Holy Redeemer Royals

Holy Redeemer put together a complete performance on Saturday afternoon, riding timely hitting and a strong start from Cody Quaglia to a 5-1 victory over Wyoming Area.

In a battle of District 2 heavyweights, Pittston Area flexed its depth, firepower, and pitching prowess — proving why the top spot in the Coaches Poll still runs through the Patriots.

Holy Redeemer pulled off a thrilling comeback on Friday night, rallying late to edge out Elk Lake 3-2 in a classic pitchers’ duel.

Anne Carter was electric in the circle Friday evening, striking out 11 batters in a complete game effort to guide the Holy Redeemer Varsity Royals to a 6-3 win over Berwick.

“Limits exist only in the mind.” For Matt Marcinek, these aren’t just words—they’re a way of life. Born with cerebral palsy, Matt could’ve let the world define him by his condition. Instead, he forged a path no one saw coming. Through sweat, science, and sheer will, he became a respected grappling coach, a mental performance expert, and the founder of No Limits Grappling Academy—Scranton’s powerhouse of No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu. His journey isn’t just about martial arts. It’s about refusing to be boxed in. About transforming pain into purpose. About proving that greatness isn’t reserved for the lucky or the able-bodied—it’s earned by those who keep showing up, even when it’s hard. In every class he teaches, every student he guides, and every story of struggle he helps rewrite, Matt’s message rings loud and clear: You are not your limitations. You are your mindset.

In a commanding performance, Delaware Valley (DV) stormed past Holy Redeemer with a decisive 15-2 victory. The Warriors showcased their offensive firepower and solid defense, improving their record to 4-1, while Holy Redeemer remains winless at 0-4.

Valley View’s offense exploded for 11 runs behind home runs from Kalli Karwowski, Abbi Call, and Emily Moyles, while Taylor Cawley’s bases-clearing double highlighted a five-run sixth inning. Karwowski, batting .500 with three home runs on the season, continued to lead the charge. On the mound, Call delivered six strong innings, allowing just one unearned run and striking out four. Cora Castellani also stayed red-hot with a .667 batting average, and Ashlyn Palickar contributed two hits and an RBI. Holy Redeemer was limited to five hits, with Mary Lombardi scoring their only run.

The 2024-2025 Wyoming Valley Conference (WVC) Division 2 Girls Coaches’ All-Stars list highlights the league’s best, with Ella Wilson (Lake-Lehman) earning MVP honors after a dominant season, racking up 396 points and leading her team to success. Ella Stambaugh (Wyoming Seminary) was named Player of the Year, lighting up the scoreboard with an impressive 515 points, while Coach Charlie Lavan (Lake-Lehman) took home Coach of the Year honors for his leadership. Joining them on the First-Team All-Stars are top performers like Bella Boylan (Holy Redeemer), Kate Reed (Nanticoke), and Kinley Purdy (Lake-Lehman), each making a major impact for their teams. Meanwhile, McKenzie Chirnock (Holy Redeemer), Kathryn Morgan (Lake-Lehman), and Lourianna Alston (Tunkhannock) headline the Second-Team selections, showcasing the depth of talent in the WVC. With a mix of seasoned seniors and rising underclassmen, this year’s All-Stars not only delivered standout performances but also set the stage for the future of Wyoming Valley Conference girls’ basketball.

Dunmore head coach Carrie Toomey knew coming into Saturday afternoon’s District 2 3A Championship game with Holy Redeemer that it was going to be a battle. “It was going to be a mental toughness battle. I thought that our team really stepped up. We never stopped believing. No matter if we were down by six, down by three, up by one.” Said Toomey. Sophia Talluto had a game high 24 points and Amanda Dempsey and Michelle Nidoh each added nine points for Dunmore.

Holy Redeemer dominated Lake-Lehman with a balanced offensive attack, securing a 54-37 victory to advance to the District 2 3A Championship. Brooke Kroptavich led with 17 points, while Bella Baylan added 13. The Lady Royals sharp shooting proved too much for the Lady Knights, who were paced by Ella Wilson’s 17 points. Redeemer now sets its sights on Dunmore, with the title game set for Saturday at noon at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Dunmores red-hot second quarter proved to be the difference, as the Bucks stormed past No. 4 Holy Redeemer to keep their postseason run alive. With lights-out shooting from beyond the arc, they now set their sights on top-seeded Riverside in the District 2 3A semifinals.

Trailing by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, Dallas head coach Mark Belenski’s message was simple. We Pride ourselves on our defense. The Mountaineers outscored Holy Redeemer 18-2 in the fourth quarter to take a 54-51 victory to win the WVC Championship. “We just had to play our game in that fourth quarter.” Said Dallas sophomore forward Pat Flanagan who had a game high 20 points alongside senior guard Jude Nocito.

Hazleton Area has proven themselves as the top team in District 2 for the 2024-2025 season. Sophia Benyo had a game high 21 points and Kaitlyn Bindas added 20 as the Lady Cougars advanced to the WVC Championship with a 75-46 victory over Holy Redeemer. Hazleton Area is looking to repeat as WVC Champions.

On Senior Night at Greater Nanticoke Area, Holy Redeemer showcased their resilience with a 57-46 victory, overcoming a late surge from the Trojans. Megan Albrecht led all scorers with 20 points, shooting an efficient 66.7% from the field. Despite Nanticoke’s fourth-quarter rally, clutch performances from Gillian Parsons and strong free-throw shooting sealed the win for the Lady Royals.

Kathryn Morgan delivered a standout performance, scoring a game-high 25 points to lead Lake-Lehman to a crucial 65-60 victory over Holy Redeemer in a battle for first place in WVC Division 2. Morgan’s clutch shooting, combined with strong contributions from Ella Wilson (14 points) and Delcia Biscotto (11 points), secured the Lady Black Knights a two-game lead in the standings with four games remaining. Head coach Charlie Lavan praised his team’s effort, particularly their poise and execution. “Kathryn is as steady as they come. All the kids came up with clutch plays tonight. Foul shooting was excellent. We’re in a good spot, and we’re going to keep working,” Lavan said. Morgan echoed the sentiment, sharing, “Finishing shots has been a struggle for me, but today they were falling. Our team worked well together—it was a really good night.” Holy Redeemer fought valiantly, led by Megan Albrecht’s 20 points and McKenzie Chimock’s 14. Despite their late rally, the Lady Royals fell short as Lake-Lehman held firm in the final minutes, with Biscotto sinking six crucial free throws to seal the win.