Both Pittston Area basketball teams landed top seeds in Class 5A for the District 2 basketball tournaments, which begin this week.
Ratings were not finalized until after the last games Saturday and official pairings would be released by the district after that. However, with the bulk of the regular season complete (conference playoffs are not part of the district seeding ratings), most of the matchups could be projected as of presstime and both Pittston Area teams were clear ratings leaders.
Higher-seeded teams get to host quarterfinal and semifinal games before the championships move to Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza March 3-5.
The Pittston Area boys (17-4) will host Valley View (9-13) in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
The Pittston Area girls were 22-2 going into Saturday night’s Wyoming Valley Conference Tournament championship. They will open Wednesday with a quarterfinal against West Scranton (3-19).
Class 4A and 2A girls action opens Tuesday.
Wyoming Area (12-10) appeared headed for the Class 4A sixth seed and a trip to third-seeded Lake-Lehman (17-3). The ratings race was close enough, however, that results of other games potentially could have pushed the Lady Warriors ahead of Nanticoke and into a meeting with fourth-seeded Holy Redeemer.
Four-time defending champion Scranton Prep, with Pittston’s Avery McNulty in the starting lineup, is the second seed in Class 4A and headed to a game against Honesdale.
Old Forge will open against Blue Ridge in Class 2A, most likely on the road as the fifth seed. The Lady Raiders were well ahead of the Lady Devils heading into their Saturday season finale.
Class 3A boys also opens Tuesday.
Holy Redeemer, with Jenkins Township’s Matt Prociak as the second-leading scorer, are the top seed and have a bye until Friday.
Class 4A and 2A boys are on the Wednesday quarterfinal and Saturday semifinal schedule.
Wyoming Area (8-13) will be the sixth seed and travel to the third seed. Going into Saturday, Scranton Prep (13-8) was in the third spot, trailing Mid Valley (18-4) by the slightest margin.
Defending champion Old Forge (13-8) appears to be the third seed and headed into a quarterfinal with sixth-seeded Susquehanna (8-14).
WRESTLING
The District 2 Individual Championships are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Wilkes-Barre Area.
The Class 3A and 2A tournaments will run simultaneously, beginning at 4 p.m. Friday.
Action is scheduled to continue through to 1 p.m. finals Saturday.
Jaden Pepe (35-0), Cooper Price (32-0) and Connor Wrobleski (30-4) from Wyoming Area are all defending Class 2A champions. Freshman Anthony Evanitsky (35-2) is among the other potential contenders.
Pittston Area’s James Spindler (30-2) is a defending Class 3A champ. Julian Everitt is 31-1 after placing second last season as a freshman.
SWIMMING AND DIVING
The diving portion of the District 2 Championships will be held Saturday at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center with Class 2A beginning at 10 a.m. and Class 3A at 3 p.m.
Swimming will be held at Wilkes-Barre Area March 4 and 5 with separate sessions each day for Class 2A and 3A.
