WILKES-BARRE TWP. – In each of the previous seven seasons, a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association basketball tournament berth came with a trip to Mohegan Sun Arena for a District 2 Class 2A championship game.
A reduction in state tournament spots available for District 2 teams this season, however, meant only the winner of the March 3 game would advance.
Montrose used a record-tying defensive effort to claim the District 2 title and end Old Forge’s season with a 42-15 victory.
The 15 points matched the fewest allowed in 90 district and subregional championship games since they moved to the arena in 2016. The Lady Meteors tied the record set by Susquehanna against Forest City in the 2021 Class A girls final.
Montrose shut out Old Forge in the third quarter as part of a scoreless stretch of 13:36 and a span of 15 minutes without a field goal.
The Lady Devils never reached double figures until Emma Aversa hit the second of two free throws with 5:05 left in the game.
Sophomore guard Jewlya McCullon scored 10 of Old Forge’s 15 points.
McCullon hit a 3-pointer for a 3-3 tie two minutes into the game.
Montrose scored the last seven points of the first quarter and led 13-5 before a Talia Piragas basket and two McCullon free throws made it a four-point game 2:41 before halftime.
That’s the last Old Forge scored until Aversa ended a 23-point streak by Montrose, which has lost just one Lackawanna League game while winning the last three Division 4 titles.
“The bottom line is they work hard,” Montrose coach Todd Smith said. “When your team works hard, it takes care of a lot of things.”
The Lady Meteors held the Lady Devils to 2-for-23 (8.7 percent) shooting on 3-pointers and 5-for-41 (12.2 percent) overall.
McCullon, who also made three steals, shared the team rebound lead of five with Piragas, who blocked two shots.
Old Forge finished 11-13, improving from 6-16 last season.
The Lady Devils played the season with just nine players and no junior varsity team.
Montrose’s balanced attack was led by 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots by 6-foot-2 center Paley Adams.
