LEHIGH VALLEY FLASHBACK

A look back at Lehigh Valley sports stories over the years from March 26.

2008: Marian Catholic 6-foot-4 senior Rachel Connely, who averaged 14.4 points and 9.3 rebounds to go with 70 blocks, is named the Class A girls basketball player of the year by the Associated Press. Fillies coach Paul Brutto, who led the team to a 32-1 record and the state title, is named the Class A coach of the year.

1993: Central Catholic reaches the PIAA Class 4A girls basketball East finals for the third straight year with a 49-38 win over Governor Mifflin, but the Vikings’ bid for the Class 3A boys East finals falls short in a 56-54 loss to Academy Park.

1993: Billy McCaffrey’s bid to return to the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four for the second time in three years ends when Vanderbilt falls to Temple 67-59 in a West Regional semifinal. The Central Catholic grad scores 17 points in the loss to the Owls.

1983: Easton’s Larry Holmes makes his 14th WBC heavyweight title defense by stopping Lucian Rodriguez in a unanimous decision before 6,000 at the Scranton Armory.

1982: Bishop Boyle outscores Northern Lehigh 31-19 in the fourth quarter and pulls away to a 78-67 victory at Hersheypark Arena and deny the Bulldogs the PIAA Class 2A boys basketball title. Brian Waylen scores 20 points and passes Bill Jones to become the school’s all-time leading scorer (1,495) for Northern Lehigh, which ends its best ever season at 30-3.

1978: Despite a 122-101 victory over the Wilkes-Barre Barons, the Allentown Jets’ 18-year playoff run in the Eastern Basketball Association comes to an end when Lancaster routs Brooklyn 174-145 to eliminate the Jets from postseason contention.