Southern Lehigh in position for four-peat
DISTRICT 11 CLASS 5A GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
Matchup: No. 1 seed Southern Lehigh Spartans vs. No. 2 Bangor Slaters.
When/Where: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Freedom High School’s McIntyre Gymnasium.
What’s next: First round of PIAA playoffs on March 9 with winner playing District 1, No. 5 and the loser playing District 2 No. 2. BANGOR (17-6) All-time District 11 record:
18-27 in 26th appearance. All-time championship games since 1970: 7-5 (6-4 league, 1-1 district).
Head-to-head: Southern Lehigh beat Bangor 52-29 on Jan. 16 and has won the last 11 meetings dating to 2012 with the most recent ones being by margins of 23, 54, 34, 17, 31 and 28 points. Before that Bangor had won seven of nine.
Coach: Bill Bisci (106-66 in seven seasons at Bangor; 308-215 in 20 seasons overall. District 11 record 4-6 in 6th appearance, 0-1 in finals). Projected starters: 5-7 Sr. F Emily Labar (8.4 ppg), 5-9 Jr. C Madeline Minner (9.5 ppg, 56 3s), 5-9 Jr. G Casey Walsh (7.9 ppg, 45 3s), 5-4 Sr. G Jenna Learn, 5-6 Jr. G Morgan Karasek (6.2 ppg). About the Slaters: Minner is five 3-pointers away from the school record for a season while she and Walsh, who made a school-record seven in a game this season, have combined for 101 of the team’s school record 137 3-pointers this season … Karasek played an outstanding all-around game in 37-25 semifinal win over Pottsville. … Won only district title in 2012 as No. 7 seed in coach Dale Godshalk’s final season. … Will be making fourth PIAA appearance. Won only state game in 2009.
Did you know?: Bangor assistant Keith “Boo” Gargone’s claim to fame in local basketball was being a starting guard on Northampton County Community College’s 1988 state championship team under a coach, Jeff Thatcher, who also won the state title on the same day coaching the women’s team. SOUTHERN LEHIGH (22-3) All-time District 11 record: 22-31 in 35th appearance. All-time championship games since 1970: 13-8 (10-6 league, 3-2 district).
Coach: Matt Cooper (124-14, five seasons; District 11 record 9-1 in fifth appearance, 3-1 in finals).
Projected starters: 6-1 Sr. F Ellie Cassel (13.4 ppg, 1,028 career points), 5-8 Jr. F Taylor Moncman, 5-8 Sr. F Alyssa Rice, 6-0 Sr. G Olivia Snyder (23.9 ppg, 1,954 career points), 5-5 So. G Kaya Mobley.
About the Spartans: Seeking district four-peat to match Colonial League four-peat. Their 103-10 overall record the last four seasons is the best in school history. … Snyder is 46 points away from becoming 11th 2,000point scorer in Lehigh Valley history and seventh girl. … Moncman will attend Temple University on a lacrosse scholarship. … Beat Bangor 43-25 for the 2017 District 11 Class 5A title. … Program won three of its first 19 district games from 1974-2002 and reached two finals, losing both, in first 44 years of tournament. … Reached PIAA semifinals for first time last season.
Did you know?: Cooper is a Bangor graduate, class of 1992. He was the area’s fastest coach in the 50 years of the modern era to 100 career victories, doing it in 110 games. Tom Mugavero’s prediction
– As long as Southern Lehigh’s bus shows up at the right venue for the game … SOUTHERN LEHIGH 55-35. If not … BANGOR by forfeit 2-0.
DISTRICT 11 CLASS 4A GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
Matchup: No. 1 seed Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks vs. No. 2 Jim Thorpe
Olympians.
When/Where: 6 p.m. Saturday at Freedom High School’s McIntyre Gymnasium.
What’s next: First round of PIAA playoffs on March 9 with winner playing District 12 No. 5 and the loser playing District 12 No. 3. JIM THORPE (26-0) Head-to-head: This is believed to be the first meeting between the teams.
Coach: Rob Kovac (129-142, 12th season at Jim Thorpe, fourth appearance in district final 1-2 with Panther Valley).
Projected starters: 6-0 Fr. F Olivia Smelas (11.9 ppg, 10 rpg), 5-8 Jr. F Kristin Scott, 5-6 Fr. G Skyler Searfoss (19.1 ppg, 4 apg), 5-6 Fr. G Leila Hurley (12.2 ppg), 5-4 Sr. G Natalie Richards (5.7 ppg).
About the Olympians: First District 11 title game. … School record for wins in a season. … Smelas collected 13th doubledouble of season with 12 points and 14 boards in semifinal win to clinch the program’s first ever trip to the PIAA playoffs. … Hurley set a school record with eight 3-pointers in a game this season. … Searfoss scored a season-high 39 points, three from the school record, in the program’s first Schuylkill League playoff win ever besides a division tie breaking victory in 2012.
Did you know?: The Olympians’ three freshmen starters lost in an 8th grade AAU national title game last summer. BETHLEHEM CAHOLIC (22-4) All-time District 11 record: 37-21 in 29th appearance. All-time championship
games since 1970: 16-7 (6-1 league, 9-4 district, 1-2 PIAA).
Coach: Jose Medina (122-23, fifth season; district playoffs 9-1 in fifth appearance, 3-1 in finals.
Projected starters: 5-9 Sr. F Briana Barnard (6.3 ppg), 5-10 Jr. C Abby Brown (8.0 ppg), 5-4 Jr. G Jaleesa Lanier (7.2 ppg, 20 3s), 5-9 Fr. G Kourtney Wilson (11.8 ppg, 36 3s), 5-5 Jr. G Isabelle Rosario. About the Golden Hawks:
Seeking third straight district title and sixth in seven seasons. Have reached a district final in eight straight seasons. … Wilson scored a season-high 19 points for third time in 53-28 rout of Northwestern Lehigh in semifinals. … Have won three consecutive Eastern Pennsylvania Conference titles and five of the last six. … Has played all season without two-time all-state selection, junior Taliyah Medina, who was cleared to participate in warmups before the game.
Did you Know?: Bethlehem Catholic has recorded a 77-10 overall record the last three seasons including 20-1 in postseason while winning six straight title games. Won first state title in 2017. Tom Mugavero’s prediction: This is David vs. Goliath meets Hoosiers at its best. Becahi plays in a conference of mostly class 6A schools and has won 10 overall titles in the last six seasons including a state championship. The Olympians, with three freshmen starting, won their second league division title and first league championship this season playing against much smaller schools and are playing in their first district title game. … Goliath, in a closer game than some might think, 56-51.