PIAA Girls’ Hoops: Hurricanes look to take next step in 3A playoffs
Schuylkill Haven's Mckenna Runkle looks for an open teammate as Lourdes' Kylla Sandri defends during Friday's Schuylkill League girls' basketball championship game at Martz Hall (Photo by Dominic Zembas).
Schuylkill Haven, Marian, Lourdes eye second-round victories
Can Schuylkill Haven take the next step?
Can Marian continue its amazing season?
Can Lourdes extend its postseason dominance?
Those questions and many more will be answered over the next two days as the PIAA Basketball Tournament continues with second-round action tonight and Wednesday.
Only three of the Schuylkill League’s 10 state qualifiers advanced out of last weekend’s opening round, all on the girls’ side.
Here’s a look at the second-round PIAA schedule for local teams:
TONIGHT
3A Girls, Schuylkill Haven (23-5) vs. Pequea Valley (21-5), Geigle Complex, Reading, 7:30 p.m. (T-102) …. Listen Live: https://player.aiir.com/wavt/
AA Girls, Marian (15-11) vs. Wyoming Seminary (18-7), Berwick HS, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
A Girls, Lourdes (26-2) vs. Motivation (12-4), Catasauqua HS, 6 p.m.
For Schuylkill Haven, the Hurricanes will battle Pequea Valley in a rematch of last year’s second-round PIAA game that the Braves rallied to win 56-53.
LAST YEAR: Check out T102 Sports Now’s coverage of last season’s PIAA second-round matchup between Schuylkill Haven and Pequea Valley: https://www.t102sportsnow.com/2025/03/11/piaa-girls-3a-basketball-pequea-valley-rallies-to-end-hurricanes-season/
It’s a game Schuylkill Haven felt it should have won. The Hurricanes led 11-8 after one quarter, 26-21 at halftime and 39-30 after three quarters. Pequea Valley then shot the lights out in the fourth quarter, hitting 9-of-10 from the field and putting up 26 points.
The leading scorers for both teams in that game — Haven’s Anna Schaeffer (15 points, 14 rebounds) and Pequea’s Katie Stoltzfus (23 points, 3 3s) — both graduated.
Both teams, however, return their star players from last season, Pennsylvania Sportswriters’ Class 3A All-State selections Janae Patterson of Pequea Valley and Mckenna Runkle of Schuylkill Haven.
Patterson had 18 points in the game last season, scoring the game-winning bucket on a layup with 27 seconds left. A quick senior point guard, she averages 19.3 points per game and has scored 1,725 career points this season.
Runkle, meanwhile, had 15 points in the first meeting. The dynamic junior forward leads Haven with a 15.3 ppg average and has scored 1,038 points so far in her career.
In last year’s contest, the Hurricanes solved Pequea Valley’s press and dominated the boards over the first three quarters. They’ll need to do that again tonight to be successful.
Schuylkill Haven will also have to avoid foul trouble and have enough stamina to last the four intense quarters. For the first time all season in games that I covered, the Hurricanes looked winded in the fourth quarter of their District 11 championship game loss to Executive Education. Tonight’s game will have a similar tempo.
Finally, Schuylkill Haven will have to overcome the Geigle Complex’s stranglehold on Schuylkill League teams in the PIAA basketball playoffs.
Affectionately known in local media circles as the “Geigle Graveyard” or “The place Schuylkill League teams go to die,” the Geigle Complex has been the final resting place for several talented Schuylkill League basketball teams with lofty PIAA hopes.
A half-dozen Pottsville boys’ squads, an unbeaten Blue Mountain boys’ team and a loaded North Schuylkill girls’ team in the 1990s are among the many Schuylkill League teams that didn’t escape the Geigle Complex victorious.
Let’s hope the Hurricanes break that curse tonight.
If you can’t attend, you can listen live on T-102 (101.9 FM) and get live updates on the T102 Sports Now Facebook page.
Here’s a capsule look at the three PIAA second-round games involving Schuylkill League teams:
PIAA Girls’ Basketball Second Round Preview Capsules
CLASS 3A
11-2 Schuylkill Haven (23-5) vs. 3-2 Pequea Valley (21-5)
When: Tonight, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Geigle Complex, Reading
TV/Radio: Game will be broadcast on T-102 (101.9 FM) with Chaz Hepler and Ty Wartman on the call
Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now content editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss and get score updates on the T102 Sports Now Facebook page
Tickets: Advance tickets cost $9 and can be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All tickets at the door cost $10.
Up Next: Winner advances to Friday’s quarterfinals against the 12-1 Imhotep Charter vs. 2-2 Holy Redeemer winner.
About Pequea Valley
Head coach: Jason McDonald
How they got here: District 3 runners-up cruised past 12-3 Mastery North Pickett 59-19 in Friday’s opening round
Regular-season results: Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 co-champions. Losses were to Shalom Christian Academy, Columbia, Upper Dauphin in regular season, Warwick in Lancaster-Lebanon playoffs. In District 3 tournament, Braves defeated Columbia 35-34 before losing to Trinity 47-43 in title game.
Projected starting five: PG Janae Patterson, sr. (19.3 ppg, 16 3-pointers); G Olive Martin, soph. (7.4 ppg, 13 3s); G Shelyce Burke, sr. (7.3 ppg, 17 3s); F Carissa Lapp, soph. (4.0 ppg); G Jorja Eby, jr. (2.5 ppg)
Key reserves: G Lauren Cazanave, soph. (6.2 ppg, 34 3s); G Tilea Burke, soph. (5.8 ppg, 10 3s)
About Schuylkill Haven
Head coach: Tony Sanders
How they got here: District 11 runners-up routed 12-4 Philadelphia Academy Charter 50-19 in Friday’s opening round
Regular-season results: Went 18-4 in regular season, with losses to District 4 state qualifiers Hughesville and Mount Carmel, D-11 AA runner-up Marian and North Schuylkill. Schuylkill League Division I champions, Hurricanes defeated Mahanoy Area 53-38 and District 4 Class A champion Lourdes 38-31 in Schuylkill League playoffs to capture second straight title. In District 11 playoffs, Haven defeated MaST Community Charter and Pine Grove to reach championship game before losing to Executive Education 39-33.
Projected starting five: F Mckenna Runkle, jr. (15.4 ppg, 18 3-point FGs); G Audrey Hutchinson, sr. (13.3 ppg); G Kylie Siket, jr. (7.9 ppg, 41 3-point FGs), G Ava Terefencko, jr. (6.4 ppg, 12 3-point FGs), C Braelynn Strenkoski, soph. (2.2 ppg)
Key reserves: G/F Aubrie Wade, fr.
Game Notes
Pequea Valley is located in Kinzers, in eastern Lancaster County, and competes in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. …. Game is a rematch of last year’s PIAA Class 3A second-round matchup, which Pequea Valley won 56-53 at Central Dauphin East HS. The win put Pequea Valley in the PIAA quarterfinals for the first time in program history. The Braves then lost 55-25 to Imhotep in the next round. …. Game is a great matchup of two All-State players in Patterson and Runkle. Patterson was the L-L Section 4 MVP and has 1,725 career points. Runkle was the Schuylkill League Division I MVP and has 1,038 points. … McDonald earned his 200th career victory with Friday’s victory. …. …. Braves are deeper than Hurricanes, with guards Lauren Cazanave and Tilea Burke bringing instant offense off the bench. …. Braves like to press and trap and score points in transition. To be successful, Schuylkill Haven will need to take care of the ball, be patient on offense and not get into foul trouble.
PIAA Girls’ Basketball Second Round Preview Capsules
CLASS AA
11-2 Marian (15-11) vs. 2-2 Wyoming Seminary (18-7)
When: Tonight, 6 p.m.
Where: Berwick HS
Tickets: Advance tickets cost $9 and can be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All tickets at the door cost $10.
Up Next: Winner advances to Friday’s quarterfinals against the 3-1 York Catholic vs. 5-1 Berlin Brothersvalley winner
About Wyoming Seminary
How they got here: District 2 runners-up knocked off District 4 champion Muncy 32-27 in Friday’s opening round.
Regular-season results: Blue Knights finished the regular season 15-6 overall, 10-4 in Division 3 of the Wyoming Valley Conference. Signature win was 50-49 victory over District 2 Class 3A runner-up Holy Redeemer on Jan. 8. The top-seed for the District 2 AA playoffs, Wyoming Seminary defeated Lackawanna Trail (57-14) and Elk Lake (45-25) before falling to Mountain View 47-43 in title game.
Projected starting five: Ella Stambaugh, jr. (21.0 ppg, 127-176 FT, 44 3s); Ellie Kersey, jr. (7.8 ppg, 35 3s); Maya Gross, sr. (1.7 ppg, 10 3s); Stella Ruiz, soph. (4.8 ppg, 24 3s); Natalina DeNaples, fr. (3.2 ppg)
Key reserves: Kaeleen Dougherty, soph. (3.1 ppg); Olivia Evans, jr.
About Marian
Head coach: Jeff Onushco
How they got here: District 11 runners-up decked 12-2 Vaux 66-24 in Friday’s opening round
Regular-season results: Fillies finished third in Schuylkill League Division II with 9-5 league record. Lost to North Schuylkill in Schuylkill League quarterfinals. In District 11 Class AA playoffs, Marian defeated Lincoln Leadership 59-30 before falling to Williams Valley 51-29 in title game.
Projected starting five: G DeAnna Pugh, jr. (12.1 ppg, 29 3-pt FG), G Katie Knock, fr. (4.3 ppg, 29 3-pt FG), F Haley Minzola, fr. (5.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg), G/F Brooke Hannis-Miskar, jr. (5.1 ppg, 26 3-pt FG), G/F Addy Marek, soph. (15.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 42 3-pt FG)
Key reserves: F Gia DeCosmo, fr. (1.5 ppg), G Yerang Kwon, fr. (0.8 ppg)
Game Notes
Marian is facing the District 2 runner-up in this round at the same gym for the second straight season. Fillies defeated Elk Lake 47-45 last year at Berwick to reach the PIAA quarterfinals, then lost to District 5 champion Berlin Brothersvalley 57-46. …. Pugh had a career-high 32 points in rout of Vaux, a game in which every player on Marian’s roster scored at least one point. …. Marek and Pugh are Marian’s stars and will need to play like it tonight for Fillies to be successful. Onushco’s squad has also gotten solid contributions from Hannis-Miskar, Knock and Minzola during the postseason and that has to continue. …. When you talk about Wyoming Seminary, the conversation starts with Ella Stambaugh. The junior averages 21 points per game and had 21 points in the Blue Knights’ first-round win over Muncy. In four playoff games so far, Stambaugh has put up 40, 27, 16 and 21 points. She can shoot the 3, draining 44 so far, and gets to the foul line a ton, shooting 127-for-176 this season. …. Ellie Kersey is Wyoming Seminary’s other threat, scoring nine points against Muncy. …. For the Fillies, limiting turnovers on the offensive end, forcing turnovers on the defensive end and scoring points in transition will be three keys for tonight.
