When you get into league play, that’s when the upsets are bound to happen. So say the experts around the sporting world. Yet, maybe there is some truth to the rumors.
Just ask the Old Forge girls basketball team. An upset by Valley View on Monday night leads the lists of this week’s top headlines around Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
1. Old Forge stunned by Valley View
Valley View has struck again.
This time, it was knocking off the No. 1-ranked team in the Scranton Times-Tribune girls basketball poll. Thanks to a 15-point outing from Rachel Kobeski, the Lady Cougars rallied from a 23-12 halftime deficit to stun top-ranked Old Forge, 40-36.
It was a shocking move by VV coach John Duffy, who started several junior-varsity players after halftime. It also sparked his team.
"We always preach family," Duffy told the Times-Tribune. "It takes 15 kids to win a game. The starters didn’t pout and they cheered just as the JVs do for them."
It was an 18-7 fourth-quarter surge that put the Lady Cougars in control.
"We never quit," Duffy said to the newspaper. "Nobody gave us any respect in the beginning of the year. The girls just rallied together behind Rebecca Keegan when she was out. They are out to prove that they can win with Rebecca and without her."
2. State College getting back to full strength
The question about State College is simple: How good is State College?
Enter head coach Drew Frank.
"Between the extended football season — a great season there — and injuries, we're still not at 100 percent yet," Frank said. "We had some players that were out of town for the holidays. We've had to be patient because I don't think we've had the same combination of players start yet. We are starting to get everyone back, and they are starting to get their basketball legs under them. I like what I'm seeing as far as getting players to accept those roles and seeing them make some progress."
No doubt, the Little Lions have the makings for a special season on paper. That was evident Monday night when State College ripped apart Central Mountain by 21 as they prepare for big clashes with district Quad-A rivals Altoona and Hollidaysburg in the near future.
It starts with senior Taran Buie, ranked in the top 50 in the nation. The brother of Penn State star Talor Battle, Buie showed his ball-handling skills and rebounding prowess with a 14-point, seven-rebound performance in a run-away victory, a game State led 20-4 after one quarter.
"I don't think the pace was a problem," CM head coach Scott Baker said. "I know we are quicker than we played. For whatever reason, they were two steps quicker all night long. Every play, they were quicker. They just came prepared to play, and we didn't."
3. Get ready to Escape the Rock
With January comes the bulk of regular-season duals across the state of Pennsylvania. But this weekend’s Escape the Rock Tournament is going to provide a lot of interesting matchups, and some state-caliber bouts you would expect to see in March at the Giant Center, Hershey.
A possible nationally ranked bout at 145, where the nation’s top wrestler at that weight, Central Mountain’s Andrew Alton, could meet up with Council Rock South’s Josh Dwieza, ranked in the top 3 nationally at 140. There’s a possible state championship bout at 152 between Central Mountain’s Dylan Alton and Middletown’s Bo Candalaria.
And several top-ranked grapplers like Bald Eagle Area’s Jon Gingrich, Owen J. Roberts’ Scott Syrek, Garnet Valley’s Matt Idelson and King of the Mountain champ from CM, Cody Dolan, all are in the mix at 215.
Add to it a possible heavyweight matchup with the nation’s top kid, Wyoming Seminary’s Michael McMullen, and Central Mountain’s Zach Corl. Central Mountain is the reigning Escape the Rock champ, but the favorite heading into the event is Seminary, a prep school in Kingston, Pa. Sem is ranked as high as No. 5 in the country in some rankings. Other contenders include Parkland and the host school, Council Rock South.
4. Central Dauphin rolls at POWERade
What is turning into a holiday tradition keeps building at Central Dauphin. The Rams, the reigning PIAA Class AAA state team champ, picked up their third consecutive POWERade Tournament title. The prestigious tournament is held at Canon-McMillan near Pittsburgh.
CD, also ranked in the top 10 nationally, cruised past Collins Hill, Ga. and Christiansburg, Va. for the team title. Senior Marshall Peppelman made history by becoming the second wrestler to win four titles, joining the ranks of North Allegheny’s Ty Moore.
Peppelman was joined by teammates Buck Dippery (103) and Kenny Courts (171) as winners of their respective weight classes. Franklin Regional junior Nico Megaludis became a three-time winner of POWERade with a 2-1 ride-out victory over Benton senior and Lock Haven University recruit Michael Rhone.
Other Pennsylvania winners included Derry’s Jimmy Gulibon and Travis Shaffer, Bellefonte’s Mitchell Port, Shady Side’s Frank Martellotti, Blue Mountain’s Josh Kindig, Charleroi’s Cody Wiercioch, Council Rock North’s Jamie Callender, Connellsville’s Nate Gaffney and Benton’s Tyler DeMott.
MaxPreps Central and Eastern Pennsylvania Rankings
Boys Basketball
1. State College, District 6
2. Abington Heights, District 2
3. Hughesville, District 4
4. Pottsville, District 11
T5. Indian Valley, District 6
T5. Loyalsock, District 4
Girls Basketball
1. Pine Grove, District 11
2. Bishop Guilfoyle, District 6
3. South Williamsport, District 4
4. Abington Heights, District 2
5. Old Forge, District 2
Wrestling
1. Wyoming Seminary, Prep School
2. Central Dauphin, District 3
3. Central Mountain, District 6
4. Blue Mountain, District 11
5. Council Rock South, District 1
Tom Fox is sports editor at The Lock Haven (Pa.) Express and covers Central and Northeastern Pa. for MaxPreps. He can be reached at tfox@lockhaven.com.
