cortazar—a name that still carries weight around the Valley. They came from his mother, Jessica Cortazar (now Jessica Tonkin), the ace shortstop for the Mid Valley Spartanettes in the early 2000s, who helped push Mid Valley softball on a District 2 title run before falling to Bishop O’Hara, 9–5. They came from the stands, too—watching family chase big moments, like when Cole saw his aunt step onto the PIAA state softball championship stage in 2023.

“I’ve heard a lot of great stories on how good of an athlete my grandfather was, and I’m very thankful to be in a family full of athletes,” Tonkin said.

But these weren’t just “good athlete” stories.

These were legend stories.

Because Jamie Cortazar was that rare early-to-mid 1980s three-sport guy—the kind who didn’t just participate… he excelled. Running back for the Mid Valley Spartans. A basketball player who could fill it up. A baseball hitter who flat-out raked—batting .405 as a sophomore with a .658 on-base percentage.

And the craziest part?

He was leaving fingerprints on scorebooks before high school.

In eighth grade, Jamie dropped 48 points for Olyphant St. Patrick’s to power a 75–49 win over the Jermyn Sportsmen. Another night? 41 points. Back in 1980, he was averaging around 30 points per game in eighth grade. And at the junior high level, he became a 1,000-point career scorer.

That’s not just “back in the day.”

That’s the kind of stuff that becomes family folklore.

Those are heavy shoes to grow up around.

Cole heard the rumors. He heard the “you know who his mom is?” and “that’s Jaime’s grandson” talk. But as a kid, you don’t always absorb what it means. You just know your family is proud, the names come up often, and people smile when they tell the stories. And Cole? He’s handled it the right way—humble, grateful, and steady.

“I’m very thankful to continue a family full of athletes,” Tonkin said. “You know my mom was a very good athlete, my aunts were, and my grandparents were—so it’s just awesome to be able to do what they used to do.”

Then Cole made the turn that mattered most.

He wasn’t going to write his chapter at Mid Valley.

He was going to write it at Lakeland—different school, different colors, different gym, different expectations.

And the family followed him without hesitation.

The same grandparents who once wore Mid Valley attire swapped it out for Lakeland Chiefs gear on game nights, because that’s what this family does: they show up. They travel in packs. They don’t miss much.

Cole’s aunts are locked in. His parents are all in. And the Cortazar–Tonkin crew doesn’t just support one athlete—they support them all. That includes cheering on Krista Cortazar (a 2025 Mid Valley graduate), now a freshman at Keystone College, making noise on the basketball court like she did for the Spartanettes—and getting ready for softball in the spring. No matter the gym, no matter the jersey, the Cortazar family is going to be there.

Because in this family, sports aren’t just something you play.

They’re something you carry.

And Cole is carrying it well.

Tonkin is averaging around 9 points per game and ranks third on the Chiefs in scoring behind teammates Chase Rosenkrans and David Naniewicz, with around 117 points this season. And when Cole gets rolling from deep, it shifts the entire energy of a game.

“When Cole can get going with his threes it gives our offense a spark and really helps our team’s confidence,” said teammate and senior David Naniewicz.

Cole had one of his biggest stretches back in December during the Turonis Tournament, scoring 27 points and earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

“Cole is a very good teammate and he put in a lot of basketball work during the summer,” Naniewicz said. “Cole practices hard and makes sure to bring energy to practice.”

This season also marked a huge milestone—Cole’s first year as a varsity starter—and his work paid off immediately. One game, he came out flaming.

“Starting off the game hitting 4 threes in the 1st quarter was definitely a confidence booster and that helped me finish with 6,” Tonkin said. “I just felt really good about my shot and I just kept shooting every opportunity I had.”

And he explained the shooter mindset that separates the good from the great:

“If I’m hot early I’ll definitely keep hunting for the three, but if I miss 1 or 2 I’ll let the game play out because I know my opportunity to shoot another one will come later in the game.”

He credits the people around him for helping him grow—because shooters don’t get open by accident.

“I would definitely say my coaches and my teammates,” Tonkin said. “My coaches Coach Tellip and Coach Toolan have plays for me to get a shot off, and all my teammates look for me in the game to get me open shots, so I can’t do it without them.”

And make no mistake—Cole Tonkin is a Cortazar by blood…

…but he’s a die-hard Chief by heart.

He bleeds red, white, and blue. He loves his Lakeland Chiefs and the talent around him. And he wouldn’t want it any other way. Honestly, who could blame him? I can’t—I’m a 2002 Lakeland alum. I had gym class in that same gym. I ran cross country and track at Lakeland. I know how special that place is.

“No doubt in my mind I would pick Lakeland,” Tonkin said. “All of my family played their sports at Mid Valley and had their moments and memories there, but I love playing basketball here for my school Lakeland where I can have my own moments and memories.”

And when it comes to staying locked in—especially when shots aren’t falling—Cole leans on the voice that knows pressure best: his mom, Jessica, the former Mid Valley basketball and softball all-star.

“My mom was definitely a great athlete in her high school career,” Cole said. “I definitely think I got the quick hands from her because I’m very good at just catching the ball and shooting it right away, so that gives the defense less time to react.”

He continued:

“My mom and dad definitely tells me to just stay focused and to get out of my head if I miss a couple three pointers. I may doubt myself and lose my confidence to shoot, but she always reminds me to keep my head up and keep shooting no matter what, and to always play hard and just have fun.”

That’s Cole Tonkin in a nutshell.

Cortazar DNA.

Lakeland heart.

And as a senior, when he got his year to shine?

He didn’t just shine…

He made sure everybody noticed.

————————-—————————————-

By: Jeric Yurkanin

Back in August, I landed the job I’d been chasing for the past year — a Valley View maintenance position, right inside a school building, right in the middle of a community that lives and breathes sports. I’m a Lakeland Class of 2002 grad, and yeah… I still root for the Chiefs whenever I can. That part doesn’t just disappear.

But I’ve also lived in the Valley View School District for 15 of the last 21 years. My son’s in the elementary school. My wife subs part-time in the district. So when 2024 rolled around and my kid walked into kindergarten? Let’s just say I didn’t have a choice — I jumped on the Valley View bandwagon with both feet… and I didn’t hesitate for a second. It wasn’t awkward. It was an honor.

Truth is, sports have been stitched into my life for as long as I can remember. Third grade, 1993 — that’s when I became a New York Giants fan and never looked back. By fifth grade, I was locked into Lakeland Chiefs sports: learning the names, following the stories, watching local legends turn into the guys everyone talked about on Monday morning. I remember some of my favorites — Lakeland’s Chuck Mazza, Dave Hilling, and Ben Cole — and I still remember hearing about Valley View’s Sean Fisher, John Munley, and Ryan Castellani like they were real-life superheroes. Just a small window of time… but the kind you never forget.

And here’s the part people forget: even while I bled Lakeland blue, Valley View was always in the background of my childhood — because of my dad. I can still see it clear as day in the 1990s: the Cougars on TV in the playoffs, squaring up with Berwick, and me on the couch with my old man… both of us cheering for Valley View like it was our own. That’s the funny thing about sports in NEPA — your “team” might be one thing, but respect? Respect runs deeper than a zip code. So yeah, I stayed a Lakeland fan… but even as a kid, I found myself respecting the Cougars… and that respect only grew as the years went on.

A lot of that came from my dad. He was a Blakely Bears graduate — and before he passed in 2020, he told stories that stuck with me. He’d talk about the “Papa Bear” John Henze’s days with the Blakely Bears, and the Dunmore connection with his son, Jack Henze’s — guys he genuinely respected, names that meant something in NEPA sports history. Those stories planted something in me early: appreciation, respect, and this sense that Valley View and Dunmore athletics weren’t just programs — they were tradition.

And in a way… all roads led here.

Because now I’m a Valley View employee. I’m a Valley View Cougar diehard. And I’m raising my son in the same area my dad grew up in — the same streets he walked, the same hometown pride he carried. Dad grew up at 314 Bridge Street in Peckville, and he’d share stories about walking to games and cheering on the Blakely Bears like it was yesterday.

And I’ll never forget this fall: watching my son run out of the tunnel in a Valley View uniform, helmet on, eyes forward — and thinking, man… if my dad was still here to see this. I felt it hit me all at once, and yeah… a tear slipped out. He would’ve been a proud grandpa. Life takes weird turns, doesn’t it? Out of my ten siblings, my son was my dad’s only grandson to ever put on a Valley View football uniform — this past year he suited up as a junior Cougar on the D team. And just like that, it’s not just my story anymore. It’s ours. My whole family’s Cougar fans now.

And now… funny how life works. Somewhere along the way, it all came full circle. I’m officially in Cougar country. And the best part? Running into former Lakeland athletes I graduated with at games the past couple years — the same guys I battled through school with — and hearing them laugh, “You’re a traitor,” or “Nah, you’re a Cougar now.” And honestly? They’re not wrong.

And that brings me right to the moment this story really kicked into gear.

Let this sink in: Valley View hadn’t beaten Scranton Prep in girls basketball since 1999. Decades. Generations of players. A whole lot of nights walking off the floor while Prep celebrated. Until last night — when the Lady Cougars finally snapped it with a gritty, statement-making 45–43 win.

But the seeds of that moment? They were planted months ago.

Back in October, I ran into Valley View head girls basketball coach Robbie Martin and his star player, Cora Castellani, right in the building. And I’ll be honest — I’ve known Prep’s history for years… and I’ve had a couple run-ins with people around that program that weren’t exactly warm and fuzzy. Add in a not-so-great social media moment in September — one of Scranton Prep’s girls coaches dropping a public comment on my sports page for everyone to see — and yeah… I’ll say it: it left a chip on my shoulder.

Because I’ve always been wired a certain way when someone wants to chirp.

I learned it during my slow-pitch days from 2016–2023 — eight years as a head coach in a church league, a few league championships, a few semifinal runs, and plenty of games where you find out who people really are when pressure hits. You want drama? Accusations? Games? Cool. I’m not going to argue all season.

I’m going to recruit hard.

I’m going to outwork you.

And when the playoffs come? I’m going to line it up, earn it, and make sure the scoreboard does all the talking.

That’s how it’s done in my world.

So I walked by Cora, looked her right in the eye, and asked it straight:

“You gonna beat Scranton Prep this year?”

She didn’t flinch. She didn’t laugh it off. She didn’t hesitate.

With a smile — and the kind of confidence you can’t fake — she said:

“Yes.”

And I’m not going to lie — I wanted Valley View to win so bad. I wanted it to happen. I wanted it to be real. I wanted that streak buried.

So hours before tip, I sent a motivational message to a few of the Lady Cougars starters — not as a coach, not as a player… just as someone who believes in the power of a moment, and the power of a team that’s ready to break through.

Here’s what I sent:

“You girls have Scranton Prep. It’s been a long time since the Valley View girls’ basketball team has beaten Scranton Prep. As you’re getting ready for the game tonight, here’s some motivation: Don’t fear. Focus on just this one game—only this game matters. Break down the wall. Go in there and remember this year: all those defeats and big wins, and those good teams you beat when it was least expected. Think about who you have on your team, including your starters and the teammates who step up with you. You have a very good defense—one of the best in the area. You also have players who can rebound well, shoot, and score. Just one win. One game. Know who you are, and know what you and your team can accomplish—big things. You’re not finished yet. Giants fall. Davids arise. Tonight, the giant that’s been in the Valley View girls’ basketball team’s way for many years will fall. Believe. Believe in yourself, your team, and what you can do. Believe. Faith. LET’S GET IT DONE!!”

And tonight?

They did.

The Lady Cougars didn’t tiptoe into that gym — they came out swinging.

With 6:16 left in the first quarter, Cora Castellani made her first statement of the night — stepping into a left-corner three and drilling it like she’d been waiting months to pull the trigger.

3–0, Cougars. First punch landed.

Then came Ava Gazoo, answering right back with a tough two-point bucket to make it 5–2.

And she wasn’t done.

At 4:52, Gazoo hit again — another two, another surge.

7–2 Valley View.

Then the moment that felt like the whole building woke up…

With 4:40 left in the first, Castellani jumped a pass at midcourt, stole it clean, and sprinted the other way like she had somewhere to be. One dribble. Two steps. Finish.

9–2 Lady Cougars.

“The locker room was extremely hype from start to finish. We all knew what we needed to do to win this game, and it was in our favor at the end,” said Valley View’s Cora Castellani.

“Tonight before the game, the locker room was hype. Every single one of us were ready to play and battle for the win. We all wanted this game to be ours, and that’s what we did,” said Valley View’s Sadie Cardoni.

Valley View stretched it to 11–2, and for a minute it looked like the Cougars might blow the doors off the place. But Scranton Prep doesn’t flinch. They punched back — and by the end of the first quarter, that early Valley View surge had turned into a tight one:

Cougars 14, Prep 13.

From there, it turned into exactly what everyone expected — a chess match with elbows. Possession-by-possession. Stop-for-stop. Both teams trading punches and answering buckets. And with 3:52 left in the half, Prep finally grabbed the lead at 23–21, like they’ve done to Valley View for years.

But this time… Valley View didn’t fold.

With 3:36 remaining in the second quarter, Castellani rose up straight on from deep — middle of the arc — and buried a three that felt like a refusal.

24–23, Cougars back in front.

Then, with 14 seconds left before halftime, Castellani read the play, snagged a tipped pass in the paint, and took off the other way. Coast-to-coast. Finish.

At the break?

Valley View 27, Scranton Prep 26.

And if you’ve watched enough Prep basketball over the years, you know what usually happens next: they wear you down. They make the run. They close the door.

But Valley View came out of the locker room hot.

The Lady Cougars opened the second half with a burst, stretching the lead to 32–26.

“We walked out onto our court with confidence and it never left our body,” said Castellani. “At halftime we all knew we just had to play our game — we control the tempo. We played great defense, got looks on offense, and we pulled out the win at the end.”

Castellani finished with 23 points, five steals, and four rebounds — doing damage on both ends and setting the tone all night.

By the time the fourth quarter arrived, Valley View was still standing tall:

Valley View 38, Prep 31 with about 7:00 left.

And then came the moment that will live in Valley View’s gym for a long time.

With 1:03 left, Scranton Prep’s Chloe Mamera got trapped near the baseline — off balance, suffocated — with Ava Gazoo all over her. Mamera tried to float a pass to her left, over bodies, over hands… and it got picked clean by Mady Minelli.

Minelli took off, sprinting the other way, and fed Sadie Cardoni in the paint — and Cardoni finished.

With :52 left:

Valley View 44, Scranton Prep 43.

From there, it was pure guts — and pure defense.

The Lady Cougars didn’t break. They didn’t blink. They clamped down, possession after possession, and when the clock finally hit zeros… it wasn’t just a win.

It was a wall falling.

Twenty-seven years. One buzzer. One scoreboard.

45–43, Valley View.

“During halftime we knew we had to turn the notch up on defense, limit mistakes and run the plays that Coach Martin tells us to run,” said Cardoni. “We knew they were going to come out fired up, but we just had to have more energy and be more aggressive. And we did just that.”

She continued: “This win means so much to me and the girls. We work so hard at practice and it showed tonight. Before we never got the attention that we deserved, but I know that we definitely will now. The past couple years we haven’t been able to accomplish beating Prep, and tonight doing it felt like the world.”

And for a whole lot of Valley View fans, it did feel like the world — because that last win over Prep happened back in 1999, when some of today’s players’ parents were still in school.

“We came in prepared and we all really wanted it,” said Valley View sophomore Mady Minelli. “So after the final buzzer went off we were all ecstatic and super proud to see all of the hard work and preparation we put into this game pay off.”

“Our defense makes us go,” said head coach Robbie Martin. “We knew if we defended we would be in a fight. Two very good teams battled to the final buzzer. Pregame I had to settle them down a bit — telling them to play with poise and have good energy. I got on them a bit at halftime that they were playing ahead of themselves. They needed to keep the game simple.”

Martin added: “When that final buzzer went off I was so happy for this team. Honestly I’m demanding and they put in a lot of time. They never complain. Their work ethic and drive is impressive.”

He continued: “Overall our defense wasn’t our best, but we stepped up in the big moments. When we turned it over with 19.3 and they called a timeout, I told them we are in a good spot. Our identity is our defense — and it’s only fitting our defense wins us this game.”

Castellani was the spark — and the closer.

“I tell the kids all the time: ‘Big-time players play big in big games,’” Martin said. “Cora is a big-time player. Tonight she got it done on both ends of the floor. I got on her a bit during the game and the kid just keeps delivering. She has a mindset like no other.”

And right there — loud, fearless, and finished — Valley View wasn’t just playing Scranton Prep anymore.

They were coming for them.

They had this game circled. And I did too.

I’m Valley View proud — proud of those Lady Cougars who did what it took and had no quit. Because this is how things get done in Cougar town. This is how I’ve always lived it: motivate, believe, and let the work do the talking.

And yeah… I’m going to sleep pretty good tonight.

As for that Scranton Prep coach? Who knows… and honestly, who cares. Last night wasn’t about him. It was about Valley View — a historic win, a streak buried, and a gym that finally got to exhale after 27 long years.

All I know is this:

Mission accomplished — thanks to the Valley View Lady Cougars.

A complete team effort. Real grit. Real heart. Real hard work.

And they earned every second of it. Down goes the Giant. 

By: Jeric Yurkanin

The 19th Annual Lou Camoni Tournament championship night turned into anything but what you’d expect from a title-game buildup.

Before the lights ever hit tip-off, Valley View’s girls were already winning the moment.

They sat together up on the bleachers — not split up, not locked in silence, not glued to their phones — but together. Watching Lakeland and Carbondale battle it out, cheering at the right moments, smiling like a group that genuinely enjoys being in the same space. It was camaraderie in real time: a few jokes tossed around, laughs that carried, little stories shared back and forth like they were passing the ball even when they weren’t on the floor yet.

For a few minutes, I slid in next to head coach Robbie Martin, and you could hear it in his voice — that quiet, steady pride. Not the flashy kind. The kind that comes from knowing your team has an identity… and actually lives it.

And with Valley View, that identity starts with defense

.

Coach Martin was talking about that stiff, unbreakable, we’re-not-moving Cougar defense — the kind that makes teams uncomfortable before they even cross half court. And while we were talking, I brought up one of the rising names on that end of the floor: Mady Minelli — an emerging key piece in that defensive puzzle.

Here’s the funny part…

I’m listing off the attributes… the instincts… the motor… the way she plays like the ball owes her money…

…and I didn’t even realize she was sitting right behind me.

Coach Martin points. I turn around — and there she is, smiling.

Mady Minelli.

Watch out. That’s a risen star.

But make no mistake — the Cougars weren’t just hanging out. They weren’t killing time.

They were waiting.

Like a pack of Cougars stalking the next possession… the next loose ball… the next mistake to pounce on. Because the moment the opener got near the finish line, you could feel it — that switch flipping. The smiles were still there…

…but now it was hunt mode.

Battle in the Valley.

Championship on the line.

Valley View vs. the Mid Valley Spartanettes.

And Valley View?

They were hungry. Championship hungry.

First Quarter — “Close” lasted about three minutes.

The game didn’t start clean for Mid Valley, and Valley View wasted no time setting the tone.

Sadie Cardoni jumped a pass early, the Cougars moved it around, and she got fouled — hitting 1-of-2 to make it 1–0.

Then came the signature stuff:

Minelli yanked down a defensive rebound… Mid Valley missed again… Cora Castellani erased a shot at the rim like it never existed… and on the other end Minelli got fouled and hit 1-of-2. 2–0 Cougars.

Mid Valley finally answered when Giada Vagni knocked down a bucket to tie it at 2–2 with 5:57 left in the first.

And that… was as close as it was ever going to get.

From there, Valley View turned the game into their kind of chaos — turnovers, chased-down loose balls, hands everywhere, bodies flying, and Cougars sprinting the other way like they were released from a cage.

5:22 — Minelli scores: 4–2 Castellani answers: 6–2 Minelli chases down a loose ball (again), and Castellani finishes: 8–2 with 3:47 left

By the end of the quarter, it was a wave.

Ava Gazoo poured in 7 in the first. Castellani led the charge with 9 in that opening frame.

The Cougars didn’t just take control — they demanded it.

Valley View 23, Mid Valley 4 after one.

Second Quarter — More pressure. More punishment.

Right out of the gate, Minelli picked up where she left off — hunting loose balls, attacking downhill, getting fouled, and cashing in. She went to the line and hit both.

Castellani kept rolling with another two-point bucket, and Mid Valley finally found the net again with Vagni scoring at 5:45 remaining in the half.

But every time the Spartanettes breathed, Valley View squeezed again.

Gazoo swatted away a shot on defense, and when Mid Valley tried to push a little confidence back into the game, Addison Frein hit a three to make it 27–9 with 4:52 left.

Castellani responded immediately: 29–9.

Then came the moment that felt like a statement.

A Cougars deflection… Castellani chases down the loose ball… pushes it herself…

…and drills a three.

32–9 Cougars with 3:30 left in the half.

By halftime, the scoreboard wasn’t just tilted — it was screaming.

Valley View 40, Mid Valley 11 at the break.

Second Half — same story, different quarter.

The second half didn’t change the script. Valley View kept pouring it on with the same DNA: pressure defense, rebounding, quick offense, and relentless energy.

End of the third: 50–13.

And by the time the fourth quarter hit the six-minute mark, Valley View emptied the bench — and that was basically all she wrote.

But even in a runaway, Valley View’s mindset never changed — and Cora Castellani said it best afterward, giving credit to the little things that decided the night early:

“Coming into the game we knew Mid Valley was going be a very aggressive team. I also think besides our defense, our rebounding helped us out with that. We knew they were going play good defense too. Our rebounding helped us — and our defense.”

Because the pack never stopped.

The Lady Cougars were everywhere — Castellani, Gazoo, Minelli — swarming the ball, cutting off lanes, jumping passes, blocking passes, ripping rebounds, and sprinting the other way for more points. They didn’t just attack the basket… they attacked the game. They attacked every loose ball like it was the championship itself rolling across the floor.

And Coach Martin said it best afterward:

“Our effort defensively was just tremendous. The pride that this group takes in their defense is a testament to their work ethic.”

He continued:

“Our defensive pressure in the 1st two qtrs got us some easy baskets. The kids set the tone early and kept them out of rhythm offensively.”

That’s the kind of defense that travels. The kind that carries you. The kind that can take you deep when February turns into March.

They’ve still got room to grow — and that should scare everyone.

Because last year, Castellani was the headline on defense. This year?

Mady Minelli is starting to steal that spotlight — and that’s not a problem.

That’s a gift.

Now you’ve got two elite defenders setting the tone.

Watch out.

The Cougars aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

And as always, the heartbeat was Cora Castellani, who led the Cougar pack with 20 points.

Coach Martin summed it up like only a coach who knows his team can:

“Cora has a motor like no other. The kid is special in terms of her heart and desire. From the opening tip to the final buzzer she goes 110%. She controls the game offensively, defensively and in transition. I’m so proud of this team and the balance we have every night.”

Today Valley View didn’t just win a tournament championship.

They showed the whole gym who they are — a team that bonds together, locks in together, and defends like a unit that takes it personal.

And if you didn’t know the name Mady Minelli before this night?

You do now.

Because this pack of Lady Cougars? They stick together.

They don’t separate. They don’t splinter. They don’t leave one hanging out to dry.

They attack together.

They defend together.

And they win together.

FINAL: Valley View 52, Mid Valley 19.

Valley View stat leaders:

Ali Mauro: 8 points, 6 steals Ava Gazoo: 8 points, 4 steals, 2 blocks Mady Minelli: 7 points, 4 steals Ashlan Palickar: 4 points, 8 rebounds

Cora Castellani and Ava Gazoo were also named to the All-Tournament Team.

—————-———

Thanks to our sponsors for making tonight’s coverage possible! Your support helps us highlight local athletes, tell their stories the right way, and keep NEPA sports in the spotlight. We appreciate you! 🙌🏀

By: Jeric Yurkanin

In the Losers’ Consolation Game tonight, the Lakeland Lady Chiefs and Carbondale Area squared off for Round 2 — a rematch of that early-December heartbreaker where the Chargerettes escaped 43–41 in a nail-biter.

Lakeland came in hungry. Not just to win… but to answer.

But the opening half? Whew. It was rough.

The Lady Chiefs came out flat — struggling to score, playing back on defense, and looking nothing like the aggressive, pressure-heavy team they’re built to be. And Carbondale wasn’t exactly in rhythm either. The first quarter (and the first half) turned into a grind: missed shots, shaky passes, and possessions that felt like they lasted forever with nothing to show for it.

It was the kind of half that would make longtime UConn women’s coach Geno Auriemma shake his head and mutter, “What are we doing here?” because it just wasn’t pretty basketball.

After one quarter, Carbondale led 6–2. At halftime, it was 13–10 Chargerettes.

And the wild part? Both teams are way better than that. You could feel it in the gym — like everyone was waiting for somebody… anybody… to flip the switch.

Then the locker room happened.

And when Lakeland came back out… the switch wasn’t just flipped — it was ripped off the wall.

Four minutes into the second half, the Lady Chiefs were flying. Attacking downhill. Running the floor. Turning stops into layups. Pushing tempo like the game owed them something. Just like that, Lakeland stormed ahead 22–13, and suddenly the entire night shifted.

The energy was different.

The pressure was different.

The pace was different.

Lakeland looked like Lakeland again.

And they did it while shorthanded.

The Chiefs were without freshman starter Natalie Rude, who injured her ankle Saturday against Valley View. You could feel her absence in the first half — her quickness, her aggressiveness, her defensive spark, her ability to score and change the game. But instead of making excuses, Lakeland leaned on the simplest mentality in sports:

Next girl up.

And trust me… you were about to find out exactly who that was.

“At halftime, coach told us we weren’t being ourselves and we weren’t playing our game,” said Lakeland’s Kamri Naniewicz. “Coach told us to move the ball and beat them down on transition. We weren’t really hustling during the first half and we didn’t have any transition layups. At halftime we played better defense and took the ball down court faster.”

Head coach Kelly Vogt echoed the same message — and you could tell it wasn’t just coaching talk. It was a challenge.

“During halftime we were down. We told the girls they were flat — they lacked energy and motivation,” Vogt said. “We were a better team than what we were showing. We were slow, sloppy, and needed to be refined… and work on our transition. Once we got our transition game going tonight, we were much better.”

And that’s where the story turns into something bigger.

Because while Lakeland found its identity in the second half… one freshman stepped into the moment and turned it into a statement.

Olivia Beier.

Usually the sixth player off the bench, Beier didn’t just fill minutes — she filled the void. She brought instant energy: hustling for loose balls, rebounding in traffic, and making the type of winning plays that don’t always show up in a box score… until the moment gets big.

And then the fourth quarter hit.

That’s when it became the Olivia Beier Show.

Beier scored 10 points in the fourth quarter alone, added two more in the third, and finished with 12 points — turning hustle into buckets and confidence into control as Lakeland pulled away with a whole new swagger.

“Olivia really came into the game tonight,” Vogt said. “As a freshman, she was clutch today. She was able to step up and put in the baskets and use her soft touch and basketball skills to help us get the W.”

Senior Naomi Rude put it perfectly — because what Beier did wasn’t just scoring. It was poise.

“Olivia came out with great confidence and handled the ball well,” Rude said. “Nonetheless, she took control of the game when she needed to, including putting the ball in the hoop in clutch moments. She had a lot of mature defensive stops in big moments… she’s a natural-born athlete with a mindset of positive energy and hustle.”

So yeah… the first half was a grind.

But the second half?

That was Lakeland basketball — fast, aggressive, relentless… and fueled by a freshman who announced herself to everyone in the gym.

And after tonight, there’s no longer a question about who can step up while Natalie Rude heals.

Her name is Olivia Beier.

Remember it.

Write it down.

Because if you’re watching Lakeland basketball for the future…

you don’t want to forget that name.

—————————————-

By: Jeric Yurkanin

Carbondale — At the 53rd Turonis / NBT Bank Holiday Classic, two rival programs collided in the opening round with more than just a bracket spot on the line — there was tournament pride in the air. And with a packed gym on hand tonight, fans were more than ready to get this one rolling.

Valley View entered as the defending champion (2024). Lakeland has worn the crown recently too — 2023 champs, with Mid Valley winning in 2022, and the Chiefs also taking it in 2021.

Point is: nobody owns this tournament. The trophy keeps moving, and every winter it feels like a new chapter gets written.

And on this night, with noise bouncing off the walls… the stage was set.

Fans were on their feet — some rocking blue, white, and red for the Chiefs, others in yellow, blue, and gold for the Cougars — and the energy felt like tip-off couldn’t come fast enough.

Lakeland came out strong and hungry, jumping to a 7–0 lead and holding the undefeated Cougars scoreless for the first four minutes. Multi-sport athlete David Naniewicz set the tone early with a block and a couple tough rebounds as the Chiefs’ defense looked locked in.

But the moment Valley View finally saw one go through — a 7–3 three-pointer — the Cougars woke up… and they didn’t look back.

Valley View ripped off 12 unanswered to flip the game and take a 12–7 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The momentum stayed in Cougar hands in the second. With 4:13 left in the half, Valley View had pushed the lead to 21–9 as Lakeland struggled to find rhythm — both from deep and in the paint.

Valley View owned the lane the rest of the half, and by the break the Cougars were up 28–14.

And coming out of halftime, the Cougars kept pouring it on.

Valley View continued right where it left off — turning stops into points, controlling the glass, and stretching the lead possession by possession — and there was no looking back as the Cougars defended their title hopes with a statement 61–30 win over Lakeland.

Valley View leaders:

Michael Muto: 18 points, 4 three-pointers Colin Witkowski: 8 points Aiden Plotkin: 6 points Jagger Roe: 6 points

And Lakelands – David Naniewicz scored 12 points for the Chiefs.

Lakeland’s early punch made it feel like anything could happen in the opening minutes… but once Valley View found the net, the Cougars flipped the switch — and from that point on, they controlled the game on both ends the rest of the way.

————————

GAME PREVIEW: Lakeland Lady Chiefs at Valley View Cougars

By: Jeric Yurkanin

When: Friday, Dec. 27 • 6:30 PM

Where: Valley View High School

Valley View and Lakeland meet up tonight with two very different identities — and that contrast is what makes this one intriguing.

Valley View has been built around a steady, disciplined defense, giving up just 32 points per game, and turning stops into runouts the other way. Offensively, the Cougars have been consistent too, scoring 44 points per night, which gives them a strong +12 average margin coming in.

Lakeland enters looking to flip the script with toughness, patience, and execution. The Lady Chiefs are scoring 36 points per game, and allowing 40, meaning they’ll be hunting for a cleaner night on the defensive end — and a little more efficiency finishing possessions.

Players to Watch:

Valley View:

Cora Castellani – A tone-setter who can impact the game on both ends, especially when Valley View’s defense turns into transition chances.

Madison Minelli – Key piece in Valley View’s rhythm offensively and defensive pressure; watch for her to make timely plays in the half-court.

Lakeland:

Kamri Naniewicz – A difference-maker for the Chiefs who can spark scoring runs and keep Lakeland within striking distance.

Naomi Rude – Brings energy and toughness; her playmaking and hustle will be critical if Lakeland wants to control tempo and limit second chances.

Keys to the Game:

1) Tempo:

Valley View wants pace off stops. Lakeland likely wants to slow it down, value possessions, and make it a half-court battle.

2) Defensive glass & second-chance points:

If Lakeland can finish stops with rebounds and take advantage in scoring off them, it keeps Valley View from piling up quick points.

3) Early confidence:

If the Chiefs hit a couple shots early, it changes the pressure and keeps Valley View from running away with momentum.

What to Expect:

If Valley View’s defense looks like it has all season, the Cougars can build separation in a hurry. For Lakeland, the path is clear: limit turnovers, rebound, and get big nights from Naniewicz and Rude to keep this one tight deep into the second half.

Valley View’s defense is the difference — and I think it keeps Lakeland in the 30s tonight.

Expect the Lady Cougars to control the game with turnovers, steals, and rebounds, turning defense into quick points the other way. This feels like one of those nights where Valley View’s pressure shows up early and keeps showing up late — and I’m expecting Cora Castellani to have a big game leading the way.

But don’t sleep on Lakeland.

This is a different Lady Chiefs team than years past. They can play good ball, they can score in a hurry, and on the right night they can defend. If Lakeland is going to pull it off, the blueprint is clear: limit turnovers, slow down Valley View’s tempo, and stay locked in — especially when Valley View tries to switch gears, slow it down, and control the pace.

Lakeland needs a big defensive game of their own — score off turnovers, rebound misses, and push it down the floor before Valley View’s defense gets set. They have to make it their kind of game.

For the Chiefs, it comes down to two things: they have to score — and they have to score off turnovers. If they can take care of the ball, create a few extra possessions, and control the tempo, they give themselves a real chance to hang around and make it a fourth-quarter game.

Still… I’m rolling with Valley View at home.

PREDICTION: VALLEY VIEW 54, LAKELAND 36.

————————————-

Written by: Jeric Yurkanin

Penn State Harrisburg came out swinging defensively in a true David-vs.-Goliath matchup. With the University of Scranton entering undefeated at 10-0, the Lions held the Lady Royals scoreless for the first two minutes.

But Scranton eventually settled in, found its rhythm, and used a quick run to grab a 7-2 lead with 6:42 remaining in the opening quarter — capped by a free throw at the line. Harrisburg actually struck first on the stat sheet when Mikayla Coleman knocked down a jumper, and the Lions kept battling with energy on the glass early. Scranton answered with pressure and pace, and the Royals’ defense began creating problems in the open floor — including a midcourt takeaway by Dunmore native freshman Sophia Talutto that led to a fast-break finish plus the foul, pushing the lead to 15-2.

Even with Scranton turning up the heat, Penn State Harrisburg kept competing. Coleman came up wwith a steal of her own, and the Lions forced a few empty possessions before Scranton’s Katie Gorski attacked downhill for a driving layup off a Jenna Sloan assist. Scranton’s activity was relentless: Meghan Lamanna jumped a passing lane for a steal, Kaeli Romanowski picked up one as well, and Talutto added another steal before finishing a layup with Kaitlyn Raguso credited with the assist to make it 21-7 late in the quarter. Harrisburg got a needed response from Lauren Moffatt, who scored inside and fought for multiple offensive boards to keep possessions alive — helping the Lions trim the gap to 19-7 after Scranton’s early surge. At the end of first score was University of Scranton 23 Penn State Harrisburg 7. 

If the first quarter was Scranton setting the tone, the second quarter was the Lady Royals slamming the door.

Scranton’s full-court pressure turned the game into a track meet — and Penn State Harrisburg couldn’t get a clean breath. The Royals forced turnover after turnover, jumped passing lanes, and converted those mistakes into instant points. Dunmore native freshman Sophia Talutto continued to be the headliner on the defensive end, adding multiple steals in the quarter and constantly igniting the break. With 2:33 left in the half, Talutto came up with yet another takeaway (her 6th steal) and then calmly knocked down a free throw to give her 10 points as Scranton’s lead continued to balloon.

The Royals weren’t just creating chaos — they were cashing it in. Kaeli Romanowski finished a layup during the surge, and Scranton kept attacking downhill and earning trips to the line, including key free throws from Kaci Kranson (who hit a free throw to reach 12 points late in the quarter). Scranton’s depth kept rolling too, as the Royals got scoring from multiple spots while the defense never let up.

The final minute summed up the half perfectly: Scranton forced another turnover, then Elizabeth Bennett capped the quarter with a layup (assist Gabriella Murphy) with 0:38 remaining — pushing the Royals into a dominant 49-8 halftime lead.

And the numbers told the story: Scranton shot 17-of-33 (51.5%) in the first half while Penn State Harrisburg managed just 3-of-19 (15.8%). The Lions were buried by 24 turnovers, and Scranton made them pay with 34 points off turnovers, 21 fastbreak points, and a 19–3 advantage in steals. Even with rebounds tied 17-17, Scranton’s pressure and pace completely controlled the half, with the Royals owning the paint (28-2 points in the paint) and piling up 14 assists to Harrisburg’s 1.

Scranton won the second quarter 28-1 — and by halftime, it was all Royals.

3rd quarter 6:57 left Penn State Finally score and hit a 3 pointer. 

Coming out of halftime up 49-8, Scranton stayed in control — and wasted no time reminding Penn State Harrisburg why the Lady Royals were unbeaten. Early in the third, Scranton pushed the margin to its biggest of the day, building a 44-point lead at 52-8 with 7:14 remaining in the quarter.

But by the midpoint of the third, with the game firmly in hand, Scranton began pulling most of its starters and letting the bench take over. That shift changed the flow. Penn State Harrisburg finally found a little breathing room, played with more composure, and started getting cleaner looks — including two made three-pointers in the quarter — helping the Lions outscore Scranton 11-10 in the third.

Even with the pace slowing, Scranton’s identity never changed: pressure, depth, and defense creating offense. Through three quarters, the Royals had already piled up 21 steals, forced 27 turnovers, and turned those miscues into 37 points off turnovers, while also owning the transition game with 23 fastbreak points. And the bench impact was real — Scranton had 22 bench points by the end of the third, showing just how deep and dangerous this roster is.

Heading into the fourth, Scranton still held a commanding 59-19 lead, with the outcome decided — but the intensity, pressure, and system still obvious even after the starters took their seats.

With Scranton up 59-19 entering the fourth, the Lady Royals emptied the bench — but the pressure and pace never really changed. Marisa Francione opened the quarter by drilling a 3-pointer at 9:39 (assist Elyse Montgomery) to make it 62-19, and the reserves continued to create offense with defense. Natalie Stoupakis jumped a passing lane for a steal, Lizzie Halligan knocked down a three midway through the quarter, and Francione stayed hot by converting a fastbreak layup (assist Selena Cieszko) before burying another three at 3:51 (assist Stoupakis) as Scranton stretched it to 70-21.

The Royals’ bench kept attacking in transition late — Cieszko cashed two fastbreak free throws at 2:36, and Halligan finished a fastbreak layup after a steal to make it 74-23. Penn State Harrisburg kept competing to the horn, getting late points at the line and a Brookelynn Carr three with :57 left to close the scoring.

Final

University of Scranton 74, Penn State Harrisburg 28

Scranton controlled the game from the opening quarter and never let the Lions find a rhythm, winning each period 23-7, 26-1, 10-11, 15-9. The Lady Royals were led by Katie Gorski (20 points) and Holy Cross High School product Kaci Kranson finished with 15 points, while Sophia Talutto stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 6 steals, and 4 assists. Francione added 8 points off the bench, and Scranton’s defense dictated the story all afternoon — finishing with 26 steals and 7 blocks as the undefeated Royals rolled to another dominant win.

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

FROM WEST SIDE GYM RAT TO DISTRICT 2 ICON. LEGENDS AREN’T BORN — THEY’RE BUILT: VINCE BUCCIARELLI’S 700-WIN JOURNEY.

Built through work.

Built through discipline.

Built through failure, fight, and flat-out fire.

Seven hundred wins.

Four decades.

One standard.

Vince Bucciarelli didn’t chase glory — he built it.

Practice by practice.

Player by player.

Season by season.

Consistency. 

They’re built in empty gyms after hours.

In the echo of whistles during offseason workouts.

In the film sessions nobody sees.

In the practices that stretch long past the final horn.

Coach Bucciarelli never cared for headlines.

He chased something deeper: excellence.

And now — more than 40 years, three schools, and hundreds of lives changed — the number is official:

700 career wins.

From the hardwood of Abington Heights,

To the rebuilding years at Mid Valley,

To his current chapter at Dallas,

Vince Bucciarelli has done what few in Pennsylvania basketball history ever have.

And he did it by shaping people — not just players.

Because the truth is:

You don’t coach this long for a paycheck.

You don’t stay in the game for the clout.

You stay because it’s who you are.

Before becoming one of the winningest coaches in District 2 girls basketball history, Bucciarelli was just a gritty kid from West Scranton — a gym rat with a jumper and a dream.

He graduated from West Scranton High School in 1972 and brought that same fire to Penn State Worthington. Just six games into his freshman season, he dropped a career‑high 22 points. He only played two years of college ball, but that wasn’t the end of his basketball story — it was the spark.

He later transferred and earned his degree in elementary mathematics from Penn State’s main campus in State College, graduating in 1976.

His first teaching job was at Bishop O’Hara, where he spent three years teaching freshman and sophomore math, algebra, and geometry — and quietly started building his coaching identity.

And if you rewind even further, the signs were always there.

Back in April 1972, a teenage Bucciarelli stepped onto the court at the Catholic Youth Center for a citywide one‑on‑one tournament — a gym packed with Scranton energy and high‑level talent. The event was hosted by Scranton Prep.

Vince didn’t just show up. He made a statement.

He took down Prep’s Jack Walsh, 20–14, to win the High School Level Championship.

That night, something became clear:

This kid wasn’t just playing the game — he was studying it. Learning it. Mastering it. The rest became future. 

A competitor was crowned.

And over the next five decades…

That competitor became a coach.

That coach became a mentor.

And that mentor became a legend.

But if you really want to understand Vince Bucciarelli’s, you need to know about his greatest supporter:

His mother.

She was his motivator. His encourager. The one who always believed in him. She lived to be 101 years old, passing away just two years ago.

101 years — that’s a legacy in itself.

And just like her son, she hit a milestone most people only dream of, living past 100 years old. 

Maybe that’s just what the Bucciarelli family does.

They hit milestones.

They live with purpose.

And they leave a mark that lasts.

Before the 1982 appointment that made him head coach at Abington Heights, Vince was already laying the bricks.

During his three years at Bishop O’Hara, he coached the girls’ junior varsity team — and helped lead them to the Lackawanna League’s first‑ever JV girls basketball championship. After a brief one‑year break from coaching, he returned and guided the Abington Heights JV girls to a league championship as well.

Even while teaching full‑time, he served as an assistant coach for the Abington Heights girls’ varsity program — always watching, always learning, always preparing.

That hunger to grow led him briefly to Vestal High School in upstate New York, where he served as a teacher and assistant coach. The stay only lasted half a year — but it was one more gym, one more whistle, one more lesson.

Soon after, Bucciarelli joined the Abington Heights School District full‑time — and that’s when the story turned to legend.

In 1982, he inherited the girls basketball program.

In 1984, he led the team above .500 with a 13‑9 record. In December 1990, he reached his first coaching milestone — 100 career wins after a 61‑37 victory over Lackawanna Trail. During that game, his player Becky Bylotas had 9 steals.

In 1991, he began turning Abington Heights into an area powerhouse.  Abington finished with an 18‑9 overall record. He had a few more successful seasons, and in December 1998, Vince hit the 250‑win milestone.

In December 1999, the Scranton Times wrote:

“Vince Bucciarelli has built Abington Heights into one of the state’s top girls’ basketball teams.”

By then, he had helped lead the Lady Comets to four District 2 Championships. That year, he coached one of the nationals top prospects, Amber Jacobs, who would go on to star at Boston College and later play professionally. The 1999 team finished 18‑0 in league play, 29‑2 overall, and made a state final run before falling to Cheltenham, 76‑56, in the Class AAAA Eastern final.

Heading into the 2002 season, Bucciarelli was still at the helm. The Lady Comets had won 8 straight District 2 titles from 1996-2003. Their next would come in 2006, led by another top recruit, Becky Burke, who later played Division I basketball at Louisville.

“It was definitely his intensity that shaped me into the player I became, along with his no‑nonsense approach to winning. He coached me hard — and that’s exactly what I wanted. I loved that he held me to a standard of greatness,” said former Abington and Louisville standout — and current University of Arizona head coach — Becky Burke.

She continued:

“I think it was the culture and the standard. If you wanted to play for Abington Heights, you knew exactly what you were getting: a serious program with a competitive culture. That’s why I chose to work hard for my team and for him.”

In 2009, Vince Bucciarelli reached his 500‑win milestone.

Then came 2014.

Despite all his success, Abington Heights administration pushed him to resign.

“I told them, ‘I’m not ready to retire,’” Bucciarelli said in a March 2014 Scranton Times interview.

He left Abington Heights with one of the best coaching résumés in area history:

14 District Championships.

A dynasty from 1996–2003.

And generations of players molded under his leadership.

But he wasn’t done.

In 2014, he was hired by Mid Valley to lead their girls basketball program.

He doesn’t take breaks. He doesn’t take years off. His passion runs too deep.

In December 2015, he reached another milestone — his 600th win — a moment remembered well by former player Kiana Williams, who went on to star at Lackawanna College.

“What I remember most about Coach’s 600th win is the feeling of pride — knowing my teammates and I shared that moment with him. It was an honor to help him reach something so significant,” Williams said.

She continued:

“Being part of his 600th win in 2016 is something I’ll carry with me forever. Not many coaches ever reach that milestone, so knowing I played a role in something so historic for one of the best coaches I’ve ever had — or even coached alongside — means everything to me. He’s the reason I coach today. That’s how much of an impact he’s had on my life.” 

She added:

“Coach taught me so many lessons during my years at Mid Valley — lessons far beyond basketball — that have stayed with me ever since. He taught me to be confident and to love the person I am. He showed me that if I don’t respect myself, others never will. And he reminded me that life isn’t about wins or losses; it’s about the people standing next to you and supporting you no matter the outcome.”

It took him three seasons to help the Spartanettes return to a winning record. In 2017, they finished 17‑9. In 2018, he led them to the state playoffs — Mid Valley’s first appearance in six years.

In 2021 or 2022, Vince applied for the head varsity girl coaching position at Lakeland High School. With a résumé any program would be blessed to have — and a track record of building culture — he was, in my opinion, the right choice. Lakeland chose to hire Kyle Kiehart. 

Great coaches don’t just coach — they build belief. Vince has proved that time and time again.

“Vince Bucciarelli is an absolute master of the X’s and O’s. His teams over the years have always been well-prepared, well-respected, and they consistently played hard for him. In today’s coaching world, reaching 700 wins is a testament not only to his longevity, but to his sustained excellence.” Said long time Valley View girls basketball Coach Robbie Martin, who coached few times against Vince during his time with the Mid Valley Spartanettes. 

Robbie Added:

“But beyond basketball, what people don’t always see is the person he is — one of the friendliest, most respectful guys you’ll ever meet. His love for the game and his compassion for his players truly go unmatched. I couldn’t be happier for Coach and this incredible achievement.”

After one year as an assistant at Scranton Prep, he was hired by Dallas in 2022 to lead the Mountaineers’ girls basketball program. Dallas opened this season 2‑0 — and on Saturday, Vince reached another milestone:

700 wins.

How many more years does Vince Bucciarelli have left?

How many more milestones?

Only time will tell.

What we do know is this:

You don’t coach this long for trophies.

You coach because you love the game.

Because legends like Vince Bucciarelli aren’t measured by numbers.

They’re measured by the people they’ve shaped.

The character they’ve built.

And the legacy they’ve left.

And make no mistake —

He built it all.

And Becky Burke said it best:

“Vince never made me feel that I had “arrived” or was as good as everyone would tell me. He was always challenging me and wanting me to get better. He was a high level competitor, and that definitely showed in the way he would schedule and challenge us. Not afraid to play anybody. “

Basketball coaches like Vince — coaches who reach 700 wins — don’t come often.

And The 14 District 2 Championships.

It’s rare.

Special.

Historic.

And now, he stands alone:

The winningest girls basketball coach in District 2 history.

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin

Final: Dunmore 57, Valley View 44

Tonight inside the Dunmore gym — with a loud, early-season crowd packed in for a December showdown — we got everything you want in a girls basketball opener: defensive grit, momentum swings, young talent stepping into the spotlight, and a Dunmore team announcing loud and clear:

“We may be young… but we’re here to win.”

From the opening whistle, the Lady Bucks didn’t just defend —

they swarmed.

They boxed out with force.

They clogged driving lanes.

They jumped passing lanes like they were reading plays before they happened.

Every Valley View possession felt like pressure came built-in. Every look was contested. Every rebound was a fight.

Valley View hung tough through effort and hustle, keeping the game within reach heading into halftime — but Dunmore’s defensive identity sent them into the break up 28–21.

THE THIRD-QUARTER TURNING POINT

Here’s where the gym cracked open:

Valley View came roaring back, tied it 33–33, and suddenly the Cougars had all the momentum. You could feel the shift. You could feel the “uh-oh” moment.

But Dunmore didn’t blink.

They answered with poise.

They answered with toughness.

They answered like a team far older than their roster suggests.

“We took a breath and focused on our defense. We stopped doing one-pass, one-shot possessions and got back to what we needed to do to win.”

— Dunmore Head Coach, Carrie Toomey

A quick run out of the tie put the Bucks back in control, silenced the surge, and Dunmore never let the door open again.

That wasn’t luck.

That was a young team playing like veterans.

The most impressive part?

Dunmore did this with freshmen and sophomores playing fearlessly.

Freshman twins Janessa and Janaya Martin, along with freshman Ava Walsh, all saw meaningful minutes and delivered.

Sophomore Michelle Nidoh added 4 points, battled in the paint, and won tough rebounds all night.

This isn’t your standard “young team.”

This is a young-but-dangerous team.

DUNMORE IMPACT PLAYERS

• Jackie Brown — 13 points

Steady, confident, and clutch when the Bucks needed buckets.

• Janaya Martin (Freshman) — 9 points

Smooth, fearless, and efficient. She attacked, knocked down shots, moved without the ball, and played way beyond her grade level in her varsity debut.

• Amanda Dempsey — 10 points

The senior presence who kept the offense organized and calm through momentum swings.

VALLEY VIEW STANDOUTS

Valley View battled with heart and toughness all night.

• Cora Castellani — 13 points

A sparkplug who kept Valley View alive with her intensity, scoring, and relentless motor.

• Sadie Cardoni — 11 points

A strong interior presence who fought for every bucket and every rebound.

The Cougars competed to the end — and once their offense clicks, they’re going to be a handful for anyone in District 2.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP MEETS FRESHMAN FIRE

Tonight was the perfect blend for Dunmore.

Senior Amanda Dempsey + the Martin twins + a deep rotation

a recipe that wins games in December… and even bigger ones in February and March.

Dempsey kept the ship steady.

The freshmen kept the energy high.

The defense kept Valley View uncomfortable all night.

That’s how you build something special.

FINAL TAKEAWAY

Dunmore may look young on paper — but on the court, they played disciplined, mature, and hungry. Their defense dictated the pace, their youth injected life, and their veterans sealed the deal.

After the game, Coach Toomey summed it up perfectly:

“This was a big win. We honestly didn’t know what to expect with so many new faces. We lost Sophie Talutto from last year — she was a huge part of our lineup — so we needed to find those points from our freshmen and our returners. We played well today, and I think we’re just scratching the surface.”

If this is the version of Dunmore we get in Week 1?

NEPA… take notice.

This team isn’t waiting for the future —

the future just checked in early.

Thanks to our winter Sponsor, Wyoming Valley Clutch. Thanks for supporting youth sports in NEPA:

WYOMING VALLEY CLUTCH – GAME OF THE WEEK PREGAME RECAP: VALLEY VIEW AT DUNMORE – GIRLS BASKETBALL

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Tonight’s a special one. I’m off work, I’m getting holiday pay, and I get to spend my night exactly where I love being—inside a gym, covering my first high school basketball game of the season. — Jeric Yurkanin

And what a matchup to open with.

The Wyoming Valley Clutch Game of the Week brings us a classic early-season showdown as the Valley View Lady Cougars travel to Dunmore to battle the always-tough Lady Bucks.

(Players to Watch – Valley View)

Cora Castellani & Sadie Cardoni

Circle their names. Highlight them. Underline them.

Cora Castellani enters tonight as my impact player pick—the type of defender who can change the pace of a game without needing to score. Expect pressure, steals, physicality, and the kind of on-ball intensity that forces an entire offense to rethink its game plan. And if Dunmore can’t slow her down? She can score in bunches off turnovers and take over a game all by herself.

Sadie Cardoni brings toughness, athleticism, and a natural feel for the game. She rebounds well, finishes strong in the paint, and gives Valley View that extra edge in the little things—the hustle plays, the second-chance points—that decide close games.

(Players to Watch – Dunmore)

Amanda Dempsey & Michelle Nidoh

Amanda Dempsey, coming off a strong 2025 season, brings instant offense and deep-range confidence. She’s the shooter who only needs one good look to flip momentum, and she’ll be a major factor from the three-point line tonight.

Michelle Nidoh anchors the interior—boxing out, rebounding, and owning the lane. She’s a major piece of Dunmore’s inside game and gives the Lady Bucks a strong defensive and rebounding presence they’ll rely on heavily.

The Storylines:

Valley View enters tonight with confidence after a dominant 60–18 win over Pocono Mountain West and strong preseason scrimmages. The Cougars aren’t sneaking up on anyone—they’re already being talked about as a Top 10 team in the area, building off last year’s postseason success.

Dunmore, meanwhile, is in a transition year after graduating standout Sophia Tatutto. But nobody in District 2 underestimates this program. The Lady Bucks are built on tradition, discipline, and playoff toughness. Last year’s state run ended only when they fell to eventual state champion Loyalsock. Dunmore doesn’t rebuild—they reload.

What to Expect Tonight:

Two teams with tradition.
Two gyms with history.
Two communities that always show up.

Expect physical defense, quick-transition guard play, and two teams fighting to make an early-December statement as they set the tone for the long season ahead.

WYOMING VALLEY CLUTCH GAME PREDICTION:

Valley View 56
Dunmore 43

Valley View has the returners, the momentum, and the defensive edge—but expect Dunmore to battle hard on their home court.

Check back tomorrow for game highlights, postgame interviews, and a full game recap article!!!!

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

SCRANTON, PA — The day didn’t start well for the Houghton Lady Highlanders. Somewhere on the long stretch of highway between Houghton, New York and Scranton, Pennsylvania, their bus broke down. Not exactly the omen you want before a big game. By the time they got rolling again and pulled into Marywood around 1 p.m., the matchup had already been bumped an hour later — pushing tip-off to 3 p.m.

A handful of fans who arrived early waited it out in Marywood’s beautiful lobby, sipping coffee, chatting, and trying to figure out what caused the delay. It had that weird, slow, “something’s off today” kind of feeling. One Highlander joked she should’ve stayed in bed. Unfortunately for her, there was no staying in bed — there was basketball to play.

And Houghton came in hot.

They opened the season 2–0, destroying University of Pittsburgh–Bradford 114–40 in their opener, then rolling past Bryant & Stratton 80–51. Big wins, big scores, and a big roster. They were the clear favorites on paper.

Marywood, meanwhile, entered 1–2 — with losses to strong programs Messiah and Saint Vincent, but a solid win over Penn State Harrisburg. They knew what people were saying… but they also knew something more important: paper doesn’t play the game.

When Houghton walked into the Insalaco Arena, one thing was impossible to miss:

Their size.

• Tabitha DeVries — 6’2

• Tricia Carmer — 6’1

• Keely Mullins — 6’0

Long, athletic, physical. A paint-owning lineup. But Marywood didn’t blink — if anything, the height difference lit a fire.

A Game That Had Everything

Saturday afternoon inside the Insalaco Arena turned into the kind of game every sports writer lives for — swings of momentum, clutch defense, a roaring crowd, a fourth-quarter punch-for-punch battle, and an overtime finish straight out of a movie.

Marywood delivered one of their toughest defensive performances of the season — and they didn’t let up until the final buzzer in OT.

From the opening tip, Marywood punched first and punched hard. They jumped out to an 11–0 lead, shocking the favored Highlanders and setting the tone early. At the end of the first quarter, the Pacers led 19–10. At halftime, they kept full control — 36–25.

“I think we did a great job in the first half rotating out of help, communicating on switches… but in the second half, it’s much harder being away from the bench communication-wise. We got caught on some rotations that weren’t right, and they made the most of the mistakes.”

— Marywood Head Coach, Tara Macciocco

Marywood’s defense was suffocating early — forcing turnovers, jumping lanes, and pushing Houghton completely off rhythm. Offensively, the Pacers played smart, controlled basketball and dictated the entire first half.

But championship-caliber teams always surge.

And Houghton surged.

The Second-Half Push.

Houghton adjusted at halftime and came out more aggressive, more connected, and more confident. Shots that weren’t falling earlier suddenly started dropping. Their defense tightened, and possessions became a grind.

Marywood held on, answering nearly every Houghton run. But momentum — that invisible monster — began to lean toward the Highlanders.

At the end of the third, Marywood still led 48–39, but the energy in the gym said the game was far from over.

Heading into the fourth, Houghton turned up the pressure. Their offense clicked. Their defense sharpened. And the Pacers, despite fighting like warriors, watched their lead slowly shrink.

Fans felt the tension building. Every possession. Every rebound. Every whistle.

Late in the fourth, Houghton found the spark they’d been chasing all afternoon. Stops became transition points. Open shooters found their rhythm. The Highlanders clawed their way back, possession by possession.

And with the crowd holding its breath…

Houghton tied the game at 57 as regulation expired.

Overtime.

Winner-take-all.

Every mistake magnified. Every play pressure-packed.

“We really came together as a team. The team trusted each other the whole way through — start to finish. We were pressing, we were running, we were trying to wear them out… Marywood is a very good team. We had a couple bounces go our way at the end, and we trusted our senior point guard to find shooters and make the right read. We ended up with our freshman hitting the game-winner, which was really good.”

— Houghton Head Coach, Phil Pellegrino

Overtime brought out the absolute best in both teams. Every possession mattered. Every decision felt huge.

But with the clock winding down…

Houghton freshman Olivia Simser stepped into the moment.

Bang. A clutch three at the buzzer.

Houghton wins 69–66 in stunning, dramatic fashion.

Simser finished with 13 points — none bigger than the final shot of the afternoon.

“We just have to learn from the mistakes and not make them again. Continue to work at it and get better for league play.”

— Coach Macciocco

“It was a tough one. We’re going to learn from it. There are things we can work on and get prepared for conference games.”

— Marywood senior & Old Forge alum, Olivia Ciullo

Marywood may not have left with a win, but they absolutely left with respect. They showed heart, discipline, toughness, and a defensive identity that can hang with anybody.

This wasn’t just a game — it was a statement.

Even in defeat, the Pacers showed who they are becoming:

A connected team. A resilient team. A dangerous team.

Both squads emptied the tank. And for everyone watching, this was one of those games that reminds you why sports matter — the emotion, the drama, the grit, the unpredictability, and the thrill of watching two teams refuse to quit.

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A huge thank you to our sponsor, Wyoming Valley Clutch of Wilkes- Barre for supporting Agape Freedom Sports. Your commitment helps us continue covering local athletes, creating highlights, and giving our community the recognition it deserves. We appreciate you!

— Agape Freedom Sports

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Credits to The Heart Photography for several of the photos used in this post.

If you grew up in NEPA, you already know: Lakeland vs. Dunmore hits different. It doesn’t feel like a game week — it feels like a chapter being written. A chapter your dad remembers, your uncle argued about, and your grandfather still brings up at family gatherings. And if you were anywhere near Chapman Lake back in 2002, you remember the weight of it.

Inside a cramped locker room, longtime Lakeland assistant coach Jeff Cavanaugh Sr. stood in front of his team. No headset. No hype video. No theatrics.

Just a coach who understood the heartbeat of this rivalry.

It was September 20th — Dunmore week — and around Lakeland, that carried a meaning heavier than any regular-season Friday night. It carried tradition, pride, history, heartbreak… and hope.

Cavanaugh didn’t get angry.

He didn’t sit.

He didn’t even raise a hand.

He simply reminded his players that Lakeland–Dunmore isn’t played… it’s lived.

Two blue-blood programs built on toughness, discipline, and culture.

Two towns that might disagree on everything else — except that football matters.

And nearly a quarter-century later, the numbers still say he was right:

Dunmore: 19 league titles, 14 District 2 championships, 1 state title, 35 overall

Lakeland: 24 league titles, 8 District 2 championships, 38 overall — the most in conference history

Down years? Sure, everyone has them.

But these two?

Their peaks are higher. Their memories last longer.

“Lakeland has a storied tradition since the days of Coach Dan Case and has had great teams for a long time. The rivalry with Dunmore has gone on since the early 80s, with epic battles in each decade. Both teams have mutual respect — as do both fan bases,” said Dunmore Head Coach Kevin McHale, capturing the heartbeat of this thing.

And that day in 2002, Cavanaugh started rolling through the moments Lakeland kids grow up hearing like family folklore.

He brought up 1998, when a freshman quarterback — Evan Kraky — walked into Dunmore and stunned the Bucks. Cavanaugh told his team, “There will never be another Lakeland freshman quarterback who beats Dunmore.” And all these years later… he’s still right.

He reminded them of 1986, when Lakeland’s Joby Fawcett earned his legend card. Down 7–6 as time expired, a defensive pass-interference flag gave the Chiefs one final snap. Paul Pidgeon fired a 20-yard strike, and Fawcett — through contact and off-balance — held on in the end zone.

Lakeland wins, 12–7.

The kind of ending newspapers lived for long before social media.

Then came 1994, the night the lights literally died. Lakeland undefeated. Dunmore at home. Twenty-six seconds left in the first quarter — and V.J. Gatto Stadium went dark as a transformer blew. When the game resumed the next day, Dunmore ended Lakeland’s perfect season, 28–10.

And who could forget November 2, 2001?

With 1:45 left in the second quarter, Lakeland’s Kraky hit Jake Rogowski for a 56-yard bomb — the throw that broke Ron Powlus’ Pennsylvania state passing record. Kraky finished with 224 yards in a dominant 48–20 win.

Then came another Lakeland–Dunmore moment — that very night in 2002.

Lakeland down 14–0 at the half.

Momentum shifting like someone cracked a window and let the doubt escape.

And with 7:17 left, Trevor Tellip launched a deep ball to John Wormuth:

Seventy-one yards.

One sprint.

One roar from the Lakeland crowd.

One more story added to the legend.

Twenty unanswered points.

A comeback permanently stamped into rivalry history.

The room could feel it.

History wasn’t just something you read.

History was something you added to.

And that’s the thing about Dunmore vs. Lakeland —

When these two line up, records don’t matter.

Rankings don’t matter.

Predictions don’t matter.

What you can expect is a battle.

A fight.

A game decided by toughness, pride, and whichever team refuses to blink first.

THE NEXT GENERATION ADDS THEIR CHAPTER

Some players on Lakeland and Dunmore’s 2025 teams grew up hearing these stories — and Friday night, they get to write their own page.

DUNMORE FB/LB RYAN MECCA — A FAMILY TRADITION

His father, Charles Mecca, played for Dunmore under legendary Coach Jack Henzes in the late 1990s. His uncle played in the mid-to-late 2000s. The Mecca family has lived this rivalry for decades — and now Ryan gets his turn.

“I think it’s pretty special to have a chance to go up to Chapman Lake to compete for a district championship. We have a chance tomorrow to be the first Dunmore team in history to go up to Lakeland and win a title on their own field. I’m excited to be a part of it and for the atmosphere.”

— Ryan Mecca

LAKELAND QB DAVID NANIEWICZ — WRITING HIS OWN STORY

Lakeland senior quarterback David Naniewicz has been part of this rivalry long before varsity.

“We know as a team that this rivalry means so much to our program and culture. Growing up in the Jr. Chiefs program, the coaches told us every year that the Lakeland–Dunmore game is special. My dad still tells me stories from when he played in the late 80s — it was just as big back then.”

— David Naniewicz

DUNMORE FB XAVIER BURKE — BLEEDING CRIMSON AND BLUE

Dunmore’s fullback Xavier Burke is the definition of football lineage. His father Mike Burke was a 6’3 linebacker who went on to play at Lehigh. His grandfather Thomas, and his granduncles, also played for Dunmore.

His uncle Len Burke wore No. 17 before switching to No. 71 his senior year in 1987 — earning All-Region and first-team Big 11 honors. He played in the Dream Game and helped pull off one of the biggest upsets in the series when the City beat a heavily favored County team, 22–8.

His brother Michael played for Dunmore from 2018 to 2020.

“Growing up, my dad told me tons of stories about the rivalry. Ever since I was little, all I wanted was to play in one of those games. I know the type of competitor he was — and he’d give everything he had in a game like tomorrow. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

— Xavier Burke

LAKELAND LB/DL DYLAN LOOMIS — THE WORMUTH LEGACY

Lakeland’s Dylan Loomis carries the Wormuth name proudly. His uncle John Wormuth made the legendary 71-yard touchdown catch in 2002. He led Lakeland to its only state semifinal appearance in 2003 and later played Division I football at Maine.

“It means a lot to keep the tradition going in my family after growing up hearing the stories. It makes me want to make an impact this Friday.”

— Dylan Loomis

Even Dunmore Head Coach Kevin McHale played in this rivalry in the late 1990s.

He isn’t just coaching it — he lived it.

THE RIVALRY THROUGH THE YEARS — 1999 TO NOW

The rivalry never cooled. It evolved.

1999–2009:

1999: Dunmore beats Lakeland in the D2 Championship, 38–21

2000: Lakeland answers with a 28–13 playoff win.

2003, 2004, 2006: Lakeland victories

2007: Dunmore spoils Lakeland’s preseason No. 1 ranking and reaches the state title game 2008 & 2009: Dunmore wins back-to-back

2010–2021:

2010: Lakeland answers 2011–2012: Dunmore takes two straight 2013: Lakeland strikes again 2014–2017: Dunmore owns a four-year run 2018: Lakeland breaks through 2019: Dunmore responds 2020–2021: Lakeland goes 2–0

2022:

Two classics:

Regular season: Lakeland beats Dunmore 55–14 Playoffs: Lakeland wins the D2 Championship 20–14 — a game where Chapman Lake shook

2023 & 2024

Dunmore answered back, winning both and swinging the pendulum again.

Lakeland gets a turn.

Dunmore gets a turn.

And tonight?

Someone new writes the next sentence.

2025: A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

This year feels different.

Lakeland isn’t the same team from the past two seasons — they’ve grown. There’s leadership. Identity. Purpose.

Dunmore remains Dunmore: disciplined, physical, rooted in tradition.

And the stakes?

A district championship berth.

A rivalry at it again.

A legacy opportunity.

When you mix history, emotion, and gold-on-the-line football…

you don’t get a game — you get a collision.

WHERE LEGENDS ARE MADE

Every Lakeland–Dunmore game has that moment:

The 1986 pass interference.

The 1994 blackout.

The 2002 71-yard bomb.

The 2022 goal-line stand.

The 2024 63-yard run.

Tonight will have one too — the moment fans talk about in diners and barbershops for the next decade.

THE STAGE IS SET

For Lakeland?

Legacy. Pride. Protecting Chapman Lake.

For Dunmore?

Proving again that the Bucks never fear Chapman Lake — they walk into it with purpose.

For the families — Burkes, Wormuths, Meccas, Naniewicz — another chance to see history repeat… or rewrite itself.

For NEPA football?

It’s the game of the year.

THE PREDICTION — WHERE THIS GAME TURNS

On paper, tight.

On film, tighter.

Two historic programs.

Two communities built on pride.

Two rosters full of sons, nephews, and grandsons of men who lived this rivalry.

Why Lakeland Can Win:

Home-field energy Naniewicz playing confident football Senior urgency — they want this one

Why Dunmore Can Win:

A punishing run game Burke playing with generations behind him Disciplined, low-mistake football

The X-Factor

One moment.

One spark.

One shift.

The team that handles that moment wins.

 Final Score Prediction:

Lakeland 27, Dunmore 20

A four-quarter battle.

A heavyweight fight.

A finish worthy of the rivalry.

Lakeland protects Chapman Lake — but Dunmore makes them earn every inch.

THE FINAL HYPE CLOSE — A CHAPTER WAITING TO BE WRITTEN

When the lights flip on tonight, this rivalry won’t care who’s favored.

It won’t care about records.

It won’t care about past scores.

It cares about who shows up when it matters most.

Lakeland and Dunmore don’t just play football games — they create memories that outlive the seasons and the generations. Somewhere in that cold November air, someone is going to make the play that gets talked about for years.

A freshman might make a name.

A senior might cement a legacy.

A family name might earn a new chapter.

And when the final horn sounds, one community will erupt…

and the other will reload for next year.

That’s the beauty of Lakeland vs. Dunmore.

That’s why it never dies.

That’s why NEPA watches.

Tonight, another story gets added to the book.

And it’s going to be a good one.

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A huge thank you to our amazing sponsors below! Your support is the reason we’re able to cover our local athletes, tell their stories, and shine a spotlight on the athletes who make NEPA proud. We appreciate you!

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin

(Email): AgapeFreedomsports@Yahoo.com

The night before every game, Naomi Rude’s room looks like a locker room ready for battle.

Her jersey? Folded neatly.

Cleats? Aligned just right.

Socks, shin guards, and water bottle—everything in perfect order.

Perhaps It’s her pregame ritual. Her quiet focus.

Across the hall, Perhaps her younger sister Natalie is a whole different scene—running around, hair half-braided, music playing, frantically searching for that one missing sock she swore was right there a minute ago. I imagine something like that…

“I think my sister takes longer to get ready because I’m a prepared person and get all of my stuff out the night before a game,” Naomi laughed. “As for Nat, she’s the on-the-go type, which shows she’ll always take longer compared to me.”

Two sisters. Two habits. One heartbeat for the same game.

But Naomi doesn’t just laugh at her sister’s last-minute chaos—she admires her deeply.

“What I admire most about how Natalie plays,” Naomi said, “is the amount of dedication she puts into not only herself but her teammates as well. She plays with heart and hunger all in one. She strives for wins—especially as a team. Natalie is one of the most unselfish people I’ve ever met, and she’s a key player on our team. As a freshman, she’s upheld amazing qualities and met high expectations at forward this season. I’m nonetheless proud of every step and bump in the road she’s overcome, and I can’t wait to watch her grow over the next couple of years.”

She continued, “To me it meant the world to share the field with my sister and spend my last year playing high school sports with her.” 

Faith Before the First Whistle:

For Naomi, soccer isn’t just a sport—it’s sacred space.

While teammates stretch and joke through warmups, she walks quietly toward the sideline. Then, with the toe of her cleat, she draws a small cross into the dirt. Quick. Subtle. Barely noticeable.

Only one person ever sees it—Natalie.

“Before each game, Naomi draws a cross on the field with her shoe, and I don’t think anyone else sees her do it,” Natalie said.

It’s not superstition. It’s not for show. It’s a quiet moment between her and God—a reminder of who gave her this gift and who she plays for.

That cross grounds her. It gives her calm when nerves hit and focus when the whistle blows. Every sprint, every kick, every goal begins there—with a simple mark in the soil and a silent prayer.

Naomi and Natalie aren’t just teammates—they’re mirrors.

Naomi, the older one, carries herself like an anchor—steady, patient, calm under pressure.

Natalie? She’s the spark plug—energy in motion, fearless and fast.

“Having Naomi guide me throughout my first year as a varsity athlete is honestly a blessing,” Natalie said. “She’s helped me achieve and overcome so much—encouraging me on and off the field, helping me grow not just as a player, but as a person.”

This season, their connection for the Lady Chiefs was undeniable.

Naomi orchestrated plays through the midfield, reading the game with poise. Natalie raced down the wing with pure energy, feeding off her sister’s leadership. Every pass, every celebration felt like an unspoken language—a rhythm only siblings share.

“My favorite moment this season,” Naomi said, smiling, “was when Natalie scored her first goal and ran straight to me for a hug. I felt like the best big sister in the world.”

That moment told the story better than words ever could—a mix of pride, joy, and sisterhood under the same set of lights.

Where It All Began:

Their story doesn’t start under stadium lights. It began years ago, perhaps barefoot in the backyard, chasing a soccer ball until the porch light flicked on and perhaps their mom called them in for dinner.

“Whatever sports season it was, my sister and I always practiced together,” Naomi said.

Those summer nights became their first training ground—filled with scraped knees, laughter, and competitive spirit.

If one slacked off, the other called it out.

If one got discouraged, the other picked her up.

That backyard bond became the foundation for who they are today—faith, family, and fight.

Natalie’s Rise:

As a freshman starter for Lakeland’s 8–10 Lady Chiefs, Natalie earned every minute she played.

“My job was to work hard, learn from the older players, and contribute however I could,” she said. “I usually play forward or wing. My style? Aggressive and determined.”

And it showed.

She finished her first varsity season with 21 goals and 11 assists—numbers that speak for themselves. But those stats only scratch the surface. Her effort, energy, and competitive fire gave the Lady Chiefs life when games got tough.

“Me and Naomi push each other in drills, in games, everything,” Natalie said. “We compete hard, but we also encourage each other and hold each other accountable.”

Even when Naomi graduates, Natalie knows her sister won’t be far—she’ll be there training beside her, pushing her to reach that next level.

The Legacy of #5:

Naomi didn’t have a big sister to guide her, but she had someone who filled that role perfectly.

“Ava Piraino was my biggest influence,” Naomi said. “She was a senior when I was a freshman. She taught me how to become the best version of myself—on and off the field.”

Ava passed down her #5 jersey, a gesture that carried deep meaning.

“She showed me how to lead, how to take younger players under my wing. When my time comes, I plan to pass that jersey on too.”

That number isn’t just a uniform—it’s a legacy of mentorship, leadership, and love. A reminder that great players don’t just make plays—they make others better.

The Competitor Within:

Ask Naomi who’s more competitive, and she doesn’t hesitate.

“Oh, Natalie—by far,” she laughs. “She hates losing. Whether it’s a match, a sprint, or a board game, she’ll find a way to win.”

Natalie’s drive burns bright. She thrives under pressure, turning frustration into fuel.

“She’ll go out of her way to make something happen,” Naomi said. “That’s just who she is—she’ll always find a way.”

But off the field, the two are inseparable. Shopping trips, coffee runs, random Target adventures—they’re more like best friends than sisters.

“If Natalie had to pick a last meal,” Naomi joked, “it’d be Starbucks. No hesitation.”

Their competitiveness might clash sometimes, but underneath it is a love that runs deep—an unspoken understanding that no matter what happens, they’ll always have each other’s back.

The Story Beyond the Scoreboard:

The Rude sisters’ story isn’t just about goals and stats—it’s about grace, friendship, grit, growth and family.

It’s about faith lived out loud and quiet moments that matter more than trophies.

They remind us that sports aren’t just about competition—they’re about connection.

Next season, the Lady Chiefs will take the field without Naomi’s leadership — but her mark will remain: in the culture she helped build, in the confidence she inspired, and in the quiet cross she drew before every game.

Natalie will carry that same faith forward—running, scoring, and smiling just like her sister once did.

And maybe one day, years from now, a little girl—Naomi or Natalie’s daughter—will lace up her cleats for the Lady Chiefs, whisper a prayer or draw a cross in the dirt, and carry on the tradition that began with her mom or her aunt. And wearing a #5 Jersey.

Because some legacies aren’t written in stats. They’re written in dirt—with the toe of a cleat and the shape of a cross. Faith and Sports.

Written by Founder & General Manager, Agape Freedom Warriors 18U Travel Softball Team — Jeric Yurkanin

What if the very moment you’re ready to walk away is the same moment where growth is waiting to happen?

I’ve been challenged many times in my life — both personally and as a coach. When I was running a men’s slow-pitch softball team, I made my share of mistakes. There were moments when things got hard, when we lost games we should’ve won, or when I felt like giving up. But I realized something important — if I walked away, I wasn’t just quitting on myself. I was quitting on my team, my vision, and the growth that comes through adversity.

The truth is, I learned the most during the toughest seasons. Leading a team taught me patience, accountability, and the importance of doing things differently instead of simply following what everyone else in the league was doing. By working hard, staying committed, and rising to every challenge, success eventually followed.

From 2017 to 2023, I became one of the most successful coaches in the NEPA Adult Church League — not because we had the most talent (we didn’t at first), but because of trust, work ethic, positive attitudes, belief, and culture. My players knew my vision every year and the standard we held — to compete for a championship every season. They trusted that I would lead them toward that goal, and I trusted them to give everything they had. Even when we were underdogs, we found a way to win.

It was the type of environment I created — one that challenged players to work hard, become better teammates, and learn from mistakes. Tomorrow is a new day. We learn, we forget, we move forward, and we develop. My players encouraged one another, and even when mistakes were made, they reminded each other to shake it off and focus on the next play. That kind of culture — believing in each other — helped our backups deliver big hits when it mattered, driving in runs or sparking rallies. Everyone mattered — from catcher to pitcher to the backups in the dugout. It takes a team.

We never focused on other teams’ records or their talent. We studied opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, prepared strategically, and trusted our own system. In 2017, as the #5 seed, we faced the #1 seed, Greenridge AG, in the semifinals. Game 1, we lost on a walk-off, 12–11. Game 2, we came home and mercy-ruled them 20–5. In Game 3, we won 17–9 to advance to the league championship.

That became our identity — believing we could, no matter the odds.

In 2017 also, as a lower-seeded team, we mercy-ruled a top opponent , Rescue and Restore Church 22–7 in a wildcard game. In 2018, We beat the defending league champions 15–9 in the league wildcard game then the same night defeated another higher seed 12–6, Rescue and Restore Church.

In 2021, during the first game of the season, we mercy-ruled a veteran, talented team — the commissioner’s team — 24–0. In 2022, during the semifinals, we scored 20 runs in the first inning of Game 3 and won 25–5.

But one of my favorite memories came in the 2021 semifinals. We lost Game 1, 13–5, even though we were favored to win. That same night under the lights, before Game 2, I gave the team a prep talk — part encouragement, part psychological spark — to remind them who they were. In the first three innings, we scored 34 runs while the other team scored 8. We mercy-ruled them and went on to win the series on a walk-off hit by Matt Fisch in Game 4, advancing to the league championship.

What mattered most is that I always saw potential in my players that others might have overlooked. Most of my players were new or still learning the game when they joined. But I believed in my system, and it worked. Every position mattered. Every role mattered. It takes a team — not stars — to win. My players trusted that I had their best interests at heart, and together, we built something special: a culture rooted in trust, hard work, coachability, preparation, and unity.

The team I originally coached from 2016 to 2018 went on to win back-to-back league championships in 2020 and 2021, with an incredible 35-game win streak before leaving the league at the end of 2021. From 2020 to 2023, I found similar success leading another team built on the same foundation — hard work, selflessness, and belief in the system.

Because when a coach believes in his players, and players believe in their coach — championships follow, but character lasts forever.

Those experiences taught me that leadership isn’t about chasing perfection — it’s about pursuing progress, staying faithful through the grind, and trusting the process. That same mindset is what I’m bringing into the Agape Freedom Warriors program today.

The Culture We’re Building

Our program is built on five pillars: Effort. Attitude. Growth. Trust. Vision.

We teach our players that softball — like life — won’t always be fair. You might not always start. You might not always get the call. You might fail, strike out, or feel overlooked.

But quitting doesn’t build confidence — it buries potential.

Every rep, every inning, every challenge is an opportunity to grow stronger and learn.

At Agape Freedom, we don’t coach fear — we coach freedom:

the freedom to compete, to fail, to improve, and to become something greater than a stat line.

If a player is benched because they need to improve, that’s a growth moment.

If a player is benched because of bias or favoritism — that’s a red flag.

One builds you. The other breaks you.

At Agape Freedom Warriors, we’re committed to removing politics from the game. Every athlete gets a fair shot, a fair voice, and a fair chance to earn it.

The Agape Freedom Warrior Way:

One thing we will never do is start or favor an athlete because of who their parent, family member, or friend is.

Playing time will always be earned. The right athletes will play when the time is right.

We believe in fairness, effort, and accountability — not politics.

There’s no room for favoritism in this program, only hard work, growth, and respect for the game.

Every player has the same opportunity to earn their spot through attitude, effort, and consistency.

That’s how we build trust — in our team, our leadership, and the process.

Our Team Philosophy: What We Believe as Coaches:

First, we’ll have 15 to 17 players on our roster. Our goal is to create an environment where players can grow and develop — a place where the younger athletes can learn from and be inspired by the older players who have already begun reaching their full potential. Our culture and environment is created for this type of roster.

At the heart of every great team is a shared belief — not just in talent, but in purpose.

At Agape Freedom Warriors, our mission isn’t only to win games; it’s to shape people.

We are committed to working hard, preparing with purpose, and leading with vision.

Success isn’t measured in trophies — it’s measured in growth, effort, and character.

As coaches, we believe every player deserves the chance to develop, make mistakes, and learn without fear.

That belief shapes how we coach, how we communicate with parents, and how we represent our program in the community.

We hold ourselves to high standards of effort, integrity, and consistency.

Our goal is to create an environment where athletes grow comfortably, confidently, and courageously — supported not just as players, but as people.

For the Parents:

To every parent — thank you for trusting us with your daughter’s journey.

We understand what that means. You invest time, money, and emotion into their dreams.

Our promise is to teach, not just train.

To prepare, not just play.

There will be days your daughter shines and others when she struggles — both are vital.

This game, like life, teaches resilience through repetition.

Please know that every drill, every lineup, and every correction is rooted in purpose.

Sometimes that purpose looks like patience. Sometimes it looks like perseverance.

But in both, your child is learning lessons that will outlast the scoreboard.

We’re not just building better athletes — we’re building confident, disciplined young women who understand that talent only matters when it’s paired with attitude and effort. It’s not about how good you are — it’s about how you respond when things don’t go your way. We teach our players to show up with great body language, to trust their teammates, and to work hard even when no one’s watching — to be great teammates themselves and set the example for others. Our goal is to build better humans, too — because who you are off the field matters most. These lessons go beyond softball; they create leaders who carry confidence, humility, and character into classrooms, colleges, and future careers.

The Agape Freedom Warrior Way:

The Agape Freedom Warriors aren’t just building a team — we’re building a culture.

A culture where players compete with heart, lead with humility, and finish what they start.

Where coaches teach with compassion, not comparison.

Where parents see growth before glory.

Our mission is to raise strong young women who understand that adversity isn’t their enemy — it’s their advantage.

Because in the end, it’s not about playing time or trophies.

It’s about the person you become when no one’s watching.

That’s how champions are made — and how success tends to follow.

This is the same philosophy I’ve carried for over a decade — from coaching men’s slow-pitch softball in the NEPA Church League, where my teams made three league championship appearances (winning one), plus three semifinal runs and two additional semifinal finishes as an assistant coach and general manager.

Those ten years taught me that success never comes overnight — it’s built through teamwork, trust, and consistency.

Our program will never be built around one star. It’s built on depth — a team of athletes who are prepared, confident, and ready to step in when needed.

Every girl matters. Every role counts.

It’s never a one-girl show — it’s always about the team.

Each player should strive to be such a great teammate that her presence helps others grow, work harder, and believe in themselves more deeply.

When that happens — when one player’s influence lifts another — the whole team wins.

That’s the Agape Freedom Way.

And that’s exactly what I’m bringing into this program.

You Interested having your daughter join the Agape Freedom Warriors?

If this sounds like the kind of culture and environment your daughter belongs in, we’d love to hear from you.

📞 Contact: Jeric Yurkanin — (570) 677-0353 (Text Preferred)

📍 Home Location: Jessup, Pennsylvania (near Scranton)

🥎 Team: 18U Travel Softball (Accepting ages 13–18 on one team)

— Jeric Yurkanin

Founder & General Manager

Agape Freedom Warriors Travel 18U Team

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin | Staff

When your last name is Tochelli in Lakeland athletics, expectations follow. For nearly three decades, legendary coach Phil Tochelli built one of the most respected track and cross country programs in Northeastern Pennsylvania. From 1979 to 2007, his track and field teams captured 21 Lackawanna Conference titles, 18 Jordan Relays, 11 District II Championships, and produced 42 state medalists — including two state champions. Some of those same athletes also competed in cross country each fall, carrying the Chiefs’ tradition across seasons. With a career record of 213–20 with the boys and 24–5 with the girls, along with seven Times-Tribune Coach of the Year awards, Tochelli earned a place in the Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and recognition among the Times-Tribune’s Top 100 Sports Figures.

Stepping into that role after 28 years of dominance was no small task. But who better to carry the cross country torch than someone who had lived it, learned from it, and grown up in the middle of it all? In 2007, Phil’s son, Jason Tochelli, a former Lakeland runner himself, took the reins.

Jason remembers the moment like it was yesterday:

“I was in Florida playing golf with my family when I got a call from the newspaper asking about taking over for him. It was definitely more challenging than I thought. He and his staff made it look easier. I had a lot more to learn than I expected.”

The lessons came naturally, though. He had been watching them since he was a kid.

“He was a very hard worker in everything he did—teaching, coaching, life. Team was always the focus. You improve every athlete, whether they’re the top guy or the last one in the race.”

That “team first” mentality became the heartbeat of Lakeland’s program, and Jason embraced it fully.

Memories on the Course.

Jason’s own career as a Lakeland runner shaped the perspective he brought to coaching.

“A few memories come to mind. When I was pretty young I remember being around a XC team that qualified for states. My brother was on the team and I was playing the role of little brother with them. They seemed to be having a great time at State College together. As a runner I remember pulling an upset in the 4×8 at districts and qualifying for states with the other guys on the relay. Had our best guy run second instead of anchor. Brilliant coaching move. He blew the race wide open.”

Those moments taught him how much decisions and culture could mean to a team.

A Tradition Passed Down.

Lakeland’s cross country tradition didn’t begin with Phil, but he elevated it into a powerhouse. By 1979, the Scranton Tribune was already noting the rise of Lakeland’s squads. Over time, Phil turned consistency into culture.

Jason continues that legacy today. He still uses many of his father’s workouts, occasionally brings Phil in to talk to the team, and emphasizes the same philosophy of unity.

“When athletes buy into the team, they learn the history from the older athletes and carry it on with them.”

That’s why names like Mark Arzie, Nathan Morgan, Emily Black—Lakeland’s first female state medalist—and current standout Henry Decker are part of a living lineage.

Building His Own Path.

Taking over in 2007 brought new challenges.

“In the fall of ’07 when I took over our numbers were low. The previous year the team was quite good but many graduated. I remember having to move up a few freshmen to help fill out the varsity team. I also remember having to wait a few weeks to win our first meets against Montrose and Blue Ridge. It was a longer wait than I would have hoped for but it was all a great learning experience. I knew I had to change some things I was doing in regards to practice and training. I also learned that the sash on the jersey that said Lakeland meant all the other teams were going to bring their best when they competed against us.”

As Jason developed as a coach, he also leaned into the wisdom of others.

“My father always encouraged me to talk to other coaches. I wish I did this more when I was a younger coach. There were so many good coaches finishing up their careers when I was getting started. One coach I enjoy talking to still is Coach Osburn, the former Forest City coach. He had some really tough-nosed teams throughout the years. He was always energetic and encouraging to not just his athletes but other teams as well. I think XC more than any other sport sees opposing coaches cheering on other teams’ athletes. It truly makes our sport unique.”

The Grind and the Growth.

High school running in District 2 has changed since Jason’s own competitive days. Cluster meets, expanded invitationals, and new training philosophies have shifted the landscape. One change, however, stands out to him:

“At the end of a meet, you’ll see 10–15 kids from different schools cooling down together, running and laughing after racing their hearts out. When I ran, that never happened. That’s sport at its best.”

Jason has also learned that coaching now means managing more than workouts and races.

“Kids anymore put a lot of pressure on themselves. Reminding them that these races are not the end all be all of their lives and that regardless of if they perform well or fall a little short, life will go on and things will be just fine. I guess it’s a perspective thing.

“It is not easy to keep their heads into it for the entire season. Trying to keep practice easygoing at some points is important. We also break our training into three phases. Setting a season-ending goal while understanding that the only thing you can do is what’s in front of you that day is definitely important.”

Family, Balance, and Perspective.

Coaching was easier when Jason was young and single. Now, with kids of his own, balancing family life and the grind of cross country is a challenge. But when his children show up in Lakeland XC gear on the sidelines, he smiles:

“Reminds me of when I was their age.”

Maybe one day they’ll run with that Chief logo on their chest, knowing exactly what it means.

Through it all, Jason remains grounded in humility:

“Winning is nice. But it’s more important to be a good person and to respect the sport and your competition. You don’t need to brag about how good you are or how many meets you won. It’s about the athletes—not the coach’s individual success.”

Pride in the Program.

Ask Jason about his proudest moment, and he doesn’t point to banners or trophies. Instead, he points to the culture.

“Seeing kids come together, work hard, and become a tight-knit team who actually enjoy their time together—that’s what makes it worth it.”

And as for how he wants to be remembered? His answer sounds a lot like his father’s:

“If people look back and say the program was healthy and had teams that worked hard, that’s enough for me. It’s always about the team—not me.”

Father like son. And the Tochelli legacy continues.

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin | Agape Freedom Sports |

In the fall, Northeastern Pennsylvania beats to the drum of football. Friday nights under the lights, Saturday afternoons at college stadiums, and Sundays packed into living rooms and bars where diehards scream at TV screens—it’s tradition. NEPA bleeds football.

Earlier today, I grabbed lunch at Benny’s Restaurant on Main Avenue in Peckville before heading up to Valley Views softball clinic.. Let me just say—if you haven’t had their double-crusted steak and cheese pizza, put it on your list. Best in the area, no doubt. (They’ve got locations in Scranton and Clarks Summit too—worth the stop.) Inside, the scene was pure NEPA: wild cheers, fans on their feet, eyes glued to the NFL broadcast. That’s what Sundays look like around here.

Meanwhile, just a few miles away, Valley View state champion head coach Mia Wascura was running a clinic—not for college or pro football hopefuls, but for the next generation of softball players.

Because here’s the twist: while football rules the headlines, another sport is quietly building its empire in NEPA—girls’ varsity softball.

“Take a look at our classifications—1A, 3A, 4A, 5A—and you’ll see teams representing Pennsylvania at the highest level,” Wascura said. “A few of them were even named State Players of the Year. Others came close—two Tunkhannock girls, Valley View’s Abbi Call as a runner-up. And former Cougar Taylor Cawley was runner up as pitcher of year 4A classification.”

She’s not exaggerating. The résumé is stacked. Mia Galella of Holy Cross (Class A) was State Player of the Year before heading to Boston College. Valley View’s Kalli Karwowski claimed the 4A honor and is now suiting up at Penn State. Pitchers of the Year, runners-up, and a growing list of Division I commitments prove it: softball isn’t just keeping pace in NEPA—it’s sprinting ahead.

And while NFL fans were glued to their screens this weekend, Wascura was on the field with about 50 kids, grades one through six, at Valley View’s softball complex. Alongside her assistants and several of her 2025 4A state champion Cougars, she poured her energy into stations—hitting, outfield, fielding—breaking the game down for the youngest players in the valley.

That’s the thing about Wascura: she doesn’t coast. She eats, breathes, and lives softball. It’s the fire that delivered her Cougars gold last spring, and the same fire that’s turning her into one of the most respected coaches in the region.

Among her helpers was Cora Castellani—a steady second baseman last season who’s sliding over to shortstop this spring. She’s not only stepping into a bigger role on the field but also giving back to the sport already.

“I wanted to take the opportunity to help the youth and be here,” Castellani said. “The younger athletes will definitely benefit—learning from a state championship team, seeing how we practice, and how we carry that into games. As they get older, they’ll be able to use it themselves.”

Cora smiled and added, “It felt good helping the kids. Some came up with questions, some already knew who I was. It was cool that they felt comfortable enough to do that. What we did today was special—I really enjoyed it.”

The camp looked like the future in action: kids lugging their bats, sporting travel-ball and rec jerseys, even a few rocking softball shades like they meant business. The next wave of talent was on display, and the foundation was being laid one rep, one drill, one word of encouragement at a time.

I found myself listening just as intently. Soon, I’ll be launching my own 18U travel team alongside William Sandly and Margaret Adolfson. Watching Wascura was like attending a masterclass. Her speeches weren’t just for the kids—they were for anyone who wants to understand what makes champions.

“Most of these kids came from different schools and areas,” Wascura said. “I wanted to share my passion and love of the game. When young players can learn from high school athletes who’ve been through it, it means more. Our program is about giving back—and today proved it.”

Football may own the fall in NEPA. But make no mistake—softball is rising. And with Wascura at the helm, her Cougars aren’t just building players—they’re building a legacy. Don’t be surprised if Valley View makes yet another run at state gold.

Thanks to some of our fall sponsors below:

By Jeric Yurkanin | Agape Sports Staff

September 15 2025:

Some families pass down heirlooms. Others pass down recipes. The Bradleys, Schmidts, and Stalicas? They pass down championships. Baseballs, softballs, and fastballs are stitched into their DNA, and the results are everywhere—record books rewritten, college rosters filled, and a reputation that has become one of NEPA’s fiercest family legacies.

Now, Nick Bradley, Abington Heights’ standout pitcher, is the latest to carry that torch.

Nick was born to be a baseball player—the sport he’s played most of his life. Football came later, and with his natural talent, he found success there too. But his dream was always baseball. It’s easy to see why when you look at his sister and cousins and the sports they’ve excelled in. Nick wears the navy and white of Abington Heights with pride, grateful to represent a school with strong programs and supportive administrators.

“I love knowing I can represent Abington in both sports because I can carry on tradition and something that other people started. I feel like a lot of people don’t like Abington in sports. Knowing I get to represent them and prove people wrong is something I really like to do,” said Nick Bradley.

He also knows what it takes to succeed.

“A successful athlete is someone who is consistent, works hard, and shows poise and confidence in big situations. I believe you have to work for what you get. Being able to stay poised and humble while showing out in big spots is something I see as very successful.”

Last year, he broke Abington Heights’ career passing record in football. This year, he extended it even further, and it may stand for a long time—maybe even after he pursues a professional baseball career.

“Breaking the passing record at Abington means a ton. But more than the actual record itself, it’s the teammates that were around me that I want to remember most. We faced a lot of adversity when I first started Abington football and from there we strived and overcame. All of the success that came from that was really a bonus because we built a real family of guys that I’ve been playing with since I was little.”

Born Into Competition:

Nick’s older sister, Jenna Bradley—a former Division I softball player—knows better than anyone what makes her brother tick.

“Growing up, Nick and I were both extremely competitive,” Jenna said. “The difference was, I was outward about it, while Nick always stayed humble. He never rubbed his talent in your face—he just let his actions speak.”

From cornhole bags to hill sprints, tennis to poker, Nick had a knack for excelling at anything he picked up. Jenna still laughs about the time she handed him a softball in Crocs and told him to throw a windmill pitch—he hit 63 mph on the gun, a number she had trained months to reach.

But Nick’s competitiveness wasn’t about beating others. “He’s more competitive with himself than anyone else,” Jenna explained. “He sets an incredibly high standard and just puts his head down to do the work.”

Nick credits Jenna for instilling that drive.

“Jenna has taught me max competitiveness. She is one of the most competitive athletes I have ever seen play, especially when she was at Holy Cross competing for the championship every year. This gives me something to work for in her footsteps too. Jenna also has been through a very similar process and being able to lean on her really helps me mentally.”

There was only one time Jenna recalls beating her brother—during a spin class. “I’ll hold on to that win forever,” she laughed.

The siblings constantly pushed each other, feeding off their shared competitiveness.

“What makes Nick unique, though, isn’t just raw talent. It’s the standard he holds himself to. He’s not watching what everyone else is doing—he just puts his head down and works. And instead of using his abilities to show anyone up, he uses them to lift others.”

Nick summed it up:

“It is really a blessing because everyone in my family wants to win no matter what, and having that mindset always feels like it puts me ahead. Also, having family that I can lean on mentally helps a lot because they always keep trying to push you to get better and keep moving forward.”

Work Ethic Meets Natural Talent:

Those standards paid off. Nick grew from a stocky kid in youth leagues to one of the area’s most coveted recruits. His rise wasn’t just natural ability—it was forged in barns lit up late at night, bullpens into makeshift nets, and 5 a.m. workouts at NEPA FitClub before school.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in his 17 years where someone had to tell Nick to practice,” Jenna said. “He’ll do it over and over until he gets it right.”

Nick embraces the grind and the pressure.

“I feel like you have to just embrace the pressure and trust that everything you’ve done to that point has set you up to be successful in that moment. Knowing the hard work that goes into it makes it a lot easier because you don’t feel unprepared—you just have to compete.”

That mindset made Auburn the perfect fit for his next chapter.

“The coaches, the facilities, the culture—it just feels like home. I can’t wait to see how I stack up against the best hitters in the country.”

More Than a Player:

He’s spent countless hours catching bullpens for Jenna’s players, helping at youth camps, and giving back to the Little League fields where it all began.

“He’s the first to volunteer, the first to sit down with kids and help them,” Jenna said. “Even though he could go professional in anything, he’s always tried to make those around him better.”

Their sibling bond has been central to Nick’s journey.

“People might think I paved the way, but truthfully, Nick has helped me more than I’ve helped him,” Jenna admitted. “He’s my best friend. He saw me at my lowest and knew when I needed my brother, not just a teammate. That’s who he is.”

For Jenna, watching her younger brother grow into one of the area’s top athletes has been nothing short of inspiring.

“Although, if you met him on the street, you wouldn’t know this about him,” she said. “I knew even when we were younger that Nick was made for more. I’ve played sports at all levels and I’ve never met someone who pays attention to detail quite like him.”

Most nights, Nick could be found in the barn with the lights on, throwing bullpens or analyzing video. The hours piled up—moving hay with their grandfather, 5 a.m. workouts before school, and endless hill sprints in South Side.

“Even more impressive than his work ethic is how much he gives back,” Jenna added. She works with about 50 local girls in softball, and Nick has caught for nearly all of them. He volunteers at camps, returns to his Little League roots, and looks for ways to grow not just as a player, but as a mentor.

“My family is extremely close, and whenever Nick and I would moan and groan about doing something, he would look at us and say, ‘Well, you’re different,’” Jenna said. “Nick took that to heart. He isn’t afraid to swim against the crowd and be his own person—something most kids his age struggle with. In many ways, he sets the standards for all of us. I can’t wait to see what this next chapter in his career brings for him.”

Nick gives credit to his family:

“I look up to the people in my family who played sports and always wanted to beat my sister and cousins and everyone when we were playing.”

That competitive spirit clearly runs through the family. His cousin, Ava Schmitt, made waves this past softball season as one of District 2’s top pitchers. She racked up 21 wins and struck out 178 batters. Now entering her senior year at Holy Cross, she looks up to Nick and will have one more shot at a District 2 title and a chance to chase a state championship appearance.

“Watching Nick achieve so much in baseball while making my own mark in softball has been exciting. It’s great to see him succeed, and it motivates me to push myself in my own sport. Even though we play different games, we both want to compete and be the best we can be,” Ava said.

She added: “Nick’s work ethic has definitely influenced how I approach softball. Knowing the dedication he puts into baseball inspires me to always give 100% in every practice and game. Seeing his success is motivation in itself. It’s special to have family who understands both the challenges and the rewards of sports.”

One of her favorite memories? Summer camps together, playing random games and laughing between drills. “Beyond being family, what I admire most about Nick is his dedication. He works very hard and treats everyone with respect. As a person and an athlete, he sets a great example for others.”

And then there’s Lauren Stalica—Nick Bradley’s cousin and one of the brightest softball talents to ever come out of Abington Heights. A dominant pitcher and first baseman, Lauren is just as dangerous at the plate as she is in the circle. Her résumé speaks for itself: PA Class 5A Pitcher of the Year, All-State First Team, and now a freshman at Division I Saint Joseph’s University. She closed her high school career with more than 400 strikeouts.

In 2024 and 2025, she was the heartbeat of Abington Heights’ varsity team, leading them to District 2 Class 5A championship games. With her blend of power, precision, and poise, Lauren has carved her name into the rich legacy of NEPA softball—and shown that athletic excellence runs deep in the Bradley family tree.

Respect From Across the Diamond:

Valley View’s longtime coach, Jason Munley—who coached current major leaguers Mason Black and Max Kranick—knows firsthand what it’s like to face Nick Bradley.

“His dominance on the mound. A plus fastball in the low-90s is very difficult for high school hitters. They just don’t see it that often. He is also a fierce competitor. Abington is lucky to have him,” Munley said.

He sees more than just talent. “He’s a great leader. The whole team feeds off of him. When he gets in a rhythm on the mound, he’s tough to stop.”

Munley added: “I spoke to him a few times on the field. He was a true gentleman and very humble. He obviously works very hard at his craft and is very confident in his abilities. From a coach’s standpoint, he’s everything you want in a ballplayer. I wish him the best. He will be successful no matter what path he takes in life.”

A Role Model for the Next Generation:

For all of Nick’s achievements on the field, what may matter most is the way he’s already influencing the next generation. Jenna trains around 50 young girls in softball, and Nick has sat on a bucket catching for nearly all of them.

“He doesn’t have to do it—he wants to,” Jenna said. “He’s the first to volunteer, the first to show up at camps, and the first to give back to the same Little League that raised him. That says a lot about his character.”

By giving his time, encouragement, and presence, Nick has become more than just a top recruit—he’s a role model. He shows local kids that hard work, humility, and giving back are just as important as throwing 90-plus on the radar gun.

And that’s the Bradley–Schmidt–Stalica legacy at its core: not just championships, but impact.

And now, the Auburn Tigers are betting on him too.

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***We would like to take this time to thank our sponsors listed below****

WHAT YOUTH SPORTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE:

Written By: Jeric Yurkanin | Staff |Agape Freedom Sports

Have you ever reached the point where you just can’t stand youth sports anymore? The way some coaches think. The way some parents act. Honestly—many of us are there.

Here’s a thought: the youngest teams are often led by well-meaning but inexperienced parent-coaches. What if, instead, we invited a handful of great elementary education teachers—people who already excel at connecting with kids, challenging them appropriately, and helping them grow while still being a favorite adult—to help lead youth teams? If you can inspire students with diverse needs in a classroom, you can certainly teach a game with patience and joy. I’m convinced we’d see more growth than we do under some of today’s “win-first” approaches.

Everything I’ve learned about coaching didn’t come from chasing wins. It came from studying the philosophies of the greats—and none of them started with “winning at all costs.” It was always about what happens in between.

John Wooden: Effort Over Scoreboards

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA coach, won 10 national championships in 12 years—yet he never obsessed over the score. His definition of success:

“Peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

For Wooden, the real victory was effort, preparation, teamwork, and character. His Pyramid of Success emphasized industriousness, enthusiasm, loyalty, cooperation, and self-control.

A “loss” with your best effort wasn’t failure; it was growth. He believed the real battle was within—so after games he asked, Did you do your best? Did you play together? Did you prepare properly? Ironically, that mindset produced less pressure and more championships.

Geno Auriemma: Relationships Before Talent

Like Wooden, UConn’s Geno Auriemma built a dynasty on people first.

“Coaching is about relationships. If you don’t care about your players, they won’t care about what you’re teaching.”

He chooses character over ego because talent without humility wrecks chemistry. He’s demanding and honest, but players trust him because the standard is for their growth, not his image. At UConn no one is bigger than the team—superstars included. As Geno says, “We don’t talk about winning championships. We talk about becoming a championship team.”

Herb Brooks: Great Moments From Great Opportunities

1980 U.S. Olympic coach Herb Brooks proved determination can outrun raw talent.

“Great moments are born from great opportunities.”

He chose young, hungry players who would sacrifice for the group. His focus was discipline, belief, and being ready when the moment comes. That belief turned preparation into history.

Why This Matters for Youth Sports

Wooden, Auriemma, and Brooks point to the same truth: winning is a byproduct, not the goal. The real targets are effort, relationships, character, and determination. That’s the foundation youth sports should be built on.

For me, ages 4–12 should start with one word: fun—not endless discipline drills, not parental pressure, not chasing imaginary NIL or pro futures. At that age, sport should shape better humans: love the game, respect others, show kindness.

Real coaching earns respect and leads with care. Kids should follow because they want to—because they know you’re for them. Teach a positive attitude, coachability, and work ethic—not just for personal dreams, but for the team.

My Coaching Lesson:,

In eight years as a head coach in an adult men’s softball league—and the past two years as an assistant—I’ve learned that philosophy matters more than trophies. As a head coach (2016–2023), my teams reached three league championships and three semifinals. As an assistant (2024–2025), we reached two more semifinals.

One of my former squads went on to win 42 straight games and back-to-back titles (2020–21). Their only real obstacle? My new team—we held them to four runs in the playoffs when they averaged 25. We lost 4–3, but the way we competed proved the philosophy works.

My standard every year was to compete for the title—but how we got there mattered most and was about everything in between. Most seasons, half the roster was brand new to the game. I preferred it. It wasn’t about collecting talent—it was about shaping teammates.

I even passed on “experienced” players who played only for themselves. Some bragged about skill levels, state tournaments, or semi-pro titles, but those things didn’t impress me. Labels don’t win for you—character does. I once released a very skilled player with high-level experience because he lacked the attitude, work ethic, and team-first mentality we needed.

For me, the only things that mattered were:

Are you coachable? Are you a good teammate? Do you put the team above yourself?

That’s what sports are supposed to be: not win-at-all-costs, not selfishness—learning, growing, and becoming better people together.

Where Youth Sports Go Wrong:,

Too often, I’ve seen coaches yell at kids—sometimes their own—right in front of the team. That’s not discipline; it’s humiliation. It embarrasses, crushes confidence, and poisons the culture.

I’ll never forget a 5–7-year-old in youth football with autism and ADHD. Instead of patience and support, he got harshness. He left the sport. Stories like that aren’t rare. Two of my family members quit youth football—not because of the game, but because of how adults acted.

So I have to ask: What gives any adult the right to scream at a child?

At those ages, it should be about teaching and joy, not tearing kids down. Parents can unintentionally fuel the problem by insisting kids obey a coach “no matter what,” even when the approach is wrong. When we measure success only by wins and “toughness,” we lose sight of joy and growth.

The Truth Youth Sports Must Remember

The single most important part of coaching is building a positive, trustworthy relationship with your athletes. When kids feel safe and respected, they give you everything they’ve got. When they feel humiliated, they shut down—and sometimes they don’t come back.

Wooden got it right. Auriemma got it right. Brooks got it right. The greatest coaches showed that trust, character, and belief create the conditions for winning. If they lived by that standard, youth sports can, too.

It doesn’t have to stay the way it is. If we choose love over ego, patience over screaming, and growth over politics, we’ll give kids what sports are supposed to be: a place to learn, to grow, and to fall in love with the game. Get those pieces right, and team success follows.

🏀🏈⚾ JERIC’S COACHING GUIDE

The Big Three Lessons

John Wooden (UCLA) → Success = effort and character, not scoreboards. Geno Auriemma (UConn) → Relationships and accountability before talent. Herb Brooks (USA Hockey) → Opportunity + determination create great moments.

What This Means for Ages 4–12

Fun first — not drills, pressure, or parent dreams. Relationships before results — kids need to know you care. Character & teamwork — build better humans, not just athletes. No screaming — correction without humiliation. Parents: support, don’t enable poor coaching behaviors.

Jeric’s Challenge to Coaches & Parents

✅ Choose love over ego

✅ Choose patience over screaming

✅ Choose growth over politics

👉 Winning isn’t the goal. Becoming a better person and teammate is.

🏈🎾⚾️🏐⚽️🏓🥎🥍🏀

Stronger Together: Supporting Local Sports Outlets in NEPA

Written by: Jeric Yurkanin | Staff, Agape Sports

I began this sports podcast in 2024 out of pure passion and a dream I’ve carried since high school in 2002. Between 2000 and 2005, I ran a free website called JERIC’S Lackawanna Sports. I loved writing, volunteered my time, and covered games because I wanted nothing more than to be a sports journalist. But college didn’t go the way I hoped—it was a struggle.

My old website (2000-2005):

https://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=jericslackawannasports

Back then, times were different. Technology wasn’t what it is today. Now we have iPhones, instant access, and better tools that grammar check our writing and help us share articles instantly. That’s been a blessing—it gave me the chance to restart the dream I had 20 years ago and bring it to life through my Agape Sports organization .

Sports have always been my passion. Writing and covering games isn’t just something I do—it’s who I am. And I believe this: if passion dies, everything dies with it. I’ve never done this for a paycheck. Sponsorships help offset the costs of running the podcast and, yes, provide a little support for my family and me. But at its core, this podcast was birthed—and will always be birthed—out of love for sports, a desire to support our communities, and to shine a positive light on athletes and coaches.

Respecting Other Voices:

I’m not interested in competing with other podcasts or worrying about who people see as rivals. This has always been about passion, community, and the joy of sports.

In fact, I deeply respect the other voices covering our area. Sportzwire with Brad Loft and Justin Bradley, and the NPF Network with Chris Kucharski and Scott Mackinder, all do a fantastic job. They work hard, bring exposure, and provide unique coverage that strengthens the entire sports community.

If I wasn’t so busy with my own sports media outlet, I’d honestly be their number one fan. I’ve always enjoyed NPF’s play-by-play broadcasts, and for years I tuned in to their game coverage and updated live football scores. That’s why I encourage everyone—check them out, support them, and support all our local podcasts.

I also love what Sportzwire brings to the table. Their live score updates keep fans connected in real time, and their photography captures unforgettable moments for local athletes and families. On top of that, their website is filled with valuable information and stands as one of the best resources for NEPA sports fans.

We each bring different gifts to the table. One may shine in one area, another in a different one, but together we make NEPA’s sports scene stronger. What I can’t cover, other local outlets do—and that’s exactly what makes all of our organizations necessary.

My Current Role:

Right now, I’m a one-man team. I run the Agape Sports social media pages, create content, cover games, and write articles. Since September 2024, that’s been the way it is. Earlier this year, we had some help with the NEPA Chronicles Show and even brought in a few paid hosts for winter and spring, Some of them covered about five games in the spring and wrote one extra article. But with my new second-shift job in school maintenance, my time is limited.

For now:

Weekend coverage is my main focus. Podcasts are recorded on weekends. Articles are written during the week before I head to work.

It’s not easy—but it’s worth it. My dream is to eventually move to a first-shift job, which will allow me more flexibility to cover even more local sports.

Athletes Deserve the Spotlight:

I don’t believe in an “us vs. them” mentality. Athletes only get a few years in their life to shine, to be recognized, and to capture moments they can look back on decades later with gratitude. Every outlet that gives them that exposure matters.

NEPA is blessed with so many passionate small organizations covering local sports—and I’m just thankful to play a small part in it. Support all our local sports outlets. Together, we make a difference.

What’s Next for Agape Sports:

In the winter season, starting in November our focus will shift to boys’ and girls’ basketball and college men’s and women’s basketball bringing consistent coverage, features, and stories that highlight the talent across NEPA. But we will cover games in weekend until further notice.

For Spring 2026, the sport we will cover most consistently—and with a dedicated weekly podcast, Top 12 countdown, and weekly articles—will be girls’ softball. Softball has always been my biggest passion, and truthfully, it doesn’t get the level of coverage it deserves. Our goal is to change that and give these athletes the spotlight they’ve earned. And in NEPA my opinion, we have some of the best softball players in the state just in our area!

Here are a few local organizations doing great work—check them out, support them, and help keep local sports coverage alive and thriving:

Sportzwire website:

https://sportzwire.com/

NPF Website:

https://www.nepafootball.com/

Home

By: Jeric Yurkanin | Agape Sports Staff

The roar of the crowd. The clash of helmets. The weight of expectation. Scranton quarterback Brody Coyle doesn’t just survive in the middle of it—he thrives. Under the Friday night lights, he’s not just another kid in a Silver-and-red jersey. He’s the next chapter in a football family that already means something in NEPA. With his father’s legacy looming large, Brody is proving he can write his own story, one snap at a time.

It almost feels like destiny. From the moment he could grip a football, it seemed inevitable: Brody Coyle was going to be a quarterback. But destiny alone doesn’t complete passes, lead huddles, or win games. That part—the grind, the pressure, the spotlight—Brody has embraced on his own.

The First Two Weeks:

Scranton’s season didn’t start the way they wanted. In Week 1 against Pocono Mountain West, the Knights fell 39–19. But Brody showed why he’s the heartbeat of the offense. He threw the ball 35 times, completing 18 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 33 yards on the ground. The stat line spoke volumes: even in a loss, he fought until the final whistle.

That performance set the tone. One week later against Wyoming Valley West, Brody didn’t need volume—he needed efficiency. And he delivered. He went 5-of-8 for 111 yards and a touchdown, guiding the Knights to a rebound win. Two weeks, two very different scripts. But both games revealed the same truth: Brody adapts, competes, and leads.

Following in His Father’s Footsteps:

The Coyle name already carries weight around Lackawanna County. Brody’s father, John, was a standout quarterback at Riverside before taking his talents to Kutztown in the early ’90s. This was before Hudl highlights and social media clips, yet people still talk about John’s arm strength and poise in the pocket. That kind of reputation doesn’t disappear.

“I feel like I’m following in his footsteps while also trying to carve out my own path,” Brody said.

And that’s the balance. The younger Coyle isn’t copying his dad—he’s carrying the torch into a new era. Different times, different competition, different challenges. And with the Knights facing some of the state’s biggest programs every postseason, Brody knows his role is bigger than the numbers on a stat sheet.

“One of my first big memories was going to a Scranton game and throwing on the sidelines with him before kickoff,” he recalled.

Calm Under Fire:

Ask anyone who’s watched Brody play, and they’ll tell you the same thing: he doesn’t rattle. Whether it’s airing it out for 262 yards in a shootout loss or managing a controlled offense in a bounce-back win, he adjusts to the moment. His arm strength and poise are obvious, but what stands out more is his leadership.

“My dad gives me advice every day—whether it’s about football or just life in general,” Brody said. “He was my QB coach growing up and still is to this day. Before every game, he reminds me: ‘You already did the hard part in the offseason—now playing is the fun part.’ Seeing how hard he worked makes me want to push myself even harder.”

Writing the Next Chapter:

For the Coyles, football has never been just a sport—it’s a legacy. John made his mark in the ’90s. Brody is making his now. And years from today, kids in Scranton might tell stories of his Friday night drives the same way people still talk about his father’s.

But Brody doesn’t get caught up in comparison. He’s focused on moments—the Bell Game under the lights, the roar of the student section after a touchdown, the bonds in the locker room. “I gave everything I had the second I stepped between the white lines,” he says, and that’s how he wants to be remembered.

This season, Scranton’s No. 1 has the Knights chasing something bigger—touchdowns, championships, and respect across the state. And if the first two weeks are any indication, Brody Coyle is ready for the spotlight.

As for the future? Brody dreams of one day suiting up for his dad’s alma mater, Kutztown University. Could it happen? Absolutely. But football—like life—has its twists and turns. For now, his focus is on writing this chapter with the Knights, one snap at a time.

By: Jeric Yurkanin | Staff | Agape Sports

The Lakeland Lady Chiefs came out kicking, determined not to hold back after dropping their season opener to Wyoming Seminary Prep. They weren’t about to start the year 0–2.

It was a game played with grit and control. From the opposite sideline, the atmosphere carried its own character—smoke drifted across the field, maybe from a fire pit or a backyard cookout, blending with the crisp, chilly evening air. It was a fitting backdrop for a team that played with fire and focus.

From the opening whistle, Lakeland dictated the first half on both ends of the field. Their new goalkeeper, first year playing soccer, Kamri Naniewicz – hardly had to make a save, protected by a rock-solid defense in front of her. Mountain View managed a few pushes forward, but the Chiefs’ back line held its ground. Players like Bria Hill, Natalie and Naomi Rude stepped up at key moments—blocking shots, intercepting passes, and stripping possessions to keep the Eagles off the board.

By halftime, the Lady Chiefs had already built a commanding 3–0 lead. And they didn’t let up after the break. With 23 minutes left in the second half, Lakeland had pushed the score to 6–0, burying Mountain View under relentless offensive pressure. The defense continued to shine, giving their keeper a quiet night while the midfielders and forwards kept the attack alive.

It was the response Lakeland needed—a statement win that showed resilience, energy, and a refusal to let one loss define their season.

The Lakeland Lady Chiefs stormed into Saturday’s matchup at Chapman Lake with one goal in mind—change the story. After dropping a wild 7–5 season opener to Wyoming Seminary, and still carrying the sting of a 4–11 campaign in 2024 that ended with yet another playoff loss to Seminary, the Chiefs knew enough was enough. Just a season removed from being crowned the 2023 District 2 Class 1A champions, this program wasn’t about to let back-to-back down years define them. They came hungry—for a spark, for fresh energy, and for the kind of chemistry that could put Lakeland soccer right back where it belongs.

And that spark? It came from the Rude sisters.

Freshman Natalie Rude wasted no time lighting it up, blasting in the opening goal to set the tone. From there, Lakeland never looked back. They pushed the pace, played with swagger, and by halftime the Lady Chiefs were cruising with a 3–0 lead.

The second half was a statement. Just 10 minutes in, Natalie buried her second of the day, and moments later, Bria Hill ripped one past the keeper to stretch it to 5–0. Then older sister Naomi Rude joined the party, punching in a goal of her own to make it six unanswered.

Mountain View showed fight, breaking the shutout with a goal from Emily Trichilo in the 67th minute, but this game belonged to Lakeland from start to finish. And fittingly, it was Natalie again—sealing her breakout night with a late dagger in the 78th minute to complete her hat trick and lock down a commanding 7–1 victory.

“My mindset was to come and win. I know I have a good team around me, and they have good energy,” said Natalie Rude.

“Our defense obviously contributed the most during today’s win, and it helped me individually on the field to do what I needed to do.”

This year Lakeland has a group of young, talented freshmen who will hopefully help guide the Lady Chiefs to a winning season.

“We did really good today. We have a great group of freshmen that came up this year. We lost a few players due to graduation, but we all played well together. It’s a great opportunity to have my sister Natalie playing with me—we feed off each other’s energy and have really good field chemistry. It’s so amazing,” said her older sister Naomi Rude.

She continued: “We played well today. I think because of the practices we had—we did some drills that helped us in this game, like communication and working on our defensive positioning—it turned out in our favor. We got the win.”

It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.

The Lady Chiefs aren’t here to repeat last year—they’re here to write a new chapter.

It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.

The Lady Chiefs aren’t here to repeat last year—they’re here to write a new chapter. One like they had just two years ago. This is Lakeland Lady Chiefs soccer. A program with a standard to uphold and a reputation to rebuild.

With the Rude sisters leading the charge, that goal feels more possible than ever. Keep an eye on Natalie and Naomi this season—either one can sneak a goal in on you at any moment. And make no mistake, Lakeland isn’t finished. Expect them to be right in the mix for a District 2 championship run this year.

🎥 POST-GAME INTERVIEW | Lakeland vs. Holy Cross

Final Score: Lakeland 53 – Holy Cross 6

We caught up with four of Lakeland’s standout athletes following their dominant performance:

🏈 Gavin Roberts

🏈 Dylan Loomis

🏈 David Naniewicz

🏈 Jackson Pochas

🏈 Head Coach: Coach P

Hear their thoughts on tonight’s game, the team’s chemistry, and what it means to represent the Chiefs under the lights.

Subscribe for more local high school football coverage, interviews, and highlights every week!

📱 Follow Agape Sports

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#LakelandFootball #PostGameInterview #AgapeSports #NEPAfootbal

By Jeric Yurkanin | Staff Writer | Agape Freedom Sports

🎾 For 40 Years, It Was Always About the Kids

For four decades, Jerry Pickard stood at the helm of the Valley View girls tennis program, quietly building something special since 1986. He took over the boys team in 1995 and spent nearly 40 years shaping young athletes into competitors and—more importantly—good people.

His name is etched into the Valley View community. Coaches across the region either played for him, coached alongside him, or faced off against his teams. You don’t forget a Jerry Pickard team.

When I had the chance to interview him recently, I realized right away—Coach Pickard is a gentle giant. He’s soft-spoken. Reserved. A man of few words. But one thing he made crystal clear:

“It was always about the kids.”

It was about teaching the game the right way.

About having fun.

About competing with class.

About winning the right way.

Ask any of his players and they’ll tell you: he’s more than a coach. He’s a teacher, a role model, and someone they respect deeply.

You’d often see him walking calmly up and down the Valley View courts, reminding players to stretch, drink water, and most importantly—have fun. One match, he made sure every single player on the team got into the lineup. Why?

Because it wasn’t about records or rankings.

It was about the kids.

“I coach for the kids,” said Pickard, now 78. “Tennis is fun. I enjoy teaching kids how to be competitive, how to be good people, and how to represent themselves in the community.”

“I want them to learn the fundamentals, to practice hard, and to enjoy playing.”

For new players just joining a team, his advice is simple and timeless:

“Don’t quit. Come to practice. Participate. Enjoy what you’re doing.”

Before a recent match, I watched him tell his team to clap louder as lineups were announced. Then, right before the first serve, he gathered them together and led them in a chant:

“Play to the best of our abilities.”

That’s what he demands—not perfection, but effort.

When you play for Jerry Pickard, you give 100% of the talent God gave you. Nothing less.

Very few coaches can say they spent 40 years at one school. He bled blue, yellow, and white. Cougar colors. But even more than that—he is part of this community’s foundation. He was made for this place. He was born for it.

I’d know—Jerry Pickard is actually my third cousin once removed. I learned that back in 2022 while building my family tree through Ancestry and talking to relatives. He was born in 1947, and both our third great-grandparents migrated from Ireland to Archbald generations ago.

The Beginning: From 0-13 to a Legacy:

Jerry’s coaching journey started in 1986 when his daughter Shannon joined the team as a freshman. At the time, the program was on the verge of folding. He submitted an application to coach, asking only to be considered if no one else wanted the job.

No one did. So he stepped up.

He didn’t know much about tennis that first year. His team went 0–13. But instead of quitting, he studied. He learned. And then he built one of the most consistent programs in NEPA history. The rest? That’s history.

“I think he knows so much about tennis,” said senior Ella Swingle. “When I started as a freshman, he literally taught me everything I needed to know. He puts everything into this team.”

Sophomore Lucy Ritzco added,

“He doesn’t get mad if you mess up—he trusts you’ll fix it and play better.”

Emily Messett, head coach of Mid Valley Girls Tennis and a Scranton Prep graduate, put it perfectly:

“I’ve known Coach Pickard since I was 15. I always joke that he probably forgets what he ate for breakfast, but he remembers the score from when I played his team in districts as a junior. He’s the grandfather of tennis in this area. I tell my players—if he’s coaching you during a match, listen to what he’s saying. He knows what he’s talking about.”

Messett added,

“He always said he’d retire if Mid Valley ever beat him. Last year, our boys team finally did—and he was so kind, congratulating every one of our players. He’s not just for Valley View. He’s for the sport. He’s for keeping tennis strong in this area. I didn’t really want to beat him… because I didn’t want him to retire.”

And when asked about his influence?

“I try to model my coaching after Coach Pickard. He’s had so much success working with kids who often never played tennis before—and still competing against experienced programs. Even my all-stars have gotten tips from him during matches.

A Recovery Story That Inspires:

Off the court, Jerry Pickard’s story is one of redemption, faith, and second chances.

Before the tennis, before the winning seasons, before the legacy—he fought a darker battle: alcoholism.

He drank until he blacked out. It had taken over his life. In 1983, he checked into The Salvation Army with his friend Victor to begin the long road to recovery. He stayed for nearly a year. That place—and that choice—saved his life.

He found a new purpose. A spiritual awakening. He leaned on faith.

“I always believed in God,” he shared on a moving episode of the AllBetter podcast. “I had aunts who were nuns. A cousin who was a priest. But it took hitting rock bottom to understand what real surrender and peace looked like.”

Before 1984, he was a bartender. After that, he was reborn—not just as a man of faith, but as a mentor, teacher, and builder of one of NEPA’s most respected high school sports programs.

From 1986 until now, Valley View tennis has been blessed to call Jerry Pickard their coach.

🐾 Coach. Mentor. Survivor. Cougar for Life.

He’s not just a man with wins.

He’s a man with wisdom.

He’s not just a coach with stats.

He’s a coach with heart.

And for 40 years, through every match, every stretch of courtside encouragement, every player who picked up a racket for the first time—Coach Pickard made sure it was never about him.

Always about the kids. Forever part of Valley View. One of the best to ever do it, he’s my cousin and family—and the humblest of giants. His name is Jerry Pickard.

By Jeric Yurkanin | Staff | Agape Freedom Sports

Friday night’s Valley View vs. Scranton Prep matchup was more than just a football game—it was a night of honor. Valley View hosted its annual Salute to Service Night, and while the scoreboard told one story, the meaning behind the evening told another.

When you hear the phrase Salute to Service, what comes to mind? For many, it’s guns, tanks, bullets, and war. But maybe it’s time to think deeper. Maybe Salute to Service should make us think of sacrifice, unity, courage, and commitment. It’s about ordinary men and women who did extraordinary things so we can enjoy nights like these—safe, free, and under the lights as a community.

Friday wasn’t just an average game in Peckville. It was a special night honoring America’s finest veterans.

A War on the Field

Valley View players didn’t take the theme lightly. They came into the game motivated and ready to fight in their own battle—the war of football. After last year’s 33-0 loss to Scranton Prep, the Cougars had not forgotten the sting. The last time Valley View defeated Prep was back in 2022 (22-16). Friday night, they were determined to change that.

Scranton Prep opened the game with a statement drive, marching all the way to Valley View’s 4-yard line. But after a key tackle for loss and a missed field goal, momentum swung.

Valley View’s offense took over—briefly. A bad snap rolled over quarterback Caleb Brown’s head and into the end zone, where Prep recovered for a touchdown. That would be the only time Scranton Prep found the end zone all night.

Defense Wins the Night

The Cougars’ defense answered the call and didn’t flinch again. They bent at times but never broke, delivering key stops as the Cavaliers threatened in the red zone multiple times. Scranton Prep finished with 121 rushing yards and just 31 through the air, while Valley View allowed nothing after that early miscue.

Leading the charge was standout linebacker Jeffrey Wasilchak, who looked every bit like one of the top defensive players in the area. Wasilchak finished last season with 107 tackles, barely missing an All-State nod, and he showed why he’ll be in that conversation again this year.

On offense, he contributed 43 hard-fought yards on 7 carries—a big piece of the Cougars’ 150 total rushing yards against a stout Prep defense.

What It Meant

“The first half, after the opening drive, we just settled in and the younger guys stepped up,” Wasilchak said after the game. “We just played football and we got a win. Us linebackers had nothing on our laps all night. We played amazing.”

This was a long-awaited redemption for the Cougars. After being shut out 33-0 last year, they had to wait an entire offseason for this moment. Friday night, they showed grit, toughness, and the heart of a team ready to fight for every inch—just like the men and women honored in the stands.

Brody Call, another key defensive playmaker, credited discipline for the unit’s success:

“We know we have a good defense and the type of players that can make plays at any moment, so we just had to stay calm and play football,” Call said.

On stopping Prep’s run game, he added: “We just played hard-nosed football, read our keys well, the D-line maintained their gaps, and the linebackers were able to come and make some big plays.”

When it came to crunch time, the mentality was simple: “The mindset was to just end the game. We knew we had it sealed and just needed a stop or two to win—and we were able to get the job done.”

But it wasn’t just the defensive line that came up big on Friday night—the defensive backs were busy all night as well, allowing only 4 completions out of 12 attempts by Scranton Prep quarterback Owen Jeffers. On Prep’s final drive, the Cougar defensive backs broke up multiple passes to seal the upset win.

Michael Shemonski Jr., a senior cornerback, played lights-out defense Friday night. His dad, Mike Shemonski Sr., played on Valley View’s state championship team in 1992 and was one of their key wide receivers and cornerbacks who helped secure their first and only state football championship.

“Coach Jeff Wasilchak put a lot of time into our defensive game plan, and we’ve been repping this for the past two weeks,” Shemonski said. “All our backs like to go against each other in practice, and we put a lot of effort in against each other to get ready for the Scranton Prep game. It was important that we communicated and stayed on the same page because we wanted to be a big part of Coach Wasilchak’s game plan.”

Humble and hard-working—that was the tone. And it was that defense—the defensive line, linebackers, and secondary—that played a huge role Friday night. They bent but never broke. They held Scranton Prep to zero offensive touchdowns.

It was one of those wins Valley View’s seniors will never forget: the night they went to war for their brothers, fought hard, and beat the favorite—the area’s Goliath. Wins like this have been rare in recent years, but it shows what can happen when you practice hard, stay focused, work as a team, and execute a solid game plan.

On Friday, Goliath fell. And the Cougars are 1-0, looking to make more statement wins this season—hoping to win another District 2 championship and take a shot at the state championship game.

Don’t count the Cougars out!

📅 Date: August 22, 2025

📍 John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium

🏆 Final Score: Valley View 14, Scranton Prep 10

⸻

Storyline:

No. 5 Valley View opened the season with a statement win over No. 1 Scranton Prep in a defensive slugfest. The Cougars overcame two costly fumbles, 102 penalty yards, and a 10-minute Prep drive to gut out a 14-10 victory in front of a packed home crowd.

⸻

Key Highlights

• First Quarter

• Scranton Prep struck first after recovering a fumble in the end zone.

• Valley View answered on a 48-yard bomb from Caleb Brown to Gabe Davis in the final seconds of the quarter (7-7).

• Second Quarter

• Tyler Bianchi’s 25-yard field goal gave Prep a 10-7 halftime lead.

• Third Quarter

• After a muffed punt by Prep, Valley View’s Tyler Muchal scored on a 4th-and-1 run from 18 yards out, giving the Cougars a 14-10 lead.

• Defense Wins It

• VV defense held Prep scoreless in the second half.

• Key stops included Brady Bachman’s 4th-and-2 tackle and the secondary forcing five straight incompletions on Prep’s final drive.

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Stat Leaders

Valley View

• Caleb Brown: 6/8, 81 yards, 1 TD

• Gabe Davis: 48-yard TD reception

• Tyler Muchal: 17 carries, 62 yards, 1 TD

• Jeffrey Wasilchak: 7 carries, 43 yards

Scranton Prep

• Owen Jeffers: 4/12, 31 yards

• Anthony Prince: 14 carries, 68 yards

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Game MVP Candidates

• Tyler Muchal (RB) – clutch 18-yard TD run on 4th down

• Gabe Davis (WR) – huge 48-yard TD catch

• Jeffrey Wasilchak (RB/LB) – two-way force with bruising runs and big defensive stops

• Brady Bachman (LB) – critical 4th-quarter tackle on 4th-and-2

Welcome back to the Hail-Mary Show!

This week, we’re diving into TWO of the biggest rivalry games of the week and breaking down the preseason matchups.

Plus, we unveil our Top 7 Preseason Countdown — who’s ready to make a statement this season, and which teams could surprise everyone?

Subscribe and join us every Thursday for picks, predictions, and the best high school football coverage in the area.

📣 Comment below with YOUR game predictions and let us know who should be #1 in our countdown!

👍 Special thanks to our producer and editor, Daniel Bohenek, for bringing this show to life.🏈

Valley View opened its girls tennis season with a dominant 5-0 win over Western Wayne on Monday in Lackawanna League play. 🎾

⭐ Singles Leaders

Ella Swingle (VV) def. Wertman, 6-0, 6-0 Josie Checho (VV) def. McClure, 6-0, 7-5 Lucy Ritzco (VV) def. Spewack, 6-2, 6-2

⭐ Doubles

Dahlia Ciullo & Sophia Laboranti (VV) def. Fiorgione & Swingle, 6-1, 6-1 Madison Miller & Natalie Cole (VV) won by forfeit

📊 Final Score: Valley View 5, Western Wayne 0

📌 Records: Valley View (1-0), Western Wayne (0-1)

Hear from the Players of the Match — Swingle, Checho, and Ritzco — in our postgame interviews!

Our Sponsors:

By: Jeric Yurkanin

The Dunmore Bucks football team enters the 2025 season determined to build on its tradition of physical play and strong community support.

The Bucks opened last fall in unfamiliar territory — dropping their first four games. It was their first 0–4 start since 1997, when Honesdale handed Dunmore a 50–14 loss. But the team regrouped, winning four of its next six, then defeating Susquehanna in the playoffs before falling to Riverside, 24–6, in the District 2 semifinals.

Last year was anything but typical Dunmore football. This fall, the Bucks feel the pressure to perform, uphold their proud tradition, and prove they remain one of the Lackawanna League’s toughest programs.

Key Returners

Xavier Burke (FB/LB) Burke returns as a cornerstone on both sides of the ball. A bruising fullback who excels in short-yardage situations, he also anchors the defense at linebacker. His toughness and leadership set the tone for a physical Dunmore front seven. Supporting Cast Several veterans are back in the trenches and at skill positions. Their experience will be essential in guiding a younger roster through the grind of league play.

New Addition:

Weston Yannone (QB, transfer from Susquehanna Sabers) Yannone, a dual-threat quarterback with varsity experience, transfers in after starting at Susquehanna. His ability to extend plays and add balance to the Bucks’ offense could be the spark Dunmore needs to evolve beyond its traditional ground-heavy approach. However, he has not been handed the job — there is still a battle to determine who will open the season as the Bucks’ starting quarterback.

Players to Watch:

Ryan Mecca (RB/DB) – A versatile playmaker, Mecca is expected to shoulder more of the offensive load while continuing to shine in the secondary. Lineman Core – Dunmore’s success starts up front, and this year’s group will need to control the line of scrimmage to give the offense room to operate. Underclassmen Skill Players – Several young athletes are ready for larger roles at receiver, defensive back, and on special teams. Their development could give the Bucks much-needed depth and energy.

Season Outlook:

The Bucks enter 2025 with a chip on their shoulder, determined to get back to playing traditional Dunmore football — hard running, physical defense, and competing for a District 2 championship. With veteran leadership, a hungry defense, and a quarterback competition driving improvement, the Bucks have the pieces to bounce back and make noise in November.

Schedule Highlights:

Dunmore’s path won’t be easy. Rivalry showdowns with Lackawanna Trail, Carbondale, Lakeland, and Western Wayne headline the schedule, alongside challenging non-conference contests. To stay in contention, the Bucks will need to blend grit with execution week after week.

The other day, I stopped by to check out the Valley View Cougars — last year’s 4A District 2 Champions. 💪

Sure, they’ve lost a few key pieces from last season, but make no mistake — this year’s squad isn’t backing down. With hard-hitting linebacker Jeffrey Wasilchak leading the charge, the Cougars have been grinding in the weight room all offseason and putting in serious work at camp.

Returning offensive starters: Nico Hazleton, Jason Munley, Ben Evans, Brody Call, Jack Kondrat

Returning defensive starters: Jeff Wasilchak, Brady Cunningham, Aidan Muchal, Mason Mitchell, Jake Rutkowski, Jack Kondrat

The hunger is real, the fire is lit — and I wouldn’t be shocked one bit if they’re hoisting another District 2 championship trophy when it’s all said and done. 🏆🔥

By: Jeric Yurkanin

Well, neighbor, grab your sneakers and your favorite sun-block, because today was a wonderful day in the neighborhood of youth football! The Valley View Cougars kicked off their season in style, pouncing their way to an exciting win over the Dunmore Bucks.

Leading the parade of paw prints were Schuback and Naughton who ran like two determined workhorses galloping through the gridiron garden — each crossing the magical white line called the end zone! 🐾🏈

But oh my, what a defense the Cougars brought with them today! They stood as tall and strong as the oaks in the park, making big stops and keeping the Bucks at bay. And let’s give a big cheer for the backups — because heroes don’t always start the game, but they sure can finish strong!

The Bucks, though, weren’t about to tiptoe quietly away. #10 for Dunmore found the end zone with a burst of energy, and oh, did that make the Bucks fans clap their hands with joy!

Both teams showed hearts as big as the sky and smiles that could light up a whole neighborhood. If this was only Game One, friends, then oh boy — we’re in for a season full of fun, teamwork, and plenty of touchdowns with both teams!!

So remember: whether you’re a Cougar, a Buck, or just a fan in the stands — it’s always a beautiful day for football! I hope all you fan felt today energy and had fun just like all the players and media did watching this game! 🏉😊

About Dan LaMagna 🏈

Dan LaMagna, Ed.D., has dedicated his life to building teams—on and off the football field. A proud alum of the Lakeland Chiefs, Dan made his mark in high school football before continuing his playing career with the Scranton Eagles semi-pro team. His passion for the game later led him to coach at Lackawanna College and even found a semi-pro football team of his own.

Today, Dan serves as Associate Vice President of Student Engagement at Lackawanna College, where he helps guide and support students beyond the classroom. Off the field, he’s the Northeastern Pennsylvania Affiliate Chair for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), leading fundraising and awareness efforts in honor of his late father.

In this interview, we talk football, leadership, and how the game has shaped Dan’s life—from his playing days with Lakeland and the Scranton Eagles to the lessons that last far beyond the scoreboard.

⸻

⚡ Subscribe for more interviews with local football legends and community leaders.

Written by Jeric Yurkanin

Bigger Than a Game: Why August 9th Matters

Autism affects millions of kids and adults across the world — and right here in our own communities. People with autism often see the world differently, and while they may face unique challenges, they also carry incredible gifts. Many shine in sports, music, art, or academics — in ways that can’t be taught in a classroom.

Different doesn’t mean less. Different means strong, resilient, and extraordinary. If everyone were the same, life would be boring. Our differences are what move the world forward. That’s why this Autism Awareness Game matters: it’s a chance to celebrate what makes us unique and to remind the world that every person deserves love, respect, and opportunity.

But this game is also about shattering old narratives — the ones that said girls can’t compete. The ones that told kids and adults with autism they’re “different.” The same kind of lies that once said people with different skin colors couldn’t rise to the same level as the whites — as the men. Too many still believe it — especially in parts of America’s religious culture, where girls are too often treated as “less than.”

Here’s the truth: that thinking is not only outdated — it’s wrong. Every person, no matter their gender, ability, or background, is made in the Creator’s image. Every person deserves love, respect, and opportunity.

This game is personal for me. From 2016 to 2023, I had the privilege of running a men’s slow-pitch softball team in the NEPA Church League. Over those 8 years, we reached three league championships, won one in 2022, and made three other semifinal runs. I loved every second of leading a team that believed in something bigger than themselves.

But this past spring gave me a new passion: covering high school girls’ softball. And wow — it blew me away. Some of the very best players in Pennsylvania were right here in NEPA. Tough. Smart. Fearless. Watching them play reminded me of Jackie Robinson’s story — and Branch Rickey’s courage to say “why not?” when the world said “don’t.” That kind of leadership changed history. I have a plaque up on my wall of Jackie Robinson signing his contract with Branch Rickey next to him. Both believed everyone was created by God and believed in something bigger than themselves, racism, and fighting against the cultural norms. Mr.Rickey also believed in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself, all laws of prophets hung on that Bible says. Mr.Rickey also believed in both of those Jesus sayings and Mr Rickey set the example by his actions. And he showed it and displayed it. He changed history. He did what was different, necessary and unexpected. He changed everything. Both i consider some of my historical heroes.

After a few parents reached out to me, I decided to take on a challenge: have the girls play against the boys. And I decided to lead the girls’ team.

Why not?

Why not try to accomplish the least expected? Why not push back against what parts of American culture and parts of the religious culture still think is impossible?

For too long, people have said girls can’t compete on the same level. That autism makes someone “different” in a way that means “less.” That labels and stereotypes define who we are.

But I don’t buy it. And neither do these girls.

On August 9th, we’re stepping onto that field not just to play a game — but to prove a point. To show that limits are meant to be broken, that differences are meant to be celebrated, and that everyone — no matter their gender, ability, or background — is made in the Creator’s image.

This isn’t just about softball. It’s about respect. It’s about equality. It’s about showing the world what’s possible when you take on the challenge everyone else thinks can’t be won.

Next Saturday, August 9th, I’ll have the honor of leading some of those very girls in our Autism Awareness Slow-Pitch Softball Game. And here’s the twist: they’ll be going up against the boys.

Most people assume the boys are stronger, faster, harder hitters. But I know better. This girls’ team is skilled. They’re determined. They’re tougher than many of the guys I’ve coached — even on my championship teams. The sports app I tested predicts we’ll lose Game 1, then win Games 2 and 3. And I believe it — because these girls don’t stay down. They fight back.

This game is bigger than softball. It’s about showing the world that labels don’t define us. That girls can compete with guys — and succeed. That autism doesn’t mean less — it means different, gifted, and worthy of love.

On August 9th, the girls won’t just be playing softball. They’ll be stepping onto that field as equals — to prove what’s possible when you refuse to accept limits, when you believe in who you are, and when you know you were created for more.

Because here’s the truth: we are all equal. Every one of us is made in the Creator’s image. And on that day, we won’t just play for a win — we’ll play for respect, for equality, for inclusion, and for the belief that different doesn’t mean less — it means strong.

And sometimes, the team no one expects to win is the one that shocks everybody. Whether we win or lose, it’s all about having fun and playing for something bigger than us!

LET’S GO GIRLS — LET’S WIN THIS SERIES! 🥎💙

.

Friday, I officially wrap up Year 1 of our podcast journey.

Starting this Friday, I’ll be taking a 3-week mental health break—stepping away from posting and podcast work until August 15th.

It’s been an incredible first year filled with growth, stories, and community, but it’s time to recharge, reset, and come back refreshed for Year 2. Thank you all for the continued support—I truly appreciate it See you soon. 💙

But first, Let’s share some of my favorite moments in the 2024 and 2025 high school sports season. 

One thing about my podcast organization—it all started because of my long-time passion for sports. 2002 Coming out of high school, it was a dream of mine to go to college and become a journalist. I loved writing and how it gave people a voice to express themselves. One of my biggest inspirations was Donnie Collins from the Scranton Times. I admired his writing style—how he made each story feel real, personal, and creative. After reading his work, I felt like I was right there at the game.

JERIC’S Lackawanna Sports WebSite (2000-2005)

Back in 2001, I created a free sports website through League Lineup. I would go to games, cover them, and write articles. It was a different time—no social media, no modern tech. I kept at it until 2005. I tried college in 2003 but never graduated, so I went into the workforce. It wasn’t until 2023 that I started a podcast on a completely different topic. But in May 2024, I thought—why not start a sports podcast? The rest is history.

Year One in the Books:

So here we are—my first full year as a podcast sports journalist—and what a rollercoaster it’s been! Our area saw some incredible achievements: Valley View and Holy Cross boys basketball teams both made the state semifinals. In softball, Mid Valley reached the 3A state semifinals, and Valley View brought home the 4A state championship. The Riverside Vikings football team also reached the state semis. NEPA sports was alive and thriving.

To be honest, football season was a blur. It was my first time covering sports since 2003, and I was new to interviews, was still dealing with nerves and anxiety. It took months to find my footing. It wasn’t really until softball and baseball season that I found my comfort zone—sports I’ve been more connected to. I’ve ran a men’s slow-pitch softball team since 2016 and helped coach or manage that program to multiple league championships and semifinal runs. I built a team culture and system that worked—and that experience gave me the foundation to cover spring sports with confidence.

Basketball Season Memories:

Basketball was another learning experience, but a few players stood out. Valley View’s Beyon McClean was a force—dominant in the paint, physical on defense, and capable of driving the lane with power. His teammate, Nick Kucharski, may not have led in points, but his hustle, grit, and defense made him the kind of player every championship team needs. I told him back in December, “You might not lead in scoring, but your defense is going to matter in the playoffs.” And sure enough, it did. Valley View won their first District 2 title since 1997 and made state semifinal game.

Another one, Scranton Prep’s Ambrose Rossi also stood out—6’5”, 250 lbs, and a force in both football and basketball. He was a beast in the paint and a leader on the field.

🏆 2024 Honors & Hardware:

• Offensive Hookey Reap Award Winner

• Defensive Hookey Reap Award Runner-Up

• All-Region – Offense & Defense

• 2024 Team Captain

• 3× District 2 Champion

• LFC Division I Champion

In girls basketball, the standouts I got to watch were Valley View’s Cora Castellani, Dunmore’s Sophia Talutto, and Mid Valley’s Krista Cortazar—tough, gritty defenders and true leaders on the court. As someone who loves defense, they were a joy to watch.

Spring Sports and Unforgettable Moments

But the highlight of the year—without question—was Valley View’s softball state championship. That feeling was surreal. I came home from work (I do 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. shifts), got to the couch just in time for the 1:30 p.m. first pitch. What a moment. To witness that, to write about it, and to interview the athletes who made it happen—it’s something I’ll never forget.

Thank you, Valley View softball team and community. You made me feel like I was part of the family. When things got overwhelming—juggling work, podcast duties, and life—it was your encouragement and support that kept me motivated.

This was personal. I’ve followed high school sports since I was 9, but I had never personally known someone who won a PIAA state title—until now. To be there on the field after the game with my son, celebrating at the school—it meant the world. The game of softball has always held special meaning for me, and this season, it meant more than ever.

Other Games That Stuck With Me

One of the most intense games I witnessed was the Dunmore vs. Riverside District 2 baseball championship. Dunmore hadn’t won a title in nearly 30 years. Riverside was cruising through the first six innings, dominating with pitching. But Dunmore came storming back with four runs in the 7th inning—an unforgettable comeback and one of the most electric atmospheres I’ve ever experienced. The Dunmore community was amazing all season.

Another game that stood out was the Holy Cross vs. Mid Valley league softball championship. The hype matched the atmosphere. I arrived an hour early—by first pitch, there wasn’t even standing room left. Holy Cross led most of the game, and I had already started prepping postgame questions. But Mid Valley tied it in the 7th—and the game went 10 innings before Holy Cross pulled out the win. One of the best softball games I’ve ever seen live.

The Holy Cross and Mid Valley softball communities were incredibly supportive and kind. That encouragement goes a long way. We’re all human, and I believe in the importance of community, friendship, and support systems. We need healthy relationships and connections—and I’ve found that through sports more than anywhere else.

Looking Ahead: Year 2 Begins

And with that, I officially wrap up Year 1 of my podcast sports organization. In just a few weeks, we begin our 2025–2026 campaign—and I couldn’t be more excited.

I fully expect Valley View softball to return as a strong contender for both district and state championships. And I look forward to covering more amazing athletes, telling more unforgettable stories, and building even deeper connections in the NEPA sports world.

Let’s keep it going. Year 2—let’s ride.

🎉 Agape Freedom Sports -“Athlete of the Year” • Kalli Karwowski

Meet Kalli Karwowski, a powerhouse shortstop from Valley View High School in Archbald, PA — and your 2025 Athlete of the Year!

🏆 Career Highlights

• 3× All-State, All-Region, and All-Area honoree

• Helped lead Valley View to its 3rd State Championship in the past 25 years

• Named Class 4A PIAA All-State Player of the Year as a senior

• Ranked Top 3 in PA and #257 nationally in key offensive stats

• Final season stats:

• .566 batting average

• .611 on-base percentage

• 47 hits, 37 RBIs, 45 runs in just 24 games

⚾ Journey & Achievements

• Began playing softball at age 4 and quickly grew into a standout shortstop

• Led the Cougars to multiple league titles, a District 4A championship, and deep playoff runs

🎓 Collegiate Commitment

• Signed with Penn State University, joining the Nittany Lions for the 2025–26 season

• Ranked #45 nationally in the Extra Elite 100 Class of 2025

• #5 overall in the Northeast Region

🌟 About Kalli

Disciplined. Competitive. Humble. A leader and a mentor to young girls in the Valley View sports community. Kalli is more than just a ballplayer—she’s a 2nd-degree black belt, a National Honor Society member, and a true student of the game. She leads with grit, character, and a relentless drive to succeed. Penn State got a good one!

🎥 Watch now and see why Kalli Karwowski is the definition of a team-first leader, a dominant athlete, and a role model on and off the field.

🧢Lackawanna “East” Team –
Head Coach: Jeric Yurkanin
Assistant Coaches: William Sandly and Eugene Gallagher

🥎 Boys Roster:

• Jake Reese – North Pocono
• Kaden Coyne – Dallas
• Zach Cwalinski – Valley View
• Aiden Mills – Valley View
• Bobby Hoban – Dunmore
• Mason Stets – Dunmore
• Anthony Yerka – Dunmore

🥎 Girls Roster:

• Ava Hazelton – Mid Valley
• Parker Bennett – Mid Valley
• Abby Mackey – Mid Valley
• Mackenzie Adolfson – Mid Valley
• Kamri Naniewicz – Lakeland
• Olivia Cunningham – Lakeland
• Hannah Chipego – Lake-Lehman
• Kate Reynolds – Riverside
• Clara Sandly – Riverside
• Chloe Mendicino – Holy Cross
• Addie Smith – Riverside

———————

Autism Awareness Game Roster Lackawanna East.
🟥 Lackawanna “West” Roster

LACKAWANNA “WEST” ROSTER – RED TEAM
Head Coach: Jason Munley

⸻

🥎 BOYS TEAM

1. Derek Shemanski – Nanticoke
2. Jordan Andino – Valley View
3. Jonathan Greenburg – Valley View
4. Timmy Ulkoski – Valley View
5. Frankie Pero – Old Forge
6. Peyton Toth – Wallenpaupack*
7. Nicholas Janosky – Lakeland
8. Freddy Ceccacci – Holy Cross
9. AJ Piestrak – Holy Cross
10. Ty Sokoloski – Lakeland
11. Tyler Musso – Holy Cross

⸻

🥎 GIRLS TEAM

1. Riley Arzie – Lakeland
2. Payton Laytos – Lackawanna Trail
3. Kyleah Edwards – Riverside
4. Caitlin Lewis – Riverside
5. Katie Genovese – Holy Redeemer
6. Lucy Ritzco – Valley View
7. Rachel Walsh – Dunmore
8. Lilly Smith – Valley View

🆕 NEW FORMAT ANNOUNCEMENT:

💙 AUTISM AWARENESS CO-ED SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL GAME.

Hosted by Agape Freedom Sports

📅 Saturday, August 9th
⏰ 4:00 PM – First Pitch
📍 Jessup Youth Association Field
(1 Moosic Lake Rd, Jessup, PA 18434)

⸻——-

🎉 IMPORTANT UPDATE: NOW A CO-ED GAME!

We’re bringing the boys and girls together for a fun, inclusive, and community-centered day of softball!

⸻———

⚾ GAME FORMAT:
• 3 Total Games.

• Games 1 & 2: 5 Innings or 1-Hour Time Limit.

• Game 3 – The Finale: 5 Innings, No Time Limit.

⸻———

📋 BASIC GAME RULES (Safety First):

• No stealing, leading, or sliding — automatic out if violated.

• Pitching must follow slow-pitch underhand arc (6 to 12 feet)

• Each team must have at least 5 boys and 5 girls on the field at all times.

• All teams must bat a minimum of 12 players •. Foot leaves base only once the ball makes contact with the bat.

⸻——-

🕐 EVENT SCHEDULE:
• 2:00 PM – Player Check-In
• 2:15 PM – Blue Team Photo
• 2:25 PM – Red Team Photo

• 2:25–2:50 PM – Blue Team: Infield/Outfield | Red Team: Stretch.

• 2:50–3:15 PM – Red Team: Infield/Outfield | Blue Team: Stretch.

• 3:20–3:50PM – Player Take Break.

• 3:30PM – Special Message by Jeric Yurkanin (10 to 15 minutes)

• 4:00 PM – Game 1 First Pitch

⸻——-

🥎 GAME SCHEDULE:

Game 1:

• 5 Innings or 1-Hour Time Limit
• 15-Minute Break to Follow

Game 2:

• New Lineups / New Players
• 5 Innings or 1-Hour Time Limit
• 15-Minute Break to Follow

Game 3 – The Finale:

• 5 Innings, No Time Limit
• No Run Limit per Inning
• Any player may be in the lineup

⸻

🏅 CLOSING CEREMONY AWARDS:
• Series MVP – One Boy & One Girl
• Agape Freedom Team Spirit Award

⸻

🔁 ROTATIONS & PLAYING TIME:

• Coaches will manage fair playing time and team rotations.

⸻

Let’s make this an unforgettable day of unity, awareness, and great softball! 🧢💙 Come support the cause and cheer on these amazing young athletes!

🎯 Whether it’s a birthday, a big matchup, or just because — make their moment even more memorable.

👇 Choose your game & package today! 🔥 SPECIAL FALL OFFER: All Personal Shoutout Packages are 20% OFF for a limited time until August 15!!!

🎙️ Make Someone’s Game Day Unforgettable!
Do you know a player who deserves a special shoutout? A birthday coming up in September, October or November? A big milestone on the field?

We’re now offering personal shoutouts through Agape Freedom Sports — featured in our game highlight videos, postgame interviews, and our Weekly Hail-Mary Football Show!

🔥 Packages starting at just $15!
From birthday wishes to clutch-game celebrations, we’ve got you covered.

✅ Add a message to our highlight reels
✅ Get featured on our podcast
✅ Social media recognition
✅ even poster posted top of our page of our game recap article (Gold Package)

⸻

📦 LIMITED FALL PACKAGES AVAILABLE!
Text or email to reserve your shoutout today:
📱 Jeric Yurkanin – 570-677-0353
📧 AgapeFreedomSports@yahoo.com

Let’s celebrate our athletes the right way — with love, hype, and community support. 💪💙

Basketball brilliance. Soccer grit. Championship mindset.

Sophia Talutto is the definition of a multi-sport leader whose legacy continues to grow in Dunmore.

A 1,000-point scorer, two-time Basketball Player of the Year, and all-league soccer midfielder, Sophia capped off her senior year with the one thing every athlete dreams of—a state championship. Whether it’s setting the tempo on the basketball court or controlling possession on the soccer pitch, Sophia’s intensity, poise, and leadership elevate everyone around her.

But stats only tell part of the story.

What makes Sophia special is her heart. She’s a competitor in every sense, yet grounded by humility, discipline, and an unmatched work ethic. She balances the pressure of dual varsity sports with the demands of the classroom—always setting an example for what it means to be a student-athlete.

She’s inspired the next generation of Lady Bucks—and made her mark as one of Dunmore’s all-time greats.

Congrats to Sophia Talutto, our #2 Athlete of the Year

Meet Kristi Cortazar: a two‐sport dynamo from Mid Valley High School in Throop, PA, ranked #3 on the Athlete of the Year list! Her elite athleticism, relentless drive, and leadership shine on both the diamond and the court.

⸻

🔥 Softball Standout:

• Position: Versatile infielder and was key run‑producer for Mid Valley’s Class 3A softball team. 

• Big Moments: Helped power the Spartans to supremacy and help her team to eastern semifinals this past year. 

• Recent Spotlight: Delivered a clutch sac‑fly in the PIAA state playoffs, igniting Mid Valley’s offensive charge. 

⸻

🏀 Basketball Impact: 

• Court Role: Guard #23 for Mid Valley’s girls basketball, known for tenacious defense and savvy ball handling

• Accolades: Named to the Lackawanna League Division 2 Coaches’ All‑Star team. 

• Defensive Prowess: Highlight reel includes multiple energy‑sparking steals and lockdown defense  

💡 Why Kristi Inspires: 

Kristi Cortazar is the embodiment of a modern, dual-sport high school standout—combining athleticism, grit, and performance under pressure. With game‑changing plays in both softball and basketball, she energizes every lineup she joins. Her #3 ranking is no surprise—it’s earned, on and off the field.

⸻

👉 Don’t miss her highlight reel—hit Like & Subscribe to follow Kristi’s journey through playoff pushes, all-star seasons, and beyond!

Meet Kristi Cortazar: a two‐sport dynamo from Mid Valley High School in Throop, PA, ranked #3 on the Athlete of the Year list! Her elite athleticism, relentless drive, and leadership shine on both the diamond and the court.

⸻

🔥 Softball Standout:

• Position: Versatile infielder and was key run‑producer for Mid Valley’s Class 3A softball team. 

• Big Moments: Helped power the Spartans to supremacy and help her team to eastern semifinals this past year. 

• Recent Spotlight: Delivered a clutch sac‑fly in the PIAA state playoffs, igniting Mid Valley’s offensive charge. 

⸻

🏀 Basketball Impact:

• Court Role: Guard #23 for Mid Valley’s girls basketball, known for tenacious defense and savvy ball handling

• Accolades: Named to the Lackawanna League Division 2 Coaches’ All‑Star team. 

• Defensive Prowess: Highlight reel includes multiple energy‑sparking steals and lockdown defense  

💡 Why Kristi Inspires:

Kristi Cortazar is the embodiment of a modern, dual-sport high school standout—combining athleticism, grit, and performance under pressure. With game‑changing plays in both softball and basketball, she energizes every lineup she joins. Her #3 ranking is no surprise—it’s earned, on and off the field.

⸻

👉 Don’t miss her highlight reel—hit Like & Subscribe to follow Kristi’s journey through playoff pushes, all-star seasons, and beyond!

Get hyped—Tommy Fiorelli, the multi-sport powerhouse out of Valley View High School, earns the #4 Athlete of the Year title! From bulldozing on the line to dominating shot put circles, Tommy’s earned his stripes.

⸻

🏈 Football Dominance:

• Position: Offensive Tackle / Defensive Line (#68)

• Accolades: Named to league’s 2nd Team Offensive Tackle; earned LTC All‑Region honors
• A linchpin of the offensive front, praised by coaches for intelligence and relentless offseason improvement

💡 Why Tommy Inspires

Tommy is the ideal blueprint of a complete athlete—size, speed, skill, and scholarship. Tagged “one of the best linemen in the league” by coaches, his relentless drive spills over into the shot put circle, where he’s equally dominant. Whether on the gridiron or on the field, he brings heart & hustle.

Get ready to meet one of Pennsylvania’s brightest softball stars—Mia Galella, the dynamic #5 Athlete of the Year! From crushing home runs to overcoming setbacks, Mia’s story is a testament to talent, toughness, and heart.

⸻

🔥 Quick Stats & Highlights

• Position: First Baseman — powerhouse on offense and anchor on defense

• High School: Holy Cross High School, Dunmore, PA – Varsity starter since freshman year

• Class: 2025

• Batting Average: .618, On‑Base %: .705, Slugging: 1.265 – top 3 in Division A, top 11 in PA, top 319 nationally

• Power Numbers: Over 70 career home runs; routinely launches balls 275–300 ft

⸻

🏆 Accolades & Recognition:

• Class 1A State Player of the Year – a three-time honoree at the state level

• High School Player of the Week: NA Sports Nation, with monster performances like 5 hits and 2 homers in a single week

• High-ranking Recruit: Facted as a Top 25 national recruit and Extra Elite 100 power hitter

⸻

🏋️‍♀️ Beyond the Diamond:

• Comeback Story: Rebounded from a torn UCL, had successful surgery, and is determined to inspire others.

• College Commitment: Pledged to Boston College—bringing big-game power and leadership to the Eagles. Look for her to make an immediate impact!

Mia Galella:

One of the most dominant hitters in the area, Mia Galella capped off her senior season at Holy Cross with video game numbers. Over 23 games, Galella posted an eye-popping .618 batting average with 42 hits, 27 RBIs, and 41 runs scored. Her .705 on-base percentage made her nearly impossible to keep off the basepaths, and she added 17 walks to just 8 strikeouts on the season. Galella’s plate discipline and power presence were unmatched, helping to lead Holy Cross deep into postseason play. Her leadership and consistency at the plate made her a cornerstone of the Crusaders’ success and one of the most feared bats in the Lackawanna League.

⸻

Follow her journey—from tearing up high school softball to making waves at Boston College. 💚

👍 If you love underdog stories, big hits, and incredible comebacks, hit Like & Subscribe to cheer on Mia Galella, our #5 Athlete of the Year!

This fall, Eugene will be covering high school football games across the region—and that’s just the beginning.

Eugene Gallagher will also be as a Co-Host of our Hail-Mary Football Show alongside Daniel Bohenek and Jeric Yurkanin!

Eugene brings a wealth of experience and football knowledge to the table—both as a former standout athlete and as a highly respected coach in the Lackawanna League. From setting records at Riverside to developing future stars on the sidelines, Eugene’s passion for sports and leadership is unmatched.

📅 He’ll also be joining our coverage team for:
🏀 Winter Basketball
⚾ Spring Baseball & Softball

With his deep roots in local athletics and dedication to spotlighting student-athletes, Eugene is a perfect fit for Agape Freedom Sports as we continue growing our year-round coverage.

Give him a warm welcome and get ready for an exciting season ahead! 💪🔥

Eugene Gallagher Sports Resume! Impressive! We are looking excited to have him part of our podcast team!

Coming in at #6 on our Top 10 Athletes of the Year, Matt Lyons is the true definition of a clutch, all-around competitor.

A two-sport standout at Holy Cross, Matt played a vital role in leading the Crusaders to back-to-back state semifinal appearances and a trip to the 2024 PIAA State Championship Game. On the hardwood, he reached the incredible milestone of 1,000 career points — a testament to his consistency, leadership, and ability to rise to the moment.

A two-sport standout at Holy Cross, Matt played a vital role in leading the Crusaders to back-to-back state semifinal appearances and a trip to the 2024 PIAA State Championship Game. On the hardwood, he reached the incredible milestone of 1,000 career points — a testament to his consistency, leadership, and ability to rise to the moment.

🎯 What sets Matt apart?
✔️ 3-year varsity starter in basketball
✔️ Reliable presence in the Crusaders’ baseball lineup
✔️ Calm under pressure and fierce in competition
✔️ Known for his work ethic and coachability
✔️ A key leader in one of NEPA’s most respected programs

From basketball playoff magic to key baseball hits, Matt Lyons delivered when it mattered most — and that’s why he earns a spot among the very best athletes in our area for 2025.

By Jeric Yurkanin | July 13, 2025

Big-time players show up in big-time moments.

And Taylor Cawley didn’t just show up—she owned the biggest stage in Pennsylvania high school softball. With ice in her veins and fire in her arm, she helped bring a state championship back to Valley View, capping off a dominant senior season in unforgettable fashion. That performance alone earns her a well-deserved spot in our Top 10 Athletes of the Year.

Her Next Stop: Binghamton University, where she’ll continue her softball journey at the Division I level!

But the way she dominated in the championship game? That made her unforgettable.

In her final high school appearance, Cawley tossed a two-hit shutout, struck out 13, walked none, and pitched with zero fear, leading Valley View to a 6–0 win over District 3 champion Kennard-Dale. She didn’t just pitch her heart out—she put a stamp on one of the greatest seasons in Cougar history.

We’d call it legendary.

Taylor Cawley didn’t just pitch well—she dominated like a veteran with nothing to lose and everything to prove.

Final Pitching Line (Senior Season)

• ERA – 0.72 (Top 10 in PA)

• Record – 15-0 (Undefeated)

• IP – 87

• Strikeouts – 144

• Opponent Batting Avg – .147

She was Valley View’s ace, their anchor, their automatic. When she was in the circle, victory wasn’t just possible—it was expected.

Power at the Plate

Oh, and don’t sleep on the bat.

While mowing down hitters from the mound, Taylor was also launching missiles at the plate.

Final Hitting Stats:

• AVG – .513

• HR – 14 (4th in PA)

• RBI – 49 (2nd in PA)

A pitcher who can do that with the bat? That’s rare air. And Cawley did it night after night—all season long.

Golden Finish, Forever Legacy:

With this championship, Valley View secured its third state title (2000, 2013, 2025). But this one felt different.

This one was about poise under pressure.

Leadership in the dugout.

And a senior who refused to leave anything on the field.

From strikeouts to bombs, Taylor Cawley did it all—and she did it when it mattered most.

Now? Her name is etched in Valley View softball history—maybe even at the very top.

Why She’s #7 on Our List?

This wasn’t just a great season. It was a championship-sealing, history-making, all-time kind of year.

Taylor Cawley didn’t just wear the uniform—she embodied it.

Toughness. Grit. Greatness.

A Cougar through and through.

A true gamer. A true champion. A true legend.

Congratulations, Taylor—your story now lives forever in Pennsylvania softball history.