GIRLS' BASKETBALL: Schuylkill League championship capsule

Chuck Curley, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·2 min read

Feb. 26—Schuylkill League Girls' Basketball Championship Preview Capsule

Jim Thorpe (17-4) vs. North Schuylkill (17-3)

When: Today, 5 p.m.

Where: Martz Hall

Ticket Policy: Each participating school will have 125 tickets. Ticket cost is $5 and all tickets are sold via presale. No tickets are available at the door. All fans must enter via the top entrance to Martz Hall. Doors for the first game open at 4:15 p.m. Doors for the second game open at 7:15 p.m. Once a spectator leaves Martz Hall, they will not be allowed back into the facility.

Livestreaming: Game will be livestreamed on the Pottsville High sports YouTube channel. Links are listed on Republican Herald Sports page on Facebook.

About the Olympians

How they got here: Division I wild-card qualifier defeated Mahanoy Area 70-33 in Tuesday's semifinal

Last league playoff appearance: Lost 49-46 to North Schuylkill in 2020 championship game

Team statistics: Offense, 57.2 points per game; defense, 37.9 ppg

Probable starting lineup: Leah Snisky (jr., 8.5 ppg, 9 3-pointers), Leila Hurley (jr., 13.9 ppg, 37 3-pointers), Skyler Searfoss (jr., 15.4 ppg, 11 3-pointers), Olivia Smelas (jr., 9.6 ppg), Haley Smelas (soph., 3.3 ppg)

Key reserve: Mackenzie Yuhas (soph., 5.2 ppg)

Notes: Olympians have three junior starters in Hurley, Searfoss and Olivia Smelas who have started every game for the past three seasons. ... With Olivia Smelas at 6-foot-1, and Snisky and Yuhas both at 5-11, the Olympians sport one of the biggest lineups in the league. ... Nadia Gauronsky is in her first season as head coach, replacing Rob Kovac, who guided the team to the past two league championship games.

About the Spartans

How they got here: Division I champion defeated Minersville 69-31 in Tuesday's semifinal round

Last league playoff appearance: Defeated Jim Thorpe 49-46 in the 2020 championship game

Team statistics: Offense, 65.6 ppg; defense, 41.0 ppg

Probable starting lineup: Mya Wetzel (sr., 9.9 ppg, 33 3-pointers), Sarah Wagner (sr., 9.7 ppg, 16 3-pointers), Katelynn Himes (jr., 6.2 ppg, 23 3-pointers), Kamryn Mengel (soph., 16.0 ppg, 17 3-pointers), Joslin Stitzer (sr., 3.6 ppg.)

Key reserves: Maddy Wetzel (soph., 7.0 ppg, 7 3-pointers), Savannah Gawrylik (soph., 6.5 ppg, 6 3-pointers), Jaclyn Mogish (sr., 3.0 ppg.)

Notes: Spartans feature one of the deepest rosters in the league and often go nine or 10 deep. ... Pressure defense is the key to their game. ... With 102 treys as a team on the season, they are one of the most dangerous outside shooting teams in the league.

— Compiled by Charlie Roth