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WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Scranton PA— It had been years since Abington Heights softball celebrated a District 2 championship, and not a single player on the current Lady Comets roster had ever experienced that feeling before.

Last season, Abington Heights put together a tremendous year, but the journey ended in heartbreak with a tough 5-4 loss to North Pocono in the District 2 Class 5A championship game. That defeat stayed with this team throughout the offseason. It became motivation.

This year, the Lady Comets entered the season with a different mindset. The focus was not on looking too far ahead toward states or future goals. The mission was simple — win the district first, take one game at a time, stay focused, and keep one foot in front of the other.

Perhaps last season there were moments where some players looked too far ahead. This year felt different. More mature. More focused. More hungry.

For Abington Heights junior first baseman Evelyn Henkels, winning a District 2 championship was something she had dreamed about but never experienced in her high school career. Her teammates wanted that same moment. After talking with several Lady Comets players throughout the season on my podcast show, you could hear the belief growing inside this team.

Now, after finally climbing that mountain, the Lady Comets know the job still is not finished.

But with Syracuse Orange commit Adrianna Condrad leading the way in the circle, striking out batters, controlling the tempo, and trusting the solid defense behind her, anything feels possible for Abington Heights.

Condrad has been one of the biggest reasons the Lady Comets reached this point. Through 100.1 innings pitched this season, she carried an 18-1 record with 160 strikeouts while allowing just 60 hits, 24 runs, and 16 earned runs. She posted a 1.116 ERA and a 0.957 WHIP, giving Abington Heights the kind of ace every championship team dreams of having.

When Condrad is locked in, the entire game feels different. Every pitch carries weight. Every strikeout builds energy. Every defensive play behind her adds another layer of confidence.

At the plate, Avary Brister has been one of the loudest bats in the Lady Comets lineup all season long. Brister entered the championship batting .620 with 49 hits, 41 RBIs, 38 runs scored, and eight home runs, giving Abington Heights another dangerous weapon capable of changing a game with one swing.

And for a Lady Comets team that had already cleared one major hurdle this season, the message entering Wednesday night was clear:

They were not finished yet.

The atmosphere inside the district championship felt tight from the opening pitch. Every foul ball echoed through the stands. Every strike drew emotion from both dugouts. Every out felt like it carried postseason weight.

North Pocono threatened early in the top of the first inning after Ava Roscioli lined a single into the outfield, but Condrad responded immediately by striking out Riley Grambo to strand the runner and keep the game scoreless.

The Lady Comets offense stayed quiet in the opening inning as North Pocono pitcher Bell retired Kane, Condrad, and Brister in order, setting the tone for what felt like it could become a tense pitcher’s duel.

But in the bottom of the second inning, Abington Heights finally delivered the breakthrough moment they had been waiting for.

After Riley McColligan reached on a single to center field, Evelyn Henkels stepped into the batter’s box with one swing capable of changing the energy inside the stadium.

She did exactly that.

Henkels launched a two-run home run over the left-field fence, sending the Abington Heights dugout into an eruption and giving the Lady Comets a 2-0 lead.

“I was honestly expecting to get a lot of outside pitches, so when I saw one coming down the middle, I tried to take advantage of it,” said Henkels. “I was trying my best to be strict on what pitches I was going to swing at. To score first in a game like this really gives the team a lift. Starting out with a lead helps us stay positive and have something to build on.”

From there, Condrad continued attacking hitters inside the circle. She struck out Charles looking in the third inning and stranded runners again in the fourth after North Pocono put together back-to-back singles from Grambo and Iyoob.

Every time the Lady Trojans tried to create momentum, Condrad answered.

Meanwhile, Abington Heights kept applying pressure offensively.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Isabella DeRiggi sparked another rally after reaching on a single before advancing into scoring position on a passed ball and wild pitch. Bustos followed with a walk and stolen base, setting the stage once again for Henkels.

With two runners in scoring position and two outs, Henkels ripped a two-run single, extending the Lady Comets lead to 4-0 and sending another wave of energy through the Abington Heights crowd.

“We can always rely on Adrianna on the mound for a strong performance, and we just want to back her up defensively,” Henkels said. “She is a real leader and is always staying positive on the field and in the dugout. She keeps the energy and intensity up.”

Henkels also praised the chemistry and mentality of the lineup.

“I believe that we have a really strong lineup, and each player works hard in practice until they are satisfied with their performance,” she added. “I also think that once we get ahead in a game, the momentum pushes us further.”

Isabella DeRiggi finished with a hit, two runs scored, a hit-by-pitch, and aggressive baserunning that helped fuel the offense, while Riley McColligan and Ava Venesky added key hits throughout the game.

For senior Ava Venesky, Wednesday night carried extra meaning after experiencing last season’s heartbreak against North Pocono.

“Going into today’s game, we all knew that we had to have high energy and keep picking each other up all game,” said Venesky. “For myself, along with the other girls that were on the team last year, we remembered how losing that game felt, and we didn’t want to feel that again. I kept that feeling in the back of my mind when playing today and just went out and left everything on the field for my teammates. We all chipped into the win today, and as a senior, I couldn’t ask for a better way for the end of my season to go.”

Venesky also credited the Lady Comets’ difficult schedule for preparing them mentally throughout the season.

“The teams we play throughout the season definitely get us in the right headspace for playoffs,” Venesky said. “Whether it is regular season or playoffs, this team wants to win, and we all go out and perform for each other. Especially playing teams like Valley View and North Pocono in the regular season, it prepares us not only mentally, but it gives us the opportunity to face both great pitching and hitting teams. We just carry our energy from game to game, which played a big part in our energy as a team today.”

North Pocono continued battling late into the game. Riley Grambo led the Lady Trojans by going 2-for-3 and scoring their lone run, while Roscioli, Iyoob, Havenstrite, and Olivia Charles each added hits.

But every time momentum tried to shift, Condrad shut the door.

In the sixth inning, North Pocono finally pushed across a run after Grambo advanced around the bases and scored to cut the deficit to 4-1. But Abington Heights answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning after DeRiggi scored on a passed ball to extend the lead back to four runs.

That extra insurance was more than enough for Condrad.

“My rise ball was working tonight,” Condrad said. “Once I got ahead in the count, I was able to get a lot of swings and misses or weak groundouts to my infielders.”

Condrad also made it clear this season has never been about individual attention.

“Our team chemistry is something I’ve never seen,” she said. “We all don’t care who gets the publicity. We just want to win, and that’s definitely what makes us who we are.”

Still, after Wednesday night’s performance, Condrad made sure one teammate received the spotlight.

“Evelyn deserves all the praise she is getting tonight,” Condrad said. “Her work ethic is beyond measure, and I’m so happy to see her get the best result I think you can from tonight. She is definitely one of the most honest teammates I have ever had. She is always willing to own up to anything she does, and it makes me respect her so much more.”

Then came the seventh inning.

One final chance for North Pocono. One final three outs standing between Abington Heights and the district championship they had chased for an entire year.

Clementoni grounded out.

Charles struck out swinging.

Then Bell grounded out to Kane, who fired the ball across the diamond to Henkels for the final out.

Ballgame.

Abington Heights — District 2 Class 5A Champions.

As the final out settled into Henkels’ glove, emotions immediately poured onto the field. Players sprinted from the dugout toward the circle. Parents stood along the fences taking pictures while fans screamed from the stands. Some players jumped into each other’s arms while others simply stood there for a moment, soaking in the reality that the heartbreak from a year ago had finally turned into celebration.

For junior catcher Riley McColligan, the championship represented something bigger than just one game.

“It means more than anything to win the District 2 championship today,” McColligan said. “You only have so many shots at a championship in this district because it’s truly competitive. To be able to come through and finish the job we started last year feels like a full-circle moment. It feels like we’re getting an opportunity to show off the team we always knew we could be. We are so excited to have this opportunity.”

McColligan also praised the team’s maturity and focus throughout the season.

“We knew going into this season that it was going to be competitive,” she said. “We talk all the time about never underestimating any team because a season can become unpredictable at any moment. At the same time, though, we knew we needed to be calm, cool, and collected. Getting worked up over the little things isn’t productive for anyone, so everybody was focused on coming in and playing our game the way we know how.”

“I don’t think we ever needed to talk about the focus aspect of it, though,” McColligan continued. “Every girl, whether she’s on the field or in the dugout, wants this just as much as the next. That mindset and focus cannot be taught, and the fact that we were able to come into this game with that already figured out gave us an advantage.”

But even in the celebration, there still seemed to be something else surrounding this Abington Heights team — hunger.

The Lady Comets did not celebrate like a group satisfied with simply winning districts.

“It feels amazing winning the District 2 championship,” Henkels said. “I couldn’t imagine being in a game like this without my teammates, and I am so proud of every single one of them. I am excited to see what’s next.”

They celebrated like a team that believes something bigger could still be waiting ahead.

With Adrianna Condrad commanding the circle, dangerous bats throughout the lineup, and a roster continuing to play with confidence and composure, Abington Heights now shifts its focus toward the state playoffs.

The District 2 championship hurdle has finally been cleared.

Now the question becomes:

How far can this team go?

Because if this postseason has shown anything so far, it is that the Lady Comets are still writing their story.