Holy Redeemer Royals

Holy Redeemer delivered one of the biggest upsets of the PIAA Class 3A Girls Basketball State Tournament Tuesday night, knocking off powerhouse Imhotep Charter, 67–62, in the second round.

WILLIAMSPORT, PA — Holy Redeemer overcame a halftime deficit and used a strong second-half surge to defeat Loyalsock 61–55 Friday night in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A girls state tournament.

WILKES-BARRE — With about five seconds left and everything on the line, Janaya Martin delivered the moment every kid dreams about.

Because front row isn’t just a seat in the arena, it’s a place in the story. And the story is still being written.

Holy Redeemer delivered a complete team performance Friday night, pulling away in the middle quarters to defeat Lake-Lehman 61–44 in the District 2 Class 3A semifinals and punch their ticket to the championship game.

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.

Holy Redeemer led wire to wire Friday night, using a strong fourth quarter to secure a 44 to 31 win over Wyoming Seminary behind a game high 15 points from Kyaire McLean.

WILKES-BARRE — Holy Redeemer continues to build momentum as the season unfolds, earning a solid 52–40 victory over Lake-Lehman on Monday night. Against a strong and disciplined Lake-Lehman team, the Royals showed balance on both ends of the floor, pulling away in the second half to secure another important conference win.

Selinsgrove brought the energy, the dunks, and the student-section chaos to tip off the season the right way. After Holy Redeemer’s quick punch, the Seals answered with a Mac DeFazio spark and not one but two slams from Xaivier Jackson sending the gym into orbit. Behind Jackson’s 21 and a whole squad chipping in, Selinsgrove strutted out with a 61-45 home-opener win and a whole lot of energy to build on.

Behind a 403-yard rushing assault and a clutch late touchdown from Timothy David, the Montrose Meteors rallied past Holy Redeemer 30–25 on Senior Night. Sawyer Aukema and Cason Petrak powered the ground game, while David’s interception sealed the Meteors’ second win of the season in Coach George Petrak’s rebuild journey.

Fog rolled over Bloomsburg University as the NEPA Invitational 2025 opened with the girls’ and boys’ junior high 3200-meter races. Shikellamy’s Carly Ross dominated the girls’ field in 11:10, while Danville claimed the team title with 91 points. On the boys’ side, Holy Redeemer’s Frank Pacelli edged Lewisburg’s Taylor Gulden-Luthi in a dramatic finish, clocking 10:00 to 10:01. District 2 runners shined with six top-12 finishes, led by Riverside’s Conner Moore in fifth. Lewisburg’s depth secured the boys’ team crown, while Crestwood placed second and Mid Valley edged Riverside by one point for fifth.

The lights were bright, the fireworks loud, but the biggest celebration came from the Holy Redeemer sideline. Brady McDermott’s four-touchdown night ended a 24-game drought as the Royals rallied past Susquehanna, 27-20, to spoil the Sabers’ annual night game and set a new tone for the season.

Wyoming Area battled back from an early deficit and sealed a 3-2 overtime win over Holy Redeemer, with Ava Musinski netting the golden goal just over two minutes into extra time.

The District 2 preseason coaches’ poll has arrived, and the message is clear: this isn’t one person’s opinion, it’s the collective voice of coaches across the region weighing in on who’s ready to bring the heat. Delaware Valley leads the Big School rankings, while Scranton Prep tops the Small Schools, both programs seen as steady systems built for long runs. Backed by the insight of those who know the game best, these rankings act like a finely tuned HVAC unit balanced, efficient, and powerful. Thanks to sponsor Kleinbauer Mechanical, family owned and operated, for reminding us that whether it’s football or HVAC, reliability and honest work always rise to the top.

While athletic competition is at the heart of the Keystone State Games, the event also serves as a celebration of Pennsylvania’s sports culture and community spirit. Families, fans, and athletes from all over the state gather not just to compete, but to connect, inspire, and uplift one another.