On January 10, two of the three remaining unbeaten girls basketball teams in District 2 faced off. The Valley View Lady Cougars hit the road to take on their biggest rivals, the Scranton Prep Classics. The Lackawanna League Division One matchup marked the first meeting between these two teams since the PIAA District 2 4A championship game last season, where the Classics took home the gold by a final score of 55-31. This time around, the Classics picked up the win again by a final score of 59-34. The Classics improve to 11-0 and the Lady Cougars fall to 11-1.

The Hazleton Area Cougars delivered a commanding performance on Friday night, securing a decisive 76-47 victory over the Pittston Area Patriots in high school basketball action. The game, held at Hazleton Area’s home court, saw a balanced offensive attack from the Cougars, while Pittston Area struggled to keep pace despite strong individual efforts.

The Panthers set the tone early with sharp shooting from KJ Coles and powerful inside play by Adrian Brito, sparking a dominant first-quarter run. Strong defensive play by Jonathan Mateo and Brady Behr forced turnovers and stifled the Huskies offense, securing a commanding lead that Pocono Mountain West maintained throughout the game. With this dominant win, the Panthers continued to assert themselves as one of the top teams in the conference and look ready for a strong run at another District chip.

Elk Lake’s swim team made waves on Wednesday night, ending Scranton Prep’s 73-meet winning streak with a thrilling 98-84 victory. The Lady Warriors celebrated their milestone win with pure joy, even tossing their coaches into the pool during the post-meet festivities. The triumph was fueled by standout performances from Hannah Howell and a sweep in diving, solidifying Elk Lake as a team to watch this season.

The Sportzwire Team is collaborating with local schools hosting Coaches vs. Cancer events to provide free photo albums that hope to help amplify awareness and encourage donations. By partnering with these schools, they hope to raise funds and foster a united community effort in the fight against cancer.

Scranton Prep Stuns Top-Ranked Valley View with Second-Half Surge Scranton Prep with a 3 point halftime lead at the half over previously unbeaten Valley View, surged to a 50-36 victory, in a thrilling Lackawanna League Division I matchup. Packy Doherty led the Cavaliers with 15 points, while Brycen Martin added 11, both delivering clutch performances in the second half. The Cavaliers shot an impressive 46.3% from the field and 90% from the free-throw line, outpacing Valley View’s 35.6% field-goal percentage. Defensive adjustments and balanced scoring propelled Scranton Prep to a decisive 31-20 second-half run, handing Valley View (11-1, 3-1) its first loss of the season.

The Lake-Lehman Black Knights secured a commanding 51-41 victory over the Nanticoke Area Trojanettes in an intense girls’ basketball matchup held at Lake-Lehman High School. Consistent scoring performances from Kathryn Morgan and Kinley Purdy, who each tallied 14 points, powered the Black Knights to a well-earned win on their home court.

Montrose asserted their dominance with balanced scoring and a strong defensive showing. Connor Flynn and Jack Russell led the Meteors offense, while Paxton Pingerelli was a bright spot for Blue Ridge in a tough outing.

Tony Battaglias six three-pointers and 20-point performance powered the Scranton Knights to a 58-48 victory over the West Scranton Invaders at Lackawanna College. Nathan Schimelfenig shines for the Invaders with 18 points in a valiant effort.

Addison Kilmer led the charge with a stellar 23-point performance as Mountain View overwhelmed Lackawanna Trail, 61-20. With 7 three-pointers and strong contributions from Aubrey Sanders, Riley Turner, and others, the Lady Eagles showcased their depth and dominance. Lackawanna Trail, despite their effort, struggled to keep pace, making no three-pointers and scoring just one free throw.

Wilkes-Barre, PA — On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, the Dallas boys’ basketball team secured a 57-49 victory over Wilkes-Barre Area in a well-contested matchup. The game showcased Dallas’s offensive efficiency and balanced scoring, allowing them to maintain control despite a strong effort from the Wolfpack.

The Wyoming Area Warriors powered past the Lake-Lehman Black Knights with a decisive 59-45 win in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 matchup on Tuesday night. A dominant second quarter effort, where the Warriors outscored their hosts by 12 points, proved pivotal in securing the victory.

In a dramatic comeback, the Pittston Area Patriots overcame a halftime deficit with a dominant second half to secure a 65-58 victory over Wyoming Valley West in a Wyoming Valley Conference (WVC) Division 1 matchup at WVW on Tuesday night.

The SCSP gym was awash in pink last night as the Lady Crusaders honored their beloved teacher, Mrs. Holly Tomko, who recently completed her final chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. The emotional evening featured a FaceTime bell-ringing ceremony that brought the community to its feet, celebrating Mrs. Tomko’s strength and resilience. The Lady Crusaders, who have dedicated their season to her, wore pink shooting shirts in her honor and secured victories in both the JV (39-12) and varsity (56-36) games against Howard Gardner. Maddie Flynn led the varsity team with 14 points, followed by Katie Doherty with 13 off the bench, and Kelly Heffron with 11. This season, SCSP basketball is playing for more than just wins—they’re playing for Mrs. Tomko.

Hazleton Shines in Dominant Victory Over Pittston Area The Hazleton Area girls basketball team delivered a commanding 78-50 win over Pittston Area, fueled by an explosive performance from Kaitlyn Bindas, who poured in 30 points, including 7 three-pointers at an impressive 58% shooting. Hazleton’s sharp shooting from beyond the arc—13 total three-pointers at 54%—proved too much for Pittston to handle. Despite a valiant effort from Daniella Ranieli, who led Pittston with 22 points and 4 three-pointers, Hazleton’s balanced offense, supported by Alexis Reimold’s 17 points and Sophia Benyo’s 12 points, secured the victory. Pittston struggled to keep up, shooting 38% from deep with 6 three-pointers and converting 61% from the free-throw line. Hazleton’s efficiency and depth made the difference in this one-sided matchup.