Valley girls, Freeland boys claim Anthracite League titles

Mar. 9—The Valley girls and Freeland boys are Anthracite League junior high basketball champions.

Monday night at the Maple Manor Gymnasium, the Valley Lady Eagles edged the Drums Lady Tigers 32-19 for the girls' championship. In the nightcap, Freeland outlasted Valley 51-43 for the boys' championship.

Girls Valley 32, Drums 19

Valley broke away from a tight 4-3 game with a 15-4 second-quarter surge and rode that to the championship victory.

Sophia Shults and Alexis Reimold combined for 10 of those 15 points, with Valley teammates Christina Hebel and Vanessa Zola leading the defensive charge and controlling the boards for several second-chance baskets.

Shults finished with a game-high 10 points, while Reimold and Addison Fritz both scored six for the Lady Eagles. Fritz and Saige Klesh (four points) were also signaled out for their play at both ends of the floor.

"This was a total team victory tonight," Valley head coach Sean Malone said. "We had a very tough game against Freeland last week and knew it would be just as tough tonight.

"Drums always comes prepared to play and we have been telling our girls in order to win, we would need at least six or seven girls to not only play solid defense, but also score points. We did just that, seven girls scored and played solid defense."

Olivia Williams led runner-up Drums with nine points, going 7-of-8 at the foul line. Jill Scherbaty and Lynzee Buglio both scored three points.

Malone lauded all who had a hand in making the junior high basketball season a success amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"This was a challenging season for everyone on the court," he said. "The girls appreciate all the support that they have gotten from the school district as well as their parents.

"To add to our challenge, we had to take an additional two-week hiatus due to COVID restriction and it really hurt us. Before the break we were undefeated and then ended the season in a three-way tie with Freeland and Drums," added Malone.

"The girls showed great resiliency battling back to their top form, and each one supporting the other."

DRUMS (19) — Kupsho 0 0-0 0, Scherbaty 1 1-2 3, Williams 1 7-8 9, Buglio 1 1-2 3, Verbonitz 0 0-0 0, Matteo 0 0-0 0, Radice 0 2-2 2, Tito 0 1-2 1, Gregory 0 0-0 0, Legowy 0 1-2 1, DeCole 0 0-0 0. Totals: 3 13-16 19.

VALLEY (32) — Hebel 1 0-0 2, S. Shults 4 2-9 10, Reimold 3 0-0 6, Zola 0 0-0 0, Fritz 2 2-4 6, E. Shults 1 0-1 2, Klesh 2 0-0 4, Kundrat 0 0-1 0, Zellin 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 4-14 32.

Drums 3 4 5 7 — 19

Valley 4 15 7 6 — 32

3-point FGs: None.

Boys Freeland 51, Valley 43

Trailing 38-37 heading to the fourth quarter, Freeland outscored Valley 14-5 to close out the game and secure the league championship.

Estarling Melenciano scored six of his game-high 16 points in the big fourth, and Gavin Perkosky added five of his 13 points for the winners. Nicholas Ledger also scored 13 points for the Whippets.

Franklin Ritz and Pecora each scored 10 points to pace runner-up Valley.

Afterward, Freeland head coach Brian Sones thanked all who had a hand in the successful season in the Anthracite League.

"Thank you to everyone involved in putting on this basketball season," Sones said. "From the athletic department, school board, administrators and maintenance, no district does a better job of putting on a basketball season than Hazleton Area.

He also applauded the play of his Whippets.

"The kids played so hard and never quit. I could not be more proud of their effort and belief in one another," he said. "All of the players bought into the 'we not me' mentality and it showed throughout the game. Valley had a few players really step up and play a great game.

"I've been coaching some of these players since they were 5, so to cap it off with a championship is special," added Sones. "I look forward to seeing what their academic and athletic careers hold."

VALLEY (43) — Wilson 2 2-4 7, Ritz 4 1-4 10, Staffin 3 0-0 7, Festa 2 2-4 6, Pecora 2 5-6 10, Kintzel 0 0-0 0, Parise 0 0-0 0, Gennaro 0 0-0 0, Nika 1 0-0 3, Znatchko 0 0-00, Timmons 0 0-0 0, Seiwell 0 0-0 0, Holgermon 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 10-18 43.

FREELAND (51) — Veet 1 0-0 2, Smolinsky 0 0-0 0, Racho 1 1-5 3, Catrone 0 0-0 0, Ledger 5 1-2 13, Melenciano 8 0-2 16, Marino 0 0-0 0, Assad 0 0-0 0, Stone 0 0-0 0, Haraschak 0 0-0 0, Perkosky 4 3-3 13, Ferreira 2 0-0 4. Totals: 21 5-12 51.

Valley 9 18 11 5 — 43

Freeland 14 11 12 14 — 51

3-point FGs: Wilson, Ritz, Staffin, Pecora. Ledger 2, Perkosky 2.