Scholastic sports year was indeed memorable

by Steve Stallone Sports Editor

Looking back and exhaling after a long and busy nine months, it’s hard to believe another scholastic sports year has come and gone. But what a sports year it was!

In the fall, while the Crestwood field hockey team was busy collecting its third consecutive District 2 Class 2A championship and winning a state tournament game, the Comets football team was reeling off 12 straight victories on their way to a District 2 4A title and a run all the way to the PIAA semifinals in what was the best season in program history.

The Crestwood boys’ and girls’ cross country teams each qualified for the PIAA

Meet, with Ella Novelli coming home with a state medal after finishing 25th.

At Weatherly, Jacob Parker, Michael Berger and the Weatherly Area boys’ cross country team enjoyed more success, with the two runners reaching the state championships. Meanwhile, Madisyn vonFrisch excelled on the golf course, advancing to the District 11 championships for the Wreckers.

Over the winter, Crestwood brothers Magnus and Lincoln Bibla excelled on the wrestling mat, each advancing to the state championships in Hershey, with Magnus earning a sixth-place medal.

Several area players enjoyed standout basketball seasons as well, including the likes of Ian McLaurin, Emma Kane and Bethany Houser at Weatherly, and Drew Sechleer, Brandon Burbank, Chaz Wright, Cadence Hiller, Julia Glowacki, and Erin Dougherty at Crestwood. With Weatherly native Ashley Pleban running the point, the Marian girls captured the District 11 Class A basketball championship and reached the second round of states. With the spring came more success. High-scoring Isabella Caporuscio amassed 159 goals to help fuel the Crestwood girls’ lacrosse team to a third straight District 2 2A crown, while track and field standouts Grayce Grazio, Jaden Shedlock and Sarah Shipton were making their way to the state meet in Shippensburg. Grazio, just a freshman, earned a state medal with a fifth in the high jump. And in Weatherly, vonFrisch continued mowing down batters at a blistering pace as the Lady Wreckers reached the District 11 softball playoffs. Congratulations to all the athletes and sports teams for a very successful and memorable 2022-23 local year in sports!

Double award winner

Congratulations also go out to Madisyn vonFrisch, who capped an outstanding senior year and career at Weatherly Area by accepting two big awards this week. The senior golf and softball standout was named the Scotty Roman Award winner by the Hazleton Swing Club, an award that recognizes the top female and male high school athletes from the Greater Hazleton area. She also received the Stanley Jimson Spirit Award along with Hazleton Area’s Shastyn Tihansky, from the Hazleton Standard-Speaker.

VonFrisch surpassed 500 career strikeouts for the Weatherly Area softball team in the spring, and is headed to King’s College in Wilkes-Barre to continue her academic and softball careers.

LL tourney under way

The District 18 Little League Tournaments have begun, as baseball’s youngest stars are taking the field for their respective towns and leagues for the annual summer event. Although rain greeted the players on Friday’s opening night, most games were played through the weekend and on Monday as the tourneys try to remain on schedule.

Weatherly’s all-star team in the 8-10 Tournament opened play in Lansford in the South Bracket with a victory over Towamensing, and was scheduled to play again Thursday.

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In the 10-12 Tournament, Freeland defeated TriCounty/Weatherly 16-1 in their opener on Saturday, and were scheduled to play again Wednesday in the double-elimination tourney. More from the District 18 LL Tournaments next week.