The Lackawanna League pushed forward through difficult weather at the end of the week and now teams are into the home stretch of the regular season.

Wallenpaupack captured its second straight Lackawanna League Division II championship with its win over Wayne County rival Honesdale last Tuesday night and ON THE BLOG attended the game.

 

 

Spring Ahead

 

PALMYRA TWP. — Gabe Springer came out of the game to a loud ovation.
Then, he gave his coach Jim McGinnis a giant hug.
On Senior Night, the towering 6-foot-7 center had reason to celebrate after he led Wallenpaupack to a second straight Lackawanna Division II championship.
He scored nine points, soared above the rim for 16 rebounds and an emphatic early dunk, and swatted six shots as the third-ranked Buckhorns overcame a rough start for a 53-27 win over No. 9 Honesdale on Tuesday night.
“This means a lot to me,” Springer said. “Our coach, he always stresses how hard work can get you what you want. The main thing for us was to focus and not let the emotions get to us too much. We just had to play basketball.
“This is a great feeling.”

 

 

 

GABE SPRINGER | WALLENPAUPACK

 

 

 

The Buckorns only two losses this season have come against Abington Heights and Scranton Prep from Division I. They have beaten their Division II opponents in league games by an average of 18.0 points per game.

 

WALLENPAUPACK vs. DIVISION II

 

• Wallenpaupack 60, Delaware Valley 17
• Wallenpaupack 60, Western Wayne 35
• Wallenpaupack 53, Honesdale 42
• Wallenpaupack 52, North Pocono 48
• Wallenpaupack 56, Delaware Valley 46
• Wallenpaupack 53, Honesdale 27
• Wallenpaupack 62, North Pocono 55, OT

 

 

LACKAWANNA DIVISION II CHAMPIONS

 

(Since 2013)

2013 — Delaware Valley

2014 — Honesdale

2015 — Honesdale

2016 — Delaware Valley

2017 — Delaware Valley

2018 — Delaware Valley

2019 — Wallenpaupack

2020 — Wallenpaupack

 

WHAT IT MEANS

 

Wallenpaupack has secured the No. 1 seed for the District 2 Class 5A playoffs. That bracket will include Abington Heights, which already has a win over the Buckhorns and, oh by the way, it has won eight straight District 2 championships at various classifications.

Dallas and Crestwood find themselves involved in an intense playoff situation for the WVC Division I title.

 

DISTRICT 2 CLASS 5A STANDINGS

(Courtesy piaad2.org)

 

NOTE: Green indicates clinched playoff berth.

 

 

STANDINGS

 

LEAGUE

OVERALL

	W	L	W	L
Wallenpaupack	10	2	19	2
North Pocono	5	6	10	10
Honesdale	4	7	9	11
Delaware Valley	3	9	7	14
Western Wayne	2	9	8	12

 

 

SCHEDULE

 

TUESDAY

Division II
North Pocono at Honesdale
Wallenpaupack at Western Wayne

 

THURSDAY

Division II
Western Wayne at North Pocono
Delaware Valley at Honesdale

 

 

 

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INSIDE DIVISION I

 

 

What a surprise. … The championship will be decided by Abington Heights and Scranton Prep.

In a season where there were some upsets and it appeared to have more balance and parity this year than most, the Division I title continues to run through the Comets and Cavaliers.

It’s been this way since the Lackawanna League moved to four divisions in 2013. The last time a team other than Abington Heights or Scranton Prep won the division crown came in 2012 when Scranton won it.

Everything got thrown into a mess when Scranton upset Scranton Prep last week.

 

 

Feb. 4, 2020

Scranton 52, Scranton Prep 50

 

At Scranton, Kevin Lazdowsky had 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Knights, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Jason Shields had 12 points for Scranton and Patrick McCormack added 10.
Michael Skoff scored (13 points for No. 2 Scranton Prep, which had won six straight.

 

 

 

 

That inspired ON THE BLOG to check out Scranton when it traveled to Valley View on Saturday.

But, it was the Cougars who put on a show.

Led by Zack Kovalchik, Adam Howanitz and Connor Kelley, Valley View overwhelmed the Knights. And put themselves into position to spoil Scranton Prep’s bid for a division championship.

 

 

Valley View gets back on track vs. Knights

 

ARCHBALD — Much of what ailed Valley View during a three-game losing streak appeared to threaten it, again.
Lethargic play, being careless with the ball and poor shots plagued the sixth-ranked Cougars through the first 8 minutes of its Saturday matinee against Scranton.
Then, coach Mike Kurpis implored his players to dig deep and get back to what made them a contender for the Lackawanna Division I title.
They responded.
Zack Kovalchik scored 19 points, freshman Adam Howanitz had 16 and Connor Kelley hit for 14 as Valley View’s balanced attack overwhelmed the Knights, 60-47, to get them back on the winning track heading into the final week of the regular season.
“Right before the game, coach Kurpis said to us, the playoffs are coming up and we can’t go into them on a losing stretch, then we played awful in the first quarter,” said Kovalchik, who also contributed three rebounds, three steals and two assists. “We had to play physical and tough, and that is what he reminded us about after the first quarter.
“We flipped the switch. We started to run out and got easy baskets and it all started with our defense.”

 

 

 

ZACK KOVALCHIK | VALLEY VIEW

 

 

 

 

WHAT IT MEANS

 

OK.

Also on Saturday, Abington Heights took care of West Scranton to grab a one-half-game lead over Scranton Prep in the division standings.

Abington Heights has won the last two Division I championships. If the Comets beat Scranton Prep on Thursday they will repeat.

 

 

LACKAWANNA DIVISION I CHAMPIONS

 

(Since 2013)

2013 — Abington Heights

2014 — Abington Heights

2015 — Scranton Prep

2016 — Scranton Prep

2017 — Scranton Prep

2018 — Abington Heights

2019 — Abington Heights

 

 

STANDINGS

 

 

LEAGUE

OVERALL

	W	L	W	L
Abington Heights	10	2	15	6
Scranton Prep	9	2	16	4
Valley View	7	4	14	6
Scranton	4	8	9	11
West Scranton	3	8	11	9

 

 

SCHEDULE

 

TUESDAY

Division I
West Scranton at Scranton
Scranton Prep at Valley View

 

THURSDAY

Division I
Scranton Prep at Abington Heights

Nonleague
Executive Education Academy at Scranton

 

 

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INSIDE DIVISION III

 

 

Holy Cross took care of business in a special Sunday matinee game against Riverside.

By avenging its only division loss this season, the Crusaders locked up no worse than a tie for first place in Division III and could lock up its third straight division championship this week with a win over Mid Valley or Dunmore.

Again, because of the importance of the showdown between Holy Cross and Riverside, ON THE BLOG attended the game and filed this report.

 

 

O’Connor helps Holy Cross get back at Riverside

 

DUNMORE — Leahy O’Connor expressed clearly that he and his Holy Cross teammates hate to lose.
Three weeks ago, Riverside dealt the Crusaders a defeat.
That served as all the motivation they needed for the rematch.
On Sunday, Holy Cross avenged that setback and secured a tie for first place in defense of a Lackawanna Division III championship.
With a balanced scoring and intense defense, the top-ranked Crusaders rolled past No. 7 Riverside, 71-59, at Holy Cross High School gymnasium where they have won 23 straight league games.
The Crusaders (18-2 overall, 9-1 in Division III) have a two-game lead over Riverside (13-7, 7-3) and Lakeland (15-5, 7-3) with two to play in pursuit of a third straight division crown.
“Knowing they beat us last time, and then we had a deficit after the first quarter, we had our backs against the wall, and we responded,” said O’Connor, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half. “We just had to stay within ourselves and stick to the game plan and this would work out for us.”

 

 

 

LEAHY O’CONNOR | HOLY CROSS

 

 

 

 

LACKAWANNA DIVISION III CHAMPIONS

 

(Since 2013)

2013 — Holy Cross

2014 — Mid Valley

2015 — Holy Cross

2016 — Dunmore

2017 — Mid Valley

2018 — Holy Cross

2019 — Holy Cross

 

STANDINGS

 

LEAGUE

OVERALL

	W	L	W	L
Holy Cross	9	1	17	2
Lakeland	7	3	15	5
Riverside	7	3	13	7
Mid Valley	7	4	12	8
Dunmore	3	7	8	12
Old Forge	2	8	7	11
Carbondale Area	1	10	4	16

 

 

SCHEDULE

 

TUESDAY

Division III
Riverside at Dunmore
Lakeland at Old Forge
Holy Cross at Mid Valley
Crossover
Blue Ridge at Carbondale Area

 

THURSDAY

Division III
Old Forge at Riverside
Carbondale Area at Lakeland
Dunmore at Holy Cross
Crossover
Lackawanna Trail at Mid Valley

 

 

 

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INSIDE DIVISION IV

 

In a 5-hour time frame Saturday, Lackawanna Trail’s dreams of a Division IV title went from being eliminated to alive again.

The Lions suffered a loss to Blue Ridge in the afternoon, then waited impatiently as Susquehanna upset Mountain View in the evening.

So, heading into this week, the Lions and Eagles remain tied in the loss column for Division IV honors.

 

IF … 

• Lackawanna Trail defeats Susquehanna: It clinches a tie for first place in Division IV.

 

• Susquehanna beats Lackawanna Trail: The Lions need Mountain View to lose one of its final two games to tie and both to win.

 

MOUNTAIN VIEW: Is one-half-game behind Lackawanna Trail but is tied in the loss column.

 

This week IN THE PAINT featured Lackawanna Trail’s BIG 3 – Richard Helbing, Nico Berrios and Josh Rzucidlo

 

CLICK HERE TO READ: 

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/sports/in-the-paint-lackawanna-trail-s-big-3-leading-charge-toward-playoffs-1.2593004

 

 

 

LACKAWANNA DIVISION IV CHAMPIONS

 

(Since 2013)

2013 — Elk Lake

2014 — Elk Lake

2015 — Montrose

2016 — Elk Lake

2017 — Elk Lake

2018 — Susquehanna

2019 — Susquehanna

 

LAST TITLE FOR LACKAWANNA TRAIL: 2011 Division III

LAST TITLE FOR MOUNTAIN VIEW: 2007 Division III

 

 

STANDINGS

 

 

DIVISION

OVERALL

	W	L	W	L
Lackawanna Trail	9	2	13	7
Mountain View	8	2	9	10
Susquehanna	6	4	7	13
Blue Ridge	6	5	8	11
Elk Lake	4	6	9	11
Forest City	2	8	3	16
Montrose	1	9	1	18

 

 

WHAT IT MEANS

 

 

Not only are these teams in Division IV still battling for the division title, they are also jockeying for position in the District 2 playoffs.

Let’s face it, to get to the arena, teams from this division want to be on the other side of the bracket, opposite of Holy Cross.

Lackawanna Trail already knows it is on the other side as the No. 2 seed. Clearly, Mountain View would like to hold off Elk Lake and even Old Forge for the No. 3 spot.

Should Lackawanna Trail and Mountain View tie for first place in the division — There will be a playoff at a time and date to be determined.

 

 

DISTRICT 2 CLASS 2A STANDINGS

(Courtesy piaad2.org)

 

 

 

SCHEDULE

 

TUESDAY

Division IV
Elk Lake at Montrose
Susquehanna at Lackawanna Trail
Mountain View at Forest City
Crossover
Blue Ridge at Carbondale Area

 

THURSDAY

Division IV
Montrose at Mountain View
Forest City at Susquehanna
Blue Ridge at Elk Lake
Crossover
Lackawanna Trail at Mid Valley

 

 

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REMINDER

 

 

DISTRICT 2 PLAYOFFS

 

STANDINGS

 

CLICK HERE

http://districtxi.gimpsoftware.com/Rankings/Basketball%20-%20Boys2Ranking.html

 

 

INFORMATION

 

District II Boys (AAAAA, AAA) – Girls (AAAA, AA):

• Quarterfinals Tuesday, February 18
• Semifinals Friday, February 21

 

District II Boys (AAAA, AA) – Girls (AAAAA, AAA)

• Quarterfinals Wednesday, February 19
• Semifinals Saturday, February 22

 

District II/XI Boys A/ Girls A Subregional

• Boys Quarterfinals Thursday, February 20
• Girls Quarterfinals Friday, February 21
• Boys Semifinals Monday, February 24
• Girls Semifinals Tuesday, February 25

 

District II/IV Boys AAAAAA/Girls AAAAAA Subregional

• Girls Quarterfinals Tuesday, February 18
• Boys Quarterfinals Wednesday, February 19
• Girls Semifinals Friday, February 21
• Boys Semifinals Saturday, February 22

 

CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND at MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Thursday, February 27

4 p.m. A Girls
6 p.m. AAAA Girls
8 p.m. AAA Boys

Friday, February 28

4 p.m. AA Girls
6 p.m. AAAAAA Girls
8 p.m. AAAAA Boys

Saturday, February 29

Noon AAA Girls
2 p.m. AA Boys
4 p.m. AAAA Boys
6 p.m. AAAAA Girls
8 p.m. AAAAAA Boys

 

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