Blue Mountain's Tyeirre Meade (3) launches a free throw during a Schuylkill League Division I boys' basketball game at Blue Mountain High School Wednesday. The Eagles defeated the Spartans 61-36 (Photo by Eli Doyle).

ORWIGSBURG — Blue Mountain is rounding into form at exactly the right time.

Tyierre Meade poured in a game-high 26 points and the Eagles used a decisive second-quarter surge to pull away from North Schuylkill, cruising to a 61-36 Schuylkill League Division I boys’ basketball victory Tuesday night.

“We have to score more points than the other team,” long-time Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said with a grin. “If we can defend and we keep teams in the 30s and 40s, we’re going to be successful. When we give up 60, we’re going to lose. We have to keep defending the way we do most nights — not every night. If we do those things, we’ll be successful.”

North Schuylkill (11-8, 6-6 D-I) came out sharp, jumping to an early 8-3 lead behind strong defensive energy, but Blue Mountain (12-7, 8-4) quickly flipped the script. The Eagles rattled off a 10-1 run to close the opening quarter, turning a slow start into a 13-9 advantage.

From there, Blue Mountain steadily tightened the screws.

Cohen Kirby sparked the Eagles in the second quarter, scoring eight points, while Meade added six and Beck Henninger knocked down a 3-pointer as Blue Mountain outscored the Spartans 17-10 to take a 30-19 lead into halftime. Cam Kacilowicz beat the buzzer with a 3 for North Schuylkill to keep the margin from growing further.

Defense became the story after the break.

Led by Sean Gaddy and Kirby, Blue Mountain limited North Schuylkill’s ball movement and second-chance opportunities, forcing the Spartans into tough looks throughout the second half. The Eagles continued to build their lead with balanced scoring and steady execution, outscoring North Schuylkill 17-7 in the third quarter to seize full control.

“I was talking to a non-basketball person, and they said Sean’s always there,” Werdt said. “They’re 100% right. Sean is always there. He’s a smart kid — not just academically, which he is — he is basketball smart as well. Him always being there has nothing to do with us, it’s Sean Gaddy. How often does a kid get a clean look off Sean? Sean is always there, and it starts with him.”

“You have a kid battling inside like Kirby, giving up six inches and going blow-for-blow with bigger, athletic kids. It is a little bit of everybody; they all have that same mindset right now. I can’t just say one or two people, because they’re all doing it. And they’re all doing it a little bit differently.”

Blue Mountain carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, never allowing the Spartans to mount a serious push.

Meade finished with 26 points, Setlock added eight, Kirby chipped in 14, and Werner and Henninger provided timely contributions as the Eagles rolled to the convincing win.

North Schuylkill was led by Cam Kacilowicz with 17 points, including four 3-pointers, while Xavier McNally added eight.

The victory not only completed a season sweep of the Spartans, but also strengthened Blue Mountain’s position in the Division I standings as the postseason picture continues to sharpen.

The win also carried significant postseason weight. With each Schuylkill League team playing 14 league games, Blue Mountain’s victory — coupled with a season sweep of North Schuylkill — effectively locked the Eagles into a Division I playoff berth. Even if the teams were to finish with identical league records, Blue Mountain would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, ensuring it remains ahead of the Spartans in the standings. As a result, both Blue Mountain and Pottsville (13-6, 9-2) are now clinched for the league postseason, joining Minersville (17-1, 11-1) in the Division I playoff field as February approaches.

Blue Mountain 61, North Schuylkill 36

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (36) — Cairo 0 0-0 0, Damiter 1 0-0 2, Maziekas 1 0-0 2, Mengel 0 1-2 1, Kacilowicz 6 1-1 17, Nelson 2 0-0 5, McNally 3 2-7 8, Cabral 0 1-2 1, Gallagher 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 5-12 36.

BLUE MOUNTAIN (61) — Meade 9 8-13 26, Setlock 4 0-0 8, Kirby 5 4-4 14, Werner 3 1-1 7, Henninger 1 2-2 5, Wargo 0 0-0 0, Gaddy 0 1-2 1. Totals 22 16-22 61.

3-point FGs: Kacilowicz 4, Nelson, Henninger

Officials: Litwhiler, Melusky, Pammer

JV Score: Blue Mountain 60-40