Pittston Area’s season started with a bang.
The Patriots went to Northwest on Thursday looking to get off on the right foot after winning last year’s PIAA District 2 Class AAA championship. They did just that. On Friday, the Patriots took care of GAR, 49-34.
The Patriots took down the Rangers, 69-43 thanks to strong defense and a brilliant game from senior Marley O’Brien. O’Brien finished with a game-high 24 points, including two threes.
The Patriots held Northwest to just seven points in the opening quarter, while scoring 19 themselves. Kirsten Durling added seven field goals for her 14 points, while Taryn Ashby was 5-for-6 from the free throw line and finished with 11 points.
Also figuring into the scoring column for Pittston Area were Rachel Ferrance with six points and Megan Cummings with four points.
O’Brien scored 14 points and Ashby finished with 13 as Pittston Area built a big halftime lead and closed out a victory over GAR in a high school girls basketball game Friday in Yatesville.
Marie Skrepenak paced GAR with 10 points and Lindsey Quinn added nine in the losing effort.
Ashby had eight points in the first half and O’Brien scored six in the second quarter as the Patriots surged to a 28-19 lead by halftime.
O’Brien added eight points in the second half to keep Pittston Area comfortable.
Abington Heights 57, Wyoming Area 34
After a win over Susquehanna in the opener, Wyoming Area dropped its first game of the 2015-16 season when Abington Heights came to Exeter.
Abington Heights held the Warriors to just six points in the first quarter and five points in the fourth quarter in a 57-34 win over Wyoming Area.
Sarah Holweg led the Warriors with 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Rachel Solano chipped in with eight points, including two threes of her own.
