Mountaineers Hold Off Tigers, Advance in State Playoffs
By: Carrie Miner Yaple | SportzWire | March 6, 2026 | Photo courtesy Jake Speicher
The first round of the state boys basketball playoffs tipped off Friday night, and the Dallas Mountaineers punched their ticket to the next round with a 57–48 victory over Northwestern Lehigh.
Dallas set the tone early, jumping out to a defensive-minded start in the opening quarter. The Mountaineers held Northwestern Lehigh to just four points in the period while building an 11–4 lead.
The Tigers found their rhythm in the second quarter, chipping away at the deficit with strong perimeter shooting. By halftime, Northwestern Lehigh had significantly closed the gap, trailing Dallas 22–19 as both teams headed to the locker room.
The game tightened even more in the third quarter as the Tigers continued to pressure Dallas. Despite the push, the Mountaineers managed to maintain a narrow advantage and entered the final frame leading 39–35.
In the fourth quarter, Dallas executed down the stretch to pull away and secure the 57–48 win, advancing to the next round of the state playoffs.
Pat Flanagan led the Mountaineers in scoring with 16 points. Tyce Mason added 12, while Joey Nocito chipped in 11. Kael Berry and Talan Geskey each contributed nine points in the victory.
Northwestern Lehigh was paced by Brady Krimmel, who finished with 15 points, including four three-pointers. Brady Zimmerman added 14 points, Malachi Cole scored eight, Mason Bollinger had six, Cannon Fitch added three, and Michael Lagowy finished with two.
While the Tigers found success from beyond the arc—knocking down eight three-pointers compared to Dallas’ four—the Mountaineers made the most of their opportunities at the free-throw line. Dallas converted 13 of 16 attempts, while Northwestern Lehigh went 4 for 9, a key difference in a game where every point mattered.
With the win, Dallas moves on in the state playoffs and will next face the District 12 No. 5 seed.
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