It’s a rematch.
Marian’s win over Shenandoah Valley in Saturday’s Division III tiebreaker set the Schuylkill League playoff stage with the same pieces as last season.
North Schuylkill-Marian and Minersville-Pottsville — take two.
It really isn’t unusual to see the same teams appearing repeatedly in the league playoffs. That’s simply the cyclical nature of high school athletics.
Just a few years ago, from 2009-11, Tamaqua, Pine Grove, Tri-Valley and Nativity were the four teams represented in the playoffs.
While North Schuylkill (Division I champ), Minersville (Division II), Marian (Division III) and Pottsville (wild card) are in the same positions as last season, the matchups won’t quite have the same feel as a season ago.
Let’s take a look:
Minersville (21-1) vs.
Pottsville (19-3)
Since losing last season’s semifinal 46-42 to Minersville, Pottsville is 19-4 overall. One of those losses was a 60-54 defeat to Emmaus in the District 11 Class AAAA playoffs last year. Two were to North Schuylkill this year. The other was in overtime to Governor Mifflin on Jan. 31.
Among those wins for Pottsville is a 56-50 victory against Minersville in the Tide’s Gatorade Classic on Dec. 27 at Martz Hall.
After last season’s semifinal, Minersville went on to win its first Schuylkill League title and first District 11 championship in decades.
Little hindered Minersville this season, save for the loss to Pottsville. Since Dec. 27, the Miners are 14-0 and have climbed to No. 7 in the PennLive PIAA Class AA rankings.
“People always say you’d rather have a good loss than an ugly win any day of the week,” Minersville coach Jared Homa said. “We’re the complete opposite. We’d rather win ugly and not have a good loss. But I think in the long run, not only with the kids, but us as coaches, we realized maybe we weren’t putting the kids in the right spots. So it was a learning process for us.”
Minersville boasts three of the league’s top scorers: Abby Schoffstall (second, 19.6 ppg), Emily Mealey (ninth, 13.7) and Adrienne Kroznuskie (15th, 11.5).
The Miners have gotten tremendous contributions from Maggie Wigoda and Emily Kriston offensively and Sarah Nawrocki defensively.
They’re also first in the league in scoring offense (61.2 points per game).
Pottsville isn’t far behind. The Crimson Tide are fourth in scoring offense (52.1 ppg) and, perhaps more impressive, fourth in scoring defense, allowing just 34.8 points on average.
Last year, Pottsville was 10th in offense (44.8 ppg) and eighth in defense (40.2).
Sadie Cresswell has continued last season’s form for Pottsville, ranking sixth in the league in scoring, first in 3-pointers per game and second in free-throw percentage.
Madison Sherakas has upped her offensive production in her sophomore season and Kyra Schenk has transformed into one of the better post players in the league during the course of the season. Coach Rick Wojciechowsky also said he believes junior guard Alyssa Kondrack is the best defensive player in the league.
“I think we’re a little more well-balanced on the offensive side,” Wojciechowsky said. “We’ve had different people contribute times during the course of the year.
“ ... As as growth over the course of the season, I spoke at the beginning how we wanted to work on defense and I think we’ve been able to do that. We’ve really emphasized our play on the defensive end. We’ve gotten much better as a team defensively.”
Marian (16-6) vs.
North Schuylkill (20-2)
The team that is most different from last season’s league playoffs is Marian. The Fillies graduated three starting guards before being barraged by injuries earlier this season.
They’ve adapted well, though. After splitting with Shenandoah Valley during the regular season, Marian did what it needed to do in the tiebreaker to punch its ticket to the league playoffs once again and claim its fourth straight Division III title.
Senior Abbey Whildin has been outstanding, leading the team with 11.6 points per game, and Brenna Karnish and Vanessa Whitecavage have also increased offensive productivity.
“It starts with their coaching,” North Schuylkill coach John Rizzo said. “Coach (Paul) Brutto is one of the best. He’s Schuylkill League royalty in my opinion. He gets those kids ready to play. He’s finding ways to have other kids that wouldn’t normally step up if they were a little healthier to step up.”
Rizzo’s Spartans have been unstoppable in the regular season the last two years, going undefeated in league play both times. North Schuylkill finally cracked the PennLive Class AA rankings this week, coming in at No. 10.
The playoffs have been another story, however — one of disappointment. The league’s best offense last year, North Schuylkill was shut down in the Schuylkill League semifinals by Marian’s stout defense, 31-28.
The Spartans followed it up with a 50-36 loss to Southern Lehigh in the first round of districts.
“We can’t leave out the fact that losing is often the best medicine for improvement,” Rizzo said. “We lost a big game last year this time of year and our kids don’t forget that.”
You also can’t leave out that North Schuylkill is second in team offense (54.9 points) and third in defense (32.9).
Tiff Lapotsky has become one of the league’s best two-way players, averaging 16.5 points per game and always drawing the toughest defensive assignments on the perimeter.
Carly Gregas and Nina Marone are rocks in the paint, senior leaders with terrific chemistry.
“I think we’ve come a long way maturity-wise,” Rizzo said. “We’re much more head-strong than we were last year.
“One year of difference, you can really see it as a coach.”
Schuylkill League Girls’ Basketball Semifinals
Today, at Martz Hall
Pottsville (19-3, Division I wild card) vs. Minersville (21-1, Division II champion), 6 p.m.
About the Pottsville Crimson Tide
Head coach: Rick Wojciechowsky
Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): nine, no titles
Last appearance: 2014 — Lost to Minersville 46-42 in semifinal
League ranking: Offense (4th, 52.1 ppg), defense (4th, 34.8 ppg), free-throw percentage (9th, .612)
Probable starting lineup: G Sadie Cresswell (jr., 5-6, 15.1 ppg), G Madison Sherakas (soph., 5-5, 8.7), G-F Alyssa Kondrack (jr., 5-9, 3.1), F Nicole Eckley (sr., 5-8, 3.4), F Kyra Schenk (soph., 6-0, 8.0)
Key reserves: G Hannah Burnhauser (jr., 5-9, 5.6), F Olivia Connors (sr., 5-10, 1.9), F Ashley Purnell (sr., 5-10, 4.2)
About the Minersville Battlin’ Miners
Head coach: Jared Homa
Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): six, one title
Last appearance: 2014 — Defeated Pottsville 46-42 in semifinal, defeated Marian 61-46 in final
League ranking: Offense (1st, 61.2 ppg), defense (10th, 41.8 ppg), free-throw percentage (4th, .641)
Probable starting lineup: G Abby Schoffstall (soph., 19.1 ppg), G Adrienne Kroznuskie (soph., 12.0), G Sarah Nawrocki (soph., 4.1), G-F Maura Bentz (soph., 4.0), F Emily Mealey (soph., 13.3)
Key reserves: G Emily Kriston (fr., 1.8), Alli Polinsky (soph., 1.5), Maggie Wigoda (fr., 5.1)
Marian (16-6, Division III champion) vs. North Schuylkill (20-2, Division I champion), 7:30 p.m.
About the Marian Fillies
Head coach: Paul Brutto
Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): 19, four titles
Last appearance: 2014 — Beat North Schuylkill 31-28 in semifinal, lost to Minersville 61-46 in final
League ranking: Offense (9th, 45.2), defense (7th, 40.0 ppg), free-throw percentage (12th, .594)
Probable starting lineup: G Vanessa Whitecavage (jr., 5-5, 8.8 ppg), F Tina Capparell (fr., 5-8, 4.1), G Abbey Whildin (sr., 5-8, 12.1), G-F Brenna Karnish (soph., 5-7, 9.2), F Madison Stoyer (soph., 5-7, 5.7)
Key reserves: F Bethany Shaud (sr., 5-4, 2.1), G Jill Correale (soph., 5-4, 1.5)
About the North Schuylkill Spartans
Head coach: John Rizzo
Schuylkill League playoff appearances (since 1985): 19, 13 titles
Last appearance: 2014 — Lost to Marian 31-28 in semifinal
League ranking: Offense (2nd, 54.9 ppg), defense (3rd, 32.9 ppg), free-throw percentage (8th, .620)
Probable starting lineup: G Tiff Lapotsky (jr., 5-6, 16.4 ppg), G Averi Jordan (fr., 5-8, 5.8), G Waverly Snyder (jr., 5-6, 5.6), F Nina Marone (sr., 5-9, 5.4), F Carly Gregas (sr. 6-0, 9.8)
Key reserves: F Chase Stokes (sr., 5-8, 3.7), F Samantha Shinkus (fr., 5-7, 3.6), F Rachel Bell (jr., 5-8, 2.1)
— Compiled by Mike Wilson