Holy Cross Crusaders

Western Wayne defeated Holy Cross 4-3 with a late rally, fueled by Jake Grodack's pivotal hit. Despite the loss, freshman Chase Rutkoski starred for Holy Cross with 2 hits and a game-tying solo home run.

Top-10 matchup. Packed tension. Two ace pitchers trading blows. Thursday night had all the ingredients of a postseason softball game, and Holy Cross rose to the moment behind Ava Schmidt’s electric performance in the circle. In a showdown between No. 5 Mid Valley and No. 7 Holy Cross in the latest SportzWire Coaches Poll, the Crusaders leaned on big swings and dominant pitching to earn a 5-2 road win.

In what started as a tight game early on, the Crusaders exploded in the third inning, putting up 10 runs and completely shifting the momentum on their way to a 12-0 win over Old Forge on Sunday.

For the first few innings, this one had all the makings of a competitive matchup. Then Holy Cross caught fire in the fourth, erupted for eight runs, and turned Tuesday’s contest into a statement win, while Ava Schmidt added a memorable milestone to the day.

Engaging Excerpt: Tied at 40 and trading punches in a packed Holy War, it wasn’t about who started faster, it was about who finished stronger. Holy Cross owned the final stretch, turning a dead-even battle into a statement 53–42 quarterfinal win when it mattered most.

For three quarters, it felt like a tug-of-war. Every bucket answered. Every stop matched. But when the fourth quarter arrived, the Lady Crusaders dug deep, locked in defensively, and found just enough separation to keep their season moving.

Rivalry night turned into a history lesson. Brayden Canavan reached 1,000 career points, Dunmore set the tone early, and the Bucks powered past Holy Cross with purpose and balance in Bucktown.

If you blinked Thursday night at Holy Cross, you probably missed a bucket or three. In a gym buzzing with packed student sections and playoff-level energy, Riverside turned the floor into a runway and sprinted past a dangerous Crusaders squad in a game that felt like late February arrived early.

Scranton Prep closed out the 23rd Annual Lynett Memorial Tournament with a convincing 53 to 22 victory over Holy Cross, using defense, depth, and balanced scoring to control the consolation game from start to finish

Holiday tournament basketball tipped off at Lackawanna College as Dunmore used balance, defense, and a big third-quarter push to turn back Holy Cross, 50–36, in the Lynett Memorial opener.

A tense, defensive battle gave way to a second-half surge as Riverside flipped the script and pulled away from Holy Cross. After being held in check early, the Vikings erupted after the break, sparked by a dominant scoring burst that turned a tight halftime margin into a decisive 64–46 victory. One explosive quarter was all it took to separate a physical matchup into a statement win on the D2 hoops stage.

Holy Cross wasted no time setting the tempo Tuesday night. A blistering first quarter created instant separation, and from there the Lady Crusaders stayed in control, rolling to a 61–38 nonleague victory over visiting Blue Ridge.

After 18 months of setbacks, evaluations, and unanswered pain, Boston College freshman Mia Galella is finally getting clarity and a path back to the game she loves. The Holy Cross standout is scheduled for New Year’s Eve surgery and says she’s ready to attack recovery and return stronger than ever.

In a thrilling Week 10 finish, Susquehanna rallied past Holy Cross 21–20 for its first win of 2025. Gabe Maby scored twice and hit Mason Keyes for a two-point conversion to tie it, before freshman Joey Allen tossed the go-ahead touchdown then sealed it with a late interception after Holy Cross missed a potential game-winning two-point try.

Air Solfanelli was in full flight Saturday, connecting with Ayden Aversa for big plays all day while Chris Rasmus punched in two scores to help Old Forge grab their second straight win, 20–6 over Holy Cross. The Blue Devils are heating up just in time for rivalry week.