Pottsville's Davy Kunstek (Photo by Dominic Zembas).

ALLENTOWN — It was a big night for the Schuylkill League in the District 11 Basketball Tournament.

Schuylkill League teams went 5-1 in Friday’s quarterfinal-round games, with the sixth-seeded Pine Grove girls and fifth-seeded North Schuylkill boys pulling off upsets.

The Cardinals upended Catasauqua 36-31 in a Class 3A quarterfinal, punching their ticket to the PIAA playoffs.

The victory advances Pine Grove to Tuesday’s semifinals, where they will face Schuylkill League Division I rival Schuylkill Haven at 6:30 p.m. at Martz Hall. The Hurricanes blasted MaST Community Charter 55-16 as Mckenna Runkle scored 32 points, including the 1,000th of her career (see related story).

DISTRICT 11 GIRLS’ BRACKETS: https://www.t102sportsnow.com/2026/02/20/hs-girls-basketball-district-11-scores-schedule/

DISTRICT 11 BOYS’ BRACKETS: https://www.t102sportsnow.com/2026/02/20/hs-boys-basketball-district-11-scores-schedule/

The Spartans stunned No. 4 Bethlehem Catholic, outscoring the Golden Hawks by 10 points in the fourth quarter to capture a 43-36 victory.

In Class 5A boys, top-seeded Pottsville and No. 2 Blue Mountain cruised to victories. The Tide dusted Jim Thorpe 61-27 while the Eagles used a strong second half to beat Shikellamy 63-45 at Martz Hall (see related story).

The only Schuylkill League to come up short was the Mahanoy Area girls, who fell to Executive Education 43-40.

Boys’ Basketball

North Schuylkill 43, Bethlehem Catholic 36

ALLENTOWN — Xavier McNally scored a game-high 20 points, including 14 in the second half, as the Spartans downed Bethlehem Catholic in a Class 4A quarterfinal at Allentown Allen High School.

North Schuylkill led 17-14 at the half before the Hawks answered with a 15-9 run to take a 29-26 lead entering the fourth.

In the final frame, McNally had seven points that included a 5-for-8 effort at the foul line. Caden Mengel drained a key 3-pointer and had five points, while Jude Maziekas and Julian Nelson had key buckets.

North Schuylkill closed the game on a 17-7 run. The Spartans were 14-for-27 from the foul line.

The victory advances the Spartans to Tuesday’s semifinals, where they will face top-seeded Northwestern Lehigh (20-5) at 7:30 p.m. at Allentown Allen HS.

District 11 Class 4A Quarterfinal

At Allentown Allen HS

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (43) — Cairo 0 0-0 0, Damiter 2 1-3 5, Maziekas 2 0-0 4, Mengel 2 2-2 7, Kacilowicz 1 2-6 4, Nelson 1 1-2 3, McNally 6 8-14 20, Gallagher 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 14-27 43.

BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (36) — McClary 3 3-5 12, Jackson 0 0-0 0, Lewis 0 0-0 0, Muir 1 0-0 3, Barona 3 2-2 9, Rivera 2 0-0 4, Timar 0 0-0 0, Wickenheiser 3 0-0 8. Totals 12 5-7 36.

3-point FGs: Mengel, McClary 3, Muir, Barona, Wickenheiser 2

Officials: Haas, Sands, Mack

Pottsville 61, Jim Thorpe 27

ORWIGSBURG — Davy Kunstek poured in a game-high 17 points as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Olympians in a Class 5A quarterfinal at Blue Mountain High School.

Pottsville opened the game on a 15-5 run as Christian Alvarez had seven of his 12 points. The Tide then went on a 14-2 run in the second quarter to build a 29-7 halftime lead.

Ryder Bowers had nine points and JuJu Bainbridge tallied eight in Pottsville’s balanced attack.

The Tide advance to face No. 4 Southern Lehigh in Tuesday’s quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. at Blue Mountain.

District 11 Class 5A Quarterfinal

At Blue Mountain HS

JIM THORPE (27) — Antignani 1 0-0 2, Bothard 2 3-6 7, Kiehl 0 1-2 1, Flyzik 0 0-0 0, Lazorick 1 0-0 2, Levins 0 0-0 0, Schrantz 6 1-1 15, Moore 0 0-0 0, Hodor 0 0-0 0, Reese 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 5-9 27.

POTTSVILLE (61) — Hobbs 2 0-0 5, McGinley 1 0-0 2, Allen 1 1-2 3, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Bainbridge 3 1-1 8, Alvarez 5 0-2 12, Bowers 3 0-0 9, Kunstek 7 3-4 17, Clews 1 0-0 2, Kimber 1 0-0 3, Viars 0 0-0 0, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Eroh 0 0-0 0, Leskin 0 0-0 0, Frantz 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 5-9 61.

3-point FGs: Hobbs, Bainbridge, Alvarez 2, Bowers 3, Kimber

Officials: Litwhiler, Wojociechowski, Shober

Girls’ Basketball

Pine Grove 36, Catasauqua 31

ALLENTOWN — Hollyn Sampson took over the game in the third quarter as the Cardinals downed the Rough Riders in a Class 3A quarterfinal at Executive Education High School.

Sampson scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in a 13-2, third-quarter run as Pine Grove overcame a 17-14 deficit. Callee Leffler and Meadow Umbenhauer each added six points for Pine Grove, which shot 11-of-14 from the foul line.

“I’m so proud of the girls,” Pine Grove coach Allison Rizzo said via text message after the game.

Colonial League Player of the Year Hailey Jenkins had 18 points for Catasauqua but had to earn every one of them, shooting 8-for-8 from the foul line.

District 11 Class 3A Quarterfinal

At Executive Education HS

PINE GROVE (36) — Leffler 1 3-3 6, M. Umbenhauer 1 4-7 6, Heming 1 0-0 2, Fidler 0 0-0 0, Sampson 8 4-4 20, K. Umbenhauer 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 11-14 36.

CATASAUQUA (31) — Roberts 0 0-0 0, Sankari 2 0-0 5, LaFond 0 0-0 0, Jenkins 4 8-8 18, Stewart 3 2-2 8, Mankos 0 -0 0. Totals 9 10-10 31.

3-point FGs: Leffler, Sankari, Jenkins 2

Executive Education 43, Mahanoy Area 40

PALMERTON — The Raptors used a bucket with 13 seconds left to take the lead, then hit key free throws in the final seconds to eliminate the Golden Bears in a Class 3A quarterfinal at Palmerton High School.

The game was tied at 29-29 entering the fourth. M. Hargrove led all scorers with 23 points for Executive Education, scoring six in the final frame and hitting three late free throws.

Naomi Kowalick drained four 3-pointers and led Mahanoy Area with 15 points, while Felicia Bro and Ella Connolly each tallied 11 points.

The Golden Bears end their season 18-7.

District 11 Class 3A Quarterfinal

At Palmerton HS

MAHANOY AREA (40) — Haughney 0 0-0 0, Manley 0 0-0 0, Wonsock 0 0-0 0, Christian 0 0-0 0, Bro 2 6-7 11, Carl 1 0-0 3, Kowalick 5 1-2 15, Connolly 4 2-2 11. Totals 12 9-11 40.

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION (43) — Hargrove 8 7-8 23, Bush 2 1-4 5, Henry 2 2-4 7, Riddick 2 0-0 6, Green 0 0-0 0, Rios 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 10-16 43.

3-point FGs: Bro, Carl, Kowalick 4, Connolly, Riddick 2

Officials: Frazier, Lewis, Wise