HS BASKETBALL: Lackawanna League Powers Stay Strong; Big turnaround in Division IV

In the post holiday tournament celebrations, the Lackawanna League had its regular season get started and to nobody’s surprise the traditional power programs are at the top of the standings.

Those teams will have showdowns in the coming weeks. But before we get too far into the schedule, it’s a good time to look at just how dominant some have been, while previewing a Wayne County rivalry game that takes on added significance and highlight a massive turnaround in Susquehanna County.

 

Here is Friday’s schedule

 

(Varsity starts at 7:15 p.m.)
Division I
Scranton at Valley View
West Scranton at Scranton Prep
Division II
North Pocono at Delaware Valley
Honesdale at Wallenpaupack
Division III
Holy Cross at Carbondale Area
Lakeland at Riverside
Mid Valley at Old Forge
Division IV
Susquehanna at Blue Ridge
Elk Lake at Mountain View
Lackawanna Trail at Montrose
Crossovers
Western Wayne at Abington Heights
Forest City at Dunmore

 

 

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INSIDE DIVISION I

 

Defending champion Abington Heights and Scranton Prep are both off to fast starts in Division I. The two teams that have dominated the division since the Lackawanna League moved to four divisions will play next week. Both have games Friday night as the Comets host Western Wayne and West Scranton will be at Scranton Prep.

Those two games have the potential to be hard-fought contests.

However, since the 2012-13 season when the league aligned with four divisions, it has been very difficult for any Lackawanna League Division I team to crack into the win column against Abington Heights and Scranton Prep.

 

DIVISION I RECORDS SINCE 2012-13 SEASON

	Abington Heights	Scranton Prep
2018-19	3—0	3—0
2017-18	12—1	11—2
2016-17	11—2	13—0
2015-16	11—2	12—1
2014-15	11—2	13—0
2013-14	13—0	11—2
2012-13	13—0	9—4
Totals	74—7	72—9

 

 

 

 

 

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DIVISION I LOSSES SINCE 2012-13 SEASON

	Abington Heights	Scranton Prep
2017-18	Scranton Prep, 51-45	Abington Heights, 66-47 Valley View, 54-53
2016-17	Scranton Prep, 53-43 Scranton Prep, 54-51
2015-16	Scranton, 41-35 Scranton Prep, 73-61	Abington Heights, 57-52
2014-15	Scranton Prep, 66-43 Scranton Prep, 55-50
2013-14		Abington Heights, 65-46 Abington Heights, 58-52
2012-13		Abington Heights, 56-50 Scranton, 51-45 Honesdale, 53-47 Abington Heights, 61-52

 

 

 

 

 

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INSIDE DIVISION II

 

 

Wallenpaupack will host Honesdale on Friday night in the annual Wayne County rivalry game. The matchup took on added significance when Wallenpaupack defeated Western Wayne and Honesdale beat Delaware Valley on Tuesday.

That put Wallenpaupack, the preseason favorite in Division II, at 2-1 in the league and Honesdale at 1-2. Because Division I is so strong again this season, it is critical for teams in Division II to earn wins in their division games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the results of the last 12 meetings

 

• Wallenpaupack, 47-37
• Honesdale, 51-43
• Wallenpaupack, 61-59
• Honesdale, 55-21
• Honesdale, 63-54
• Honesdale, 37-23
• Honesdale, 58-38
• Honesdale, 55-40
• Honesdale, 62-36
• Honesdale, 56-26
• Honesdale, 48-44
• Honesdale, 52-38

 

 

TOTAL: Honesdale 10, Wallenpaupack 2

 

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INSIDE DIVISION III

 

 

Holy Cross withstood its first challenge of the regular season when it defeated upstart Lakeland on Tuesday. The Crusaders are the lone unbeaten team in the Division and like Division I, this comes as no surprise.

 

 

Division III Championships Since 2012-13

2012-13		Holy Cross Crusaders
2013-14		Mid Valley Spartans
2014-15		Holy Cross Crusaders
2015-16		Dunmore Bucks
2016-17		Mid Valley Spartans
2017-18		Holy Cross Crusaders

 

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

61

Division wins by Holy Cross since 2012-13 season*

 

60

Division wins by Mid Valley since 2012-13 season*

 

 

*- Not Including playoff games

 

 

 

 

STANDINGS

 

• Holy Cross (2-0)

• Mid Valley (2-1)

• Dunmore (2-1)

• Carbondale Area (2-1)

• Lakeland (1-1)

• Riverside (0-2)

• Old Forge (0-3)

 

 

NOTE: This season the Lackawanna League Division III and Division IV will play a straight schedule

 

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INSIDE DIVISION IV

 

Susquehanna is off to a 2-0 start and is tied at the top of the standings with Mountain View. The Sabers, who won the division title last season, have won 13 straight division games.

In addition, the Sabers also celebrated a milestone as Mason Deakin scored the 1,000th point of his career.

 

 

 

 

That is quite a turnaround for Susquehanna.

 

Sabers’ division IV records from 2012-13 season

 

• 2012-13: 6-6

• 2013-14: 3-9

• 2014-15: 2-10

• 2015-16: 0-12

• 2016-17: 5-7

• 2017-18: 11-1

 

 

 

 

NOTE: This season the Lackawanna League Division III and Division IV will play a straight schedule

 

 

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