Jim Thorpe advances to state semifinal

The Jim Thorpe girls basketball team is not done quite yet. The Olympians are looking for more this season.

Senior guard Skyler Searfoss hit the game-winning shot from the paint with two seconds left to lift Jim Thorpe past Dunmore 40-39 in a Class 4A PIAA quarterfinal round qame on Wednesday night sending the Olympians to the final four of Class 4A teams.

Jim Thorpe (28-1), the District 11 champion, will face District 12 champion Archbishop Wood (23-5) on Saturday at a time and site to be determined in the semifinal round.

District 10 champ Villa Maria (24-2) meets District 12 third-place finisher Lansdale Catholic (18-7) in the other semifinal.

The championship game is slated for March 24.

Dunmore handed the Olympians their only loss of the season with a 49-45 decision on Jan. 22. Jim Thorpe won 12 games before that defeat and have won 16 straight games since. The Olympians won their first District 11 this season, 42-11 over Central Catholic, and had never won a PIAA contest before this season.

The Olympians overcame a 25-11 halftime deficit behind senior forward Olivia Smelas, who scored all 12 of her points in the second half, and senior Leah Snisky, who scored eight of her 10 points after intermission. Snisky recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds.

“We talked for two years now about being a tough-nosed basketball team and that showed tonight.” Jim Thorpe coach Nadia Gauronsky said. “In the last go-around between Dunmore and us we fell short. This time we kept chipping away and never gave up.”

Tom Mugavero is a freelancer for The Morning Call.