OK, we have survived the regular season and the District 2 playoffs and now is the time to take an in-depth look into the PIAA playoffs for teams from the Lackawanna League.
There are five teams from the league that have qualified for the state tournament. We have the three Blue Bloods in Abington Heights, Scranton Prep and Holy Cross, and a pair of relative newcomers in Wallenpaupack and Western Wayne.
Here’s what is ahead as we march through March:
- TODAY ON THE BLOG: A look into the PIAA Class 5A tournament
- THURSDAY IN THE TIMES-TRIBUNE: Feature on Holy Cross’ Tyler Mozeleski
- THURSDAY ON THE BLOG: A look into the PIAA Class 4A tournament
- FRIDAY IN THE TIMES-TRIBUNE: Feature on Western Wayne’s Rob Carey
- FRIDAY ON THE BLOG: A look into the PIAA Class 2A tournament
- SATURDAY IN THE TIMES-TRIBUNE: Coverage of the PIAA Class 5A and Class 4A first rounds
- SUNDAY IN THE TIMES-TRIBUNE: Coverage of the PIAA Class 2A first round
So let’s dive right in to the PIAA Class 5A matchups featuring champion Abington Heights and third-place Wallenpaupack as that tournament gets ready to start Friday.
PIAA CLASS 5A
DATES
- First round: Friday, March 8
- Second round: Tuesday, March 12
- Quarterfinals: Friday, March 15
- Semifinals: Monday, March 18
- Final: Friday, March 22, GIANT CENTER, HERSHEY
DEFENDING CHAMPION
 |
ABINGTON HEIGHTS COMETS |
Abington Heights senior George Tinsley.
STATE RANKING
BY THE SUNBURY DAILY ITEM
|
No. |
School |
Rec |
Prev |
|
1 |
Mars (7) |
24-1 |
1 |
|
2 |
Moon (7) |
23-2 |
2 |
|
3 |
Abington Heights (2) |
23-2 |
3 |
|
4 |
Archbishop Wood (12) |
16-8 |
5 |
|
5 |
Mastery Charter North (12) |
19-6 |
4 |
|
6 |
Pottsville (11) |
23-3 |
6 |
|
7 |
Lower Dauphin (3) |
24-3 |
9 |
|
8 |
Penn Hills (7) |
20-4 |
8 |
|
9 |
Sun Valley (1) |
19-7 |
OW |
|
10 |
York (3) |
23-4 |
7 |
| Others to watch
Archbishop Ryan (12) 13-10; Bayard Rustin (1) 18-9; Chartiers Valley (7) 18-6; Crestwood (2) 20-7; Elizabethtown (3) 17-12; Frankford (12) 13-13; Franklin Regional (7) 17-7; Garden Spot (3) 16-12; Holy Ghost Prep (1) 20-9; Johnstown (6) 19-2; Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 23-4; Meadville (10) 18-6; Milton Hershey (3) 19-7; Muhlenberg (3) 18-9; Northeastern (3) 15-11; Northern York (3) 22-5; Penncrest (1) 21-7; Pottsgrove (1) 15-12; Shaler (7) 16-8; Southern Lehigh (11) 17-9; Wallenpaupack (2) 18-7; West Chester East (1) 21-6. |
BRACKET
LOCAL MATCHUPS
Abington Heights’ Jack Nealon.
Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer
1-4 Pottsgrove (15-11)
1-4 Pottsgrove (15-11) vs.
2-1 Abington Heights (23-2)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Scranton High School
POTTSGROVE FALCONS
District 1 Class 5A Fourth Place
Pioneer Athletic Conference Final Six
| Starters |
Height |
Year |
Position |
PPG |
| Manny Clark |
5–10 |
Sr. |
Guard |
17.6 |
| Khaliym Smith |
6–3 |
Sr. |
Forward |
13.0 |
| Justin Robinson |
6–2 |
Sr. |
Guard |
14.0 |
| Jimai Springfield |
6–2 |
Sr. |
Guard/Forward |
|
| Cameron Mowery |
6–5 |
Sr. |
Forward |
|
| Key Reserves | ||||
| Gape Applebach |
6–0 |
Sr. |
Guard |
|
| Luke Kaiser |
6–2 |
So. |
Forward |
|
| Ryan Bodolus |
6–4 |
Sr. |
Forward |
|
| Jay Sisko |
6–0 |
Sr. |
Guard |
|
| Nichoals Stringer |
6–1 |
So. |
Guard/Forward |
|
| Evan White |
5–11 |
Jr. |
Guard |
POTTSGROVE PIAA HISTORY
Courtesy Rich Rhoades of d9sports.com and Rod Frisco.
|
Record |
Result | Year-Class-Round |
|
1–0 |
W Lourdes Regional 50-48 | 1977 2A first round |
|
1–1 |
L Cocalico 54-44 | 1977 2A second round |
|
2–1 |
W Central Columbia 51-32 | 1978 2A first round |
|
3–1 |
W Tunkhannock 66-53 | 1978 2A second round |
|
4–1 |
W North Schuylkill 66-60 | 1978 2A quarterfinals |
|
4–2 |
L York Catholic 73-62 | 1978 2A semifinals |
|
5–2 |
W Lourdes Regional 61-59 | 1979 2A first round |
|
6–2 |
W Honesdale 42-30 | 1979 2A second round |
|
6–3 |
L Susquehanna Twp. (3) 67-59 | 1979 2A quarterfinals |
|
6–4 |
L Lourdes Regional 56-55 OT | 1980 2A first round |
|
6–5 |
L Central Columbia 58-50 | 1981 2A first round |
|
6–6 |
L Lancaster Catholic 52-44 | 2010 2A first round |
ABINGTON HEIGHTS COMETS
| Starters |
Height |
Year |
Height |
PPG |
| George Tinsley |
6–5 |
Sr. |
Forward |
19.6 |
| Trey Koehler |
6–2 |
Sr. |
Guard |
13.9 |
| Corey Perkins |
6–1 |
Jr. |
Guard |
7.8 |
| Jack Nealon |
5–11 |
Sr. |
Guard |
7.3 |
| Mike Malone |
6–4 |
Jr. |
Center |
3.3 |
| Key Reserves | ||||
| Drew Nealon |
6–1 |
Sr. |
Guard |
2.5 |
| Harry Johnson |
6–4 |
So. |
Center |
2.7 |
ABINGTON HEIGHTS PIAA HISTORY
Courtesy Rich Rhoades of d9sports.com and Rod Frisco
|
Record |
Result | Year-Class-Round |
|
0–1 |
L Penncrest 67-55 | 1969 3A quarterfinals |
|
0–2 |
L West Scranton 68-57 | 1970 3A first round |
|
0–3 |
L Williamsport 80-69 | 1971 3A first round |
|
0–4 |
L Chester 105-65 | 1972 3A first round |
|
1–4 |
W Abington (1) 72-61 | 1973 3A first round |
|
2–4 |
W Hershey 62-59 | 1973 3A second round |
|
2–5 |
L Reading 78-62 | 1973 3A quarterfinals |
|
2–6 |
L Lebanon 55-51 | 1996 4A first round |
|
2–7 |
L Chester 61-58 | 1998 4A first round |
|
2–8 |
L Lower Merion 51-50 OT | 2002 4A first round |
|
2–9 |
L Chester 72-37 | 2007 4A first round |
|
2–10 |
L Pocono Mt. West 65-60 | 2008 4A first round |
|
2–11 |
L York Suburban 46-38 | 2009 3A first round |
|
3–11 |
W East Pennsboro 58-28 | 2010 3A first round |
|
4–11 |
W Mifflinburg 55-41 | 2010 3A second round |
|
4–12 |
L Eastern York 57-43 | 2010 3A quarterfinals |
|
4–13 |
L Allentown CC 57-52 OT | 2011 3A first round |
|
5–13 |
W Northern Lehigh 62-54 | 2012 3A first round |
|
6–13 |
W Berks Catholic 55-53 | 2012 3A second round |
|
6–14 |
L Boys Latin 76-72 | 2012 3A quarterfinals |
|
7–14 |
W Shikellamy 67-37 | 2013 3A first round |
|
8–14 |
W Philadelphia Electrical 66-63 OT | 2013 3A second round |
|
8–15 |
L Imhotep Charter 61-50 | 2013 3A quarterfinals |
|
9–15 |
W Central Columbia 70-42 | 2014 3A first round |
|
9–16 |
L Archbishop Carroll (12) 59-55 | 2014 3A second round |
|
10–16 |
W Central York 47-40 | 2015 4A first round |
|
10–17 |
L La Salle College (12) 62-40 | 2015 4A second round |
|
10–18 |
L J.P.McCaskey 50-46 | 2016 4A first round |
|
11–18 |
W Lampeter-Strasburg 67-48 | 2017 5A first round |
|
12–18 |
W Martin Luther King 65-60 2OT | 2017 5A second round |
|
13–18 |
W Chester 65-61 2OT | 2017 5A quarterfinals |
|
13–19 |
L Archbishop Wood 68-57 | 2017 5A semifinals |
|
14–19 |
W Garden Spot 75-46 | 2018 5A first round |
|
15–19 |
W Chester 49-48 | 2018 5A second round |
|
16–19 |
W Northeastern 76-56 | 2018 5A quarterfinals |
|
17–19 |
W Bonner-Prendergast 56-51 OT | 2018 5A semifinals |
|
18–19 |
W Mars 67-55 | 2018 5A championship |
Abington Heights’ Trey Koehler.
Jake Danna Stevens / Staff Photographer
Wallenpaupack’s Elijah Rosenthal goes to the net and scores against Honesdale.
Jason Farmer / Staff photographer
2-3 Wallenpaupack (18-7)
2-3 Wallenpaupack (18-7) vs.
1-3 Penncrest (22-7)
Friday, 6 p.m., Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School
WALLENPAUPACK BUCKHORNS
|
Starters |
Height |
Year |
Position |
PPG |
| Elijah Rosenthal |
5–11 |
Jr. |
Guard |
20.0 |
| Gabe Springer |
6–6 |
Jr. |
Center |
11.2 |
| Alex Pillar |
6–1 |
Sr. |
Guard |
5.4 |
| Izaiah Santiago |
6–0 |
Jr. |
Guard |
4.6 |
| Derrick Vosburg |
6–0 |
Sr. |
Guard |
9.7 |
| Key Reserves | ||||
| Jack Smith |
5–9 |
Fr. |
Guard |
3.2 |
| Gerard McGrath |
6–0 |
Jr. |
Forward |
3.4 |
WALLENPAUPACK PIAA HISTORY
Courtesy Rich Rhoades of d9sports.com and Rod Frisco
|
Record |
Result | Year-Class-Round |
|
0—1 |
L Fairview Twp. (2) 54-44 | 1962 1A quarterfinals |
|
0—2 |
L Northwest Area 65-52 | 1972 1A first round |
|
0—3 |
L East Pennsboro 77-50 | 1974 2A first round |
|
0—4 |
L Steelton-Highspire 62-45 | 1997 3A first round |
|
0—5 |
L Red Land 54-42 | 2003 4A first round |
PENNCREST LIONS
| Players to watch |
Height |
Year |
Position |
PPG |
|
Malcolm Williams |
6—3 |
Sr. |
Forward |
18.4 |
|
Matt Arbogast |
6—3 |
Sr. |
Center |
9.5 |
|
Isaiah Rice |
6—1 |
Sr. |
Guard |
|
|
Aidan Carroll |
5—10 |
Jr, |
Guard |
|
|
Marquis Tomlin |
5—8 |
Jr. |
Guard |
PENNCREST PIAA HISTORY
Courtesy Rich Rhoades of d9sports.com and Rod Frisco
|
Record |
Result | Year-Class-Round |
|
1—0 |
W Louis E. Dieruff 25-12 | 1969 3A first round |
|
2—0 |
W Abington Heights (2) 67-55 | 1969 3A quarterfinals |
|
2—1 |
L Steelton-Highspire 71-53 | 1969 3A semifinals |
|
3—1 |
W Williamsport 73-54 | 1980 3A first round |
|
3—2 |
L William Allen 61-51 | 1980 3A second round |
|
3—3 |
L J.P. McCaskey 66-59 | 1982 3A first round |
|
4—3 |
W Conestoga Valley (3) 52-50 | 1983 3A first round |
|
4—4 |
L Chester 67-48 | 1983 3A second round |
|
4—5 |
L Liberty (11) 47-46 | 2010 4A first round |
|
4—6 |
L York William Penn 66-57 | 2015 4A first round |
|
4—7 |
L Hershey 51-42 | 2017 5A first round |
|
5—7 |
W Shippensburg 49-36 | 2018 5A first round |
|
5—8 |
L Northeastern 63-60 | 2018 5A second round |
Wallenpaupack’s Gabe Springer shoots over Honesdale’s Joey Scarfalloto.
Jason Farmer / Staff photographer
Joby Fawcett has covered high school sports — including football, girls and boys volleyball, girls and boys tennis, girls and boys swimming, boys basketball, girls and boys track and field, and girls and boys lacrosse — for 22 years. The High School Sports Blog offers deeper insights plus statistical and historical information for fans and features photos, videos and graphics along with Top 5 polls for tennis and volleyball. Contact: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5367; @sportsTT