Muniz and Brugler voted Via players of the year
By Keith Groller
No Via All-Star banquet or All-Star games will be held this year due to the pandemic, but Via has still honored the area’s best high school girls and boys basketball players by naming players of the year, teams of the year and all-star teams.
Executive Education Academy Charter School’s Jevin Muniz and Nazareth’s Talya Brugler, whose teams are both alive in the PIAA tournament, have been selected players of the year.
Muniz, who helped the Raptors win a third consecutive District 11 title and advance into the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal, averages 21.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He has 1,488 career points. Executive visits District 4 champ Loyalsock at 1 p.m. Saturday in the PIAA’s 3A elite eight.
Brugler, who is headed to Saint Joseph’s University, helped the Blue Eagles win the District 11 6A championship. She has the most points in program history with 1,583 and looks to add to that total when the Blue Eagles host Archbishop Carroll on Friday night.
The boys team of the year featuring the area’s top seniors includes: Allen’s Mel Copeland, Easton’s Chris Hewey, Palmerton’s Kody Kratzer, Notre DameEast Stroudsburg’s Aaron Bailey and Bangor’s CJ Miles.
The girls team of the year, which also consists of the top seniors, includes: Palisades’ Trinity Williams, Parkland’s Lindsay Berger, Northampton’s Morgan Sterner, Pocono Mountain West’s Azhani Simmons and Stroudsburg’s Emily Strunk.
A media panel selected the teams based on nominations from coaches. A maximum of three players per team was allowed: Via All-Star Girls - North Coach: William Bisci (Bangor). Players: Sharisse Coles (Stroudsburg); Raquel Costache (East Stroudsburg North); Jordyn Dudley (Pocono Mountain East); Isabella Horvath (Pocono Mountain East); Tiera Hudson (Pocono Mountain West); Damali Jackson (Pocono Mountain East); Hailey Jeanlouis (East Stroudsburg North); Madison Kluska (Bangor); Safiya-Amirh Parkins (East Stroudsburg South); Azhani Simmons (Pocono Mountain West); Emma Stout (Bangor);
Emily Strunk (Stroudsburg).
Via All-Star Girls - South Coach: Dan Reichenbach (Salisbury). Players: Caroline Bennett (Southern Lehigh); Lamiyah Carter (Allen); Kalis Collazo (Dieruff ); Lauren Conron (Southern Lehigh); Stephanie Klemick (Emmaus); Melena Koutch (Salisbury); Gabby Martin (Emmaus); Kaya Mobley (Southern Lehigh); Elsa Rosa (Dieruff ); Marah Sisonick (Emmaus); Jennel Watkins (Lincoln Leadership); Amyah Williams (Allen).
Via All-Star Girls - East Coach: Rich Bickert (Nazareth). Players: Talya Brugler (Nazareth); Alyssa Caiati (Wilson); Sydney Defranco (Notre Dame-Green
Pond); Nequai Fersner (Easton); Kristen Fulford (Phillipsburg); Corrin Gill (Freedom); Makayla Grant (Wilson); Grace Medei (Notre Dame-Green Pond); Brenna Ortwein (Freedom); Courtney Paulson (Nazareth); Emily Violante (Easton); Trinity Williams (Palisades); Sophia Zelasko (Nazareth).
Via All-Star Girls - West Coach: Chris Deutsch (Northwestern Lehigh). Players: Lindsay Berger (Parkland); Meghan Hutter (Whitehall); Kailyn Jones (Northwestern Lehigh); Tess Ledeboer (Northwestern Lehigh); Ali Lister (Northwestern Lehigh); Ashley Marchessault (Lehighton); Alexis Rushatz (Catasauqua); Madison Seier (Northern Lehigh); Sonya Shivok (Parkland); Morgan Sterner (Northampton); Emily Vaughan (Central Catholic).
Via All-Star Boys — North Coach: Colin Kessler (Bangor). Players: Aaron Bailey (Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg); Jahkai Barnes (Stroudsburg); Matthew Campbell (Pocono Mountain West); Colin Castillon (Pocono Mountain East); Jaycob Jackson (Pocono Mountain East); CJ Miles (Bangor); Jasir Parker (East Stroudsburg South); Christian Sapp (East Stroudsburg South); Pape Sarr (East Stroudsburg South); Shawn Seay (Notre Dame East Stroudsburg); Justin
Smith (Pocono Mountain West); Gabe Zieba (Bangor).
Via All-Star Boys - South Coach: Darnell Braswell (Allen). Players: Alijah Cannon (Liberty); Dalwin Catthouse (Dieruff ); Daryl Coleman (Southern Lehigh); Mel Copeland (Allen); Derek George (Dieruff ); Caden McClary (Bethlehem Catholic); Rondell McNeil (Liberty); Manny Ozuna (Allen); Anthony Rondon (Allen); Quintin Stephens (Salisbury); Paddy Tulio (Emmaus); Quinn Warmkessel (Salisbury).
Via All-Star Boys - East Coach: Ben Childs (Easton). Players: Dylan Betts (Wilson); Julian Couto (Phillipsburg); Colin Domzalski (Phillipsburg); Pat Dunne (Nazareth); Adam Fatebene (Moravian Academy); Brandon Fox (Palisades); Chris Hewey (Easton); Avery Hutchison (Easton); Brandon Moan (Palisades); Dan Novak (Nazareth); Matt Ragozino (Pen Argyl); Logan Rickert (Notre DameGreen Pond).
Via All-Star Boys - West Coach: Ray Barbosa (Executive Education Academy). Players: Owen Buck (Palmerton); Andrew Csensits (Central Catholic); Nick Henry (Northwestern Lehigh); Zach Hunsicker (Lehighton); Joe Kerbacher (Northampton); Kody Kratzer (Palmerton); Jake McLean (Parkland); Ardit Mujovic (Northern Lehigh); Jevin Muniz (Executive Education Academy); Trey Rolle (Parkland); Derek Troxell (Catasauqua); Richard Yturrino (Lehighton).
Keith Groller can be reached at 610-820-6740 or at kgroller@ mcall.com.